Over the past few months I have spoken on several occasions about portable power solutions, from power generators that can be charged by solar energy, to large batteries that can deliver both AC and DC power.
Now I have been able to test the EcoFlow RIVER Max, and here I will tell you about its characteristics and my impressions.
As can be seen on its website, we are talking about a generator that allows you to adjust the power and use several different outputs. I was struck by the fact that it has two AC outlets, with an output of 600W and a capacity of 576 Wh, which allows it to power two devices anywhere in the world.
Charging time and mode
EcoFlow RIVER Max charging with solar panels
The EcoFlow RIVER Max recharges from 0 to 80% in just one hour, much less than other solutions I’ve tried in the past. It does this thanks to a patented technology, the X-Stream, from EcoFlow, an intelligent inverter that helps us to charge quickly when we see a plug and thus have portable energy for our trip. It fully charges in 1.6 hours, and we can activate the silent mode from the mobile app.
It can also be charged using solar panels, although in this case it takes longer, 3 to 6 hours when using its two EF 110W solar panels, or between 4.8 and 9.6 hours when using one EF 160W solar panel. Panels are not included in the box, but a Solar to XT60 solar cable is.
We can also charge it with the car adapter, taking about 6.5 hours in this case.
What can we feed with EcoFlow RIVER Max
Another point that has caught my attention is its power, which allows it to power up to 9 devices at the same time. The RIVER Max has a 600W pure sine wave output, and can power devices up to 1800W with X-Boost mode activated, from kitchen appliances to DIY tools, enough to power a hair dryer, vacuum cleaner or even a lawn mower. Still, they recommend always using devices below 1200W for best results.
On their website they show everything that could be loaded and how long it has autonomy:
Up to 6 hours for a 150W refrigerator
I could charge a mobile 42 times
Example with 1200 W electric kettle
If at any time we need more power, we can use an additional battery to double the capacity from 288 Wh to 576 Wh, an additional battery that can be easily disconnected for greater portability.
EcoFlow RIVER Max features on video
In this video I explain how the power station works and how you can use your mobile to control it remotely.
As you can see, it is easy to use, heavy, yes, but it is the price we have to pay to have a portable battery with these characteristics anywhere in the world.
Conclusions
I have tried solutions of this type from different brands, and EcoFlow has convinced me by the usability of its mobile application and the fact that it constantly gives information about the time I have left of autonomy considering the connected devices.
I wish the top part had a handle that could be hidden, as this way you can’t store it with anything on it. I can’t stack books or boxes on top of it, so the charging station always has to be on top of any possible pile of items.
On the other hand, I am very happy that they put two alternating current outlets, since in summer, which is when this type of device is often used a lot (a lot of camping), a fan and a small refrigerator are usually put on at the same time. It is much better than putting a thief, since it gives us more control of the power emitted by each outlet.
It can currently be found for 649 euros at eu.ecoflow.com.
