Review: Jackery's new solar generator stacks up for outdoor power

Portable solar generators continue to be big business, after a year that saw thousands of people snapping up solutions for power in the great outdoors.

And portable power specialists Jackery continues to be ahead of the game, with an array of products that provide off-grid energy whenever and wherever it's needed.

I've been testing the biggest of its two solar generator solutions, the Solar Generator 1000. Available as a bundle with two of the firm's SolarSaga panels, which offer a peak solar input of up to 135 watts, it's one of the best-value bundles on the market.

The Solar Generator 1000 is so-called because it has a running output in its built-in generator of 1,000 watts. It can handle a surge of 2,000 watts, and its 1,002 watts of lithium batteries are more than capable of handling heavy loads.

I've already tested Jackery's Solar Generator 500 setup, which marries up beautifully with a SolarSaga panel, but this updated version packs effectively twice the punch.

Not only that, but there are more charging options thanks, largely, to its larger size. It gives Jackery space to bundle in more outputs.

For example, there are now two three-pin AC sockets, whereas the smaller version has one. There are four USBs over the 500's three, and there are more inputs too.

It adds up to a far more versatile solution and, happily, it doesn't add a bit of a burden in terms of size and weight.

Out of the box, the Solar Generator 1000's main unit, which can incidentally be bought on its own, without the solar panels, feels lighter than you'd expect. Don't get me wrong, it's bulky, but it's lighter than some of its closest rivals, and it still has a robust and durable feel.

I've taken both the Solar Generator 500 and the Solar