The Bluetti EB3A is a portable power station that provides a 600W AC outlet, 100W USB power delivery output, a 268Wh long-lasting LiFePO4 battery, and fast mains charging. Additionally, it comes with an app that allows users to control and monitor the power station via Bluetooth. This compact power station is perfect for power cuts, camping, travel, festivals, and charging tech around the house and on-the-go.
Key Takeaways
- The Bluetti EB3A is a compact portable power station that provides a 600W AC outlet, 100W USB power delivery output, and a 268Wh (12Ah) LiFePO4 battery.
- The power station comes with an app that allows users to control and monitor it via Bluetooth.
- The Bluetti EB3A is reasonably priced and perfect for power cuts, and charging small devices.
Overview
The Bluetti EB3A portable power station is a compact and lightweight power station that is perfect for camping trips, road trips, and as a backup power supply. The device is equipped with a 268Wh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery, which is estimated to last for over 2500 charge/discharge cycles before the battery drops to 80% of its original capacity.
The power station weighs just 4.6kg and measures 255 x 180 x 183 mm, making it one of the most compact and lightweight power stations available. The outside shell is made almost entirely of plastic, which may not feel as rugged as some of the power stations made of metal. However, it is still durable enough for everyday use.
The front of the unit has a 12V 10A car outlet with two 12V 10A ports, two standard USB-A 5V 3A ports, and a USB-C 100W power delivery port. All these DC outputs are operated by the power button, which glows green when they’re turned on. The power station also features a 600W AC outlet, which can surge to 1200W. The AC outlet has its own power button.
The device features a display and an LED spotlight with three modes operated with its power button: medium, high, and flashing. There is also a 15W wireless charging pad to charge any compatible device. The charging inputs are also on the front of the unit. There’s the mains charging port and the DC input for charging from your car or optional solar panels. There’s also a circuit breaker reset switch.
The device can also be controlled using the Bluetti app, which is available for both iOS and Android smartphones.
Charging
The Bluetti EB3A can be charged in three ways: mains cable, car outlet with the optional car charging cable, and solar with optional solar panels. However, the 100W USB-C port cannot be used to charge the unit. It is output only.
When using the supplied mains charging cable, the unit can charge at up to 268W by default. By connecting to the smartphone app via Bluetooth, users can charge a little faster with Turbo mode or quieter and slower with Silent mode. Turbo mode supposedly charges at up to 350W, but it is recommended to use this mode only if “urgent power is needed” to preserve the lifespan of the battery. Even at 322W, the unit can be charged from completely flat to 80% charge in 43 minutes, and a full charge takes just over one hour.
The LCD display is bright and clear, showing information on the remaining charge time when it is charging and the remaining run time when it is powering devices. This estimate is adjusted in real time depending on input or output power. There is also the battery capacity displayed graphically and as a percentage.
The app can monitor and control the power station over Bluetooth, adjust charging speeds, toggle the Eco mode, control the LED lights, turn on Power Lifting, and update the firmware.
The Eco mode, which shuts off the power station after 4 hours when AC is less than 10W and DC is less than 1W, can be adjusted from 1 hour to 4 hours in the app.
The unit can also be charged via a car charging cable, which is not included in the package.
Like all the power stations with built-in MPPT controllers, the Bluetti EB3A is more efficient in solar charging.
Performance
The Bluetti EB3A power station has a single 600W pure sine wave output, making it suitable for sensitive electronics. The outlet can briefly surge to 1200W, and users can enable the Power Lifting mode in the app to run more demanding devices for longer. This mode lowers the output voltage, making it only recommended for devices with heating elements, and not for running air conditioners and washing machines.
The Bluetti EB3A power station has a UPS function, allowing it to bypass the power station and run devices directly off the main’s power when charging off mains. When there is a power cut, the devices switch to the power station’s battery. All ports support passthrough charging and can be used simultaneously.
The Qi wireless charging pad on top of the unit supports up to 15W charging with the latest Android phones, and Apple iPhones need a Magsafe charger for speeds faster than 7.5W. The power station has a parasitic draw, and leaving the DC subsystem on for 12 hours resulted in a drop in remaining capacity of over 16%, which is more than most other power stations tested. Turning on Eco mode shuts off the USB ports when their output is low, and leaving it on could result in more loss from having the DC subsystem on than the devices are consuming.
Conclusions
The Bluetti EB3A portable power station is a really good option for those looking for a compact and lightweight unit with a long-lasting battery and a useful 600W inverter.
It offers good value for money, however, users will need to top up the 268Wh battery regularly, especially if they are using more demanding devices.
Though the battery size is small this cannot be seen as a negative of the unit because it is explicitly designed with a small battery for those with low power draw requirements.
Check the latest price of the EB3A directly on the Bluetti website.
