Bluetti FridgePower vs Jackery FridgeGuard: Gimmick, luxury, or power outage lifesaver?

Losing power at home is never ideal. After you’ve located the flashlights, concern sets in over how long you’ll have to sit around without power. One of the most worrisome parts about a grid power failure is how long food will last in the fridge and freezer. These days, most homes have hundreds of dollars worth of groceries and medication in the fridge that are at risk of spoiling with just four hours without power.

To keep the fridge powered up through an outage, you could invest in a whole-home generator or a portable power station. But if you’re looking for a set-it-and-forget-it solution, two leading portable power station brands have created refrigerator-specific models that sit on top of your fridge and take over power should the grid fail.

I tested the Bluetti FridgePower and Jackery FridgeGuard to see which one works best for most homes.

Bluetti FridgePower vs Jackery FridgeGuard, compared

Why a dedicated fridge battery backup makes sense (and who actually needs one)

The Problem: Once grid power fails, food in the refrigerator and freezer is on a timeline. According to the USDA, a sealed fridge can reach unsafe food storage temperatures after four hours without power, assuming it’s never opened. After that time, food and temperature-sensitive medications are at risk of spoiling. On average, most homes have between $300 and $600 worth of food in the fridge and freezer, in addition to medications like insulin and irreplaceable items like breastmilk.

The dedicated backup advantage: Instead of wheeling a portable power station into the kitchen during a blackout, dedicated fridge backup batteries need no intervention. They sit on top of your fridge or beside it, plugged in, fully charged, and ready to take over should grid power fail. Most refrigerator backup batteries have a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) response time of less than 10 milliseconds, meaning they switch to powering the fridge within 10 milliseconds of detecting a power failure. It’s quick enough that the fridge will never experience a lapse in power.

Who should buy one: A dedicated fridge battery backup could be well worth it if you live in a suburban or rural home that deals with storms or frequent power outages. They can also be great for families storing high-value perishables or those who shop in bulk.

Who can skip: It might be hard to justify the initial price of a dedicated fridge battery backup if you live in a high-rise apartment with a stable grid. It might also not make sense if you tend to keep little food in the fridge. If your home already has a whole-house standby gas generator, you’re already covered for fridge backup.

Bluetti FridgePower review: Heavy lifting for long outages

The Bluetti FridgePower offers reassurance that your food won't spoil during a power failure. It discreetly sits on top of your refrigerator or can be mounted to the wall near the appliance In my testing, the Bluetti powered my 26 cubic-foot LG fridge for just over 21 hours, which is about an hour longer than Bluetti's estimate.

In terms of design, the white Bluetti power station follows a slim profile with a three-inch chassis that's likely to fit well on top of your fridge. If you prefer, the power station comes with a mounting kit for mounting on a wall near the fridge. Keep in mind the unit weighs about 43 pounds, so it might be a challenge to lift on top of the fridge. Personally, I had to ask for help to lift it.

A major benefit of the Bluetti FridgePower is its large expansion capacity. It can connect with three BC200 expansion batteries for a total of 8,064 Wh. While I haven't tested the FridgePower with expansion batteries, that should keep a modern fridge powered up for over three days. The Bluetti can also recharge with up to 1,000W of solar panels.

While the Bluetti FridgePower has an associated app that provides important metrics such as output and remaining battery life, I find it harder to navigate than the Jackery app. The app often logs me out, and the layout feels less intuitive. I did like that the Bluetti app has a unique Battery Maintenance feature that prompts users to perform maintenance on the battery cells every 3 to 6 months. This involves discharging all stored power and recharging to full again, which helps with overall battery health.

Jackery FridgeGuard review: A slim and sleek fridge backup

In contrast to the standard black and orange Jackery portable power stations, the FridgeGuard is a slim model with a grey exterior that blends in well with kitchen decor. It measures just 2.6 inches and can be stored flat above the fridge. In case you'd rather set it next to the fridge, Jackery includes two feet for the power station to stand vertically.

Since the Jackery only weighs about 23 pounds, I found it easy to get on top of the fridge by myself. Operating the power station is also simple. Plug the Jackery into wall power and the refrigerator into the Jackery's single AC port. After that, the Jackery will stay topped up at 100% power, ready to take over should the grid power stop. Once power resumes, the Jackery FridgeGuard will recharge itself.

The Jackery FridgeGuard comes with a modest 1,024Wh battery capacity, and Jackery claims it should keep most refrigerators running for about 15 hours. In my testing, the Jackery kept my 26-cubic-foot LG refrigerator running for 15 hours and 45 minutes.

While monitoring the temperature in the app, I noticed the Jackery power station reached about 80 degrees; however, the fan's output felt only slightly warm when I placed my hand over it. The Jackery is also nearly silent when operating and recharging. Since the Jackery can handle 800W of continuous output and a 1,600W surge, it should be able to handle startup compressor spikes for almost all standard single-compressor fridges.

The Jackery FridgeGuard is available online at Costco for $549.99, which makes it a cost-effective option. Since most homes have between $300 and $600 worth of food stored in the fridge and freezer, the initial investment could be recouped with just one power outage.

The bottom line: Which fridge battery backup should you buy?

Buy the Bluetti FridgePower if: You experience prolonged power outages and want a reliable fridge backup. Since the Bluetti can keep things in the fridge and freezer chilling for about 30 hours, it's ideal for homes that can experience outages lasting over a day. Since it has two AC ports, you also have an additional port to use for kitchen items like the kettle or a lamp.

Buy the Jackery FridgeGuard if: Budget is a consideration, and power tends to be restored quickly. Compared to the Bluetti, the Jackery FridgeGuard is smaller in power capacity, physical size, and price. It's great for homes that experience shorter outages or tend to have power restored within about 15 hours.

Portable fridge power FAQs

Can you recharge a portable power station using solar panels during an outage?

Both the Jackery and Bluetti can be recharged with solar. The Jackery can connect with up to 500W of solar input, while the Bluetti can handle 1,000W solar input. Keep in mind you might need to disconnect the fridge backup battery to recharge it outside with solar.

How long do the Bluetti and Jackery fridge back-ups last when left plugged into the wall 24/7?

Both models use long-lasting LiFePO4 battery chemistry, which is great news for lifespan. Jackery lists the FridgeGuard's lifespan at maintaining 70% capacity after 6,000 cycles, while Bluetti claims to keep 80% capacity after 4,000 cycles. In either case, that's a lifespan of over 10 years with continuous wall-connected service.

Can these be used for other purposes than just the fridge?

Feel free to use either model for powering up devices other than a refrigerator. In the same vein, they're useful for chest freezers in the garage, or you can use them for a desktop workstation backup. Thanks to UPS, they're ideal for keeping your work laptop or desktop powered up, as well as the WiFi router. The slim designs of both could also easily fit in a bedroom, providing uninterrupted backup power for CPAP machines.

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