BLUETTI AC180 Solar vs Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra
These are not the same class. One carries noticeably more battery than the other, so this is really a question about how much power you need rather than which brand builds better.
One is a size up
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra holds around a third more battery — 1536Wh against 1152Wh — and that is what decides how long either one lasts on the same load.
BLUETTI AC180 Solar is the lighter of the two at 35.3 lbs, by 3.3 lb.
Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra is rated for more charge cycles (4000+ cycles to 70% against 3,500+ cycles to 80%) — though makers do not all test to the same remaining capacity, so read those two numbers side by side rather than as a ranking.
Drawn from 8 specifications each maker publishes, of which 8 differ. We have not handled either machine — see our methodology.
Side by side
| Specification | BLUETTI AC180 Solar | Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 1152Wh | 1536Whbetter |
| Cell chemistry | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Cycle life | 3,500+ cycles to 80% | 4000+ cycles to 70%better |
| Weight | 35.3 lbsbetter | About 38.6 lbs (17.5 kg) |
| Dimensions | 13.4x9.7x12.5 in | 13.2 × 10.4 × 11.6 in / 33.6 × 26.4 × 29.5 cm |
| USB-C output | 1 × 100W max | 1 × 30W max |
| USB-A output | 2 × 15W max | 18W max |
| Warranty | 5 Years | 3+2 Years |
What the extra battery buys you
Watt-hours are hard to picture, so here is each pack as runtime on the loads a machine this size is usually bought for. Both columns assume 85% inverter efficiency — the conservative end of what these are rated at — so read every figure as a floor.
| Load | BLUETTI AC180 Solar | Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Laptop (60W) | 16 hours | 22 hours |
| CPAP, no humidifier (40W) | 1.0 days | 1.4 days |
| 12V camping fridge (45W average) | 22 hours | 1.2 days |
| Starlink or router (55W) | 18 hours | 24 hours |
| Full-size fridge (150W average) | 6.5 hours | 8.7 hours |
From solar alone, at 70% of the panel input each maker quotes — a realistic day rather than a lab figure — the BLUETTI AC180 Solar needs about 3.3 hours of good sun to refill .
Published by only one of them
A figure missing from a spec sheet is not a zero — it is a number the maker chose not to state. These appear on one page and not the other, so they cannot be compared, only noted.
- BLUETTI AC180 Solar — AC output: 1800W, 4 outlets
- BLUETTI AC180 Solar — AC input: 1440W
- BLUETTI AC180 Solar — Max solar input: 500W
- BLUETTI AC180 Solar — AC outlets: 4 x 120V/15A
- BLUETTI AC180 Solar — Operating temperature: 4°F-104°F (86°F-104°F: 1,500W Max.)
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra — Charge time: 1.5 Hours
Where this comparison stops
Everything above is what the makers publish, not what either machine did in front of us. We own neither, so there is no noise measurement, no thermal behaviour under sustained load, and no view on how either holds up after two years. Makers also measure differently — cycle life at 80% capacity is not the same test as cycle life at 70% — so figures that look comparable sometimes are not. Treat this as a way to build a shortlist quickly, and read the caveats on our methodology page before you let a number decide.
Check current prices
Neither figure above is a price. These two move independently and often, and whichever is discounted this week is usually the answer when the specifications are as close as they are here.
- BLUETTI AC180 Solar on Amazon — search results for this model, as we do not have its listing on file
- Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra on Amazon — search results for this model, as we do not have its listing on file
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Specifications retrieved 2026-09-17 from bluettipower.com and jackery.com. Figures change without notice; check the maker's page before buying.