(Image credit: Jeff Parsons / Tom's Guide)
I'm a total newbie when it comes to the benefits of solar panels, but I just got my first taste of free power after a weekend camping trip with the Jackery Explorer Solar Generator 2000 ($999 @ Amazon), and I'm hooked. Roughly the size of one of the best drink coolers (just a darn sight heavier), this portable power station gave me all the electricity I needed during 48 hours away from the grid and still had some left to spare.If you've not yet taken the plunge on a solar generator then there are plenty of affordable alternatives to get you started, but I can't fault the usefulness of the Jackery Explorer and plan to make it a mainstay of future camping trips.At a buck shy of a grand without the solar panels you’re going to want to accessorize it with, the Jackery Explorer 2000 is something of an upfront cost. Amazon sells the 200W panels for $429 each, so buying both together will set you back $1,428. The retailer is also is selling a bundle of the power station with two panels for $1,639 — which saves you a bit of cash if you want to double up. But leaving that aside, Jackery also has a range of different power stations with varying capacities at different price points. For example, the Jackery Explorer 500v2 is a more wallet-friendly $399 (discounted to $359 at time of writing).These prices may give you reason to pause. But, like any form of renewable energy, it’s an investment rather than a sunk cost. For example, campsites in the UK will charge you anything between £5 and £15 extra per night for a pitch with an electrical hookup. So over the course of a three-day weekend, I could save up to £45 ($61) just by bringing the Jackery Explorer instead. If I do this three times over the summer, that’s up to £135 ($184) saved.
