Goal Zero Yeti 300 vs Anker 521 PowerHouse
Side-by-side on the specs that decide it — surge, capacity, runtime and price.
Both models' specs verified against manufacturer listings · Last updated
The short answer
Anker 521 PowerHouse costs $50 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Goal Zero Yeti 300 holds 16% more energy (297Wh vs 256Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Goal Zero Yeti 300 has 300W more surge headroom (600W vs 300W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Anker 521 PowerHouse is 5.5 lb lighter (8.2 lb vs 13.7 lb).
- Goal Zero Yeti 300 is rated for 4,000 cycles vs 3,000 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
Neither of these will start a sump pump or well pump — both surge below the ~3,400W those motors need. If home backup with pumps is your use case, look at higher-surge models instead of either of these.
Goal Zero's compact entry: rugged and IPX4-rated, but you pay a premium over similar-capacity rivals for the drop-and-splash toughness.
Best for: Overlanders and job sites where the unit gets wet and knocked around.
Where it falls short:
- 350W output runs devices, not appliances
- $299 for 297Wh is pricey per watt-hour
A pocket-scale LiFePO4 unit for keeping devices alive. 200W of output means it's a charger, not an appliance station.
Best for: Travelers and campers topping up phones, cameras and a laptop.
Where it falls short:
- 200W output runs devices only
- 256Wh is small
| Spec | Goal Zero Yeti 300 | Anker 521 PowerHouse |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 | $249 |
| Capacity | 297 Wh | 256 Wh |
| Continuous output | 350 W | 200 W |
| Surge output | 600 W | 300 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 4,000 | 3,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 13.7 lb | 8.2 lb |
| Max solar | 300 W | 100 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 50 min | 2h 30m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Goal Zero Yeti 300 | Anker 521 PowerHouse |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | ❌ | ❌ |
| Mini fridge | 8.0 hrs | ❌ |
| Chest freezer | ❌ | ❌ |
| CPAP machine | 6.3 hrs | 5.4 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | ❌ |