Your fridge is probably one of the most important appliances in your house because it keeps your perishables fresh. And if the power goes out, replacing all the spoiled food can be expensive. Jackery’s new FridgeGuard joins a growing range of portable power stations designed specifically to keep your bigger home appliances running. We’ve recently seen a similar model — the FridgePower from Bluetti — and BioLite and PatriotPower both have their own iterations of the concept.
The Jackery FridgeGuard is generally pretty similar to those devices. The ultra-thin, portable power station is just 2.6 inches thick, allowing it to fit into tight corners or sit on top of your fridge. Jackery sent one over last week, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the device fit comfortably next to — or even on top of — my single-door refrigerator in my fairly narrow galley kitchen.
The FridgeGuard has a screen that shows you battery capacity and usage.
The entire unit weighs 23 pounds and has a sleek, silver finish, more similar to the stainless steel appliances in my kitchen than to Jackery’s traditional orange and black colorways. In terms of specs, Jackery says the FridgeGuard can keep a refrigerator running for up to 15 hours off-grid and includes a 10-millisecond UPS switchover. I haven’t had a chance to simulate a blackout or experience a power outage yet, but I’ll be looking to verify those claims during testing. You can also add an expansion battery to extend runtime to as much as 30 hours.
The FridgeGuard can fit into narrow spaces.
The FridgeGuard also offers 1600W power that’s designed to handle fridge compressors. It also has built-in protection against voltage spikes, lightning and grid instability, and includes a bypass mode that powers the fridge directly after the power station battery reaches a full charge. The LiFePO4 battery retains 70% of its capacity after 6,000 cycles, or 16 years of average daily use. It comes with various UL certifications (UL1778, UL1741 and UL1973) and has a five-year warranty, too.
The FridgeGuard in the kitchen, powering coffee makers and other appliances.
Jackery says the FridgeGuard is compatible with most modern fridges, but its 1024Wh capacity also makes it useful for powering CPAP machines, aquarium pumps, and electronics in home offices and living rooms.
The FridgeGuard will be available starting June 22 exclusively through Costco online and in select retail stores. It’ll cost Costco members $560, a 20% discount from the $700 retail price.
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