Quick answer
The Bluetti EB3A, EcoFlow River 3 Plus, and Anker SOLIX C300 are the three cheapest power stations on this site that still use real LiFePO4 cells, and each wins on a different axis. The EB3A is the cheapest at around $179, but it’s also the only one of the three backed by a 2-year warranty instead of 5, and its battery is rated for the fewest cycles (2,500 to 80% capacity, per Bluetti’s own specs, versus roughly 3,000 for both rivals). The River 3 Plus costs more (~$269-299) but is the only one that can expand to 858Wh with an add-on battery. The C300 recharges fastest — about 50 minutes to 80% — and matches the River 3 Plus’s 5-year warranty, but its 300W continuous output is literally half of the other two’s 600W. Buy based on which single tradeoff — price, expansion headroom, or output — matters most for how you’ll use it.
Budget power stations get compared on price alone more often than any other tier on this site, but price hides real differences once you look at warranty length, cycle life, and output. Here’s the full head-to-head using each brand’s closest-matched small unit: the Bluetti EB3A, the EcoFlow River 3 Plus, and the Anker SOLIX C300.
Head to head
| Spec | Bluetti EB3A | EcoFlow River 3 Plus | Anker SOLIX C300 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 268Wh LiFePO4 | 286Wh LiFePO4 | 288Wh LiFePO4 |
| AC output | 600W (1,200W surge) | 600W (1,200W X-Boost) | 300W (600W surge) |
| Wall recharge | ~1 hr to full | ~1 hr to full | ~50 min to 80% |
| Expandable | No | Yes, to 858Wh | No |
| Cycle life | ~2,500 to 80% | 3,000 to 80% | ~3,000 to 80% |
| Weight | ~10.1 lb | ~10.4 lb | ~9.1 lb |
| Warranty | 2 years | 5 years | 5 years |
| Price | ~$179 | ~$269-299 | $299.99 list, $169-230 street |
Where the EB3A wins
The EB3A’s edge is price, and it isn’t close once you account for output. At around $179, it’s $90-120 cheaper than the River 3 Plus and the cheapest of the three on paper against the C300’s list price — while matching the River 3 Plus’s 600W continuous output (1,200W surge), double the C300’s 300W ceiling. For buyers who just want the most real LiFePO4 output per dollar, the EB3A is the clearest value on this list. The tradeoff is backing: Bluetti covers it for 2 years against 5 for both rivals, and its battery is rated for roughly 2,500 cycles to 80% capacity versus about 3,000 for the River 3 Plus and C300 — a real, if modest, gap over a multi-year ownership window.
Bluetti EB3A
- Cheapest of the three while matching the River 3 Plus's 600W continuous output.
- Shortest warranty of the three at 2 years, versus 5 for both rivals.
- Rated for ~2,500 cycles to 80% capacity, slightly below the ~3,000 the other two carry.
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Where the River 3 Plus wins
EcoFlow’s edge is headroom the other two don’t offer at all. The River 3 Plus can pair with an EB300 (286Wh) or EB600 (572Wh) expansion battery to reach up to 858Wh total, according to EcoFlow’s own product page — a real path to more capacity later without buying a second, bulkier unit. It also matches the EB3A’s 600W continuous output while carrying the same 5-year warranty and roughly 3,000 rated cycles as the C300, splitting the difference between the other two’s strengths rather than trading one for the other. The cost is price: at $269-299, it’s the most expensive of the three.
EcoFlow River 3 Plus
- Only one of the three with an expansion-battery path, up to 858Wh total.
- Matches the EB3A's 600W continuous output while keeping a 5-year warranty.
- 3,000 rated cycles to 80% capacity, ahead of the EB3A's ~2,500.
Where the C300 wins
Anker’s edge is speed and no-hassle backing — on paper, it’s the easiest of the three to live with. The C300 reaches 80% in about 50 minutes, the fastest recharge of the three, and its 5-year warranty applies without a registration step, matching the River 3 Plus’s coverage length. At 9.1 lb it’s also the lightest of the three. The real catch is output: at 300W continuous (600W surge), the C300 puts out literally half of what the EB3A and River 3 Plus deliver, despite a near-identical 288Wh battery and a similar price bracket — it can’t run the mid-size appliances the other two handle without leaning on the surge rating.
Anker SOLIX C300
- Fastest recharge of the three at ~50 minutes to 80%.
- 5-year warranty applies automatically, matching the River 3 Plus.
- 300W continuous output — half of the EB3A's and River 3 Plus's 600W.
The verdict
Buy the Bluetti EB3A if price-per-watt is what matters most — it matches the pricier River 3 Plus’s output for $90-120 less, you just accept a shorter warranty and slightly lower cycle rating. Buy the EcoFlow River 3 Plus if you want room to grow into more capacity later without buying a second unit, plus the longest backing of the three. Buy the Anker SOLIX C300 if charging speed and a no-hassle 5-year warranty matter more than raw output — just know you’re giving up half the continuous wattage of the other two. All three use genuine LiFePO4 cells, so none of them is a bad buy; the decision comes down to which single tradeoff — price, expansion, or speed-and-output — fits how you’ll actually use it.
For the full lineup behind each brand, see our best budget portable power station guide, or read the individual EcoFlow River 3 Plus review and Anker SOLIX C300 review. Want the 1kWh-class matchups instead? See Bluetti vs EcoFlow vs Anker SOLIX or Jackery vs EcoFlow vs Anker SOLIX.