Welcome to our Bluetti AC240 Portable Power Station review, a monstrously heavy but superbly equipped powerhouse for RV, caravan, boat, and home use.
Allegedly derived from the words ‘blue sky’, ‘tomorrow’, ‘technology’ and ‘innovation’, Bluetti has been at the forefront of power station technology since 2019, though others like EcoFlow, Anker, DJI, Jackery and BioLite are certainly giving the US-based company a run for its money.
Nevertheless, when it comes to sheer AC, DC and USB output clout, this model packs oodles of punch that will power most household items, including most kettles, toasters, induction hobs and heaters, without breaking into a sweat. If you’re in the market for a high-output power station for either outdoor or emergency home use, the Bluetti AC240 might just be the model for you.
But is it a prime contender for a top-three position in our guide to the best portable power stations? There’s only one way to find out.
Bluetti AC240 Portable Power Station review
Price and availability
The Bluetti AC240 Portable Power Station is available in the UK directly from Bluetti, B&Q or Amazon, where it’s currently on sale for £1,699. If in the USA, try the Bluetti US store where it sells for a knockdown $1,299 or Amazon US and Walmart where it’s selling for considerably more ($1,899).
Design and features
The Bluetti AC240 is being advertised as a top power-providing solution for RV fans, caravaners and boaters, but it’s equally at home in the home, in the shed, out in the field, in fact, anywhere you’re able to transport it.
The AC2450 is specced to the hilt with an impressive power output rating of 2,400 watts and a power lifting capacity of a whopping 3,600 watts. This means it will provide juice to a myriad of household items at the same time, making it a shoo-in for emergency use when there’s a power cut. It’s also IP65 rated for weather resistance, which means it won’t have any trouble shaking off a light rain shower.
At this juncture, I think it is best to address this model’s key nemeses: weight and size. Granted, 33 kilos might not sound a lot, but take it from spindle shanks here – if you’re small-bodied and not terribly muscular, you will have a genuine problem carrying this unit even a few feet without needing a little lie-down. Portable power stations are heavy by nature, but this one feels like it’s filled with lead.
In fact, it’s one of the heaviest things I’ve ever lifted, and the thought of having to move it to the car for an outdoor adventure would fill me with dread. In fact, I’m not sure I’d be able to lift it high enough to get it on the back of a pickup. However, on the plus side, it does have very sturdy and comfortable handles on either side.
At 41.95×29.35×40.95cm (16.5×11.6×16.1 inches), the AC240 is also the biggest portable power station I’ve reviewed thus far, and it quite literally dwarfs the 1,800W Anker Solix C1000 I raved about last year. Weight and size are key issues with power stations, especially if storage space is at a premium, so I would carefully weigh up your available storage space and ability to carry heavy objects before biting the bullet.
Inputs and outputs
The Bluetti AC240 ships with four 230v UK AC outlets (totaling 2,400W and up to 1,536 watt-hours), which is more than enough output and power for most scenarios.
However, since the top two UK sockets are positioned upside down, the cables of any devices plugged into them face upwards, and that makes it look a bit untidy when all four plugs are being used.
I’d personally have preferred an in-line placement of the AC outlets like the Anker Solix 1000C, which has better aesthetics in this regard. But what do I know?
Thankfully, the AC240 doesn’t disappoint when it comes to charging mobile devices. This model has two 100W USB-C inputs for fast laptop, tablet, and phone charging and two standard 18W USB-A ports for other devices. Since it was ostensibly designed for RV and boat use, it also features a high-capacity 30amp 12v two-pin connector and a 10amp 12v cigarette lighter-style input if required.
This unit is keyed to simplicity, so everything on the front fascia is easy to grasp, including the bright and highly informative four-inch LED display. The display provides real-time usage in watts and the remaining running time for any connected devices.
The Bluetti also provides an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), so if, for instance, your boat is connected to a marina’s AC power supply and there’s a sudden power cut, the Bluetti will kick in within 15 milliseconds so everything on the boat continues to function.
The Bluetti AC240 comes with three charging cables: a heavy-duty AC cable with a brilliant spring-clip connector, a 12v charging cable to charge it from the car, and a solar panel lead with a universal connector. If charging from the mains, you have a choice of Silent, Standard, or turbocharging, the latter taking the AC240 to 80% capacity in a spritely 45 minutes. You can also have two of these beasts running parallel or use a bank of expansion batteries to ramp the wattage up to a phenomenal 10,136Wh.
Bluetti app
Although the accompanying iOS/Android app is quite basic in terms of the functions it provides, it does allow the user to operate the AC240 remotely, but only if it’s already on. The app provides info like the remaining battery percentage, how much power is being drawn at any given time, various stats like daily power profiles and energy statistics, plus the wherewithal to turn the DC and AC ports on and off. The app isn’t required to operate the AC240, but since it’s free, you can download it for occasional use.
Performance
I’ve been very impressed with the performance of the Bluetti AC240. Yes, it’s a monumental hassle to carry, but it does kick some serious bottom when it comes to providing juice for a plethora of household and outdoor devices, including power-hungry appliances like microwaves, induction hobs, and heavy-duty power tools.
For my main test, I ran a Dyson Hot + Cool air purifier on full fan power with its heating mode at 37˚C, and it drew 2,051 watts with a projected runtime of 30 minutes. Amazingly, it allowed me to also run a KitchenAid kettle at the same time, though I had to reduce the Dyson’s heat to 25˚C to prevent it from possibly cutting out.
The Bluetti had zero issues running the kettle on its own and drew just 1,080W with a projected running time of one hour. That’s an impressive amount of kettle boiling should the unlikely need ever arise.
According to Bluetti, the AC240 will power a standard 65W TV for 16.8 hours, a 350W space heater for 3.5 hours and a 220W projector for 5.4 hours of outdoor movie watching. It will also recharge a laptop 18 times and a drone 31 times.
Put another way, if I really wanted to push the boat out and run some extension leads around the home, I could feasibly get the Bluetti AC240 to power all my household essentials:
- Samsung TV (125W)
- JBL soundbar (150W)
- Sky Q box (20W)
- Wi-fi router (9W)
- MacBook Air (30W)
- Samsung fridge freezer (600W)
- Four Philips Hue bulbs (36W)
- Worcester Bosch oil boiler (170W)
After all this, the Bluetti AC240 still have enough power to make an espresso using my Smeg Lavazza pod machine (1,250W). Power cut? Bring it on.
The AC240 is also very quiet. Even with a fan heater and kettle boiling, its built-in fan never made a racket. In fact, it was as quiet as a church mouse.
Verdict
If you can handle its immense weight and have the space to store it, the Bluetti AC240 is a consummate performer with enough onboard oomph to comfortably power the vast majority of household appliances up to 2.4kW and beyond. The AC240 is ruggedly constructed, IP65-rated weather proof and easy to use, making it a genuine odour-free and eco-friendly alternative to a petrol-powered genny.
