EcoFlow has built a reputation for pushing boundaries in the portable power space—sometimes nailing it, and other times totally missing the mark (like the overpriced Solar Tracker).
With the EcoFlow River 3 Plus, you get the biggest unit in the new River 3 series. Right away, we could tell EcoFlow was aiming at the entry-level, ultra-portable power station market. And, to our surprise, they’ve finally added something we've been crying out for: a built-in light.
So, is the brand-new River 3 Plus a home run, or just another swing and a miss from EcoFlow? Let’s find out by taking an in-depth look at this newest pint-sized powerhouse.
Before we get into what we like and dislike about this little unit, let’s start out by quickly going over the basics:
And yes, EcoFlow finally included a built-in light. It's warm-toned, thoughtfully angled downwards so it lights up a table, and it’s genuinely useful—especially in the dark when you don’t want to fumble with a flashlight.
Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come, as a light on their bigger, home-backup units, like the DELTA Pro 3, would be incredibly useful during blackouts.
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Like every power station we have here at The Solar Lab, we put this little guy through the ringer.
While we could jump into the details of each test, it’s much easier to just say that it worked exactly as advertised. The efficiency is good, the output power delivered, it charged as fast as it should via both solar and AC power, and it just all around worked like it should.
This may sound fairly basic, but it’s not something we take for granted. We’ve tested plenty of smaller power stations that have just been total duds—we’re looking at you, AFERIY P210. From overheating issues to taking over four hours to charge, power stations in this class regularly fail our tests. Not this little guy though, so good job, EcoFlow.
There usually isn’t too much to write home about when you’re discussing these tiny power stations, but the River 3 Plus actually impressed us in quite a few ways:
It has been a really long time since EcoFlow released a unit with a light—and it's actually a really good one. It’s a bar-style light that sits beneath the unit’s display screen and outlets, which is perfect for lighting up a desk, coffee table, or the floor of a tent.
The light it emits is also a nice soft and warm illumination that shines downward and bounces off surfaces to create a wider glow. While this size of unit might be the least in need of a light (since it’s so easy to carry in one hand, then use your other to hold a phone or flashlight), it’s a big step forward and we hope to see this feature added to larger models
It may sound like we’re just going on-and-on about something pretty insignificant, but we must have asked EcoFlow to start equipping their power stations with lights at least 5,000 times, so it's kind of a big deal to us.
It may look a little bit like E.T.’s head from the side, but we actually really like the compact design of the River 3 Plus. It has a nice solid handle on the back, and the sandwiched design gives it a nice modern look.
In terms of practicality, even when you’re pushing its little inverter to its maximum output, this unit is really quiet, making it perfect for camping, RV travel, or small-scale home backup.
You can place it right beside your bed while you sleep without being annoyed or woken up by fan noise or heat. Since it’s so small, it’s also easy to store at home, or pack for a road or camping trip.
For a unit this size, the 220W solar input is impressive. A lot of units this size can take as long as three to four hours to charge via solar, but the River 3 Plus can be fully charged in a little over an hour.
For those planning to take it camping, you can quickly pull in off-grid power using a single folding solar panel.
It includes a port to clip on an expansion battery below the main unit, letting you more than double its capacity down the road. That’s a nice touch if you want to start small and upgrade later.
With that said, we probably wouldn’t spend the money on the unit and the expansion battery right away. If you already know you need more storage capacity, and you have the budget for the main unit and an expansion battery, we’d probably just recommend picking up a bigger power station.
Not only would you be able to get a power station with a higher battery capacity for the same amount of money, you’d also get a larger inverter and more output ports. Something like the Pecron E1000LFP is going to cost less than the River 3 Plus and an expansion battery, but it will beat that combo on storage capacity and output.
EcoFlow is taking a page from brands like DJI by offering a huge variety of fun and optional accessories.
While some, like the expansion battery, are definitely useful, others are a bit out there, like a pegboard for wire organization, a carbon fiber-style skin that’s purely for looks, and a few other niche add-ons.
While they’re not all practical, we do like that EcoFlow is starting to lean into customization. Plenty of people like upgrading their equipment, so we think those buying the dirt-cheap EcoFlow River 3 and the River 3 Plus will appreciate having options.
While there was plenty to like about this little slugger, we also found a few misses:
EcoFlow advertises that this unit has a 1,200W output with "X-Boost" activated—but let’s be clear: that’s not a real number. We’ve rip on it pretty much every time we review an EcoFlow power station, and we even put out a video explaining why we think X-Boost just a marketing gimmick, so our stance probably isn’t a huge surprise.
Basically, the inverter is rated for 600W, and if you try to pull the 1,200W you can supposedly get with X-Boost from this 286Wh battery, it’ll last about 4 minutes. Worse, X-Boost works by lowering the voltage, which can damage sensitive electronics, like laptops.
Our advice? Just treat the 600W rating as the real limit, and ignore the marketing hype, especially if you’re using it to charge a laptop or camera battery.
Two of the three AC outlets are on the back of the unit, which sounds like a practical use of space on a small power station—until you’re trying to set this thing against a wall, inside a tent, or in a cramped camper.
With cables sticking out both ends; things can get pretty messy fast. We’d prefer all ports on one side, even if it meant a slightly taller unit. It’s not a major gripe, but it’s worth pointing out.
We won’t deny that the base model at just $229 is a really solid deal. But once you add the expansion battery, which brings you to $549 total, you’re better off looking at alternatives like the above-mentioned Pecron E1000, which delivers a 1,024Wh battery and a 1,000W inverter for less (just $379!).
So, if you're planning to buy both the River 3 Plus and its battery upfront, shop around—there are better bang-for-your-buck options out there.
Yes, but only if you buy the River 3 Plus on its own. Sure, if you pick one up, then decide down the line you want more power, the expansion battery could be a good idea. However, if you want more power right now, just go with a bigger power station—you’ll get way more bang for your buck.
With that said, the River 3 Plus on its own is light, charges quickly, it’s thoughtfully designed, and finally includes that long-awaited light. It’s not a massive leap forward, but it’s also far from a misfire.
To use a baseball analogy, this isn’t a home run, and it’s not a foul ball—it’s a solid double. For small needs, like camping, day trips, or emergency phone charging during an outage, it does exactly what you expect from a brand like EcoFlow.
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