EcoFlow Portable Power Station: EcoFlow’s River range of compact power stations is designed with mobility and features in mind rather than battery size or output. The River Mini is the series’ smallest variant, and it packs some major capabilities into a form factor small enough to fit under the seat of your car, or perhaps even in your glove box. It has a 210-watt-hour battery, two outlets with 300-watt continuous AC output, three USB ports, and a 12-volt auxiliary connector. It comes in both standard and wireless configurations, with the wireless version including a built-in Qi wireless charging pad.
The EcoFlow River Mini is a sleek small device with a rounded rectangular shape and a shiny black plastic finish reminiscent of an old clock radio. The device’s top is cupped and flat, making it ideal for storing your phone and other small objects. If you choose the wireless version, this platform also functions as a Qi wireless charger capable of supplying up to 15W. In terms of performance, it ranks alongside the top wireless phone chargers.
The River Mini’s front panel includes a big digital display, a power button, USB ports, and a 12-volt accessory connector. The AC outlets are positioned on one of the sides, as is a panel that can be opened to access the charging input connections. The River Mini’s other side, as well as its rear, are devoid of features. The device’s back has a wide cutout at the bottom that allows for a firm grip. Although this power station is little, it is too large and heavy to palm football-style. The cutout goes a long way toward resolving the problem. It’s still a little awkward to transport, but it’s really simple to pick up.
The gleaming black plastic casing looks wonderful, but it is a total fingerprint magnet. For that reason, I’m not a fan of shiny black plastic devices, although it cleans up nicely with a microfiber cloth. The soft rubber ring around the top of the device has a similar problem in that it appears to take up dust that settles into the rubber, giving it a smudged appearance.
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How to Set Up EcoFlow Portable Power Station
The River Mini is ready to use, however it will most likely need to be charged first. Mine arrived with approximately a 30% charge and was ready to go in about an hour. You can turn on the unit by pressing a button on the front, and then select your desired output method by pressing a button near the necessary ports. All you have to do now is plug in your gadgets.
EcoFlow has an optional companion app that works with all of its power stations, and I strongly recommend installing it alongside the River Mini. On the bottom of the River Mini is a QR code sticker. Scanning the QR code directs you to the app listing in the App Store or Google Play.
The EcoFlow companion app is simple to use. The River Mini has an IoT Reset button on the front, which when pressed causes the device to broadcast a Wi-Fi network. Connect your phone to that network, add the device to the EcoFlow app, and then connect the River Mini to your local Wi-Fi network. After that, you can use the app to monitor battery capacity and power usage, verify individual device connections, turn ports on and off, and even download firmware upgrades.
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EcoFlow Portable Power Station Sockets and ports
The EcoFlow River Mini is outfitted with two AC power outlets, three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and a 12V accessory socket. On top, there’s a Qi wireless charging pad that offers quick wireless charging. The ports all worked as expected, and I was able to test a number of devices by plugging them in. The only difficulty I encountered was that the two AC power outlets are a little cramped, with just enough space to connect one grounded AC plug at a time.
The River Mini has two charging inputs: one for an AC power cable and another for a 12V charger that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter, accessory port, or solar charger. It also comes with all of the cables you’ll need for each of those options, including an AC power cable, a 12V accessory cable, and a solar charger cable that plugs into standard solar panel barrel connectors. You’ll need an adapter if your solar panel doesn’t have MC4 barrel connectors.
EcoFlow Portable Power Station Battery and performance
The River Mini is powered by a 210Wh lithium-ion battery that can deliver 300W continuous with surges up to 600W. It has a pure sine wave inverter, making it suited for powering delicate electronics and medical devices. For example, someone suffering from sleep apnea could use the River Mini to power their CPAP machine while camping without fear of damaging their equipment.
Each USB-A port is rated to deliver 5V at 2.4A, while the USB-C port can deliver up to 100W. The wireless charger can deliver up to 15W of power. The 12V accessory socket is rated at 12.6V and 10A, which is sufficient to power most of the same devices that would ordinarily be plugged into your car’s cigarette lighter socket. The USB-C port could power anything I put at it, including a docked Nintendo Switch and an M1 MacBook Air.
Since the battery in the River Mini is on the small side, I found it to charge really fast. It charged up in about 90 minutes when plugged into the wall, and it showed a charge time of about three-and-a-half hours when I plugged it into my truck. Just don’t leave it plugged into a vehicle without the engine running, as doing so may drain the vehicle’s battery to the point where the engine won’t start.
Although my River Mini review unit did not include a solar panel, I was able to connect it to my Jackery SolarSaga 100 using an adapter. The River Mini detected the power input and switched to charging mode, and I was able to charge the battery in around three hours in full sun.
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EcoFlow River Mini Price and availability
The EcoFlow River Mini has an MSRP of $349, however, it’s usually priced between $229 and $299. The EcoFlow River Mini is available on Amazon and a variety of other merchants, as well as directly from EcoFlow.
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