70mai TERA 1000 Portable Power Station review

Two-minute review

Portable power stations come in many battery capacities and inverter power. For everyday use, a 1000W/hr battery and a 1000W AC inverter are more than enough to power small to medium size appliances for a reasonable amount of time. These numbers give a small and affordable unit with a size comparable to a portable cooler and a weight hovering at 10kg.

70mai, a subsidiary of Xiaomi and better known for its dash cams, has recently entered the portable power station market with the Tera 1000. This product comes loaded with many features and is on sale for $649 (around £485) directly from 70mai’s website. Even at an MRSP of $999 (around £747), it remains one of the cheapest 1000W stations around. 70mai’s website also offers bundles of the station with one or two solar panels for $819 (around £612) and $922 (around £689) respectively.

The Tera 1000 comes with a 1000W/hr battery and a 1200W AC inverter. It sports a large color LCD and connects to the 70mai mobile app through Bluetooth. A wide variety of AC and DC output sockets are included and, together with the built-in AC adapter, make the Tera 1000 a versatile and compact product.

Design

The Tera 1000 could be mistaken for a retro boombox complete with its speaker grills on the side. The unit is well constructed and is shipped in protective foam in a compact box. The built-in orange handle is flush on the top and is big enough to accommodate any type of hand. The enclosure has a smooth texture and rounded edges. It is very pleasing to the eye for a power station. Two large rectangular rubber pads prevent the base from sliding even when placed at a steep angle.

At 12.3kg, the station is quite heavy but this weight includes a massive 600W AC charger. The unit measures 30cm x 23cm x 30cm and is supplied with an accessory bag containing an AC power cord, a car charging cable, and a user manual. 

The plastic enclosure is supported internally by a steel frame that adds to the durability of the design. A single large fan located on the right ensures that the unit stays cool even under heavy loads. The station offers more than 1000 charge cycles before the battery capacity falls to 70%.

As with other similar units, output sockets are located on the front panel. The AC system supports 1200W in continuous mode and 2400W in surge mode. It is turned on using a push button and offers three sockets well spaced apart. This is handy when plugging AC devices having a wide footprint such as a power meter or a Wi-Fi smart plug. Fast charging the station can be done using the built-in AC charger which tops the battery in less than two hours. A 200W Anderson port is also located on the front panel, allowing connection to a solar panel.

The low voltage section consists of seven sockets all enabled by a push button similar to the AC. A high-power 60W Type-C connector allows charging laptops and game consoles quickly. A second 18W Type-C charges smaller devices such as smartphones while two USB-A supporting QC3 are also included to power legacy devices. A regulated 10A 13.6V car outlet is included and can power devices such as a tire inflator. Finally, a pair of 3A 13.6V DC5521 sockets are present.

In use

A bright LCD turns on when the main power button is held for three seconds. The same button turns off the power station when held for another three seconds. The LCD menu is well designed with the remaining battery capacity displayed centrally. It is navigated using four push buttons located on the right, allowing the activation of various features such as the LED light or the AC fast charge mode. Scheduling the turning on and off of the AC/DC section is also supported. Various icons reside at the top of the screen and show pairing and fast charge status among others.

The power station supports the DC passthrough mode where the DC section remains powered while the unit is being charged. The AC section on the other hand will turn off when charging. Two square spots that look like smaller screens are located on each side of the main display and serve as a low-power LED flashlight. The solar charger is accessible by connecting a panel to the Anderson connector and is based on MPPT technology to maximize efficiency. Charging through solar panels takes about five hours based on the station’s 200W input capacity. This can be achieved with two 100W 70mai solar panels.

The Tera 1000 comes with a built-in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface and will sip the main battery very slowly over time. There was no noticeable drop in battery charge over two weeks with the BLE enabled. The Bluetooth connection bridges the power station to the mobile application which is available on both Apple and Android platforms. The app installation is simple, requiring only that the smartphone has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on. The owner has to create a new 70mai account to use the station. Once done, the device is added through an app menu.

Using the app is straightforward thanks to a simple menu. The AC and DC sections are controlled through on-screen buttons. The AC fast charge mode and LED light can both be turned on through the app while output power to connected loads is shown accurately in real-time. The range of the Bluetooth mode is about five meters. 

The competition

The advantage of the Tera 1000 when compared to other brands is that it is modern with many options such as the ability to be fast-charged, a big color display, and of course, the ability to control it remotely through an app. Its price remains a great argument to get one at an MSRP of $999.

The Tera 1000 is strikingly similar to the Jackery Explorer 1000 as both sport similar colors.

The Jackery station is more compact and lighter since it does not pack an AC adapter. The Explorer 1000 should draw less power with no load since it isn’t a connected device. That said, it is outdated and lacks an app and all the remote features that this portable power station brings. It also has fewer DC outputs and can only charge in 5.5 hours which is twice the time of the Tera 1000.

The Goal Zero Yeti 1000 X is very similar in terms of battery capacity and inverter power. But at a retail price of $1400, it is 40% more expensive than the Tera 1000. The Yeti 1000 X uses a battery technology that gives fewer charge cycles while the number of AC and DC ports is also limited.

The Ecoflow Delta Mini is another similar product. It has a smaller 882Wh battery but higher inverter power at 1400W. It is more expensive, has fewer power sockets, and lacks a flashlight.

Final verdict

The 70mai’s Tera 1000 brings a well-balanced product in terms of AC output power and battery capacity at 1200W and 1000W/hr respectively. It packs many features such as a color screen and Bluetooth connection that will make using it a breeze. There are output options to cover most appliances and devices that are present at home. That said, having a built-in 600W power adapter comes with both its pros and cons and one thing is sure, you will never forget to bring it with you. But this adds to the overall weight of the power station which is heavier than the competition. The LED flashlight could also be a bit brighter and have more focus.

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