Best Plug-In Solar Systems in the U.S. (2026)

Our Top Plug-In Solar Picks

Product	Best for	Grid-connected output	Battery
APsystems EZ1-LV	Best all-around microinverter	Up to 900W	No
Hoymiles HiFlow Pro LV	Best when wattage limits matter	360–500W, depending on model	No
EcoFlow STREAM Ultra	Best integrated battery system	800W per Ultra; up to 1,200W in supported configurations	1.92kWh
Bright Saver Balcony Solar Kit	Best inexpensive starter kit	180W or 360W kit	No

BLUETTI is the biggest name missing from that table. The company already has one of the most interesting plug-in solar and portable-power-station ecosystems in Europe, but its Balco hardware is not yet available as a U.S. 120V plug-in solar system. That makes BLUETTI a company we are watching very closely rather than one we can recommend to U.S. buyers today.

Best All-Around: APsystems EZ1-LV

The APsystems EZ1-LV is where we would start for a straightforward U.S. plug-in solar setup.

One microinverter connects to two solar panels and provides up to 900W of continuous AC output. Each panel gets its own MPPT input, which is useful when the panels face slightly different directions or one gets more shade than the other.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in, and the AP EasyPower app handles setup and monitoring. APsystems also supports lower configured output levels, including 600W and 800W, for locations where a smaller limit is useful.

The safety side is another reason the EZ1 stands out. APsystems says the inverter is CSA Certified to UL 3700 and meets UL 1741 SB requirements, including anti-islanding protection that stops grid-connected output during an outage.

APsystems currently sells the inverter directly and includes a 12-year warranty. The company also lists certified kitting partners for buyers who would rather purchase a more complete package instead of sourcing panels and other hardware separately.

The main thing to check is the complete configuration you plan to use. Certification of the EZ1 itself does not automatically prove that every collection of panels, cables, mounting hardware, and accessories sold around it has been evaluated as one complete system.

Best When Wattage Limits Matter: Hoymiles HiFlow Pro LV

The Hoymiles HiFlow Pro LV is especially interesting because Hoymiles did not build just one inverter size.

• 360W
• 391W
• 420W
• 450W
• 500W

Those numbers line up surprisingly well with several state laws. Maine changes its installation requirements above 420W, while Colorado and Maryland give special treatment to lower-output systems around the 391W level.

Hoymiles says HiFlow Pro is its first U.S. plug-in platform certified to UL 3700. The company also lists UL 1741/UL 1741 SB and IEEE 1547 compliance, anti-islanding protection, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and optional zero-export control with a compatible energy meter.

Our certification research also found the CSA certificate covering all five HiFlow Pro LV models. The certificate treats the microinverters as plug-in PV subassemblies and includes conditions for the connection hardware, receptacle, GFCI protection, and complete system. That is why we still check the exact setup before treating a kit built around HiFlow as a certified complete system.

Best With Battery Storage: EcoFlow STREAM Ultra

The EcoFlow STREAM Ultra takes plug-in solar in a different direction by combining the grid-interactive hardware with a 1.92kWh LFP battery, four solar inputs, and up to 2,000W of direct PV input.

A single STREAM Ultra has an 800W rated grid terminal. EcoFlow advertises up to 1,200W of on-grid AC output in supported STREAM system configurations.

The battery lets the system save solar for later instead of only helping while the panels are producing. STREAM can also work with energy monitoring and scheduling to decide when the battery should charge or discharge. That makes it useful for households with heavier evening loads or time-of-use electricity rates.

The limitation right now is legal and certification fit. EcoFlow’s current U.S. page says plug-in installation of STREAM Ultra is presently permitted in Utah and advises buyers elsewhere to check local regulations. EcoFlow publishes UL 1741 and IEEE 1547-related compliance information for the platform, but we have not found a current UL 3700 claim for the U.S. STREAM system.

STREAM Ultra is currently listed at $1,399. That is a much larger purchase than a solar-only microinverter, so we would only pay the premium when the battery and energy-management features are genuinely useful.

Best Budget Starter Kit: Bright Saver Balcony Solar

Bright Saver offers one of the cheapest ways to try a small plug-in solar setup.

The nonprofit currently lists a 180W kit for $285.30 and a 360W kit for $414.17 for members. Membership costs $29 per year. The kits bundle lightweight solar panels, a Hoymiles HiFlow Pro LV microinverter, cables, and the basic hardware needed for the setup.

For many homes, a few hundred watts can still be useful. Refrigerators, routers, computers, standby electronics, and other background loads give a small system plenty of opportunities to reduce daytime grid use.

Certification is the main caveat. Bright Saver says its individual components are certified but its assembled kits do not yet carry whole-system certification. It currently withholds shipments to Maine and Vermont because of their requirements and also withholds New York shipments under its current legal/certification policy. New York’s SUNNY Act has passed the Legislature but is not yet enacted.

The U.S. System We’re Waiting For: BLUETTI Balco

BLUETTI deserves a prominent place in this guide even though we cannot recommend its Balco system to U.S. buyers yet. The company already has one of the most interesting examples of where plug-in solar could go next.

Its European Balco Transfer Hub can connect compatible portable power stations to a grid-interactive home energy system. Instead of leaving a large battery sitting unused between camping trips or outages, the battery can help cover everyday household electricity use.

The Transfer Hub supports up to 800W of grid-connected output and works with several BLUETTI power stations already covered by Solar Waypoint, including the AC180, AC200L, Elite 100 V2, Elite 200 V2, Elite 300, Elite 400, and Apex 300. BLUETTI also supports additional models and certain third-party power stations, although smart features and integration vary.

The current limitation is regional. BLUETTI says the Balco Transfer Hub is presently available in Germany and France, with the Netherlands and Austria expected later in 2026. It is European hardware built around that market’s electrical system.

We have not found a U.S. 120V Balco Transfer Hub or equivalent BLUETTI grid-interactive adapter with the certification needed for the emerging U.S. plug-in solar pathways. That keeps it out of our Top Picks table for now.

If BLUETTI brings this architecture to the U.S., it could quickly become one of the most important products in the category. It would directly connect two markets that are currently mostly separate: portable power stations and everyday home energy storage.

Two More Products Worth Watching

Northern Electric Power LIBERTY

Northern Electric Power’s LIBERTY is a 120V microinverter designed for plug-in solar. NEP says it is UL 1741 certified, CEC listed, and includes integrated monitoring and grid-safety features.

The missing piece for us is UL 3700. We have not found a current UL 3700 claim for LIBERTY, while that newer plug-in-specific standard is becoming increasingly important in state laws and product evaluations.

CraftStrom Plug&Play Solar Battery

CraftStrom’s 3kWh Plug&Play Solar Battery is another interesting idea. The package combines battery storage with a 400W grid-connected Smart Base and separate off-grid capability.

The architecture is clever, but the system is expensive and we still want clearer documentation showing exactly what certification applies to the complete grid-interactive setup. For now, it stays on our watch list rather than among the main recommendations.

What Should You Compare?

Grid-connected output

Look at the inverter’s continuous AC grid output. Solar panel wattage helps estimate how much energy a system can collect, but state plug-in limits usually focus on what the inverter can send toward the home’s electrical system.

Certification

Check the exact standard and what was certified. UL 3700 is important because it was written specifically for plug-in photovoltaic equipment and systems. Standards such as UL 1741 SB and IEEE 1547 cover other important grid-interactive behavior.

Component or complete system?

An inverter can have strong certification while a kit assembled from that inverter, panels, cables, and other parts has not been evaluated as one complete plug-in system. That distinction can affect whether the setup fits a particular state’s rules.

Your state’s wattage tiers

A 900W inverter may give you more production in one state while triggering an electrician, dedicated circuit, or other requirements somewhere else. If your home’s daytime background load is only a few hundred watts, there may not be much benefit to buying the largest inverter available.

Battery or no battery?

A battery adds cost, but it lets you use solar later in the day. Solar-only systems make the most sense when your home is already consuming electricity while the sun is out. Storage becomes more valuable when production and electricity use happen at different times.

Do you already own a portable power station?

This is not yet a major U.S. buying factor, but it could become one. European systems from BLUETTI and EcoFlow show that a portable power station can become part of a grid-interactive home energy system when it connects through purpose-built hardware.

If U.S.-certified versions arrive, compatibility with a battery you already own may become one of the most useful features to compare.

What Would We Choose?

For a normal solar-only installation, APsystems EZ1-LV is our current first choice. It has plenty of output, good monitoring, a long warranty, adjustable power, and a strong U.S. certification story.

If the wattage tier matters, we would look closely at Hoymiles HiFlow Pro LV. Its 360W, 391W, and 420W versions give buyers options that larger inverters cannot.

For battery storage, EcoFlow STREAM Ultra is the most complete current U.S. product we have found. Its legal and certification fit is narrower today, so location deserves extra attention.

For someone who wants to spend as little as possible and try a modest system, Bright Saver is hard to ignore. The low price is genuine, but whole-system certification needs to be part of the buying decision.

And if you already own a large BLUETTI power station, we would keep an eye on Balco. There is nothing to buy for U.S. grid-connected use yet, but a 120V version could change the value of batteries many people already own.

Before You Buy

1. Check your state’s current plug-in solar rules.
2. Decide how much grid-connected output you actually need.
3. See whether that wattage changes the installation requirements.
4. Check the certification of the exact inverter or complete system.
5. Decide whether a battery is worth the extra cost.
6. Consider whether compatibility with a portable power station you already own matters to you.
7. Confirm current availability and price.

Our state-by-state plug-in solar guide covers the legal side in detail. If storage is the main attraction, our battery guide explains integrated batteries, AC-coupled systems, and the newer approach of using a portable power station through a grid-interactive hub.