Explorer 290
- you already own one
- loads stay under 200W
- you charge over USB-A
Explorer 300
- you want 4,000+ cycles
- you run up to 300W
- you charge a laptop by USB-C
Prices and stock checked by our price engine on November 11, 2026 at 12:30 AM EST. Each product is rechecked several times a day; the time refreshes when you load the page.
They look like twins; the battery inside is what changed.
The Jackery Explorer 290 stored 290Wh of lithium-ion rated for 1,000 cycles to 80%, delivered 200W from one 110V outlet, had two USB-A ports and no USB-C, at 7.5 lb; Jackery sold it through retailers such as Home Depot and no longer lists it. The Jackery Explorer 300 sold by Jackery US today stores 292Wh of LiFePO4 rated for 4,000+ cycles to 70%, delivers 300W from two outlets and adds a 100W USB-C, at the same 7.5 lb. If your 290 still holds a charge, it still runs a router and lights; if you are buying, the Explorer 300 is the longer-lived box.
Below: what separates them with numbers, a 20-second calculator for your own gear, eight modeled situations, a DC-only third option, and what we could and couldn’t verify.
About 290Wh each and 7.5 lb each. The Explorer 300 switches to LiFePO4 rated for four times the cycles, adds 100W of AC output, a second outlet and a 100W USB-C. Jackery no longer lists the 290; the Explorer 300 was in stock at Jackery US on our November 1, 2026 check.
- you own one
- it runs a router and lights
- your gear uses USB-A
- you want 4,000+ cycles
- you need two outlets, 300W
- you charge by USB-C
The five differences that decide it
Both store about 290Wh, weigh 7.5 lb, have a 12V car port and charge from the wall, a car or a solar panel. These five gaps decide it.
Will it run your setup? Check in 20 seconds
Estimates use 85% usable capacity and 70% of rated solar output. Real results vary with temperature, inverter load, shade and appliance cycling. Fridge and freezer watts are daily averages and do not include compressor startup surges.
Runtime by appliance, one at a time
Simple energy estimates, not measured runtimes: about 246Wh usable on the Explorer 290 and 248Wh on the Explorer 300. No independent test measured either.
Practically a tie: the Explorer 300 holds only 1% more than the Explorer 290.
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What the current options cost today
Jackery’s 290 page said the model was supplied to store chains such as Home Depot, Lowe’s and Harbor Freight and was temporarily not sold on its site; that page is now gone. If a store still has a new 290, check that Jackery’s warranty applies. Prices move often.
The third option: the Jackery Explorer 300D at $209
Jackery Explorer 300D: $209 today
If what you ran on the 290 was mostly phones, lights and a 12V cooler, the Explorer 300D holds 288Wh of LiFePO4 rated for 4,000 cycles to 70% with no AC outlet at all: three USB-C ports at 140W, 140W and 65W, a 15W USB-A and a 12V car port, at 5.51 lb and with no fan. It charges at up to 140W from your own USB-C charger. If anything you run has a wall plug, stay with the Explorer 300. See the 300D at Jackery.
Eight modeled situations, worked out
Same formula as the calculator above: 85% of the rated capacity, no extra battery.
Wi-Fi router through an outage
Both keep it up for most of a day. Neither lists a switchover time, so plug the router in once the power is out.
CPAP for one night
Neither covers a full 8-hour night: about six hours on either. Jackery’s 290 manual quotes 6 to 21 hours depending on the machine. Jackery doesn’t recommend its stations for medical devices.
Charging a laptop
The 290 has no USB-C, so a laptop goes through its AC outlet and charger, losing a little more on the way. The Explorer 300 charges it directly at up to 100W.
A 250W blender
Only the Explorer 300 runs it. The 290’s manual says it shuts off once the total passes 200W.
A TV and a lamp, both with wall plugs
The Explorer 300 takes both plugs for about three hours. The 290 has one two-prong outlet, so you need a power strip.
12V cooler on a camping weekend
Both have a 12V, 10A car port and run it for an afternoon. Jackery’s 290 manual quotes about 19 hours for a 60W car fridge, which assumes the compressor cycles off.
Refill from the wall
Jackery’s US manual gives the 290 about 5.5 hours on its 19V adapter. It publishes no wall-charging time for this Explorer 300; the 2.5 h on its page belongs to the original model.
Refill from a 100W panel
Jackery quotes about 5 hours on the 290 with a 100W panel and 80% in about 2.8 hours on the Explorer 300; we scaled that to about 3.5 hours for a full charge. The 290’s DC input tops out at 19V, 3.42A, about 65W.
Seven more differences, the spec sheet and the box
Smaller gaps that rarely decide the purchase, then the full specifications and what ships in the box.
Explorer 290 and Explorer 300 weight, dimensions and full specifications
Weight: 7.5 lb for both. Dimensions: 9.1 × 5.2 × 7.7 in for the Explorer 290; Jackery publishes none for this version of the Explorer 300. Everything else is in the sheet below.
Jackery Explorer 290 and Jackery Explorer 300 full specifications
Every published figure for both units, grouped. Green marks the better value.
What’s in the box
Explorer 290
- Explorer 290290Wh, 7.5 lb
- AC adapter
- Car charger cable
- User manual
Explorer 300
- Explorer 300292Wh, 7.5 lb
- AC charger
- Car charging cable
- User manual
- Solar panel sold separately
Explorer 290: its US manual lists the unit, a car charger cable, the AC adapter and the manual. Explorer 300: Jackery US page, whose box list was written for the original version.
07 · ChargingHow fast each one refills
Shorter bar, faster refill. Each row is scaled to its slower unit.
Explorer 290: wall about 5.5 h, car about 6.5 h, 100W solar about 5 h, per its US manualExplorer 300: about 7.5 h to 80% with a 40W panel, per Jackery; no independent charging test of either found
Our solar times assume panels deliver 70% of their rating; the brands’ figures assume ideal sun.
Every port, side by side
Explorer 290
Explorer 300
Practical consequence: the Explorer 290 has one 110V two-prong outlet, two 5V USB-A ports and a 12V car port, and charges through one 19V DC input. The Explorer 300 has two AC outlets, one 100W USB-C, two USB-A and a 120W car port.
09 · NoiseNoise: Explorer 290 vs Explorer 300
Jackery publishes no noise figure for the Jackery Explorer 290 or for this version of the Jackery Explorer 300.
No published test measured either.Every figure we found, with its source
No decibel figure published.
No decibel figure published.
Measured by a tester Brand figure
- Small stations run their fans mostly while charging fast or near their limit.
Cold, heat and storage: Explorer 290 vs Explorer 300
The Jackery Explorer 290 charges from 32°F to 104°F and runs from 14°F to 104°F. Jackery publishes no range for this version of the Jackery Explorer 300.
Figures from the Explorer 290 US manual.- Charge a 290 indoors in winter: it doesn’t charge below 32°F.
- Keep either one out of a hot car: the 290 is rated to 104°F.
App, UPS and smart features
Neither the Jackery Explorer 290 nor the Jackery Explorer 300 lists an app or a UPS switchover time.
Neither takes an extra battery.Is there an app? The Jackery Explorer 290 has buttons and a screen only; Jackery lists no app for the Jackery Explorer 300.
Can it charge a laptop over USB-C? The Jackery Explorer 300 has a 100W USB-C port; the Jackery Explorer 290 has only two USB-A ports.
Can you add a battery later? Neither takes an extra battery.
Warranty and support
Jackery’s US manual gives the Jackery Explorer 290 24 months, on lithium-ion cells rated for 1,000 cycles. The Jackery Explorer 300 gets 2 years plus 1 (automatic on Jackery.com orders, by online registration otherwise), on LiFePO4 rated for 4,000+ cycles.
Up to 3 years on the Explorer 300 against 24 months on the 290.Subject to each brand’s warranty terms and eligibility.
Jackery rates the Explorer 290 at 1,000 cycles to 80% and the Explorer 300 at 4,000+ cycles to 70%: about three years against eleven at one full cycle a day. Calendar aging and heat also reduce capacity, so read the ratings as ceilings.
- If you choose the Explorer 300 and don’t order it on Jackery.com, register it online with Jackery to get the extra year.
- If a store still has a new Explorer 290, check that Jackery’s warranty applies.
What reviewers report
We have not lab-tested these two units, and we found no independent hands-on test of either from an outlet we accept: owner reviews on store sites don’t count, and reviews of the original 2020 lithium-ion Explorer 300 don’t apply to the LiFePO4 version. This page uses Jackery’s official figures for both.
Practical limits before you buy
- Jackery no longer lists the Explorer 290. It was supplied to store chains and its US page is gone.
- The 290 shuts off above 200W, per its US manual. A blender, a hair dryer or a coffee maker won’t run on it.
- The 290 has no USB-C. A laptop charges through its AC outlet and the laptop’s own charger.
- The 290’s outlet is two-prong, per its US manual diagram: a three-prong plug needs an adapter.
- The Explorer 300 stops at 300W. Jackery says it shuts off once the total passes 300W.
- Check which Explorer 300 you get. Jackery sells the LiFePO4 version under the original 2020 listing, and much of that page still describes the old 293Wh model.
- Jackery doesn’t recommend its stations for medical devices or data servers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Jackery Explorer 290 and the Explorer 300?
The 290 stored 290Wh of lithium-ion rated for 1,000 cycles and delivered 200W from one outlet, with two USB-A ports. The Explorer 300 stores 292Wh of LiFePO4 rated for 4,000+ cycles and delivers 300W from two outlets, with a 100W USB-C. Both weigh 7.5 lb.
Is the Jackery Explorer 290 discontinued?
Jackery no longer lists it. Its US page said it was supplied to store chains such as Home Depot and Lowe’s and was temporarily not sold on Jackery’s site; that page is now gone.
Which Explorer 300 is this?
The one Jackery US sells today: 292Wh of LiFePO4 rated for 4,000+ cycles to 70%, 7.5 lb, with a 100W USB-C. The original 2020 Explorer 300 used lithium-ion cells.
Can the Explorer 290 charge a laptop?
Yes, through its AC outlet and the laptop’s charger, up to 200W in total. It has no USB-C port.
Can either run a CPAP all night?
Not a full 8-hour night at 40W: about six hours on either.
How long does the Explorer 290 take to charge?
About 5.5 hours from the wall, 6.5 hours from a car and 5 hours from a 100W panel, per its US manual.
How much do they weigh?
7.5 lb each, per Jackery.
Is it worth replacing a working Explorer 290?
Not if it still holds most of its charge and your loads stay under 200W. Upgrade when the runtime has clearly dropped, when you need more than 200W or a second outlet, or when you want to charge a laptop over USB-C without its brick.
Can the Explorer 290 charge from solar?
Yes, through the same DC input as its wall adapter, at 12 to 30V. Jackery’s US manual quotes about 5 hours with a 100W panel; its input tops out near 65W, so a bigger panel doesn’t speed it up.
Related comparisons and reviews
How we compared and sources
Research-based comparison. We have not lab-tested these units. Explorer 290 specs come from its US user manual and its US page archived on November 21, 2025. Explorer 300 specs come from Jackery’s US page for the LiFePO4 version. Checked on November 1, 2026.
- Specs: Jackery Explorer 290 US user manual and Jackery US, Explorer 290 (archived November 21, 2025); Jackery US, Explorer 300 (LiFePO4 version), read on November 1, 2026.
- The 290’s manual gives a 24-month warranty while Jackery’s US spec feed says 2+1 years; we show the manual’s term. Its outlet count and two-prong plug come from the manual’s front-panel diagram. Jackery US sells the LiFePO4 Explorer 300 under its original 2020 listing; we use only the figures that page gives for the new version.
- Runtime = capacity × 0.85 ÷ watts. Solar harvest = min(panel watts, max input) × sun hours × 0.70. Cost per lifetime kWh = price ÷ (cycles × capacity in kWh).
About 290Wh and 7.5 lb each: 1,000 lithium-ion cycles and 200W, or 4,000+ LiFePO4 cycles and 300W. Jackery no longer lists the 290.
Prices checked November 11, 2026 at 12:30 AM EST
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Originally published: November 13, 2026