So, Bluetti Australia has launched the latest in the Elite Series of power stations, and we are testing it on grass, gravel and potholed bitumen?

Why?

Because it has wheels. And a handle.

And oodles of power you would need far away from a power point.

Here is the Elite 400 power station, disguised as a flight crew suitcase that you could trundle down an airport departure lounge.

Or onto a boating dock.

You may be familiar with my obsession with everything Bluetti, as evidenced by the nine previous reviews we’ve done of their gear over the last eight months.

You may have read about subtle hints regarding the handling of heavy batteries.

I think that even so-called portable power stations that are heavier than 20 kg should come with wheels and a handle.

Or with free lifetime membership for WeightLifters International.

 

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ELITE 400 – IT’S HEAVY, BUT…

This unit weighs 46 kilograms when it arrives at your doorstep.

First thought: there should be wheels on the outside of the box as well…

But you may have to provide these yourself. I used a little trolley.

Once you’ve wrestled the unit out of the double box, the weight is not so much of an issue anymore.

Two thick rubber wheels and two equally sturdy rubber feet give this unit a solid stance. There is even a rubber kick-plate on the back to tilt the 400 into a moving pose.

The extendable handle is one of the best implementations I’ve seen on any rolling stock.

No wobble or fear it would break from the strain of moving this 39kg beast through sand, grass or gravel.

The built quality is standard Bluetti: arguably the best in the industry.

When the world eventually moves on from LiFePo4 batteries to sodium or other types of lighter and safer batteries, this unit will still continue to provide power for many years.

 

USABILITY of the ELITE 400 – AT LEAST ONE OF THESE WILL INTEREST YOU

Here is an interesting pairing of the inverter with the built-in battery.

The capacity is fairly huge at 3840Wh. Close enough to be labelled as a 4kWh machine.

However, the inverter is not particularly a heavy lifter. Mind you, still more than adequate for emergency home backup or camping duties. But 2600W output can limit what it can handle – even with the power lifting (for sustained, continuous operation of high-power heating loads) to 3900W and surge power (for momentary spikes) up to 5200W.

So, the Elite 400 seems to aim at the glamping market, where having electricity at your bush camp is a modern necessity.

And when you’re back home, and you need power around your place when the grid fails (yet again), it will keep a fridge running for a couple of days.

Just one note of caution: switch off the unit when not in use, as the “self-consumption” is about 3W (which is very low) to about 20W, depending on whether the inverter is also on.

Motto: keep it charged up for the unexpected power outages.

 

PORTS AND PORTABILITY – THE ESSENCE OF THE ELITE 400

This latest Bluetti release is a unique one because of its (trans)portability.

What’s not unique is the raft of ports on this unit for juicing up your devices and appliances.

Two AC outlets and 5 DC ports can be used simultaneously and should make the Elite a welcome visitor to any outdoor event away from mains power.

Make new friends around the campfire by letting them charge up on your Bluetti powerhouse!

Recharging the huge battery of the Elite 400 to 100% takes 1.8 hours on AC. Pretty decent.

On solar, the unit is limited to 1000W input. This should be higher, as this takes about 6 hours on a real good sun-shiny day.

The quickest way to charge is with AC PLUS solar.  Charging at a rate of 3300W, you can go from 0 to 80% within the hour.

If you’re travelling a few hours a day, the best option is to use the 1000W Charger 2 for fast recharging from your car alternator.

 

TESTING THE ELITE 400 AROUND THE HOME – NO MORE BLACKOUT FEARS?

Inconvenience is what happens when the power goes out, unplanned or planned.

But only when the outage lasts less than a few hours.

Beyond that timeframe, it can quickly become a major drama.

The Elite 400 can certainly help to keep modern life going when you plug in the essentials.

We did the usual tests on what we needed to keep going in a blackout scenario.

Fridge/freezer plus another freezer, our water pump and keeping our devices charged.

We could eke out about two days on the Bluetti 400.

Which is what we expected with the nearly 4000Wh capacity.

If you have access to a solar panel or two, you can extend it somewhat, given the constraints mentioned above. If you have a decent array of solar panels, you should be fine on most days and even make yourself a cuppa or two.

An important note to add to the backup of critical stuff: the unit, like most of Bluetti’s power stations, has a 15ms switchover UPS-like feature. That means that in a blink of the eye, the unit takes over from the grid.

 

ANY IMPROVEMENTS YOU CAN THINK OF FOR THE BLUETTI ELITE 400?

How cool would it be if the Elite 400 could use a little of that ample power to become a self-propelled suitcase?

Or better yet, come with a well-cushioned seat so you can ride it to your beach party?

Silly ideas.

What’s not so silly and even essential is having some built-in LED lights on these (trans)portable units. I’ve mentioned that before, and here’s why.

Power goes out, and you’re stumbling in the dark trying to plug things into your Bluetti. Or you’re wheeling this Elite 400 around on a dark campsite, and rather than carrying a torch or a phone, why not let the unit light up the way?

They’ve done it on the Elite 10, their lightest unit. So, we trust that subsequent releases will also incorporate some lights!

 

COULD YOU BENEFIT FROM HAVING A BLUETTI ELITE 400 IN YOUR LIFE?

Well, we have painted the scenarios already where the Elite 400 really shines.

Camping, boating, caravanning, and long road trips, these are all prime areas where you would benefit from taking a power station along. Any brand and size will make a difference.

The Bluetti Elite 400 is probably the best you could choose because of its battery capacity, the inverter power and the ease of moving the unit around.

The other, less exciting area, where the Elite 400 can be a lifesaver, is around your house.

It can power life-saving devices (or marriage-saving devices, like CPAP machines), keep your fish tank bubbling, and power your security cameras.

All in all, the Bluetti Elite 400 is the big brother in the Elite line-up and a winner with its roll out, roll on manoeuvrability and its massive battery capacity.

 

Highly recommended.

Grab one in this introductory period when the price is AUD$2999. When you click on this link, you can deduct another nice discount by applying the DRN5 code at checkout.

DRN thanks Bluetti Australia for providing the Elite 400. All comments and findings are our own.