Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Vs Goal Zero Yeti 3000X Review: the Clash of the Giants
The Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro and Goal Zero Yeti 3000X portable power stations have much in common. Both of these portable power stations can charge multiple power-hungry devices at the same time. They also let you monitor and control their operations via a smartphone app.
Neither of these products can be categorized as lightweight. Yet each justifies the added pounds with the power its battery holds and outputs. So, if you want to decide which of these two models should accompany you on your next trip, I’ve had the luck to test both, so read this article to the end to find out their differences.
For those who do not have the time to read thre full review, here are the main takeaways: the Explorer 3000 Pro deserves to be your pick if you want a power station that can charge more devices simultaneously. Its battery takes less long to go from 0 to 100% charging. Best of all, this model costs $700 less than the Yeti 3000X.
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Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Vs Goal Zero Yeti 3000X – Quick Summary
There are a few clear differences between the two.
The Explorer 3000 Pro provides three extra AC output ports than the Yeti 3000X. Its inverter boasts a higher surge capacity (6000 Vs. 3500W). Also, while both models’ batteries are equally powerful, the 3000 Pro takes less time to go from 0 to 100% charging.
Yet there are areas where the Yeti 3000X moves ahead. Thanks to a (slightly) more powerful battery, this model can keep appliances, such as TVs, running for longer periods. Furthermore, it lets you add a Yeti Tank expansion battery for additional power.
Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Vs Goal Zero Yeti 3000X – Overview
Here’s a quick overview of what both these solar power stations are all about:
Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro
The Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro comes with a 3,000W AC inverter that can juice up refrigerators, coffee machines, microwaves, and even electric grills. This model’s 3024Wh Li-ion battery can retain up to 70% of its charging capacity for up to 200 cycles.
You can recharge this portable power station with SolarSaga solar panels, an AC adapter, or a 12V carport. To let you get the power out of it, the Explorer 3000 Pro offers a large number of options, including 5x AC ports, 2x USB-C ports, and 2X USB-A ports.
To further sweeten the deal, Jackery lets you control this device via a smartphone app. Operable via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, the app lets you check various indicators such as remaining battery level, time, output/input, and more from your smartphone.
Goal Zero Yeti 3000X
The Goal Zero Yeti 3000X features a 3000W AC inverter with a surge capacity of 3,500W. Its battery, which Goal Zero claims can maintain up to 80% capacity for the first 500 charging cycles, has an almost identical capacity (3,032WH) to that of the Explorer 3000 Pro.
Similar to that of the Explorer 3000 Pro, this model’s battery can also be hooked to compatible solar chargers, a 12V car port, or an AC wall adapter. The Yeti 3000X offers 2X AC ports and an equal number of USB-C and USB-A ports to maximize the power on offer.
The Yeti App 3.0 is one of the best features of this portable power station. That is because it doesn’t only let you monitor this model’s power consumption in real time. The app also lets you create and customize charging profiles to optimize this portable power station’s battery life.
Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Vs Goal Zero Yeti 3000X – Comparison
Here’s how both these units compare with each other:
Design and Weight
Winner: Explorer 3000 Pro (weighs less; has more compact dimensions)
The Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro weighs almost 64 lbs. with the battery pack. This makes this model twice as heavy as the Explorer 1500, its colleague. However, the fact that its battery holds twice as much power tells me that the added pounds are justified.
Two rows of buttons (with a display in the middle) adorn this model’s display. Starting from the first row, there’s a 12V (10A) DC port, an on/off button, an LCD, and a 120 V AC port. The second row, meanwhile, has multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, as well as 4 AC ports.
The Goal Zero Yeti 3000X weighs 6 lbs. more. Two rubber handles on both sides let you carry anyone who believes they can easily lift close to 70 lbs. For everyone else (myself included), the wheels on both sides come in handy for transporting this device in a hassle-free manner.
In terms of design, Yeti believes in keeping things unsightly. From left to right, you get all sorts of ports, including a carport, multiple AC ports, and several USB-A and USB-C ports. A few ports are hidden and only reveal themselves when you open the top lid.
Compatible Solar Chargers
Winner: It’s a tie (both units come with equally reliable solar chargers)
Jackery users will know that the brand has its own lineup of solar panels. Known as SolarSaga, the solar panels come in three variants: 60W, 100W, and 200W. If Jackery is to be believed, only the 200W SolarSaga solar panels can be used to juice up the Explorer 3000.
According to Jackery, six SolarSaga 200W panels will take 3-4 hours under full sunlight to take the Explorer Pro’s battery from 0 to 100%. My experience tells me the estimate isn’t wide off the mark. However, one unit of the SolarSaga 200W will need a whole day to fully power this device.
Goal Zero also offers its own collection of solar panels. However, while Jackery has grouped all of its panels in the SolarSaga lineup, Goal Zero has divided it among the Boulder, Ranger, and Nomad lines. All three can be used to juice up the Yeti 3000X.
For this review, I bought the Boulder 200 BC and used it to charge my Yeti 3000X. Under full sunlight, this solar panel took a full day to take my Yeti from 0 to 100% charging. If you want to reduce the charging time, be prepared to invest in a higher number of Boulder 200 BCs.
Battery
Winner: Explorer 3000 Pro (a bigger lifecycle)
The Explorer 3000 Pro comes with a 3,024Wh Lithium-ion battery. Jackery claims that the battery can withstand up to 2000 recharging cycles without letting its capacity drop below 70%. No matter how you slice this figure, it’s beyond impressive.
After all, which other portable power station’s battery can keep an 850W electric grill running for up to 3 hours? That too while having some power in spare when the three hours are over.
While the Yeti 3000X’s battery is slightly more powerful (3,032 Wh), it can only withstand 500 lifecycles, after which it will drop below 80% capacity. I can attest that the battery was powerful enough to keep my 100W, 42” LED running for 31 hours straight.
Surge Capacity
Winner: Explorer 3000 Pro (a higher surge capacity)
What is surge capacity? Surge capacity is the maximum power an inverter can supply for a short time. If you intend to run power-hungry appliances on your next portable power station, opt for a unit with a bigger surge capacity.
Or, to put it another way, opt for the Explorer 3000 Pro. Despite having a slightly-less powerful battery, this model boasts a higher surge capacity (6000W) than its counterpart (3500W). So, it would encounter fewer problems running power-intensive appliances.
What if you decide to ignore this advice? One of two things might happen. Either the Yeti 3000’s safety systems will come into effect and shut down this unit. Or, in the worst case scenario, something terribly wrong might happen to this device, putting you at this device at risk.
Charging Options and Time
Winner: Explorer 3000 Pro (Same number of charging options but takes less time to go from 0 to 100% charging connected to a wall outlet)
The Explorer 3000 Pro gives you three charging options. You can plug this unit into an AC wall outlet and wait for 2.4 hours for it to get fully juiced up. Alternatively, you can hook it to your car’s AC port or connect it with any number of SolarSaga 200W solar panels.
The carport option will test your patience, given that this device can take anywhere between 30 to 40 hours to go from 0 to 100% charging via this method. However, if you can afford to invest in 6x SolarSaga 200W solar panels, the charging time might be as short as 3 hours.
Likewise, the Yeti 3000X also gives you three charging options: an AC wall outlet, via a 12V car adapter, and through compatible solar panels. The solar panel route is the quickest – 4x Ranger 300 solar panels will take this device’s battery from dead to 100% charging in as little as 6 hours.
Don’t want to splurge on solar panels? Then you might want to buy a 600W AC adapter. I did that and was happy with the investment. After all, in just 8 hours, my Yeti 3000X display showed 100% battery. What more could I have asked in return for such a meager investment!?
Number of Output Ports
Winner: Explorer 3000 Pro (offers three more AC ports)
The Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro offers 10 different output ports. These include 5x AC ports, 2x USB-A ports, 2x USB-C ports, and 1x carport. The sheer number of ports means you can count on this device to let you power laptops, tablets, smartphones, portable fridges, and even pellet grills.
Despite costing extra, the Yeti 3000X offers a far fewer number of ports. But that isn’t what disappointed me the most. What frustrated me the most was that this device has three fewer AC ports despite costing much, much more than the Explorer 3000 Pro.
Worse, Jackery has made no effort to compensate for the missing AC ports. Even though this model has three fewer AC ports, it still offers the same number of USB-A and USB-C ports. Surely, the space saved by not offering AC ports could have been utilized to offer more USB ports, right?
Expansion
Winner: Goal Zero Yeti 3000X (is chainable)
Even though both these devices output plenty of juice, my experience tells me that you can never get enough power when you’re on a camping trip. There are always instances when the number of devices needing to be powered expands a power station’s capacity.
That is why I always look for portable power stations that can be daisy-chained. While the Explorer 3000 Pro cannot be daisy-chained, the Yeti 3000X is chainable with the Yeti Link and Expansion batteries.
Safety
Winner: It’s a tie
The Explorer 3000 Pro features a fully-upgraded battery management system (BMS) with 12 forms of protection. This device is protected against under current, over current, over-voltage, overheating, and numerous other incidents that can befall a portable power station.
Additionally, despite having an excellent heat dissipation system (this device never got hot while I was using it), it comes with 9 temperature sensors. Per Jackery, these sensors’ job is to tell the BMS to automatically shut off this device the moment things get heated.
Given the price it charges, it’s unsurprising to note that the Yeti 3000X is also backed with multiple layers of protection. Aside from over-current and over-voltage safety, this model features a battery management system that monitors and prevents battery and cell pack health from going awry.
Warranty
Winner: Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro (expandable to five years)
Off the bat, the Explorer 3000 Pro and Yeti 3000X come with 3-year and 2-year warranties, respectively. However, the one-year difference can expand to three if you decide to purchase your model from the official Jackery website or Amazon.com.
What’s In The Box?
Winner: Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro (comes with extra accessories)
The Explorer 3000 Pro’s box includes multiple items: the portable power station, car charger cable, AC charge cable, and 2x DC to DC adapters. Among the accessories on offer, the car charger cable and DC to DC adapters surprised me. As most power stations don’t include these items.
Need proof? Then open the Yeti 3000X box. Neither the car charge cable nor the DC to DC adapters will be there to be found. This is somewhat concerning, given the price difference between this model and the Explorer 3000 Pro (revealed below).
Price
Winner: Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro (costs $700 less)
At the time of writing, the Explorer 3000 Pro is available for $2,799 on Jackery’s official website. This makes this unit $700 cheaper than the Yeti 3000X, which costs you $3,499. Given what is mentioned above, the price difference baffles me to this day.
Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Vs Goal Zero Yeti 3000X – Final Verdict
- Which is the more lightweight of the two? Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro
- Which comes with a more powerful battery? Goal Zero Yeti 3000X (albeit, only slightly)
- Which offers a bigger warranty? Explorer 3000 Pro
- Which power station costs less? Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro
- Which offers a higher number of output ports? Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro
- Which offers expandable power? Yeti 3000X
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Jackery 3000 Pro weigh?
The Jackery 3000 Pro weighs 63.93 lbs./ about 29 kg. Despite the extensive weight, this model is pretty easy to carry around, thanks to the two rubber wheels underneath.
Can you charge Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro while using it?
Yes, the Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro can be used while it’s being recharged, regardless of how you’re recharging it. That is because this device comes equipped with pass-through charging, a feature that lets battery packs receive and supply a charge simultaneously.
How long with the Yeti 3000X last?
The Yeti 3000X can last for up to 31 hours while supplying power to a 42” (100W) LED. This portable power station can keep a 1000W microwave running for 3 hours on a single charge. A 25W portable fridge can draw power for 122 hours before the Yeti 3000X’s battery drops dead.
How many years will Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro last?
Although the Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro comes with a 3+2 year battery, customer opinions indicate that this portable power station can keep going for 7 to 8 years with proper care.
How long does the Jackery Explorer battery last?
According to Jackery, the Explorer 3000 Pro’s battery is rated to last 2000 cycles while retaining up to 70% battery capacity.
Check out the video reviews
Jackery Explorer 3000 Pro Video
Goal Zero Yeti 3000X Video
Jackery Explorer Comparison Table
This table compares the main differences between Jackery Explorer Portable Power Stations
| Jackery Model | Capacity | Weight, lbs | Dimensions, in | AC Recharge time | Solar Recharge Time | Compatible Solar Panel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer 160 | 167Wh | 3.97 | 7.4 x 4.5 x 6.7 | 5 Hours | 4.5 Hours | SolarSaga 60W |
| Explorer 240 | 240Wh | 6.6 | 9.05 x 5.24 x 7.87 | 5.5 Hours | 7 Hours | SolarSaga 60W |
| Explorer 300 | 293Wh | 7.1 | 9.1 x 5.2 x 7.8 | 4.5 Hours | 5 Hours | SolarSaga 100W |
| Explorer 500 | 518Wh | 13.32 | 11.8 x 7.6 x 9.2 | 7.5 Hours | 9.5 Hours | SolarSaga 100W |
| Explorer 1000 | 1002Wh | 22.04 | 13.1 x 9.2 x 11.1 | 7 Hours | 8 Hours | SolarSaga 100W |
| Explorer 1000 Pro | 1002Wh | 25.35 | 13.39 x 10.32 x 10.06 | 1.8 Hours | 1.8 Hours | SolarSaga 200W |
| Explorer 1500 Pro | 1512Wh | 37.4 | 15.1 x 10.6 x 12.1 | 2 Hours | 4 Hours | SolarSaga 100W |
| Explorer 2000 Pro | 2160Wh | 43 | 15.1 x 10.5 x 12.1 | 2 Hours | 4 Hours | SolarSaga 200W |
| Explorer 3000 Pro | 3024Wh | 63.93 | 18.6 x 14.1 x 14.7 | 2.4 Hours | 3-4 Hours | SolarSaga 200W |
Portable power station guides
Use this table to find out all the reviews I made about the best portable power stations in the industry.
