Honest Comparison: Gas Generator vs Portable Power Station

We’ve seen countless posts of portable power stations and how they compare to one another. However, we’re left with a glaring question; how do they compare to their parent technology?

Solar generators have only been around for ten years. Could they possibly compete with gasoline engines already? Let’s talk about the EcoFlow Delta Pro portable power station vs gas generators and see which is better.

Safety

Without a doubt, a portable power station is far safer than a gas generator. Gas generators killed over 900 people between 2005 to 2017 from carbon monoxide poisoning and they use highly flammable fuel close to your home. Portable power stations are simply large batteries with virtually no risk of causing injuries or toxicity.

Purchase Price

Gas generators are widely available for purchase at many stores, and they vary widely in quality. However, for a generator with decent output and fuel economy, you should expect to pay at least $2,000, especially if you intend to use it for home backup. Yes, there are some available for $500 or less, but they can’t power large appliances or last very long.

Either way, this is a metric where gas generators beat portable power stations, as the Delta Pro costs nearly $3,500. However, that doesn’t mean they’re cheaper!

Running Price

If you use solar panels for your Delta Pro, then the cost of energy is free. If you use a public EV charger, which is the most expensive option, then it shouldn’t cost you more than $0.60 to charge it to completion, as most chargers cost $0.18 per kilowatt-hour. At home, this should cost $0.35 at most to charge with an AC charger.

With that amount of energy, you can power a fridge for more than a day, run five LED lightbulbs for a week, or charge your new iPhone 313 times.

On the other hand, running a gas generator at $2.89 a gallon means that you should expect to pay $52 per day to run your generator. With average gas prices currently at $4.20 in the US, that means you should expect to pay $75.57 per day. That means that after a mere two to three weeks of running a generator, a portable power station would pay for itself.

Longevity

Gas generators aren’t exactly designed for frequent use like your car engine. They’re meant for occasional home backup, which is why you can buy them for so cheap. They’re simply made from cheaper parts.

On the other hand, the EcoFlow Delta Pro can last for over ten years if you fully drain and recharge the battery every day. Even then, it will only decline 20% from its original capacity. A gas generator is likely to start burning oil or misfiring within a couple of years of heavy use!

Shelf Life

Gas goes bad after a few months of sitting, even in a can in your garage. This effect worsens as the weather gets colder, and it can cause serious damage to the engine in your generator. Old gasoline can clog a fuel filter or even create friction in your engine, which could shorten its lifespan significantly. Also, gas generators don’t have batteries, so they can’tstore energy like a portable power station can.

However, the battery on a portable power station has a shelf life of over a year without posing any risks of fire or internal damage. This is perfect for home backup, which brings us to our next point.

Home Backup

Both the EcoFlow Delta Pro and a gas generator can likely power your home’s major appliances, lights, and some electronics. However, you will have to go outside and start up the generator to get it to do so.

With the EcoFlow Delta Pro and the Smart Home Panel, you’ll have a switchover time of fewer than 20 milliseconds, allowing for uninterrupted power. This is essential to avoid restarting certain appliances, avoid electrical damage, and continuously power medical equipment. For this reason, the EcoFlow Delta Pro wins. 

Try Them for Yourself

Now that you see how the EcoFlow Delta Pro portable power station compares to gas-powered generators, you can see that there really is no comparison. Technology is advancing, and we should be adapting to these safer and better changes as soon as we can. If you’re ready to make the switch, then feel free to shop with us for free shipping and a price match guarantee!