EcoFlow RIVER 3
The RIVER 2's replacement — lighter, same hour-long wall recharge.
- Capacity
- 245 Wh
- AC output
- 300 W
- Chemistry
- LiFePO4
- Fridge-days
- ≈ 0.5
$229 MSRP Review pending
REVIEW
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Review
The EcoFlow RIVER 2 is the lightest serious entry point to portable power — 256 Wh and a 60-minute wall recharge at 7.7 lbs, for device charging and short trips rather than appliances.
By Portable Power Guide · Updated
Key Specs
- Capacity
- 256 Wh
- Inverter output
- 300 W(600 W surge)
- Recharge (AC)
- ≈60 min(0–100%)
- Weight
- 7.7 lbs
- Chemistry
- LiFePO4(3,000+ cycles)
What We Like
- ✓7.7 lbs — genuinely grab-and-go
- ✓0–100% AC recharge in about 60 minutes
- ✓LiFePO4 pack rated for 3,000+ cycles — unusual at this price
- ✓5-year warranty
- ✓$239 MSRP undercuts most of the ~300 Wh class
What We Don't Like
- −300 W inverter rules out kettles, hair dryers, and most cooking gear
- −Solar input capped at 110 W, so panel refills are slow
- −Only one USB-C port
- −256 Wh empties fast if you push the inverter near its limit
Portability
At 7.7 lbs the RIVER 2 is the lightest unit in our database — half a pound under the Explorer 300 Plus and a fifth the weight of a 1 kWh unit. This is the one you actually bring rather than plan to bring.
Charging
The 60-minute 0–100% AC recharge removes planning entirely: it tops up while you pack. Solar is the weak side — 110 W maximum input means a best-case refill of well over two hours of strong sun, and realistically a whole afternoon.
Capacity in practice
256 Wh at the calculator's 85% efficiency is roughly 218 usable Wh: a 60 W laptop for about 3.5 hours, or a phone (about 15 Wh per charge) more than a dozen times. Anything with a heating element is out of reach of the 300 W inverter.
Longevity
LiFePO4 chemistry rated at 3,000+ cycles and a 5-year warranty were flagship features two product generations ago; at $239 MSRP they make the RIVER 2 hard to age out of.
The Verdict
The RIVER 2 wins its class on the two specs that matter at this size: weight and recharge speed. At 7.7 lbs it disappears into a trunk, and the 60-minute wall recharge means it's simply always full. The trade is real capacity — 256 Wh at 85% inverter efficiency is about 218 usable Wh, so a 40 W CPAP without humidifier runs roughly 5 hours (256 × 0.85 ÷ 40 ≈ 5.4). Treat it as a device charger with an AC outlet, not a small generator.
Bottom line
The best cheap, light unit for charging devices — as long as nothing you plug in draws over 300 W.
Top Alternatives
BLUETTI EB3A
Twice the inverter of its size class, but the shortest warranty here.
- Capacity
- 268 Wh
- AC output
- 600 W
- Chemistry
- LiFePO4
- Fridge-days
- ≈ 0.6
$299 MSRP
Read the review →
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus
The only sub-300 Wh unit that expands — to 858 Wh with an extra battery.
- Capacity
- 286 Wh
- AC output
- 600 W
- Chemistry
- LiFePO4
- Fridge-days
- ≈ 0.6
$299 MSRP Review pending
Jackery Explorer 300 Plus
Compact device-charging workhorse for tent trips.
- Capacity
- 288 Wh
- AC output
- 300 W
- Chemistry
- LiFePO4
- Fridge-days
- ≈ 0.6
$299 MSRP
Read the review →