In the test, the BLUETTI AC180 charging station — it did not let me down

But where we often lack access to electricity. I was given the BLUETTI portable charging station AC180 for testing, with which I wanted to test how much freedom from the grid it offers me when I am not close to the #141 socket. I know that this is not exactly everyone's concern, because the idea of spending time outdoors for many people means walking, running or hiking in the hills, and not exactly camping, traveling in a motorhome or having a picnic in a remote clearing. For those who like to spend their free time in this way, the question of electricity is always pressing.

I put myself in their shoes and tested what outdoor life would look like with the BLUETTI AC180. The station is not their newest, that title belongs to the BLUETTI AC200L, but it has features that make it very attractive to the average enthusiast.

BLUETTI AC180 price?

The BLUETTI AC180 charging station is currently discounted to €799, and the other one is €1099. If desired, the station can be combined with six solar cells from BLUETTI or another manufacturer. The seller offers a 5-year warranty.

BLUETTI AC180 — bulky not only in terms of kilograms, but also in terms of capacity

The seemingly modest rectangular box hides a number of surprises. The first is 17 kilograms, which surprises you when you want it for the first time to raise. It doesn't live up to the “portable” label in that regard, but then again, it's not a weight that would keep me from ever using the station on the go. Everyone should be able to carry the house between rooms and to the terrace, but I wouldn't take it into account if I had to carry it with me more. like 10 minutes, which is why, at least for me, its use for a possible picnic or outdoor date is out of the question. If you have a motorhome, the weight will not be a problem, even for camping, when of course this place is reasonably far from the motorhome/car.

_{The BLUETTI AC180 charged all kinds of devices without any problems}

The dimensions are just right for storage. You can place it outside on the terrace, if necessary under the computer desk, in the trunk, and due to its shape and weight, it will not move even when driving more aggressively through corners. It's also great that it will stay in place on a slope and you won't have to worry about it slipping on wet grass.

For easier carrying, there is a handle on each side, which does not "shoot out" from the case, but blends in nicely with it. This means that the upper side is completely flat, which is good if, for example, you want to use all the space in the trunk and put another one on the station, not too much. heavy object. There is also a station for wireless charging of the phone at the top, so the flat side is actually necessary if we want the phone to stay in place.

In the middle is an LCD screen for monitoring consumption, battery capacity and expected autonomy.

I powered a 3D printer, a laser engraver, a gaming laptop, a phone …

The BLUETTI AC180 has a 1152 Wh battery and a total rated power of #141; 1800 W, more as enough to power a smaller electronic device and also for some more wasteful ones. During the test, I used the station to power several #141; phones at the same time, monitor and gaming laptop ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16, 3D printer Creality Ender 5-S1 and then a laser engraving machine. I expect phones and laptops to be the most used devices elsewhere as well, and the 3D printer and engraving machine are proof to me that a portable station can be useful outside of established scenarios. I also used the station for a short time at the weekend to power the TV, a small refrigerator and some hand tools.

The application also hides the Power Lift function, which enables the powering of even more wasteful devices, for example an electric heater, coffee machine or something similar. A smaller refrigerator is also included, but not, for example, an air conditioner. The application can work without an internet connection. You only need to have location and Bluetooth turned on on your phone. In the application, you can set the charging speed, turn on the AC and DC power, you can also turn off the station, but it is not possible to turn it on again via the application. You can monitor consumption in real time and turn on the eco switch for automatic shutdown after a certain time.

There are two 250V (16A) sockets, 4x USB-A (5V) connectors, but they only support 15W power supply, 1x USB-C with support for 100W charging, which is certainly welcome. lo, but I might want some kind of USB-C more as it is available, for future needs. That said, there's a 15W wireless charger on the top, which can also come in handy if you have a phone that supports wireless charging. These are practically all premium models and also some from the upper middle class.

There is also a 12V (10A) plug, as found in a car. The portable charging station can be charged in approximately one hour via a standard plug. It is charged with a power of 1440 W, and if you wish, you can also purchase a solar kit with which you will charge the station with a power of 500 W, of course depending on the external conditions. Motorhome lovers and enthusiasts who have turned their cars and vans into a traveling hotel, charging via the car connector also applies. It won't be very fast, but you will at least recover some % during the trip.

BLUETTI AC180 uses LiFePo4 batteries, which use iron phosphate as the cathode. Their advantage is better stability, safety and also a much longer lifespan compared to classic NCM and NCA batteries. BLUETTI says the battery will reach 3,500 charge cycles before the capacity drops to 80 %, making the AC180 one of the best on the market.

During 3D printing, I used 15 % in less than an hour, slightly moreč I have energy left with the laser engraving machine. When using a laptop, a fully charged station would be enough for me for an 8-hour workday, but when playing games, the computer stopped at around 4 hours. One afternoon, the BLUETTI AC180 also survived by powering a small TV, a water heater and small tools (blender, sander) for weekend work.

Is the station loud? It's not quiet, but it's not overly loud either. You can hear it most during Turbo charging or with really high consumption.

I also used it as a UPS for a while. I purposely caused a power outage and watched how quickly it switched power. The test rabbit was my old laptop without a working battery and apparently the latency was so low that the laptop stayed plugged in.

Did I find any weakness at all?

Not much. The thing that hindered me the most was my weight. The handy handles allowed me to carry it with one hand, but I can't imagine carrying other things that I might need for camping or other outdoor activities at the same time. Take a 20-kilogram weight in your hands, start walking and remember how many hours you walked without problems.  

The Power Lift feature could also be available outside of the app, but it's not a necessary change. My last concern is that the charging station is not officially certified for safe outdoor use. I'm talking about protection from foreign objects, water and other particles that could affect its operation. ÄŒif you are going to use it outdoors, there is no wrong, if you find a place for it to stay dry and away from direct dirt.

Čif you need power outside the home …

… BLUETTI AC180 is a very good charging station that did not let me down. It can power almost all the most used devices, some at the same time. There are enough connections, the build quality is excellent, although there are no official guarantees for outdoor use. The weight can be a hindrance in certain use cases, but you will be hard-pressed to find a charging station with the same capacity and noticeably less weight.