EcoFlow RIVER 3 Power Station Review

The EcoFlow RIVER 3 might be the smallest EcoFlow power station, but it packs an electrified punch. There’s enough power to take care of charging all your small devices. Yet it’s one of the most compact portable power stations.

We’re here to cut through the advertising claims and provide real information you can trust. After reading this guide, you’ll understand everything you need about the EcoFlow RIVER 3 specs and capabilities. This includes what types of devices it can power and how long it will last. Plus, we have full comparisons with top power stations from Bluetti, Jackery, and more.

This is the EcoFlow RIVER 3 power station guide and review that has the answers you’re looking for.

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Quick Summary: EcoFlow RIVER 3

EcoFlow has a well-earned reputation for producing some of the best power stations. What we’re trying to do here is see if that reputation holds up for the RIVER 3, while we also figure out if it’s the right choice for your needs.

Pros and Cons

One of the best things about the RIVER 3 is the price. It’s the cheapest EcoFlow power station and the brand offers it at an incredibly low price. See our updated EcoFlow Sales, Prices, and Discount Codes to get the best deal. But even at full MSRP ($239), it’s worth every penny.

Get 5% off most EcoFlow orders with the discount code SOLARWAY5OFF.

Here are the other highlights of the EcoFlow RIVER 3:

• Weighs less than 8lbs (3.5kg) and is nearly half the size of comparable options
• 300W AC inverter with <20ms UPS transfer time
• WiFi and Bluetooth connections to the EcoFlow App

These three features are hard to find on any small power station. EcoFlow manages to pack these in while still keeping the price down.

We’re also not afraid of pointing out areas for improvement. Our deep catalog of power stations allows us to have a unique perspective that few can provide. This EcoFlow power station lacks the following features:

• No wireless charging pad or 5521 DC connectors
• Solar input could be more robust
• 2 year warranty is less than ideal

Frankly, this wish list would make the price go way up and defeat the purpose of EcoFlow’s entry-level model. Other brands include one or more of these features, but there’s always a tradeoff. We’ll review those details quickly next.

Overall, the highlights for the RIVER 3 outweigh our concerns by a wide margin. This is an excellent small power station that’s ready to make sure your crucial devices have power whether you’re at home during an emergency or out on a fun-filled adventure.

Great Choice

EcoFlow RIVER 3 245Wh battery and 300W inverter Super fast charging and <20ms UPS Extremely compact

R3 on EcoFlow R3 on Amazon

Best Uses

Compact power stations can take care of certain tasks. However, if you ask too much of them, you’ll be in for a frustrating experience.

The best ways to use the EcoFlow RIVER 3 are to:

• Charge phones and tablets many times
• Charge a laptop a handful of times
• Run low-power devices like small fans or LED lights

Things will start to turn south if you expect the battery to last too long or if you try to run devices that need more energy. This power station is a little small. You can’t use it to power a full-size 500W refrigerator. Even a 60W CPAP machine can burn through the battery in less than 5 hours.

The RIVER 3 is perfect as a small device charger or for limited use to run small electronics. If you need long-lasting power or to power larger electronics, check out the bigger RIVER units.

We’re going to cover exactly what the RIVER 3 can power and for how long down below.

RIVER 3 Comparisons

Now it’s time to see how the EcoFlow RIVER 3 compares to other EcoFlow RIVER models, as well as options from our other favorite brands.

The RIVER 3 is a 2024 release to replace the RIVER 2 lineup, ushering in a nice refresh with upgraded features, such as:

• UPS transfer time improvement from <30ms to <20ms
• Higher-powered USB-C port from 60W to 100W
• Shrinks the size from about 6in (15cm) high to 4.5in (11cm)

As usual, there are still more powerful and expensive RIVER models. The RIVER 3 Plus has a larger inverter, can use external battery packs, and has <10ms UPS time. Older RIVER 2 models like the 2 Pro and 2 Max offer higher battery capacity and inverter ratings. But they’re all more expensive.

Here’s a quick comparison chart of the RIVER lineup:

Compared to small power stations from other brands in the same price range, there are some attractive options. After extensive research, the models we found most comparable to the RIVER 3 are:

• Bluetti EB3A: Includes wireless charging pad and more powerful inverter but has a higher MSRP and lackluster reliably.
• Anker PowerHouse 522: 5-year warranty but no UPS function, only 60W USB-C, and no app connection.
• Jackery Explorer 300 Plus: Extra USB-C port but only 1 AC outlet and has a higher MSRP.
• BougeRV Flash 300: More powerful inverter and super-fast charging but no UPS and much more expensive.

We like the look of the Bluetti EB3A on paper. And most of our Bluetti research uncovers high-quality products. Unfortunately, the EB3A is an exception to that rule having some reliability issues. The Bluetti AC50B is a much better unit, but you’ll have to increase your budget. See our full AC50B review here.

Otherwise, we really like the Anker 522 as the alternative to the RIVER 3 since it has similar core features (battery size, inverter, outlets). It’s missing some of the flare found on the RIVER 3, and it’s usually still more expensive. The Anker 521 is a slightly smaller but very similar option too.

The EcoFlow RIVER 3 holds up well to a brutal industry packed with competition. It has the basic components that a compact power station needs while including higher-end features in a way that other brands can’t really match.

Top Pick	EcoFlow RIVER 3 245Wh battery and 300W inverter Super fast charging and <20ms UPS Extremely compact	R3 on EcoFlow R3 on Amazon
More Powerful	BLUETTI EB3A Portable Power Station ~265Wh battery and 600W output	EB3A on Bluetti EB3A on Amazon
Long Warranty	Anker 522 PowerHouse 299Wh Portable Power Station 299Wh battery and 300W output	Buy on Anker Buy on Amazon
Extra USB-C	Jackery Explorer 300 Plus Portable Power Station 288Wh battery and 300W output	300 Plus on Jackery 300 Plus on Amazon
Fast Charging	BougeRV Flash300 Fast Charging Power Station 286Wh battery and 600W AC output Incredibly fast charging rates	Buy on BougeRV Buy on Amazon

Full Review and Details

Every power station has a long list of specs that can be hard to understand. We’re here to review the EcoFlow RIVER 3 capabilities and details in an easy-to-understand manner.

Here is what we’ll cover:

• Outlets and Output: What Can You Power?
• Battery Capacity: How Long Will It Last?
• Charging Speeds: How Long to Recharge It?
• Full Specs Chart

Outlets and Output: What Can You Power?

A good place to start is to make sure you can physically connect the devices you want to power and there is sufficient output to run them.

It’s best to use the DC ports of a power station when possible, such as the USB ports or car cigarette lighter outlet. Using these ports allows you to get the most out of the battery because using the AC outlets requires turning on the AC inverter, which uses some energy. The AC inverter changes the direct current (DC) energy stored in the battery into alternating current (AC) energy found in regular 110V/120V outlets.

There are four DC connections on the EcoFlow RIVER 3 power station:

• 2 x 12W USB-A
• 1 x 100W USB-C
• 1 x 126W car cigarette lighter (12V)

The USB-C port on the RIVER 3 is quite impressive. It can dish out enough to charge most laptops and other mid-size devices.

The AC inverter of the RIVER 3 has 2 outlets and is rated at 300W for continuous use. It also features a special X-Boost technology that can reach 600W. This is not compatible with some electronics as it reduces voltage. You’re best sticking to the 300W limit, which means you can’t use most microwaves or hairdryers. As EcoFlow’s entry-level and most affordable model, there are some limits to what this can do.

Our favorite feature of this power station is the <20ms UPS function.

If you have a critical device that needs an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), then the RIVER 3 can work. The only catch is that it won’t power medium-sized devices for too long. For example, a desktop computer that uses 200W will only last a little more than an hour. But having the UPS feature is still a very nice thing to have, especially for the price of the RIVER 3 portable power station.

Battery Capacity: How Long Will It Last?

The battery is another essential part of any power station. It determines how long you can power your devices. The type of battery is also important because some have more longevity than others.

The RIVER 3’s battery capacity is 245Wh. Here are some comparisons to see how many times you can recharge certain devices:

• 10Wh phone battery about 20 times
• 30Wh tablet battery about 6 times
• 60Wh laptop battery about 3 times

You can also use electronics that don’t have a battery. Here are some estimated runtimes for small devices you can run with the RIVER 3:

• Two 10W LED lights for about 10 hours
• 20W small fan for about 20 hours
• 50W WiFi router and modem for about 4 hours

And of course, you can charge some items while powering others. And to figure out how long your power station will last, use this simple calculation. The battery’s watt-hours divided by the total watts of the devices. Reduce that by about 20% because every power station has some expected power loss (wires, connectors, inverter use, etc.). The result is an estimated amount of hours the power station will run.

Wh / W * 0.8 = Hours of runtime.

The RIVER 3 features a LiFePO4 battery, one of the best you can use. It’s not only one of the safest lithium-ion batteries, but it’s also one of the longest-lasting. This particular EcoFlow is rated to last >3,000 cycles while still having at least 80% of its capacity. You can charge and discharge this every day for about 8 years without a noticeable capacity degradation.

Charging Speeds: How Long to Recharge It?

How quickly a power station charges isn’t just based on the power source. Every power station has internal components that the energy must go through to charge the battery. Those determine how quickly electricity flows.

EcoFlow knows that people expect fast charging rates. You can see the full EcoFlow Comparison Charts for proof. And the RIVER 3 is no exception.

If you want to recharge from a wall outlet, the RIVER 3 will be done in about an hour.

For those adventures away from home, it can take up to 110W of solar power through a robust port. When maxed out, it can recharge from solar panels in less than 3 hours of peak sunlight. The high 30V and 8A specs mean you can attach bigger panels like the EcoFlow 160W Portable Solar Panel to ensure you deliver the full 110W. You can calculate your solar panel needs with this tool. Or check out this page to verify the solar panel you want to buy doesn’t damage your power station (you’ll need some specs).

The RIVER 3 can also charge from a standard car cigarette lighter port in most vehicles. These usually provide 120W (12V/10A). That will recharge the power station in about 2.5 hours.

Weight and Dimensions

EcoFlow has pulled off something special in the size of this compact power station. It’s smaller than the last EcoFlow generation, which was already matching or beating the rest of the industry.

It also has a sleek handle on the backside. This design avoids problems found in others. Handles that stick out of the top cause stacking and storage problems. Collapsible handles can wear out or break over time. The EcoFlow handle is sturdy yet out of the way.

Full RIVER 3 Specifications Chart

Here is the full specifications chart for the EcoFlow RIVER 3 portable power station, as well as a link to the official user manual:

Main Takeaways

The EcoFlow RIVER 3 is another advanced power station from a brand that knows what its customers need. As the entry-level model, it’s a modest yet powerful device ideal for small electronics.

The RIVER 3’s most impressive features include:

• 300W inverter with 2 outlets and <20ms UPS transfer time
• Fast charging rates and capable USB ports
• Excellent battery longevity
• Remote monitoring and control through the EcoFlow App

Even when put under the microscope, there’s very little to complain about. We’d love to see longer warranty coverage and perhaps a wireless charging pad, but that’s almost certain to increase the price and defeat the entry-level model purpose.

Overall, we recommend the EcoFlow RIVER 3 portable power station without hesitation. Use it to charge small portable devices or power very lightweight electronics. Don’t try to get too much out of it and you’ll be thrilled with its performance.

Top Pick

EcoFlow RIVER 3 245Wh battery and 300W inverter Super fast charging and <20ms UPS Extremely compact

R3 on EcoFlow R3 on Amazon

Compare to Any Power Station

We have created a special tool that provides a look into the world of power stations like never before. Simply select up to three power stations, including the RIVER 3 or not. Then choose the spec group you want to see (or pick “All Specs” to see everything). Clicking the button generates a comparison table based on your choices.

This allows you to have an comprehensive look into power stations from EcoFlow, Bluetti, Anker, Jackery, and BougeRV. These are the brands we trust the most. We also have a wide array of detailed product information and comparisons.

Top Pick

EcoFlow RIVER 3 245Wh battery and 300W inverter Super fast charging and <20ms UPS Extremely compact

R3 on EcoFlow R3 on Amazon

Wrap Up

The EcoFlow RIVER 3 is a high-quality power station great for light power needs. It can charge your phones, tablets, and even a laptop. It has the right amount of USB ports, a great battery, and the UPS function to keep your critical electronics going.

Don’t forget to check out our EcoFlow Sales, Prices, and Discount Codes. Get 5% off most EcoFlow orders with the discount code SOLARWAY5OFF.