Bluetti EP500Pro Power Station review: The ultimate UPS backup and portable off-grid power system

The electrical grid in the United States has been feeling the strain of longer- lasting and stronger heat waves. In addition to more and more devices drawing from the grid, there have been more and more outages. Finding ways to get electricity without relying on traditional methods has picked up steam. The Bluetti EP500Pro is an impressive portable power station.

Due to its weight, you may not want to pick it up and take it with you to camp. That doesn't mean that the power station isn't capable of keeping your devices running during a power outage or as an off- grid power supply. This portable power station has a lot of capacity, can expand that capacity, and has many port options.

Bluetti EP500Pro: Pricing and availability

Bluetti reached its goal of $1 million in 10 minutes after launching the EP500 and EP500 Pro. There was retail availability on the Bluetti website. The EP500 sells for $4,999 and the EP500 Pro sells for $5,999 in elegant white.

There are today's best BluettiEP500Pro deals.

Bluetti EP500Pro: What's good

Each portable power station has its own place in the market based on different factors. There are things like size, capacity, power output, ports. The Bluetti EP500Pro is a power station that has a lot of features that other power stations don't have. I knew the moment it arrived that it was going to be really good.

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I received a call from FedEx asking if I would be home at delivery and if there was enough room for a truck to park. I had to change my expectations after I realized the shipment was over 200 pounds. It took a lot of time to unbox and load the Bluetti EP500 Pro.

There is a nice design of the power station. It's solid, and the two-tone white and black is a welcome change from the usual all-black or grey device. It is taller than average at almost two and a half feet and has almost two feet of depth. The width is under 12 inches. The four wheels, two larger fixed wheels in the front, and two smaller rotating wheels in the back make moving around easy.

I decided to set the unit up in my office to make up for my electrical costs. I pressed the large button on the front of the unit after flipping the primary breaker switch. The Bluetti AC200Max has a very familiar look to it, and the 8.25-inch screen is illuminated. The downside of the other model of being difficult to read in bright lights is that it's not likely to be in the sunshine.

Bluetti added wi-fi to complement the bluetooth on the EP500 Pro. Bluetti has an app that keeps an eye on the unit. Bluetti has the ability to push software updates to the power station.

You can enable and disabling the AC and DC output, change the input and output voltage and frequency, adjust if the unit is set for single or split phase, and much from the Touchscreen. It's possible to link the EP500Pro with another one with an accessory that will double the battery capacity. The unit can act as an automatic battery backup for devices, but I'll talk more about that later.

There are some awe-inspiring numbers in the chart above. Up to 6000W of surge power would be the output of the 3000 watt. This means that almost anything that runs on 120V can be powered by this unit. The power comes from a huge battery cell. The chemistry of the batteries allows for more output and a longer lifespan than traditional batteries. It has a capacity of 80%, according to Bluetti.

The number and variety of ports available for you to use is impressive. The front of the unit contains four AC outlets and a single 30A L14-30 port used by RV and Campers. Each has a built in cover to keep out dust and debris when not in use. There is an aviation port on top of the unit under a spring loaded door.

The input charging rate is something that makes it stand out from the rest. It is very good, but I wish it was quicker on the AC200Max. The power station can charge from a wall outlet up to 3000 watt. When the battery level is low, I use my standard 120V plug on a 15A breaker.

The Bluetti EP500 Pro can take in a lot of solar power. The power station can handle up to 2400 watt of solar power. That's a lot of energy to use. If you don't plan on moving around a lot, the EP500Pro is a great candidate for an off- grid home. The grid and solar charging cables are included in the box, and they have a locking collar to make sure they don't come undone.

I don't have enough panels. With what I have, I have been able to run my office AC for free. I would like to get more panels so that I can use the power station more. Bluetti sells a Smart Home Panel that can be wired into your home, but it's best to have a professional do the work for you.

The image is the first of four.

Chris Wedel has an image on his website.

Chris Wedel has an image on his website.

Chris Wedel has an image on his website.

Chris Wedel has an image on his website.

Automatic power backup for specific devices is what you might want. The Bluetti EP500Pro is still able to help out in those situations. It can work in a number of ways thanks to the built-inUPS feature.

Once the power station is fully charged, it will be able to keep the devices plugged into it running, even if the power goes out. If the power goes out, the EP500 Pro will switch to batteries.

StandardUPS Mode is where the unit is plugged into the wall and devices are put into it. If your electric utility company offers peak and off-peak rates, you should set the times when the power station goes off-line. The EP500Pro will switch to batteries when it isn't charging.

It's possible to use solar and only charge to certain levels when on the grid in the PV PriorityUPS Mode. Bluetti included a mode where you can set nearly all of the parameters of how the unit works.

Bluetti EP500Pro: What's not good

It's because that really is the case that it seems like there aren't many flaws in the BluettiEP500Pro. The price and weight of the power station can be seen as negatives. The current price of $5999 is very close to the standard one dollar per Kh of battery, but it is still a little over. The features that come with this power station make sense. The price may be less than you think.

There's no way to lighten the weight of 187 lbs. Most people won't want to pick it up to move it. The weight of the unit is supported by the wheels, which roll very well. If you want to go camping or live in a multi-level home, you'll need help moving it.

The two cons are not fixed. Maybe some sales will make the price a bit more palatable. The companion app is something that can be solved.

The design is nice and it does what it can. The problem is that it can't do much. The only thing you can do with the app is monitor the electrical input and output, enable AC and DC power, and update the unit's software. I would love to have the ability to monitor each AC circuit from my phone. I'd like to see Bluetti up its game in this area, as EcoFlow has many of these features in its app.

Bluetti EP500Pro: Competition

There are a lot of reasons to own a portable power station, but units of the size and capability of what the BluettiEP500Pro offers are less so. The EcoFlow Delta Pro is one of the best options. Since I reviewed this unit, I've used it in many different ways, thanks to its output and input rates, as well as the availability of ports.

It's easier to move around with the Delta Pro because it's lighter and has a retractable handle that makes rolling it easier. Since the Delta Pro weighs so much, it's not hard to say it's lighter.

The Delta Pro has an output of 6000W with a surge of 7200W from the battery. The unit has the same ports as the Bluetti EP500Pro and includes wireless charging pads. The unit can be charged at 1800W from a wall outlet, 1600W solar, 3400W from an EV charging station, or a combination of the two.

The Ecoflow Delta Pro can power your home in an outage with a Smart Home Panel accessory. The Delta Pro does not have the ability to automatically power devices if the power goes out. The cost for the Delta Pro is not as high as the EP500 Pro. Knowing your power needs and how you want to use a portable power station is important to getting the best unit for you.

Bluetti EP500Pro: Should you buy it?

If you do, you should purchase this.

• You need a lot of power and capacity.
• You need a 30A output option.
• You want flexible UPS functionality.
• You need off-grid power that is expandable and recharges quickly.

If you buy this, you should not.

• You want to take this camping.
• You want a lot of control over the unit from your phone.
• You want a cheap portable power station.

It's important to know how you'll use the device and your physical limits when choosing a portable power station. The Bluetti is an excellent choice. The 3000W power output and 6000W surge rating can handle almost all power needs. If you don't plan on moving it a lot, the 30A plug can work very well in an RV.

Carrying it around a campsite or around your home is something you will want to avoid. Because the companion app is limited in what you can do, you'll want to know how to use the on-device touchscreen.

The flexibleUPS system that's built-in is fantastic, and it's not limited to the power and capacity of the BluettiEP500Pro. It gives you peace of mind if you don't want to use your device offline. It's great to know if your power goes out, you can keep things running. Bluetti doesn't want their product to be too portable.