Independent · UK prices from the sellers' own stores
Power stations and plug-in solar, compared for UK homes
See what a power station will really run, whether plug-in solar will pay for your home, and where to buy at the best UK price.
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Why use this site
- UK prices from the makers' own stores, with the date we checked.
- Answers, not just specs: hours of power-cut cover, whether it boils a kettle, what a solar kit saves.
- The 2026 plug-in solar rules explained simply, and only register-listed kits recommended.
Top power stations today
2,042 · 2,200 W · 24 h power-cut cover
From £807
3,072 Wh · 3,600 W · 37 h power-cut cover
From £1,499
See the full ranking · Best for power cuts · Runs a kettle
Common worries, answered
It's a lot of money for something I'll hardly use.
Price it against what it protects: a freezer full of food, a working router when you work from home, a CPAP machine through the night. A 1 kWh station that covers fridge, router, lights and phones for about half a day starts at £419. It also earns its keep outside power cuts: camping, the garden or a van. Who gets value.
Will it actually run my things?
That is the right question, and the box rarely answers it. Pick your appliances in What will it run? and you will only see stations with enough output and battery for them, with the hours each one lasts.
Will it ever pay for itself?
On the government's figures an 800 W kit tilted south saves about £113 a year in a home where someone is in during the day. The cheapest register-listed kit we list is £449 (sold out at the seller today), so that is roughly 4 years, and panels usually last far longer. Your home will differ: check yours in six questions.
Is it really legal and safe to plug into a socket?
Yes in England, Wales and Scotland since 27 August 2026, for kits listed on the . We only recommend kits whose listing we could confirm, and each kit page shows it. The rules ask for a modern consumer unit and no extension leads; if your fuse box is old, get an electrician to check it first. Is plug-in solar safe?
My house doesn't face south.
East or west still works. The government's figure for an upright east or west wall is about £72 a year with the same kit. North-facing is the one case where it is rarely worth it, and our calculator says so. Every direction compared.
Aren't lithium batteries a fire risk?
Almost every current model uses (lithium iron phosphate) cells, which are far more stable than the lithium-ion in older gadgets. Buy from the maker's UK store or a big UK retailer, keep the vents clear and charge it indoors. Fire risk explained.
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Plug-in solar kits
New rules: plug-in solar became legal in Great Britain on 27 August 2026. What you can and can't do.