Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra vs EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
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
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max costs $900 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra holds 200% more energy (1536Wh vs 512Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra has 2600W more surge headroom (3600W vs 1000W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max is 13.3 lb lighter (13.2 lb vs 26.5 lb).
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra is rated for 4,000 cycles vs 3,000 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra
The portability record-holder: 1536Wh at 26.5 lb, lighter than most 1kWh units. You pay $200 over the 1500 v2 for that weight saving.
Best for: Van lifers and overlanders where every pound is negotiated.
Where it falls short:
- 1800W output is lower than the cheaper 1500 v2's 2000W
- $1199 is a premium for weight alone
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max
Double the River 2's capacity and output for $100 more. The sweet spot of EcoFlow's small line for anyone eyeing the occasional small appliance.
Best for: Campers who want headroom over a pure device charger without the size of a 1kWh unit.
Where it falls short:
- Still not enough output for heaters or compressors
- 220W solar input is modest
| Spec | Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra | EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1199 | $299 |
| Capacity | 1536 Wh | 512 Wh |
| Continuous output | 1800 W | 500 W |
| Surge output | 3600 W | 1000 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 4,000 | 3,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 26.5 lb | 13.2 lb |
| Max solar | 600 W | 220 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h 15m | 1h |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra | EcoFlow RIVER 2 Max |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 21.8 hrs | 7.3 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 41.4 hrs | 13.8 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 16.3 hrs | 5.4 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 32.6 hrs | 10.9 hrs |
| Sump pump | 1.6 hrs | ❌ |