Walmart is offering a great price on the Ecoflow River 2 256Wh LiFePO4 power station. Right now it’s listed exclusively for $149.99 including shipping. At Ecoflow direct it’s currently selling for $239, so you’re saving almost 40%. This is a well-rated power station with a compact size that comes with safe and reliable LiFEPO4 batteries. It can even be controlled remotely using the Ecoflow app.

Ecoflow River 2 256Wh LiFePO4 Power Station $149.99

Ecoflow River 2 256Wh LiFePO4 Portable Power Station

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The Ecoflow River 2 is a power station with a 256Wh battery capacity. It features two AC outlets with a maximum output of up to 600W (300W per outlet), two USB Type-A ports, and one USB Type-C port. Although each AC outlet can provide up to 300W of continuous power, Ecoflow’s X-Boost technology allows it to handle up to 600W of peak power for certain electronic devices and home appliances that need a temporary power boost to start. The River 2 can be charged using traditional AC power or up to 110W of solar power. When using mains power (AC), the 360W input will fully charge the River 2 from 0% to 100% in just one hour. Although typically used as a mobile backup power solution when mains power is not available, it can also be used as an always-on pass-through AC power strip. It has an EPS function that automatically switches to battery power in the event of a power failure. The shutdown delay is less than 30 ms, which is short enough to allow even sensitive electronic devices such as PCs to remain on all the time.

The 256Whr battery can power your PC or home appliances for several minutes, or mobile electronics (including your laptop) for several hours to days. The River 2 uses the newer LiFePO4 cells instead of the traditional NCM cells you find in the original River. LiFePO4 cells have an inherently safer chemistry and much higher cycle life than NCM cells. They also have less calendar aging. The only downside to LiFEPO4 is lower energy density (higher weight). That said, the River 2 only weighs 7 pounds, which is very respectable for a battery capacity of this size, and with that offering, it’s not much more expensive than NCM alternatives.

Standard “UPS” battery backups like APC and CyberPower are cheaper because they use traditional lead acid batteries. Unlike lithium batteries like LFP and NCM, lead acid batteries are extremely heavy, have a much shorter lifespan, and are far less efficient. This is the main reason why your UPS battery backup should be replaced every 3-5 years. An LFP battery will generally retain at least 85% of its charge even after 10 years of operation, and this is even with more frequent use than a lead acid battery.

The River 2 is a smart battery and therefore you can change settings, check its status and turn sockets on or off remotely – all from your phone. In my personal experience, Ecoflow offers good product support and constantly releases new firmware and software updates.

If you’re looking for something pocketable, check out the best portable chargers of 2024.