Beware of the Scams & Lies Behind Cheap Power Stations
If you’ve ever stumbled across a glowing review of an ALLPOWERS power station and thought, “Hey, this sounds really good, and it’s an amazing deal!”, we have some bad news: chances are, that review was bought and paid for.
Here at The Solar Lab, we have always prided ourselves on being able to offer honest, unbiased opinions. Even if a company is paying us to review one of their products, we’ll tell it like it is. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case with every online solar product reviewer.
So, while we originally thought we were going to be reviewing yet another ALLPOWERS power station, even though we crapped all over the last one we reviewed, we thought we’d do something a little bit different today. Rather than just review the ALLPOWERS R2500 Power Station, which we accurately suspected was another piece of junk, we’re going to take the time to discuss why you guys should try to avoid sketchy power station companies.
More specifically, we’re going to uncover some of the ways these types of companies mislead customers, as well as prey on unsuspecting, first-time power station buyers who don’t really know what they’re looking for.
And, for full transparency, ALLPOWERS has paid us to review their products before, and we absolutely did not hesitate to tell the truth: their products are riddled with misleading claims and they perform really poorly. Just watch our review of the ALLPOWERS R1500 if you don’t believe us!
So, let’s find out why you should steer clear of ALLPOWERS and other sketchy companies that are just trying to sell you a cheap, low-quality power station.
The Four Main Reasons Why You Should Be Skeptical of Cheap Power Station Brands
While there are countless reasons why you should always do your research before you drop your hard-earned cash on a power station, here are just four of the many reasons why we always encourage our readers and YouTube audience to be skeptical of sketchy brands that offer too-good-to-be-true power stations at low prices.
Reason #1: They Advertise Overblown Specs
ALLPOWERS, like many of these low-quality, relatively unknown brands, loves to inflate product specs on their website to reel in unsuspecting buyers. They’ll tell you their power station can keep up with the best options in the industry, but when you actually get your hands on the thing, it either underperforms, or just plain can’t support the features the company claimed it could.
Take the ALLPOWERS R2500 Power Station for example:
On their website and even in their instruction manual, ALLPOWERS claims this thing has both Wi-Fi and app support. Spoiler alert: it just plain doesn’t have either.
As for the charging speeds, it’s advertised as having a 1,500W input, but our testing maxed it out at about 1,020W. Even the supposed 2,500W inverter, which claims to output 120V, under-delivers. Not only are these kinds of exaggerations and false promises annoying from a consumer perspective, they could even be a bit dangerous if you were using the power station to charge sensitive electronics, like a laptop computer.
Again, these discrepancies might seem minor on paper, but they have a massive impact on usability, reliability, and your wallet. Now we’re not going to go as far as saying a power station that doesn’t meet its claimed specs is just an expensive paperweight, but it’s extremely annoying. After all, who doesn’t want to get what they paid for?
It’s also worth noting that ALLPOWERS definitely isn’t alone on this front—plenty of companies exaggerate about what their products can do, including some of the more reputable brands. With that said, sketchier companies, like ALLPOWERS, push this stuff to the extreme.
Reason #2: Low-Quality Components
The root of the problem with these low-quality power stations is the fact that they just plain cut corners by using cheap components in their products.
Unlike reputable brands, like EcoFlow, Anker, or EG4, these sketchy companies don’t actually invest in research, product development, or quality control for the things they sell. Instead, they slap together something that "works" just enough to make a one-time sale. They’re not interested in repeat business or their brand’s reputation, they just want to undercut the top brands by selling low-quality, knock-off versions of their more well-established products.
For example, when we previously tested the ALLPOWERS R1500, it overheated before it even got through a full discharge cycle. The fans were way too weak, and the efficiency rating? A pretty pathetic 60%, meaning it burns through any power stored in its battery much faster than it should. Keep in mind we even tested this thing with an air conditioner blasting cold air directly onto it and it still kept overheating and underperforming.
If you’re spending thousands of dollars on a power station, the least it should do is work as advertised. When these “no-name” companies sell you a power station, you’re buying something that was basically just a rip-off of another company’s idea, but made with lower quality components.
Reason #3: Nonexistent Customer Support
Another red flag with these lesser-known companies like ALLPOWERS is their customer service—or more accurately, complete lack of customer support.
If you’re dealing with reliable companies like EG4, or even reputable retailers like Signature Solar, they back their products with support from real people who are genuinely helpful. Where a company like ALLPOWERS leaves you hanging, a reputable company cares about its reputation, so they’ll actually take care of you.
Let’s say you go with a company like ALLPOWERS because you can save some cash buying their products—need help troubleshooting an issue? Good luck finding a phone number, let alone an actual human to assist you. Even if a miracle happens and you get through to someone, there’s a very slim chance that person is going to be helpful, based in North America, or even fluent in English.
For contrast, when you call Signature Solar or EG4, you’re greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable Texan who will actually take the time to walk you through your issue.
When you’re spending serious cash on a product, a responsive and knowledgeable support team should be non-negotiable.
Reason #4: Fake Reviews and Misleading Marketing
Brands like ALLPOWERS pad their websites with glowing reviews, but when you dig a little deeper, it becomes pretty obvious they’re fake reviews. You’ll notice the same spelling mistakes and writing style in numerous reviews, even though they’re supposedly written by different people.
On top of that, when you check these brands out on platforms where people actually have to place an order before they can review the product, like Amazon or Trustpilot, the truth becomes even more obvious. You’ll read countless low-star reviews that claim the products break almost immediately, the company made false claims about features, and complaints about the nonexistent customer service.
In other words, these companies make up fake reviews, or at the very least, delete any reviews that aren’t 100% positive. It’s misleading and just plain dishonest marketing.
Even worse, some creators and influencers out there will shamelessly promote these low-quality products in the form of paid reviews, telling their viewers these garbage products are amazing. From our perspective, that’s not just dishonest—it’s downright unethical. When people trust that you’ll give them an unbiased opinion about a product, it’s just pretty gross to shill for a company that you know sells overpriced junk.
How Can You Avoid the Junk Out There?
So, now that you know how these companies operate, how can you protect yourself from buying a product that is little more than a scam?
Stick to Reputable Brands: While no brand is perfect, companies like Anker, EcoFlow, EG4, and Bluetti have earned their reputations by regularly delivering quality products. Even if their products aren’t the cheapest options out there, you know you’re buying a product from a company that actually cares about quality.
Read Real Reviews: Rather than just trusting what you see on a brand’s own website, check out platforms like Amazon or Trustpilot, where reviews are harder to fake. Forums, impartial YouTube videos made by people that actually test the products they’re talking about, and even talking to customer service representatives from reputable third-party retailers can also help.
Do Your Research: Compare specs, watch trustworthy reviews, and avoid anything that seems too good to be true—because it probably is. Basically, be a mixture of informed and skeptical before you spend your money on a power station.
The Bottom Line
Cheap power stations from companies like ALLPOWERS might look like a bargain, but they’ll cost you more in the long run when they fail to perform as advertised, or just straight up kick the bucket shortly after you buy them. Why waste $2,000 on something that breaks prematurely when you can spend a little more on a product that will actually last?
Here at The Solar Lab, we want to help you make informed decisions, which is one of the many reasons we refuse to sell out to shady companies. Remember: trustworthy products come from trustworthy brands. Don’t fall for the scams, and for any reviewers out there that might be reading, quit promoting companies that you know just plain suck!
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