Where This Comparison Comes From

Everything in this article comes from one source video — Brian Waters Outdoors’ side-by-side test of the EcoFlow DELTA 2 and the Jackery Explorer 1000, a comparison with over 120,000 views. Brian owns both units, works through every spec with real load testing, and closes with an unambiguous recommendation. All prices, ratings and measured results below come straight from that video.

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The Two Contenders: Same Price Class, Very Different Machines

The video answers the question the creator gets asked most: how does the newer EcoFlow DELTA 2 compare with the wildly popular Jackery Explorer 1000? Both are 1,000W-class stations at roughly a thousand dollars, used the same way — camping, road trips and emergency backup. At filming, the DELTA 2 is $999 and the Jackery Explorer 1000 is $849 with a $250 Amazon discount applied. That $150 gap is what this comparison justifies. Brian is upfront that EcoFlow sent him the DELTA 2 and that he owns a Jackery too; the review is built from owning both, not a sponsored script.

Parameter Comparison Table

Parameter EcoFlow DELTA 2 Jackery Explorer 1000
Price (at video filming)$999$849 (with $250 discount)
Cycle life to 80%3,000 cycles500 cycles
Cost per full cycle to 80%~$0.33~$1.69
Battery chemistryLiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate)Lithium ion (NMC)
Rated capacity1,024 Wh1,002 Wh
Weight27 lb22 lb
AC inverter (continuous / surge)1,800W / 2,700W1,000W / 2,000W
Measured max load in testCut off at 2,300W (heat gun)Cut off at 1,600W (heat gun)
Full recharge time (AC)80 min (up to 1,200W via app)~7.5 h (max ~145W charger)
Max solar input60V / 500W30V / 163W rated
App / smart featuresYes (Wi-Fi + Bluetooth, firmware, settings)None
Total usable ports15 (6 AC, 12V car, DC, USB-A/C)Fewer (3 AC, DC, USB-A, USB-C)
UPS modeYesNo
Expandable capacityYes — up to ~3,000Wh with extra batteriesNo
AC / DC discharge efficiency81% / 78%90% / 90%
Parasitic drain (inverter idle, 3 h)~0.33%/h — down to 98%Slightly better — down to 99%
Pass-through chargingYesYes

Cycle Life and Chemistry: The Argument Settlers

The biggest difference is how many times each unit can be drained and refilled before degrading to 80% capacity: the DELTA 2 is rated at 3,000 cycles, the Jackery at 500. That gap comes from chemistry: LiFePO4 in the DELTA 2 versus lithium ion in the Jackery. LiFePO4 tolerates more cycles and resists thermal runaway far better; NMC is lighter, which is why the Jackery weighs 22 pounds against the DELTA 2’s 27.

Framed in cost per cycle, the difference is stark: at $849, every full discharge of the Jackery costs about $1.69 of battery life; at $999, the DELTA 2 costs about 33 cents. One commenter notes that cycling a Jackery once a week still yields about ten years of service, and keeping NMC between 10% and 90% extends it further — but that requires careful habits. For regular use, the DELTA 2’s chemistry is less to manage, and its safety edge matters indoors.

Inverter Power: Real Watts Under Real Loads

Rated numbers only tell half the story, so the video tests both inverters with a heat gun until each shuts down. The Jackery is rated at 1,000W continuous and up to 2,000W surge; in the test it ran to about 1,400W and cut off at 1,600W. The DELTA 2 is rated at 1,800W continuous and 2,700W surge; it held 2,000W-plus and cut off at 2,300W.

In practice that headroom decides what each can run: the DELTA 2 handles hair dryers, space heaters and compact microwaves that the Jackery cannot start. Appliance startups draw surges well above running watts, and 1,000W continuous leaves no margin. If your planned loads stay under 1,000W the Jackery is fine; if you want room to grow, the DELTA 2 delivers it.

Recharging Speed and Solar Input: Patience vs Productivity

Charging is where the Jackery’s age shows most. Its AC wall charger tops out around 145W, so a full recharge takes about seven and a half hours. The DELTA 2 charges at up to 1,200W through the app — 80 minutes from empty to full. For anyone who drains a station on a trip and needs it back the same day, that is speed you can feel.

Solar input follows the same pattern: the DELTA 2 accepts up to 60V and 500W of solar; the Jackery is rated at 30V and a maximum of 163W, a figure the creator says he has never reached. The Jackery also uses proprietary solar connectors, so third-party panels need adapters; the DELTA 2 takes standard MC4 wiring. For off-grid users recharging from a roof array, that is a three-to-one advantage.

Ports, Apps and Smart Features: Day-to-Day Usability

Ports are the difference you feel every time you plug something in. The DELTA 2 offers 15 usable ports: six AC outlets, a 12V car socket, two 5521 DC ports, two USB-A, two fast-charge USB-A, one Quick Charge 3.0 and one 16W USB-C. The Jackery carries fewer AC outlets and a simpler DC/USB set. Running a fridge, phone, laptop and drone batteries at once is easy on the DELTA 2, and impossible without a power strip on the Jackery.

Smart features are not close either. The DELTA 2 has an app over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that shows battery data, updates firmware and adjusts AC charging speed from 0 to 1,200W — and Bluetooth means it works without internet. The Jackery has no app at all. For a simple plug-and-power user this does not matter; for control, the DELTA 2 is a generation ahead.

UPS Mode and Expandability: Two Hidden Talents

UPS mode is a genuine differentiator. The DELTA 2 can sit between wall power and a load — a refrigerator or a home router — and switch to battery automatically in an outage. The Jackery has no UPS mode, so it cannot back up always-on equipment. In hurricane or load-shedding regions, that alone can decide the purchase.

Expansion is the second talent. The DELTA 2 accepts 1,000Wh and 2,000Wh add-on batteries that clip onto the side, taking the station to roughly 3,000Wh. The Jackery 1000 is sealed at 1,002Wh forever. One commenter says the 3,000 cycles, fast charging and expandability turned them away from the Jackery — growable capacity matters when needs change.

Efficiency, Parasitic Drain and Warranty: Where the Jackery Wins

To be fair, the Jackery wins the efficiency category outright, and the creator says so: it scored 90% on both AC and DC discharge — above industry average. The DELTA 2 scored 81% on AC and 78% on DC — respectable but clearly behind. If every watt-hour matters, the Jackery wastes less — but the difference is modest. Parasitic drain is close but favours the Jackery: with inverters on and nothing plugged in for three hours, it dropped to 99% against the DELTA 2’s 98%.

Warranty tops the video comments: the Jackery carries 2 years, the DELTA 2 five. Reliability experience is mixed — one commenter’s Jackery died just after warranty lapsed with no repair option, while another ran one daily through South African load-shedding for a year with no issues. The honest read: the Jackery is a simpler, proven design with a shorter warranty; the DELTA 2 is feature-dense with a longer one.

The Verdict: Where to Spend Your Money

The creator’s conclusion is blunt: at roughly the same price, spend the extra $150 and take the EcoFlow DELTA 2. It wins on cycle life, chemistry, inverter output, charging speed, solar input, ports, apps, UPS and expandability, and loses only on efficiency, weight and idle draw. The Jackery stays reliable at lighter duty cycles — it is simply outclassed on long-term value.

The decision tree is short: at $849, the Jackery is still a dependable 1,000W station — plan on a 2-year horizon and gentle charge habits. At $999, the DELTA 2’s 3,000 cycles, 1,800W inverter and 80-minute recharge make it the better long-term purchase by a wide margin. Buy from a seller with a real return policy.

If this comparison has you thinking about lithium power — portable or stationary — that is what we do. Dajiu Energy is a Chinese manufacturer building LiFePO4 batteries since 2017. Our product range covers LiFePO4 drop-in replacement batteries, EV and golf cart batteries, wall-mounted home storage, portable power stations, commercial energy storage and battery swap cabinets — explore the full lineup in our product center, or browse more buying guides. We ship 12V, 24V and 48V packs in both standard and OEM/ODM configurations, with CE, UN38.3, MSDS and ISO9001 certified builds.

Reviewed by Dajiu Energy Engineering Team — a Chinese LiFePO4 battery manufacturer building LiFePO4 batteries for RVs, homes, golf carts and portable applications since 2017, serving OEM/ODM projects with CE, UN38.3, MSDS and ISO9001 certified builds.

What Viewers Are Asking (Top Comments on the Video)

The video’s most useful top comments, with our practical answers; where the creator replied, we quote the creator’s own words. Thanks-only comments were left out on purpose.

@johnoconnor9854 · 49 likes
"Brian, great side-by-side review. One other criteria to consider is warranty. Jackery is 2 years, Delta 2 is 5 years."
Our take: Warranty is a fair spec to add — Jackery’s 2 years against the DELTA 2’s 5 changes the long-term cost picture, and it aligns with the cycle-life gap.
@ambroseavery5229 · 35 likes
"You know human nature is funny. I just ordered the Delta-2, after a LOT of research; I haven’t even received it yet, but I saw & watched this video after the fact! Thanks for making me believe that I made the right choice! 😂"
Our take: That research-first pattern is exactly what this comparison is for. The DELTA 2’s 3,000-cycle LiFePO4 cells and 5-year warranty give real confidence to a buyer committing $1,000.
@CherrieMcKenzie · 23 likes
"I bought my Ecoflow for weekend camping trips and it has performed well above my expectations in that area. I live in Florida and realized the added benefit of having backup power during hurricanes and power outages. I have been able to pull this baby off the shelf and plug in several items without worry so your video was right on point in confirming my experience. Thanks!"
Our take: The hurricane use case is one of the best reasons to own a 1,000W-class station — and why UPS mode matters: seamless switchover means the fridge never notices the grid died.
@goldy7678 · 20 likes
"I was leaning toward the Jackery for a while, but the more research I do, the more my head is being turned by other options. The Delta 2 just has so much more going for it. The 3K cycles before 80% is huge as is the charge time and the expandability. Those threee things sells it. The other flaw with the Jackery is their proprietary solar connections to the unit which makes providing your own solar panels more difficult. Thanks for the great nonsense comparison. It is appreciated."
Our take: The three things you list — 3,000 cycles, charge time and expandability — carry most of this comparison. The proprietary solar connector point is a real knock against the Jackery for MC4 panel owners.
@chrisparker5895 · 6 likes
"I have both units, and yeah there's no comparison, however the Jackery 1000 was first available in the spring of 2020, compared to a product that was released a few days ago is not a fair comparison. Oh yeah the Ecoflow Delta 2 is all that and then some more"
Our take: A fair product-cycle note: the Jackery 1000 launched in 2020 and the DELTA 2 years later, so the gap partly reflects age. For two current products at the same price, the spec sheet is what it is.
@vizionct1 · 5 likes
"New Delta2 owner and extremely happy with it! The fast charge is great and haven’t had any issues so far with all my appliances I’ve tested it on. Btw. New owners get 30% discount on solar panels. That’ll be my next purchase from Ecoflow. Great review!"
Our take: Real-owner experience like this is the best review there is — fast charging and clean appliance handling match the tested 1,800W rating. The 30% solar panel discount for new owners is a genuine extra.
@jasonbroom7147 · 5 likes
"People make a huge deal about the cycle life difference between LFP and NMC battery chemistries. Honestly, it doesn't make much difference in terms of actual life-span of the product, unless you actually fully charge and discharge every single day. If you fully charge and discharge the Jackery once per week, 500 cycles will get you 10 full years of service. If you keep the NMC cells in the Jackery between 10% and 90%, never fully charging or discharging, you'll get 1,500 cycles or more. The main reason to get LFP cells versus NMC is for safety. There is little or no risk of thermal runaway with LFP, like there is with NMC. Also, why didn't you review the newest Jackery product, since you're showing the VERY GOOD EF Delta 2? (The Ecoflow is the hands-down winner in this comparison, for sure!)"
Our take: Right that partial cycling stretches NMC life — keeping the Jackery between 10% and 90% can take 500 cycles toward 1,500. The stronger argument is safety: LiFePO4’s near-zero thermal-runaway risk is why the DELTA 2’s chemistry is preferred for long-life use. The video’s verdict agrees.
@Steve-Goff · 5 likes
"Excellent comparison video. I had a Jackery 240 and sold it as soon as I got my first LiFePO4 power station. Factor in that 5% off code and it’s only $100 difference"
Our take: The $100 after-discount gap makes the DELTA 2’s advantages nearly free. Selling a first lithium-ion station after moving to LiFePO4 is a common pattern — the difference shows in daily use.
@HermanHabig · 4 likes
"I've used the Jackery 1000 now for more than a year and the Ecoflow Delta 2 for two months. The Ecoflow's electronics is more sensitive than a woman's feelings. The EF must be used with a surge protector plug together with a voltage protector plug when charging via AC to protect the electronics inside. Yes, the EF can be used as an UPS/EPS, but the unit's fail rate is almost 99% when permanently used that way. I think the % return rate for repairs on EF units must be high compared to Jackery (this aspect you will not read/hear in any online review). The Jackery 1000 is rugged and there is no fancy technology and electronics - it's old school. After a year of using it almost daily during loadshedding in South Africa, the Jackery is still 100% ito battery life and everything is working perfectly. Only time would tell on the EF Delta 2. If I would choose a unit for outdoors, the EF will stay home."
Our take: Useful real-world counterpoint, honest about trade-offs: the Jackery’s simpler electronics have proven rugged under heavy cycling, while the DELTA 2’s denser feature set benefits from a surge protector on AC input.
@insaynbcr · 4 likes
"I was a Jackery fanboy until my 2yr warranty ran out and just 3 months later my 1000 Explorer decided to just turn itself off and won't turn back on. It was fully charged when I plugged in my 37 qrt ARB fridge to ready for a camping trip. An hour later the unit had turned off and no amount of resets, attempted charging, etc.... it won't turn on. I contacted Jackery to see if there is any after warranty support in the way of a repair facility that I could ship it to and have it repaired (on my dime). Nope, and doesn't look like they plan to bother. So, now I am holding a very lightly used pretty $1000 brick. A five year warranty would have sufficed at this point as newer technology would most likely be available by then and worth an upgrade regardless if my Jackery was still running or not. Currently chatting with other brands (including EcoFlow) regarding after warranty product support. Wish me luck!"
Our take: That failure story is why warranty length belongs in any comparison — a 2-year warranty on a $1,000 station leaves you exposed right after coverage lapses. The DELTA 2’s 5-year warranty is meaningful protection.

Source video: Brian Waters Outdoors — "Ecoflow DELTA 2 or a Jackery 1000?? No brainer choice on where to spend your $$$$$" (youtube.com/watch?v=KMlD89psJ_o). Comments are quoted verbatim; specs, prices and test results are transcribed from the video.