There are a few portable power stations in the market. We have covered a few of the big names regularly at DRN. Anker‘s SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 and C2000 Gen 2 crossed my desk recently, and I thought I would put my spin on it.
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: The World’s Fastest Recharging Power Station
The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 is a Guinness World Records title holder for the fastest recharging portable power station (1 kWh). During the official verification on 14 August, the device reached full power capacity in 43 minutes and 48 seconds, establishing a new global benchmark for charging efficiency.
TL;DR: Anker SOLIX C1000 & C2000 Gen 2 Review
Anker’s Gen 2 SOLIX units are high-performance power stations that bridge the gap between portable camping gear and home energy management. With world-record charging speeds and robust LiFePO4 batteries, they are an useful double up for Australians looking to “bill arbitrage” – charging for free during midday windows to power high-cost evening appliances.
Comparison: Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 vs C2000 Gen 2 Specs
I have had both of these units on my test bench for a while.
| Feature | Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 | Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1,024Wh | 2,048Wh |
| AC Continuous Output | 2,000W | 2,400W |
| AC Peak (Surge) | 3,000W | 4,000W |
| Expandability | No | Yes (Up to 4,096Wh) |
| Battery Type | LiFePO4 (LFP) | LiFePO4 (LFP) |
| Cycle Life | 4,000 cycles to 80% | 4,000 cycles to 80% |
| AC Charging Speed (100%) | ~49 minutes | ~88 minutes |
| Solar Input | 600W Max | 800W Max |
| USB Ports | 3x USB-C, 1x USB-A | 3x USB-C, 1x USB-A |
| UPS Speed | 10 ms | 10 ms |
| Weight | 11.3 kg | 18.9 kg |
The Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 and C2000 Gen 2 represent the core of Anker’s current compact yet powerful lineup.
The C1000 Gen 2 is aimed at users who value portability and speed over raw longevity.
Conversely, the C2000 Gen 2 is aimed at energy independence and heavy-duty appliances. It is quite a bit heavier and is designed to stay in one place or be moved occasionally.
Real-World Testing: Appliances and Simultaneous Load Management
While the obvious use cases is for portability – taking it glamping, picnic with a bit of extra convenience or music.
Want your toaster to work when you are camped out somewhere? The SOLIX C series definitely have you covered. Hot water for tea or coffee? That too. Can you do both together? Well …
What can we realistically do with these portable power stations?
As a test at home, I put the C1000 Gen 2 to use with my Cuckoo rice cooker. The C1000 Gen 2 eats that for … lunch or dinner, no problems. But during the cycle if I add my kettle to the mix? I overload the circuit.
Why? Simultaneous Load Management. With a modern rice cooker and kettle, these are called “resistive loads” – they draw on a stack of power instantaneously to generate heat.
The Cuckoo rice cooker, being an induction heating machine can pull up to 1,400W of power during the boil phase. The kettle can pull around 1,800W. Together this adds up to 3,200W sustained draw – well above the C1000 Gen 2’s continuous output limit.
It was actually quite an eye opener to see that my standard two-thirds full kettle boil consumes about 11% of the C1000 Gen 2’s capacity.
In raw figures, that is a consumption of about 112 Wh, or roughly 405,500 Joules of energy. Yes, boiling a kettle is actually quite an expensive exercise in utility cost. It is one of the most energy intensive tasks a battery can perform. That same amount of energy can power a full-size fridge for up to 2 hours.
If you love your cuppa and is boiling your kettle often, you are adding quite a load to your electricity costs.
Can the C2000 Gen 2 handle that load? No. The sustained draw on that is 2400W, so running both my kettle and rice cooker would surpass that by quite a lot.
Both the C1000 Gen 2 and C2000 Gen 2 have peak surge loads at 3000W and 4000W respectively, that peak is only meant for a fraction of a second to help a fridge compressor kick over for example.
I put the C2000 Gen 2 to use on my washing machine – a Bosch Series 7. For my usual mix load cycle of 52 minutes at 30 degrees water temperature, it can handle four loads of washing with some juice left to spare.
Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 LCD showing peak and off-peak hours
Charging Methods: AC, Solar, and Vehicle Options
There are quite a number of ways to keep the SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 and C2000 Gen 2 charged up.
The obvious one is the GPO (general purpose outlet) – Anker includes a heavy duty cable for this and you will be well advised to use it over your standard kettle cord.
AC Grid Charging (Wall Outlet): Both units use Anker’s “UltraFast” technology, but they have different ceilings to protect their respective battery sizes.
- C1000 Gen 2: Charges at a maximum of 1,600W. It can reach 100% in approximately 49 minutes.
- C2000 Gen 2: Charges at a maximum of 1,800W. Because the battery is twice as large, a full charge takes approximately 88 minutes.
You do have to enable “UltraFast Mode” in the Anker App to hit these top speeds; otherwise, they default to a slower, battery-friendly rate.
Solar Recharging: Both units use an XT-60i port for solar input and feature built-in MPPT controllers to maximise efficiency.
- C1000 Gen 2: Supports up to 600W of solar (11V–60V). Under perfect sun, this recharges the unit in about 1.8 to 2 hours.
- C2000 Gen 2: Supports up to 800W of solar (11V–60V). Under perfect sun, this recharges the unit in about 2.5 to 3 hours.
Dual/Hybrid Charging (C2000 Exclusive): The C2000 Gen 2 is uniquely capable of Hybrid Recharging, which combines AC and Solar power simultaneously.
Total Max Input: Up to 2,600W (1,800W AC + 800W Solar).
You can fully recharge the massive 2kWh battery in just 58 minutes if you have both the sun and a wall outlet working for you.
Vehicle Charging (Two Methods):
Standard Car Socket (Cigarette Lighter): Both units include a 12V/24V car charging cable. This is slow (roughly 120W), taking 9–10 hours for the C1000 and 18+ hours for the C2000.
Anker SOLIX Alternator Charger: This is a separate accessory that wires directly to your vehicle’s starter battery/alternator.
- Speed: It provides up to 800W of power while you drive.
- Efficiency: It can charge the C1000 in about 1.3 hours and the C2000 in about 2.6 hours – roughly 8x faster than a standard car port.
Charging via Expansion Battery (C2000 Only)
While not a “recharge source” in the traditional sense, you can charge the C2000 Gen 2 by connecting its dedicated expansion battery (BP2000). The main unit will draw power from the expansion battery to keep its internal percentage topped up, effectively doubling your runtime instantly.
Anker App Control and Energy Management Features
Via the Anker app, you can connect your SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 and C2000 Gen 2 to a wireless network, or a direct Bluetooth connection.
This allows you to configure your units to suit your needs. These include charging and discharging limits to prolong the life of your battery.
What is more useful is the ability to configure Energy Management and Backup Mode.
You can run the portable power stations in UPS mode (standard) where it will prioritise powering the load and recharge simultaneously if there is an AC or DC input.
Alternatively you can run it in “Time of Use Mode” which leverages off-peak charging rates to recharge your SOLIX C series, and use the battery to provide power during peak rate periods.
You can also configure the Storm Guard mode, where it will automatically fully charge the battery to prepare for emergencies such as incoming storms or power outages in the area. This requires you to give the app location permissions.
And of course, there are firmware updates that is available from time to time. It’s worth noting that the operation of the portable power station is interrupted during this process which can take a good ten minutes.
What is great, is that the LCD on the units themselves shows you exactly which phase of your grid power is at – peak or off peak. You can just see at a glance what you are getting.
Something I would love as a feature is the ability to switch on the GPOs on a schedule, like a smart switch.
Maximising Savings: Using SOLIX with Australian Power Schemes
My kids aren’t into camping and things like that, so the typical use of a portable power station is not really for me. However, even if you are a weekend camper, the SOLIX C series is sitting there under utilised during the week.
I have been making some plans on infrastructure changes to my home, and the Anker SOLIX C series is one piece of the puzzle.
Currently I have an electricity provider that gives me free electricity three hours a day. This was even before the Victorian Government created the optional Midday Power Saver scheme.
For those people who do not work from home and can’t directly take advantage of the Midday Power Saver scheme, this is where the Anker SOLIX C series can come in. Instead of waiting the weekend trips, you can use it to power some tasks:
I use it to drive my espresso machine first thing in the morning – there is no way I am waiting til 11am for my coffee. In the past I have a smart switch that runs on a routine to detect when I am doing the school run and fire up the machine for the shortest possible time. With the C1000 Gen 2, I can have the group head fully warmed up by running it longer – off grid.
I have always shifted my rice cooker to run during the free hours, or on the days when I am not home to take advantage of it, I run it off the C1000 Gen 2.
Kids never bother to do their washing in the free power period? The C2000 Gen 2 handles that for me.
And if you are home to use the free power anyway? You can double dip by recharging your Solix C series for free like I do. I use the C2000 Gen 2 to power my work rig for almost nine hours to take the load off my grid electricity.
Up early doing the Sunday markets in winter? The SOLIX C series can power a heater so you can defrost for a while.
Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 with Stormguard warning
Verdict: Which Anker SOLIX Gen 2 Should You Buy?
There are limitations to how much you can hang off a portable power station simultaneously. Before committing to it, you need to understand the “peak vs. continuous” limit values.
Both the SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 and C2000 Gen 2 can handle large continuously loads, but as my tests has shown, they won’t handle peak continuous loads of a kettle and a rice cooker together. If the rice cooker was in keep warm mode? Not a problem.
Which one suits you? The C1000 Gen 2 is a lightweight champion for weekend trips and light backup, the C2000 Gen 2 is a dense powerhouse designed to bridge the gap between portable units and large home backup systems.
The C1000 Gen 2 is light enough to carry with one hand. The C2000 Gen 2 is a good 8 kg higher but also not much bigger. It is however, less portable.
What may be limiting, is that the C1000 Gen 2 cannot expand it’s capacity. The 1024 Wh that it comes with is all that you will get. The C2000 Gen 2 can double it’s capacity with an expansion unit.
The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 has a RRP A$1599, but at time of publish it is going for A$999 with a free water resistant bag valued at A$119. There are also deals on solar panels to go with them.
The Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 has a RRP A$2,699, but at time of publish it is going for A$1,799. There are hot deals with solar and the expansion battery going as well.
If you are looking to get one purely for bill arbitrage, the path to break even on the investment is around 9 years based on a single full discharge cycle a day. However if you do have a need for a portable power station to for camping or other purposes, then it’s role as a UPS and shifting power from peak time is an added bonus.
DRN would like to thank Anker for providing the review unit. Go the Mighty Hawks!
