Over the past year, we were able to test all kinds of solar gear from a variety of different brands. We checked out some game-changing equipment, as well as some products that were so bad they made us wonder if quality control took the year off.
To help you avoid spending your hard-earned money on junk, we wanted to put together a list of the best gear, meaning the solar batteries, inverters, panels, and panel mounts that actually impressed us this year.
If you're looking specifically for the best portable power station, we already released full breakdowns of the best small power stations and best big power stations of 2025.
However, if you’re looking at more of a permanent solar power system, let’s take a look at the best solar gear of the year and discover why each piece of equipment earned a spot on this list.
Let’s start out by taking a look at the backbone of any solar power setup—the batteries. Some of these will already be familiar to you, as we’ve been talking about them for quite a while now. Like every product in this guide, each solar battery was tested separately, so we’ll include our full reviews for them.
One of our standout products this year was the Rich Solar Alpha 5 Pro. The Alpha 5 Pro is a 48V, 100Ah server rack battery that’s noticeably thinner, sleeker, and easier to handle than most of the rack-style batteries we’ve used.
The touchscreen is bright and intuitive, the design of the handles means they don’t pinch your fingers (common with server rack batteries), and it’s UL-listed (really beneficial for any inspection-friendly system).
You can also pair these batteries with Rich Solar’s Server Rack Cabinet, which is easily our favorite cabinet. Doing so means you’ve got a clean and compact setup that’s easy to service from any side. Rich Solar also has great customer service, and the price of this battery is very reasonable, especially when you consider the quality and scalability.
Overall, it easily earns a spot on our list of the best solar battery options for 2025.
Next up is one of the most popular batteries in the DIY solar and home backup world: the EG4 LL Server Rack Battery.
Available in 12V and 24V versions, this server rack battery has a simple but reliable screen, fire arresters built right in, full UL certification, and extremely clean wiring thanks to its clever side-mounted communication ports.
Since the design is so user-friendly, these batteries are incredibly easy to install and set up, especially if you’re connecting them to an EG4 Inverter. Given that you can connect up to 64 of these batteries, you can build a system with a huge storage capacity.
The EG4 LL-S batteries cost a bit more than some of the off-brand alternatives we’ve seen on Amazon and eBay, but the reason we recommend it is simple: EG4 makes quality equipment that is backed by real customer support.
If you need something a little cheaper, the EG4 LifePower4 V2 offers the same internals for about $100 less. The only real difference is it just drops the EG4 LL’s front-facing screen.
For something completely different, the BigBattery Husky 2 stood out as one of the most versatile 48V options we reviewed this year. It’s marketed as a battery for golf carts, but it would be a practical battery for everything from trailers and boats to off-grid cabins.
That’s because the Husky 2 is fully weather-sealed (IP65), features internal heating for winter use, and includes multiple removable mounting plates so you can bolt it down in whatever orientation your project demands. It’s pricier than a typical server rack battery, but its durability and flexibility are unmatched.
Like a server rack battery, it’s also modular, meaning you can stack multiple units for a higher total battery capacity. When we tested it, it performed exactly how BigBattery claimed it would. It’s just an all-around really solid battery for backup power and mobile needs.
Rounding out the battery list are the EG4 WallMount Batteries, both the indoor and outdoor versions. Each version of the EG4 WallMount Battery features a massive 280Ah (14.3kWh) storage capacity. As you can probably guess from the name, they’re wall-mountable units that come in both indoor and weather-rated outdoor versions.
They also come standard with EMP protection (a feature many companies charge extra for), and the outdoor models can be paired with the EG4 BOSSBox ESS, which adds even more installation flexibility.
There is lots to like about these batteries, and they’ve been consistently reliable in our testing across multiple inverter brands and setups. Honestly, just check out the individual reviews listed above if you want the full scoop. They’re great batteries and the positives far outweigh the negatives (no pun intended).
This was a weird year for inverters, and by weird, we mean we spent entire weeks trying to test and troubleshoot units that the manufacturers couldn’t even explain to us.
Because of that, this list might feel a little EG4-heavy, but that’s simply because so much of the cheap gear released this year didn’t work properly or came with zero support. We refuse to recommend something that we wouldn’t feel confident using ourselves. In saying that, here’s our favorite power inverters of the year:
The simplest, most beginner-friendly inverter we tested this year was the EG4 3kW Inverter. It’s straightforward, outputs 120V, is easy to navigate, has removable dust screens, and it's expandable if you want to grow your system later. It also has a high solar input, making it a really useful option for those looking to build a basic off grid solar power system.
Despite a slight price increase since it was first launched, it’s still one of the best entry-level inverters out there. Plus, you can stack two units for a 240V output. If you want to expand your setup in the future, you can run up to twelve of these EG4 3kW Off-Grid Inverters in parallel.
If you want to step things up, you’ve got the EG4 6000XP, which quickly became our workhorse here at The Solar Lab. It’s been powering a EG4 Hybrid Mini-Split out in our garage nonstop, meaning it’s working hard at heating the space in the winter and cooling it down during the summer.
The EG4 6000XP has a lower idle consumption than some smaller inverters, built-in breakers that are easy to access, and an 8,000W solar input, which allows you to charge batteries while running heavy loads. It’s durable, stable, and incredibly dependable.
That impressively low 50W idle consumption rate is part of the reason we decided to use it to run solar to our mini-split. For those who are new to this stuff, it’s really easy to install, but it’s also pretty heavy. If you have two people, it’s easy enough to mount. Plus, like any EG4 product, you can also take advantage of Signature Solar’s impressive customer support.
Overall, it’s just a really solid solar inverter that can grow with your system.
We also tested the EG4 12000XP Inverter, a tall, slim inverter with a massive 24kW solar input and built-in smart load ports. As you can probably guess from the name, it’s basically the EG4 6000XP’s big brother.
Like the smaller version, it also has a very DIY-friendly build. The smart load capabilities allow you to automatically trigger secondary inverters, shed low-priority loads like an EV charger during a power outage, or power up additional circuits based on battery percentages and system demands. It’s powerful, flexible, and packed with really practical features.
When we tested it, it also just performed exactly as advertised, which was not the case at all with some of the other inverters we looked at over the past 12 months. You also get split-phase outputs, and the option to parallel up to 16 EG4 12,000XP units together, giving you a potential output of 192kW!
We weren’t joking when we said our best inverter list would be EG4-heavy. Rounding out the final spots for inverters worth recommending is the EG4 FlexBOSS Series, which includes the FlexBOSS 18 and FlexBOSS 21.
These units solve long-standing solar inverter issues by removing unnecessary features (like the 200A passthrough in the older EG4 18kPV), strengthening the internals so they can start enormous loads like 5-ton AC units, and offloading grid-tie and passthrough features to the EG4 GridBOSS MID.
The result is a more affordable, more modular setup that’s easier to build around, especially for off-grid systems.
Basically, they’re just really effective and practical hybrid inverters, and we’d encourage you to read the full reviews if you’re looking for a high-quality option that will actually perform as it should.
To learn how the EG4 FlexBOSS Hybrid Inverter and GridBOSS MID were engineered to work together as an affordable, code-compliant pairing, read our guide: EG4 GridBOSS and FlexBOSS Explained.
Solar panels were a quieter category this year, with no new releases topping our long-time favorite: the Sirius 415W Solar Panel. We’ve been using these panels everywhere, including on our massive backyard Chiko GroundFlex Ground Mount.
They’re efficient and durable bifacial solar panels that are capable of handling harsh winter conditions extremely well thanks to their rugged design. Since they’re bifacial panels, the backside energy production boost you get year-round is actually increased during the winter due to snow reflection. After a year of testing, nothing has dethroned them.
With that said, they tend to be in short supply. If you can’t get your hands on the Sirius Panels, the Talesun 405W Bifacial Panels are another good option, and they work out to just $0.34 per watt.
Speaking of ground mounts, we tested a bunch this year. In fact, we pretty much transformed our backyard into a small solar farm. We even put together a list of the Best Solar Panel Ground Mounts if you want to read it, but here’s a few of the highlights from that list:
The above-mentioned Chiko GroundFlex stands out as our favorite large-scale solar panel mounting systems. It’s modular, sturdy, and adaptable for uneven terrain.
With that said, it’s pricey, and it wasn’t without its faults either. We would definitely recommend it, but it’s likely going to be a little too big and a little too expensive for most backyard solar setups.
A more practical option for the average solar power system is going to be the IntegraRack IR-30 BallastRack Solar Module. They’re cheap, easily customizable, compatible with pretty much any solar panel size, and they’re super easy to assemble.
Since you can buy them one leg at a time, you only have to pay for what you need. Plus, it’s small enough that you can easily transport it to another location if you decide to move, or you just want to reposition your solar panel array.
While 2025 brought us some low-quality solar gear, it also delivered some of the best batteries and inverters we’ve ever tested.
With an ever-growing number of people embracing residential solar power systems, reliability, support, and ease of use mattered more than ever this year. The products on this list stood out because they consistently worked, even when we tested them under heavy use, demanding conditions, and complicated setups.
If you’re looking for portable power instead of individual solar components, don’t forget to check out our Best Portable Power Station Guide and Best Big Power Stations of the Year Guide.
Rich Solar Alpha 5 Pro Battery: https://shopsolarkits.com
EG4 LL-S Server Rack Battery: https://signaturesolar.com
BigBattery 48V Husky 2 Battery: https://signaturesolar.com
EG4 WallMount Indoor Battery: https://signaturesolar.com
EG4 WallMount All-Weather Battery: https://signaturesolar.com
EG4 3kW Off-Grid Inverter: https://signaturesolar.com
EG4 6000XP Inverter: https://signaturesolar.com
EG4 12000XP Inverter: https://shopsolarkits.com
EG4 FlexBOSS18 Hybrid Inverter: https://signaturesolar.com
EG4 FlexBOSS21 Hybrid Inverter: https://signaturesolar.com
Explore more practical tips, guides, and insights to help you get the most out of solar
More HOWTOs >
