Pecron E1500 Review: Can Great Performance Make Up for its Ugly Looks?
When it comes to portable power stations, we like to think that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Sure, we all like equipment that looks great, but performance is what really matters.
Enter the Pecron E1500, a power station that looks like it was designed by someone wanting to make a rugged looking power station, but came up with one that looks more like a knock-off version of a Call of Duty Care Package. But, as the old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover—or in this case, a power station’s performance by its appearance.
We’ve had plenty of requests to review Pecron’s power stations, which could be due to the fact the brand has been around for 12 years, or it could just be because they genuinely produce some really respectable power stations at affordable prices. Either way, we wanted to give this unit a fair shot, so we put the E1500 through a series of tests and came up with our own honest opinions about it.
So, let's dive into this review and see if the Pecron E1500's performance can outshine its… let’s say, unique design.
Our First Impressions: A Face Only a Mother Could Love
I think by now you get the picture, the Pecron E1500 isn't winning any beauty contests. With its boxy, utilitarian design, it looks like it was built for someone who spends their weekends living deep in the woods and couldn’t care less about what their equipment looks like. But hey, we're here to assess the performance, not the aesthetics.
Specs and Features: The Good, The Bad, and The Quirky
Once we got beyond the physical appearance and started digging into the specs, we discovered that the Pecron E1500 actually packs some serious power.
Weighing in at just 40 pounds, this mid-range power station features a 1,536Wh battery and a 2,200W pure sine wave inverter that apparently has a surge rating of 4,400W. It's also expandable up to a whopping 7,680Wh, which is really impressive for a unit of this size and weight.
When it comes to charging, the E1500 offers a variety of options. It supports up to 800W of solar input, which is quite generous given the battery size, and it can be charged from a standard AC wall outlet at 1,400W. While this is a bit slower than the industry standard, it's still pretty reasonable for a unit with this battery capacity.
In terms of output ports, the E1500 is fairly well-equipped with three 120V AC outlets, two USB-C ports (one 100W, one 18W), four USB-A ports, a 12V car socket, a barrel connector, and a wireless charging pad on the top of the unit. It even includes a somewhat unusual XT60 port, which we rarely see on power stations. As it turns out, it's actually pretty handy and is compatible with a car battery jump starter.
Performance Testing: Can It Get the Job Done?
While the specs look really decent on paper, we never trust what a brand says about their own products. So, to see how it actually performs, we put the Pecron E1500 through a series of our own tests.
When it came to efficiency, the Pecron E1500 held its own. In our testing, it achieved a 90% efficiency rating, which is better than most power stations we've reviewed. However, it's worth noting that the unit did throw out an overheating warning during this test. While it didn't seem to affect performance, it's something to keep an eye on. It’s also something that could impact the lifespan of the unit in the long run, especially if you plan on pushing it to its full potential on a regular basis.
Charging the E1500 from a standard AC wall outlet took about 1 hour and 46 minutes, which is slower than advertised, but still under 2 hours. This is still pretty good for charging a 1,536Wh battery, but worth noting.
As for the impressive surge rating Pecron claims, the E1500 fell way short. Truth is, it does not handle surges well at all. We found that it just kept shutting down the second you tried to push it beyond its 2,200W power rating. Given that the boys at Pecron claim it has a sky-high 4,400W surge rating, we were hugely disappointed.
On the plus side, the E1500's solar input performed admirably in our tests, allowing us to easily reach the full 800W charge rate. Pass-through charging is also supported and seemed to work flawlessly during our tests. If you’re unfamiliar with pass-through charging, it basically means that you can charge the unit’s internal battery while simultaneously powering any connected devices or appliances. It’s a really useful feature that we always look for when testing out a new power station.
So, What Did We Think of the Pecron E1500?
Now that we’ve ran you through the specs according to Pecron, as well as the results of our own testing, let’s break down what we liked and disliked about it:
The Pros:
It may sound like we’ve been harsh on this ugly duckling up to this point, but there was actually plenty that we really liked about the E1500:
Durability:
Fortunately, the E1500’s rugged looks aren't just for show. This thing is built like a tank, and those orange rubber feet on the corners actually provide some great protection for the unit. Plus, all of this external padding adds extra stability, which is great for those of us who tend to be a bit rough with our gear.
2. The Wireless Phone Charger:
It's always a pleasant surprise when a power station includes a wireless phone charger. Putting one on top of the unit was a smart use of space that many other manufacturers overlook.
3. Solar Input and Expandability:
The 800W solar input is impressive for a unit with a 1,536Wh battery, especially given that it actually worked as advertised during our tests. The option to expand the E1500’s storage capacity up to 7,680Wh also makes it a versatile choice for those with growing power needs.
We recently reviewed an AFERIY power station that was roughly a 2,000Wh power bank with a 500W solar input, which would take roughly four hours to charge with solar. Comparing that to the E1500’s battery and solar input, the time it would take to fully charge with solar seems far more reasonable.
The Cons:
Of course, no product is perfect, and the Pecron E1500 has its share of quirks:
Lack of a Power Button:
The lack of a dedicated power button is puzzling. To check the battery percentage, you have to turn on one of the inverters, which is a bit inconvenient.
2. Misleading Surge Capacity:
Despite its 4,400W surge rating, the E1500 just plain can’t handle surges. As soon as you pass the 2,200W output power rating, everything shuts off, leaving no room for error. This could be a real pain if you were hoping to run devices and appliances that have big power spikes when you first turn them on, like you get with an air conditioner or vacuum.
3. Aesthetics:
Let's face it—the E1500 isn't winning any design awards. It looks outdated and really rugged (not in a good way). If looks matter to you, this might be a dealbreaker. There are plenty of power stations out there that have that modern, high-tech aesthetic that makes them look like they were designed by Apple or Tesla, instead of DeWALT.
Our Final Thoughts: Should You Buy the Pecron E1500?
So, does great performance save the Pecron E1500 from its awful looks? The answer is... sort of. While it’s far from the most impressive power station on the market, the E1500 does offer solid performance, decent efficiency, and some unique features that set it apart from the competition.
With that said, its $1,299 price tag means it faces stiff competition from more polished options, such as the Anker F1500 or the Jackery 1000 PLUS. Both are priced about the same as the E1500 and beat it in quite a few performance departments. Not to mention they also smash the E1500 when it comes to looks.
If you're loyal to the Pecron brand or simply need a rugged, expandable power station that you know can take a beating, the E1500 is worth considering. Just be prepared to overlook its less-than-stellar aesthetics, poor surge capacity, and occasional quirks. Otherwise, there may be better-looking and more refined options out there for the same price.
In the end, the Pecron E1500 does enough right to warrant a closer look, but it's not the game-changer we were hoping for.
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