ALLPOWERS VOLIX P300 256Wh LiFePO4 Portable Power Station: A Full Review

Finding a reliable backup battery that doesn't cost as much as a car payment is usually an exercise in frustration. Most cheap units use older lithium-ion cells that degrade quickly, or they cap out at a pathetic 100 watts. I picked up the ALLPOWERS VOLIX P300 because it looked like a rare exception on paper. For a sub-hundred-dollar unit, it packs a LiFePO4 battery, which means you can cycle it thousands of times before it loses capacity.

I mostly need something to keep my laptop, phone, and a small fan running during summer brownouts, and this fits the bill. The 256Wh capacity isn't going to run a space heater or a microwave, but the 300W AC inverter handles basic electronics without throwing an overload error. It also has a 100W USB-C port, which is great for fast-charging a MacBook directly without needing a bulky wall brick.

If you are searching for the best portable power station under $100, this is one of the few that actually includes a UPS function. If the grid drops, it switches to battery power in about 15 milliseconds. I wouldn't trust it to run a massive desktop rig indefinitely, but it gives you enough time to save your work. The main catch is that it's a newer release without a long track record, and you have to buy the solar panels separately if you want to charge it off-grid. Still, for basic emergency prep or a weekend camping trip, the value is hard to argue with.