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Wednesday, 23 September 2026

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni review: Rolls-Royce of window washers

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni review: Rolls-Royce of window washers

I live in an apartment with 21 floor-to-ceiling windows, which sounds great until it’s sunny or you have to clean them. That’s why I’ve been following developments in window-washing robot technology very closely. This Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni has been one of my most anticipated gadgets of the year because it offers so many advancements for not just cleaning windows, but keeping the window cleaner clean as well.

However, this approach leads to trade-offs — the unit is absolutely massive, there’s no longer a particularly neat place to store the robot part, and it’s $1,299. So, with all that in mind and after more than a month of testing – is it worth it?

First impressions

This robot is heavy and massive. Just an absolute unit of a unit, especially with the portable, purpose-built washing machine. On the W2 Omni, you stored the robot in the body of the anchor, making for a cleaner packing away experience. Here you just put the robot on a hook behind the included washing machine. It’s not bad, but it’s just not particularly elegant, and it takes up a lot of room.

There’s a lot going on here, and so much of it feels luxurious. Yeah, you could have a bare-essentials window washer (like the $249 Winbot Neo Mini), or you could have something with all the nice-to-have bells and whistles. From the time I opened the box, the bells and whistles and premium finish were apparent.

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni and Neo Mini cleaning windows
Winbot Neo Mini (left) and Winbot W3 Omni (right) racing to get the best clean. Image: Alice Clarke.

Setting it up and updating it in the app was easy, and moistening the washing pad in the miniature washing machine was a delightful novelty

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni specifications and price

Robot size76 x 270 x 270mm
Robot weight2.1kg
Base station size430 x 226 x 344mm
Base station weight10kg
Detergent reservoir size on robot80mL
Minimum glass thickness3mm
Base station battery9000mAh (130min run time)
Price (RRP)$1,299
WarrantyOne year in addition to your Australian consumer law rights.
Official websiteEcovacs Australia

The biggest thing to call out here is the battery in the base station. That means you can take it around your property to clean all your windows, even if you don’t have power in that area. While the weight of the base station limits its portability, it also acts as a good anchor in case something goes catastrophically wrong while cleaning a high window, so that’s nice.

Indoor windows

In the same way that robot vacuum cleaners and mops are just for maintenance cleaning, rather than addressing big spills or actual messes, window-washing robots are for dust and smudges. It’s not going to get wet pasta sauce (as families with young children have to contend with) off the window cleanly, or scrub the bird poo off. It’s just there to get rid of toddler handprints, condensation, and accumulated dust.

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni indoor clean
Image: Alice Clarke.

One day, I imagine these robots will get spinning pads, some kind of dirty water tank, and added suction to give windows an actual deep clean. Until then, this is an autonomous damp cloth that can spray a bit of window-cleaning solution as it moves. It’s not doing the same job a human would do. To be fair, you’re looking at buying a robot window cleaner, so I’m guessing you (like me) are also not doing the kind of window-cleaning job a human would do if they could be bothered.

With that in mind, the Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni does a good job of getting the dust, grime and fingerprints off my many windows. The candle wax and pasta sauce were a lost cause, and the little bits of mould in the corner from condensation required a couple of passes. Overall, though, my realistic expectations were met. Every now and then, it would exceed them.

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni indoor cleaning behind frame
Image: Alice Clarke.

The robot jiggles around a little bit in ways that the lower-tier robots cannot. As a result, it gets off more grime than previous generations. But it’s still not yet capable of doing more intense cleans.

At 7.6cm tall, the W3 Omni only just fits in one of my awkwardly shaped windows, and managed to get off most of a patch of dirt that’s been bothering me for almost eight years. That alone is worth the price of admission.

Outdoor windows

Living in a high-rise apartment building, this test is always nerve-wracking. But I felt safer than usual with the Winbot W3 Omni, because it has the big, heavy anchor of the base station. This station can also suction itself to the floor for even more hold just in case.

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni outdoor cleaning
Image: Alice Clarke.

That said, I have only had two alerts from this robot, and both of them were on an outdoor window. One said the robot got stuck, despite only the bottom of the window touching one corner. I had to boot up the app and switch it to manual control so I could drive the robot to safety.

The other alert said that it was slipping because its tether got caught on the edge of the base station. Nothing makes you run faster than hearing “Winbot is slipping” when it’s a dozen floors off the ground over a busy street. Once again I had to manually navigate it back to safety, only this time more stressed.

When it did work, though, I used the screen on the base station to select thorough clean, and after one go round, the window was noticeably cleaner. I marvelled at how nice the window is. It looked almost professionally cleaned. I wish I could reach the outside of all my windows so I could do all of them with the W3 Omni.

Cleaning the cleaner

The most exciting part of the W3 Omni is the big washing machine body. That’s the selling point. Sure, you can just rinse the little mopping pad between windows, but that doesn’t clean as well if you have particularly gross windows.

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni washing machine closed
Image: Alice Clarke.

I found the clean from the built-in washing machine to be excellent, but I’m frustrated that the machine can’t clean a cloth while the robot cleans a window. It’s a one-or-the-other situation, which is less convenient than I’d hoped. I like that it’s doing it all for me; I just wish it could do it all for me at the same time.

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni washing machine open
Image: Alice Clarke.

Also, it doesn’t dry the mopping pad, so you can’t just leave it in there when done, and you have to find somewhere for it to dry. It’s not a dealbreaker; it just is a bit less convenient on a luxury machine designed for convenience.

Who is the Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni for?

Ecovacs has two excellent window-washing robots available at the moment: the Winbot Neo Mini and the Winbot W3 Omni. The Neo Mini is for people who have only a few small windows that don’t get too dirty. The Winbot W3 Omni is for people who have a lot of large windows and not a lot of patience. Anyone else living in a similar glasshouse situation to mine would be well-served by the Winbot W3 Omni.

The W3 Omni is also great for people who need to wash other glass, like pool fences, away from power points. It’s a much more versatile device, even if you are paying for that convenience.

GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni
The Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni is smart window-washing robot for people who have a lot of large windows and not a lot of patience.
Features
9
Value for money
7
Performance
8
Ease of use
9
Design
7
Positives
It can wash its own mop pads
Cleans larger windows faster and more effectively than smaller robots
Has a large anchor and cannot lie
Negatives
Can’t wash a window and its mop pad at the same time
Isn’t as neat to store as previous generations
High price
8

The post Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni review: Rolls-Royce of window washers appeared first on GadgetGuy.


Meta VR Glasses hands-on: a lighter, cheaper rival to Vision Pro

Meta VR Glasses hands-on: a lighter, cheaper rival to Vision Pro

I’ve just spent half an hour inside Meta VR Glasses at Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park. They’re lighter, smaller and thinner than Apple’s Vision Pro, and a lot cheaper. So who are they for, and what are they like?

Meta announced them at its Connect event, and they go on sale in spring 2027. As well as the demo, I sat down with Angela Chang, a vice president in Meta’s VR division, to find out how they were built.

Meta VR Glasses specifications and price

PriceUS$1,299.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed)
AvailabilitySpring 2027, including Australia
WeightGlasses about 100g, compute puck 300g
Display5K micro-OLED, 2412 x 2288 pixels per eye
Pixel density37 pixels per degree
Refresh rateUp to 120Hz
Field of view70 degrees horizontal x 66 degrees vertical
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon Reality Elite (XR2 Gen 3)
Memory and storage12GB RAM, 128GB storage, microSD slot up to 1TB
Cameras and sensors13 in total, including passthrough cameras at 26 pixels per degree, four eye tracking cameras and a depth sensor
BatteryUp to 3 hours of media playback, 45W charger included, can run while plugged in
Lens spacing (IPD)56 to 70mm
ControlsEye tracking, hand gestures, Meta AI voice, optional Touch Plus controllers
ConnectivityWi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, USB-C with DisplayPort input
Video and audioDolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, IMAX Enhanced

What are Meta VR Glasses?

They’re Meta’s latest VR glasses. They do mixed reality, meaning they show you the outside world using special cameras, and they’re an evolution of Meta’s Quest headset. The Quest is the bigger one you strap to your head and is more focused on gaming. These are aimed at everyday use.

VR Glasses shot
The new Meta VR Glasses don’t need a head strap or band, just the nose and ear arms support its weight. Credit: Meta

They weigh about 100 grams, or about the same as a deck of cards. As soon as I put them on they felt much slimmer, lighter and more comfortable than the Vision Pro, which is probably the leader in this category and weigh around 600-650 grams.

There are two parts: the glasses themselves and a puck. The puck isn’t just a battery. It’s also where the processor sits, and it connects to the glasses with a special optical cable. You can’t disconnect the cable and swap in another puck, because it’s such a high bandwidth connection.

They run the same operating system as Meta Quest, extended to support eye and hand tracking. Inside is Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Reality Elite processor, the XR2 Gen 3, with 12GB of RAM, 128GB of storage and a microSD slot for up to a terabyte. Meta AI is built into the operating system. The plan is to run Muse, Meta’s more conversational AI that can go out and do tasks for you, but in my demo it was the Meta AI chatbot.

Setup and fit

The setup was really interesting. I wear prescription glasses, so when I walked in they put them into a little scanner that worked out my prescription. I didn’t have to tell them anything. About 15 minutes later I had custom lens inserts, which snap into the glasses with magnets. If you wear glasses you’ll need to get inserts made, but it was quick and simple.

Once they’re on, the lenses slide in and out and the glasses guide you on screen to get them to the right width. The lenses adjust from 56 to 70mm apart and can handle faces that aren’t symmetrical. There’s also an adjustable nose piece.

They do sit a little forward on the face, so they can look a bit funny. I think you could get a better fit than I did with some adjustment. With the Vision Pro I use Zeiss inserts, which also attach with magnets. The key difference is that these don’t fully enclose your eyes. There’s no hood resting against your forehead to block out all the light. Interestingly, I didn’t really notice that during the demo.

Design and comfort

They’re made from nice materials. A button on top recentres everything, and there are volume controls on the arm. It’s not complicated and it’s easy to get your head around.

The frame is magnesium alloy, which keeps it strong and light and helps get rid of heat. I didn’t notice any heat build-up in the 30 minutes I used them.

Lightness is the real key. I didn’t notice the weight on my head at all during the demo. There’s no head strap or back band. They just rest on your ears, which is a big step forward for this type of device, and it may open them up to more people who don’t want to mess up their hair. That’s something the Vision Pro couldn’t do, because it’s quite heavy.

The puck is where the battery sits. Meta says it’s good for about three hours of use, depending on what you’re doing. When you want to move around it goes in your pocket, and it has a fan to keep it cool. Angela Chang said heat was one of the challenges: what happens when it’s in your pocket and the fan is blowing? The optical cable also had to stay flexible enough to hang neatly behind your back.

You can’t swap in a spare battery on this first model, but you can plug it into mains power while you use it, so you can keep going if you run out of charge. A 45W charger comes in the box. Three hours should get you through at least one movie on a plane.

Meta VR Glasses outside
The Meta VR Glasses are much smaller and lighter – a true revelation in the VR glasses category. Credit: Meta

Angela called making them smaller a multivariable physics question. The micro-OLED displays can only get so small before the resolution drops, and Meta also wanted to keep the weight and price down. Overall I think they’ve come up with a good balance.

Display and image quality

The micro-OLED display has 2412 x 2288 pixels per eye, which works out to 37 pixels per degree. Meta says that’s the highest pixel density of any of its VR devices. It looked sharp, not coarse or grainy at all, and in my experience the focus was better than on the Vision Pro. Colours were vibrant and fairly realistic.

The passthrough view of the room around me also looked realistic, and I didn’t notice any problems. I couldn’t test bright lights to judge dynamic range, as we were in a well-lit room with a table in front of me.

Meta VR Glasses inside
The Micro OLED displays (with pancake lenses) are probably the smallest on the market while keeping fidelity and detail. Credit: Meta

The field of view is 70 degrees horizontal by 66 degrees vertical. Angela says it’s the widest of any glasses-style device. I didn’t get tunnel vision or feel cramped. With the Vision Pro, after a while I did start to notice where the edges were, but I didn’t have that here.

The colour passthrough cameras run at 26 pixels per degree, compared with 18 on the Quest 3, and they have autofocus. The glasses also use your eye tracking to sharpen whatever you’re looking at. In practice it’s seamless and works a lot like your own eyes.

The micro-OLED displays are the most expensive part of the glasses. Angela said Meta had to commit investment to its display partners and uses more than one supplier. It’s pushing the edge of what’s possible with this type of screen.

Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced are supported. The sound was good too, with a real spatial sense that makes you feel immersed in the scene.

Controls: eyes, hands and voice

I was so happy that these use both eye tracking and hand tracking. There are no silly devices you have to hold on to. I was sitting at a desk with my hands close in front of me, and it tracked them really well.

When you first put them on, there’s an eye tracking test like on the Vision Pro. You look at dots and they disappear. After that you pinch to select, drag corners to resize windows, and pinch to zoom. There’s also a scroll gesture: you make a fist and move your thumb forward, back, left or right, like a scroll wheel or trackpad. It took me a little getting used to, but it works well. You can also use Meta AI to control things by voice.

Person using VR glasses
Make a fist and use your thumb to scroll. Credit: Meta

There are 13 cameras and sensors in total. Six watch the world around you, and two of those are on the arms, pointing down at your hands. There are two colour cameras for passthrough, four eye tracking cameras and a time-of-flight depth sensor.

There’s no outer screen showing your eyes, as the Vision Pro has. I don’t know how I feel about that. It’s definitely a cost saving. That screen lets people around you know whether you can see them, and that eye contact is an interesting psychological feature. Meta has dispensed with it entirely.

Movies and sport

One demo was the 3D Billie Eilish concert film. It was very good, though not quite as good as on the Vision Pro, which felt more immersive and wrapped around me more. You still got a real sense of separation, with layers of people in the crowd holding up their phones, and it felt like I was right up on stage. It didn’t feel gimmicky. It’s proper 3D.

For sport there was an NBA game in 180 degrees, so it wraps around you horizontally more than vertically. I was right in the action, with basketball to my left and right, and I could see details in the crowd, including Kylie Jenner on one side and Taylor Swift on the other.

There’s also something called VR Enhanced Cinema, where the movie studio decides the environment around the screen and it changes to match the content. I watched a scene from an Avengers film set in outer space, with planets surrounding the screen. If you’re a real fan it’s nice, but I don’t think you need it. I’d rather make the screen as big as I could on a wall. Disney content is on the way, and streaming apps like Disney+ and Prime Video are there too. You can make the screen really big.

Person wearing VR glasses on plane/
The Meta VR Glasses give you a cinematic experience from a small package – great for travel? Credit: Meta

One thing I couldn’t do was get up and walk around, so I couldn’t check how well virtual objects stay in place as you move. The Vision Pro does this exceptionally well. I assume these can too, given the camera system, but because they’re tethered I guess Meta didn’t want us trying it in the demo. And because there’s no hood blocking the light, a fully immersive mode that takes you somewhere else entirely, like an island or a mountain top, probably won’t be as effective.

Work and productivity

The Virtual Display mode gave me three big screens in front of me. It works with Windows PCs and Macs. On Microsoft Surface laptops a button appears when you look at the laptop, and you just press it to extend the screens. On a Mac you’ll need to download some software.

I did some vibe coding, with the website on one screen, the code on another and a palette of colours on a third. The text was clear and sharp, though the extra screens could benefit from a higher resolution. It was still very useful, and it’s something I could see myself doing, especially with glasses this light and comfortable that pack into a bag for the cafe.

person using virtual screens and keyboard and trackpad
Love the multi-screen extension and virtual keyboard and trackpad. Credit Meta

It connects to your devices wirelessly over Wi-Fi 6. There’s a Wi-Fi 7 chip inside, but it isn’t set up for Wi-Fi 7 yet. Meta says there’s no drop in quality over Wi-Fi compared with plugging in, and you can also connect by USB-C.

I really love the virtual keyboard. You place your hands flat on a surface, it maps a keyboard and trackpad onto it, and you type. If you’re out and want to write a long email or text, you can type it out instead of tapping it into your phone. The size and shape of the surface doesn’t really matter, so a fold-down plane tray is fine. The limit is very low light, when it can’t see your hands. Contrasting, well-lit surfaces work best. There’s also a floating keyboard you can tap in the air.

Gaming

The Quest is the more dedicated gaming device, but Meta says the VR Glasses will support more than 75 games you play with your hands, and controllers open up the full Quest library.

I played Dragon Grove, a game board floating in front of you where you connect leaves and grow things. It’s more of a kids’ game, but it showed how you can manipulate objects right in front of you. They looked clear, realistic and sharp up close, and the tracking felt low latency. I also streamed an Xbox racing game with a controller, and that was fine.

The USB-C port also takes a DisplayPort signal, so you can plug in a console or handheld and use the glasses as a big personal screen.

Price and how they compare with Vision Pro

Meta VR Glasses will cost US$1,299, compared with US$3,699 for the Vision Pro. That’s a huge drop. Angela Chang said the Vision Pro has more expensive parts, including two processors, premium materials and the outer display. Meta used supply chain deals and investment to keep the price down, and it’s selling the glasses at cost. I think Meta wants to grow the category and bring more people into it.

Australian pricing hasn’t been announced. My guess is it could land around A$2,000, and A$1,999 would be a really nice price point. The Vision Pro starts at A$6,299 here, so that would be about a third of the price.

I wouldn’t say they’re better than the Vision Pro at anything in particular visually. Where they move ahead is comfort and price. They’re lighter, they have pretty much all the features, and they’re way cheaper.

I asked Angela whether we’ll ever see the holy grail: glasses like these that can block out everything around you or turn transparent. She thinks so, and said there’s a roadmap beyond micro-OLED displays, though we’re not there yet.

Who is it for?

Meta VR Glasses suit people who want a big personal screen for movies and sport, frequent flyers, and anyone who’d like extra monitors wherever they work. Gamers are covered, but the Quest is still Meta’s dedicated gaming device.

I was very impressed with the experience, and the price really drives it home. They go on sale in spring 2027, and we’ll share Australian pricing when Meta confirms it.

Valens Quinn attended Meta Connect in California as a guest of Meta.

When will Meta VR Glasses be available in Australia?

Meta says they go on sale in spring 2027, and Australia is one of the launch countries.

How much do Meta VR Glasses cost?

They cost US$1,299.99. Australian pricing has not yet been announced.

Can you use Meta VR Glasses if you wear glasses?

Yes. You need prescription lens inserts, which attach to the glasses with magnets.

How long does the battery last?

Meta says up to three hours of media playback. You can also plug the puck into power and keep using them.

Do Meta VR Glasses work with a Mac or PC?

Yes. Virtual Display connects to Windows PCs and Macs wirelessly or over USB-C and can show several large screens.

The post Meta VR Glasses hands-on: a lighter, cheaper rival to Vision Pro appeared first on GadgetGuy.


Camera-less Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses lean into accessibility

Camera-less Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses lean into accessibility

While the debate rages over smart glasses, Meta sidestepped one of the form factor’s biggest criticisms by announcing a pair of smart glasses without a built-in camera. Dubbed the Ray-Ban Meta Audio, the specs are an audio-only pair that still offers many of the AI features seen in other smart glasses.

Smart glasses sales are on the up, but there’s concern over users misusing the built-in cameras. Meta’s answer is a clever one, relying purely on an onboard speaker and mic system to power the specs’ smarts.

Weighing 43 grams, the Ray-Ban Meta Audio is billed as an unintrusive alternative to headphones. Meta claims the glasses last for up to 12 hours of use on a single charge, with the included charging case supplying an additional 48 hours of battery life.

Ray-Ban Meta Audio black on white background
No camera, Meta’s latest AI-powered glasses. Image: Meta.

Via the glasses’ audio system, you can activate the AI assistant with your voice, listen to music, and make phone calls, all hands-free. Meta claims that because of how the glasses sit on your face, the microphone array picks up your voice more clearly than a pair of in-ear headphones would.

In addition to the company’s plans to bring its new Muse AI agent to glasses, Meta also announced some major accessibility features. One of the major features is ‘Hearing Enhancement’, which aims to help wearers with mild or moderate hearing loss to hear themselves and others more clearly. Hearing Enhancement launches across various Meta glasses in the US first, as either a one-off payment or included with a Meta One subscription.

Third-gen Ray-Ban Meta specs

Although its newest glasses don’t have a camera, Meta still has an extensive range of lens-equipped specs. Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) also debuted overnight, a slimmer version of both brands’ flagship AI wearable.

They also last longer, with a nine-hour battery life, an hour longer than the second-gen model. Meta also added a new six-mic system that helps pick up your voice clearly during calls or when using voice commands. According to Meta, these mics cut “more than 90% of
background noise”.

Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3 glasses designs white background
Cameras included, the new Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) lasts longer and is more adjustable. Image: Meta.

Like the Gen 2 model, the Gen 3 Ray-Ban Meta glasses let you take 12MP photos and 3K video via built-in cameras. In light of growing concerns over smart glasses’ privacy, Meta emphasised that its newest glasses follow previous models, sporting an LED that activates whenever the built-in camera is in use.

Meta also announced plenty of new styles and colours across its new and existing range, including a new look for the Kylie Jenner-inspired specs. Also coming is a pair of mixed-reality glasses that look like a much less chunky version of the Apple Vision Pro.

Meta’s new range of smart AI glasses starts launching today in the US. Once we’ve got all the Australian details, including pricing, we’ll let you know.

Valens Quinn attended Meta Connect in California as a guest of Meta.

The post Camera-less Ray-Ban Meta Audio glasses lean into accessibility appeared first on GadgetGuy.


Tuesday, 22 September 2026

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 review: Affordable power for anywhere

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 review: Affordable power for anywhere

8.4

When I first became aware of portable power stations, the Jackery brand from the USA was the brand to have. However, in Australia they were never really sold and, more importantly, supported after sales.

So, while it’s a popular brand overseas, it’s virtually unknown in Australia. Given Jackery is now being sold by Bunnings, this could change quickly. I recently tested the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2, one of the most affordable portable power stations in its weight class.

Features

In other portable power station reviews, I have talked about the sweet spot for size versus weight versus functionality: 1000Wh capacity. That is, the power station’s battery can supply 1000 watt-hours, or in plainer words, run a device requiring 1000 watts for one hour. Alternatively, it can run a 100W device for 10 hours.

In practice, operational losses will shorten this, but you get the idea. On Jackery’s website, a handy calculator estimates run time by wattage; 100W comes out to 7.6 hours, suggesting about a 25% loss.

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 box contents
Box contents. Image: Angus Jones.

The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 has a 1070Wh capacity and can deliver 1500W continuously via a 240V, 12V, or USB outlet. At 1500W, this will run a toaster but probably not a hair dryer or a coffee machine. Check the label on the appliance you want to power; if it’s 1500W or below, you are good. A 2,400W hair dryer will run for a few seconds before the power station safety mechanisms kick in and shut the unit down.

You can run a camping fridge, computer, recharge phones, power lights, and even run your home fridge for a few hours during a blackout. The Jackery has two mains outlets, a 12-volt cig socket, two USB-C sockets (30W and 100W) and an 18W USB-A socket. A power switch turns on the power station, with separate buttons for AC and DC power. You can also activate the LED light in low, high, or SOS patterns.

A central display indicates input and output wattage, battery capacity, and predicted charge and discharge times based on the current input or output wattage.

The box includes only one mains cable, which limits your initial charging option to a power point. An emergency charging function, activated in the supporting Jackery app, lets you charge the Explorer 1000 v2 in under an hour. It is not recommended to use this regularly as it will stress the battery and reduce its useful life. Standard charging takes 95 minutes from empty, and quiet mode stops the fan from running, reducing noise during charging and taking even longer.

DC8020-to-Anderson plug adapter cable
DC8020-to-Anderson plug adapter cable.

An optional $39 12-volt car charger takes 12 hours to charge your power station, and 200W of solar panels takes around four hours of uninterrupted sunshine. Jackery uses a DC8020 plug to input DC voltage into its power station. This means you have to buy their accessories.

To charge from solar, you either buy their solar panels, which include this DC8020 plug, or buy a DC8020-to-Anderson plug adapter cable for $199. These accessories increase your overall cost compared with standardised plugs and included cables from some other brands.

While we talk about cost, the two big advantages of the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 are cost and weight. At $799, this model is about $200 cheaper than many competing models. The Jackery is also 700 grams to 2kg lighter than its competition in this class. At the time of writing, Jackery also offered an extra $100 if you subscribed to their newsletter.

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 specifications and price

Power output1500W continuous (3000W surge)
Capacity1070Wh
Solar input400W
Dimensions33 x 22 x 25 cm, 10.8 kg
Price (RRP)$799
WebsiteJackery Australia
Warranty5 years

Compared with other brands

ModelJackery Explorer 1000 v2Bluetti Elite 100 V2EcoFlow Delta 2Anker SOLIX C1000
Price (RRP)$799$1,299$1,199$1,499
Capacity1070Wh1024Wh1024Wh1056Wh
Battery ChemistryLiFePO4 (LFP)LiFePO4 (LFP)LiFePO4 (LFP)LiFePO4 (LFP)
Continuous AC output1500W1800W1800W1800W
Surge power3000W2700W2700W2400W
AC wall recharge time 1 hour (emergency)1 hour1.3 hours0.9 hours (HyperFlash)
Max solar input 400W1000W500W600W
Weight10.8 kg11.5 kg12.0 kg12.9 kg
UPS switchover time< 20 ms10 ms< 20 ms< 20 ms
Smart featuresApp control
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
App control
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
App control
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
App control
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth

Using the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2

The Jackery does everything the brochure says it does, from running devices through to mains charging, which you would expect. I couldn’t test DC/Solar charging because I didn’t have a Jackery solar panel or adapter cables. At the time of writing, Jackery solar panels were about $100 more expensive for 200W than competitors.

Paired with a 200W $799 solar panel and sunny days, this setup could keep you off-grid continuously while keeping your gadgets running.

The construction is simple and sturdy, and with a large folding carry handle on top, the 11kg power station is manageable with one hand. The unit includes appropriate safety mechanisms that shut it down if any problem occurs, including if you try to draw more power than it can provide. Jackery quote 62 different safety protection mechanisms. The unit comes with a five-year warranty, and you can expect a lifespan of 10 years or 4,000 charge cycles.

For those wanting an economical uninterrupted power supply that keeps sleep apnea machines, computers, and fish tanks running during a blackout, this is a good choice. The switchover time is less than 20 milliseconds, so your device/s stays on.

Jackery provides a smartphone app to monitor and adjust your power station. You can connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. A Wi-Fi connection lets you control the power station from anywhere you have internet access. You can remotely switch the DC or AC load and adjust various setup settings. Monitoring lets you see the same information as on the screen, but if your internet connection drops due to a blackout, you cannot connect to see it.

Who is the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 for?

At $799, this power station is an economical way to take power with you when remote from mains power. Whether running a power tool on a job site, powering a camping fridge, or recharging a drone, this versatile unit is easy to put in your vehicle and move without causing a hernia.

Consider your power needs, as this unit will not run high-wattage appliances, and anything over 1000W will drain the battery in under an hour. If within 30 days of purchase you find it does not meet your needs, Jackery will give you your money back.

Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
Much cheaper than similar-sized power stations, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 keeps your appliances powered in a pinch.
Features
7
Value for money
10
Performance
8
Ease of use
8
Design
9
Positives
Lightest in its class
Cheapest in its class
Robust design with good carry handle
Negatives
Proprietry DC plug with no included accessories
8.4

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