If you love camping, road trips, and outdoor adventures, you know how important it is to have a reliable power source to keep your devices running. From charging your phone to powering your kitchen devices, having a high-quality power station can make all the difference in your comfort and convenience. That’s where the Bluetti EB70S comes in. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at this power station, and share our first-hand experiences using a Bluetti for camping.
Full Disclosure: We received a gifted product from Bluetti in exchange for our honest review. All opinions expressed here are our own.
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What is the Bluetti EB70S?
The Bluetti EB70S is a compact and powerful portable power station designed for outdoor use. With a weight of 21.4lbs and dimensions of 12.6 x 8.5 x 8.7 inches, it offers a perfect balance between portability and functionality. The EB70S comes equipped with 716 watt-hours of power capacity, which can be charged through an AC adapter, a car charging cable, or a solar charging cable. The package includes the power station, an AC adapter, a car charging cable, a user manual, and a warranty card.
How to charge the Bluetti EB70S?
The EB70S can be charged through different outlets, such as AC and solar. However, note that the portable power station does not include solar panels in the package. If you want those, you will have to purchase them separately.
How many devices can the Bluetti EB70S charge at once?
The EB70S supports different outlets, including four AC outlets, two PD 3.0 60W USB C ports, two 5 Amp USB-A ports, and two DC ports. You can charge up to 12 devices simultaneously, which is pretty impressive. Or, if you are like Buddy, you can bring a power strip to the campsite and charge even more!
Why did we choose to review this product?
As we are an honest and straightforward family travel blog, we want to share why we chose to accept and review this gifted product. First, we had a mother son (yes, we left Sal at home!) summer camping trip planned to visit the Gila Cliff Dwellings in New Mexico. So, a camping trip was already on the calendar when this opportunity arose. Secondly, we usually camp and road trip with a small Jackery power supply. For that reason, we thought it would be fun to test out a different product with more power and capacity.
Also, this review will be written from one traveling family to our fellow travelers as we experienced the power station. So, while we might mention specifics like Watts and Volts, we are by no means Electricians! Rather, I am writing it from my very busy working and traveling mom perspective answering the basic questions like – did the power supply charge the devices that I plugged in. And Buddy is writing from the perspective of a teen somewhat interested in electronic devices. Any and all mention of power is all Buddy. He is much more interested in the science and engineering behind the Bluetti.
Who is Bluetti?
Bluetti is a company that provides high-quality back up batteries, power stations, and solar panels that are perfect for keeping all your devices charged and ready to go. They are based in Las Vegas, NV.
Bluetti for camping: Our experience
Day 1: Mom’s perspective
We left our home around noon, after making an emergency pit stop at the mechanic to have the car battery replaced! Thank you so much to the mechanics who worked on our car, which was full of all the camping gear, and had us on the road in under an hour! When we left, the Bluetti EB70S was fully charged. We did not use it to charge any devices during the three-hour drive to our campsite near Silver City, NM.
In order to fully test the Bluetti EB70S, we opted to stay at a tent site with no electricity for two nights at a campground near Silver City for this review.
Cooking dinner with the Bluetti EB70S
The first night, I planned to cook dinner using the Bluetti. After setting up the campsite, I brought out the Bluetti to power our small Elite Electric Rice Cooker (300W) to make some rice. It worked like a charm! It cooked our rice and quickly too. The Bluetti was off to a good start!
Next, I pulled out our Muller electric kettle to boil some water. I was making rehydrated beans to go with the rice and some ramen for Buddy because he is a teen and eats a lot. Unfortunately, that did not work due to a power overload. When packing for the trip, I did not think to check our kettle. Turns out, it pulls 1500W and the maximum wattage for the AC output of the Bluetti EB70S is 800W. So, like our electric pancake griddle, which I was hoping to bring but I did not because it was not compatible with the Bluetti EB70S, our kettle did not work.
Pro Tip: Check the outputs of your electronics that you want powered by the Bluetti before taking your Bluetti device camping to make sure that they are able to be powered by the power station.
Well, to solve our boiling water problem, it was Bluetti EB70S to the rescue! After the rice was cooked, I used the Bluetti to cook the beans in the rice cooker. It worked just fine. I built a small fire to boil the water for the ramen. We had a delicious dinner (mostly) powered by the Bluetti.
While I was bummed that the kettle did not work, an easy solution to my problem is to buy a small travel size electric kettle that is compatible with the Bluetti (like this one!) and leave the larger one at home! Next time!
After dinner, the Bluetti was at 40% charge. It used approximately 60% of its energy to power the rice cooker for dinner. We left it on charging my phone and Buddy’s laptop overnight.
What we loved
Our favorite feature was the Bluetti’s EB70S built in LED lamp! Not only is it super handy, but it only pulls 2W!
Buddy says, “The light was super handy. I am happy they had that feature.”
Mom says, “The lamp is very convenient when camping because it acts as lantern. And the light is very powerful. It eliminated the need for a flashlight to light up the tent at night. It was unanimous that the light on the Bluetti EB70S was our favorite feature.”
Day 2: Buddy’s Perspective
We woke up the next morning and the Bluetti was still at 40%. My mom’s phone did not pull a lot of power, as it only pulls less than 15 Watts.
That morning, we drove two hours to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and charged the Bluetti with the car on the drive. It went from 40% to 60% during the two-hour drive. This is because it can only pull about 80 Watts from the car, so it is slower.
After hiking the Gila Cliff Dwellings and the Middlefork Hot Springs Trail, we drove the two hours back down to our campsite. At that time, I used the Bluetti to charge my computer, which was playing music, as I charged the Bluetti. I played music on the drive home. My computer pulled 37 Watts from the Bluetti while it was charging so technically it was getting less watts as it charged. I estimate the Bluetti was getting about 50 Watts from the car as I charged my computer and played music at the same time.
I think that is why the Bluetti only charged 60% by the time we made it back to our campsite. So, if you have a load on the Bluetti EB70S or are trying to charge something with it while it is charging with the car, you will get a lower charge.
Pro Tip: In the car, if you are going to have the Bluetti plugged in to charge, turn on the car entirely.
If you leave the car on standby, the Bluetti will drain your battery. Have the car’s engine running. If you leave it charging with the engine off, it will eventually kill your battery.
When we ate lunch in the car, I had to unplug the Bluetti Power Station because my mom had the car running with the engine off, and we just got a new battery.
That evening, we did not use the Bluetti to make dinner. We only used it to charge my laptop. It was at 40% by the end of the night after it charged my laptop. My laptop charger pulls roughly 50 Watts.
Day 3: Both Perspectives
Mom’s Perspective
Cooking breakfast with the Bluetti EB70S
When we woke up the next day, the Bluetti was at 40% charge after charging my phone all night. I was happy the Bluetti had a nice charge because I was planning on using it to make breakfast. I made Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal in the rice cooker with the Bluetti. Breakfast cooked quickly and the oatmeal came out with a very good consistency.
Buddy’s Perspective
The Bluetti EB70S only charged up to 60% on the 3-hour car ride home. And this time it was also not charging my computer. So, yea, it takes a lot longer to charge the Bluetti in the car as the car limits the output that the Bluetti can charge to.
When we got home, I plugged it into the wall and it pulled 193W, so approximately 200W, which is the max. So, for a fast charge or a full charge, charge it with Its AC charger, connect it with an outlet, or connect it to a generator or something similar. I think the other methods of charging are slower than charging with wall power.
Pros of Camping with a Bluetti EB70S
- The Bluetti keeps its charge. It never went below 40% over the course of 3 days. Granted we did charge it in the car. But even if we had not, it probably would not have lost power.
- The LED Lamp – we loved that feature!
- It powered the rice cooker very well. We anticipate it will also power other compatible electronic cooking devices, like a kettle or a griddle, etc., equally as well.
- The Bluetti EB70S is sturdy and quite durable.
- It doesn’t take up much space in the car. Portability and space are essential when car camping or road tripping, and the Bluetti EB70S is a good fit with its compact design.
Cons of Camping with a Bluetti EB70S
- The Bluetti EB70S is heavy. At 21.4lbs/9/7kg, it is not light or easy to haul around. For that reason, it is not ideal for backpackers, but it is highly recommended for car camping or road trips.
- The EB70S Model doesn’t tell you the exact amount of charge you have. Rather, the screen only tells you 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. So, you don’t know how much charge the power station has on it. You have to approximate the battery level. That is why we have been using these percentages in the blog because we do not know what the exact charge was.
Some additional thoughts
Buddy says, “Actually before the trip, I used the Bluetti EB70S to power my little desk computer setup for 4 hours. The charge only went down to 60% from 80% so it can do the work quite well.”
Mom says, “I wish we would have had the opportunity to try the Bluetti’s EB70S solar panel charging. Since we live in a very sunny desert, the solar panel charging might have been faster than charging the Bluetti in the car. It might be a nice, and more environmentally friendly option to charge the portable power station on future camping trips.”
Do we recommend the Bluetti for camping?
Yes!
Buddy says, “Yes, it performed better than I thought would, especially powering the rice cooker. So I recommend it. “
Mom says, “Yes, the Bluetti EB70S will be accompanying us on future camping trips and long road trips too! It is a great portable power station.”
So, there you have it! Overall, we recommend the Bluetti EB70S for campers, road trippers, and outdoor enthusiasts who need a reliable power source on the go. It is sturdy, versatile, and can charge multiple devices simultaneously. And it holds the charge very well. While it’s not the most affordable power station on the market, the EB70S is a worthwhile investment if you value convenience and ease of use.
Are you planning a family camping trip soon? Do you take a power station camping with you? If so, let us know in the comments below!
Do you have questions about family travel or traveling with teens? Feel free to reach out! We are happy to chat and share our experiences! We look forward to connecting with you.
If you enjoyed reading this, check out these blog posts!
- 10 Important Tips for Camping at Twin Peaks Campground in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
- 10 Small but Important Tips for Camping at Cedar Pass Campground in Badlands National Park
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Going camping soon?
Don’t forget your headlamps!
We certainly would be looking to bring a power source if we went camping. So it was interesting to read more about the Bluetti device. It certainly let you take some additional cooking devices like a rice cooker! Love the idea of a built-in LED lamp. A good option if you an manage the weight.
Yes the weight was one draw back but it did pack a lot of power.
This looks perfect for camping. Sounds like enough power for several days without charging.
I have been looking at purchasing one of these Bluetti powerbanks for my car camping travels and thanks to your review I have decided it is definitely worth the investment.
I am glad it was helpful!
I love that the company is based in the US and that the bluetti is solar powered!
What a fun addition to your camping gear. If I liked camping, this is definitely something I would purchase.
I love camping. I haven’t been in a long time – but this is super helpful. I’ve saved it for when I am ready to invest in new camping gear as this is something I’d definitely want to travel with.
Wow, so useful when camping! When I set up my tent again I’ll consider buying one.
A great review and worth considering if you have enough space for transporting. The weight could also be a challenge but otherwise it sounds like a great addition to your camping equipment, especially when it is off the grid.
Such a useful and invaluable product for campers.
This sounds like an amazing product, especially in South Africa where electricity supply is an issue. I’ve heard about it before but now I know much more about it.