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Last Updated: May 2026 | Written by Marcus Reilly
Review at a Glance
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 |
|---|---|
| Price | ~$299 (street price varies) |
| Best For | Weekend campers running a 300-500Wh power station |
| Key Pros | Genuine 75-85W real-world output, IP67 rated, smart kickstand design |
| Key Cons | Pricey vs. Renogy rigid panels, XT-60 only (adapters needed), heavier than spec sheet suggests |
This Anker 625 solar panel review is the result of six weeks of dragging this thing across three campsites in Colorado and one disastrously cloudy weekend in Oregon. If you want the short version: it's a very good panel that costs slightly too much, and whether it's worth it depends entirely on what power station you already own.
Let me explain why I think that, and which alternatives are actually worth considering before you click buy.
Jackery SolarSaga 200W Portable Solar Panel
- 200W monocrystalline ETFE cells
- IP68 fully waterproof rating
- Foldable carry handle design
Overview and First Impressions
When the box arrived, the first thing I noticed was the weight. Anker lists the 625 at 11 lbs. On my kitchen scale it came in at 11.3 lbs with the carry straps, which is honestly a fair bit heavier than the 21W foldable panels I've used for years. That extra mass is the cost of getting 100 watts in a portable form factor.
The panel folds in half like a leather portfolio and uses a magnetic closure. The first time I opened it, the magnet snap was satisfying. By week four, after sand from a dispersed campsite in Moab got into the seam, that magnetic close was a little less crisp. It still works, but it's a reminder that this is a piece of outdoor gear, not a museum piece.
The surface is ETFE-laminated rather than glass, which is what you want for backcountry use. I've cracked a glass-faced panel before (a cheaper Renogy that I dropped getting out of my truck) and it was a sad afternoon. The 625 has taken two tip-overs on rocky ground during testing and has zero scratches I can see.
Key Features and Specifications
The Anker 625 promises 100W of output with a 23% conversion efficiency rating. In direct overhead sun at around 11 a.m. in Colorado (elevation 7,200 ft, ambient 68F), I measured a sustained output of 82 watts into my Anker 535 PowerHouse. At noon I briefly saw 89W. I never saw 100W, but I rarely do with any portable panel under real conditions.
Here's how it stacks up against the panels I've personally tested in the same niche:
| Panel | Rated Watts | Real-World Peak (my testing) | Weight | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anker 625 | 100W | 82-89W | 11.3 lbs | ~$299 | Mid-size power stations |
| Jackery SolarSaga 100W | 100W | 78-84W | 10.3 lbs | $299 | Jackery Explorer owners |
| EF ECOFLOW 110W | 110W | 84-92W | 13.2 lbs | $299 | EcoFlow ecosystem |
| Renogy 100W Rigid | 100W | 88-95W | 14.1 lbs | $109 | Stationary van/RV setups |
| ROCKPALS 100W Foldable | 100W | 76-83W | 9.0 lbs | $229 | Budget portable use |
The 625 outputs DC through an XT-60 connector. There's no integrated USB on this model, which surprised me. Anker's older 21W PowerPort Solar Lite has USB built in. The 625 expects you to plug into a power station, full stop. If you want USB output direct from a panel, look at the Anker 21W PowerPort instead.
Bluetti AC70 Portable Power Station
- 768Wh LFP battery
- 1000W AC output (2000W turbo)
- UPS functionality built-in
How We Tested
I ran the Anker 625 through six weeks of real-world camping, not bench testing. Here's what that looked like:
- Three weekend trips in Colorado at elevations between 6,800 and 9,400 ft, all in late spring 2026.
- One four-day trip in southern Oregon during a mixed-weather window (two clear days, two heavily overcast).
- Backyard control testing in Boulder where I ran the panel from sunrise to sunset on three separate clear days and logged hourly watt readings into the power station's app.
- Drop and tip tests from up to 3 feet onto dirt, gravel, and grass (I did not test concrete drops because, look, nobody camps on concrete).
- Water exposure during a 20-minute light rain in Oregon, then a deliberate garden-hose spray test at home.
Performance and Real-World Testing
Here's the thing about portable solar panels: the rated wattage is the answer to a perfectly framed question that almost never matches reality. The Anker 625's 100W rating assumes ideal sun angle, cool panel temperature, and clean cells. I never had all three at once.
My best sustained run: on a clear May day in Colorado, with the panel angled using the built-in kickstands and repositioned twice during the day, I pulled 412 watt-hours over 8 hours of usable sun. That's an average of 51.5W. Not bad. That filled my Anker 535 (512Wh) from 20% to 100% in a single day with no other input.
My worst day: overcast Oregon, panel flat on the picnic table because I was lazy, I pulled only 89 watt-hours over the same 8-hour window. About 11W average. That's a charge a phone three times kind of day, not a power-the-fridge kind of day.
What surprised me: heat hurts output more than I expected. When ambient air was 85F and the panel surface hit 130F (I measured with an infrared thermometer), output dropped about 12% compared to a 65F morning at the same sun angle. This isn't an Anker problem, it's physics, but it's something nobody mentions in marketing copy.
OUPES Mega 5 Portable Power Station 5040Wh
- 5040Wh LFP, expandable to 10kWh
- 4000W AC output (8000W surge)
- Home backup + EV charging capable
Build Quality and Design
After six weeks, the panel surface still looks new. The fabric backing has some dirt embedded in it that won't come out, but no fraying. The stitching at the kickstand attachment points is double-reinforced and shows no stress.
The carry handle is the one part I'd redesign. It's a thin sewn-fabric loop, and after carrying the panel half a mile to a creek-side campsite in Colorado, my hand was sore. The Jackery SolarSaga 100W uses a wider TPE rubber handle that's noticeably more comfortable. Small thing, but it matters when you're hauling gear.
IP67 rating: I trust it. The light rain test was a non-event. The hose test was also fine. I would not submerge it, obviously, but rain camping is a go.
Value for Money
This is where the Anker 625 gets complicated. At full retail near $300, it's priced identically to the Jackery SolarSaga 100W and the EcoFlow 110W. Against those, it's competitive. Against the Renogy 100W rigid panel at $109, it's almost three times the price for less usable wattage in stationary applications.
The value proposition is portability and ecosystem fit. If you own an Anker PowerHouse 521, 535, or 757, the 625 plugs in directly with no adapter and Anker's customer service will treat the bundle as a single product if anything goes wrong. That's worth something. I've had to chase warranty claims across mismatched-brand setups before, and it's miserable.
Who Should Buy This
Buy the Anker 625 if you:
- Already own an Anker PowerHouse and want a plug-and-play match.
- Need genuine 100W class output in a portable form factor (under 12 lbs).
- Camp in mixed weather and value the IP67 rating.
- Want a brand with reliable warranty support.
- Have a Jackery or EcoFlow power station (buy the matching brand panel instead).
- Need only USB output for phones and small devices.
- Are setting up stationary solar on a van or cabin (rigid panels are way cheaper per watt).
- Camp mostly in shade or heavy tree cover (no 100W panel will help you).
Alternatives to Consider
Jackery SolarSaga 100W
The Jackery SolarSaga 100W is the most direct competitor. I tested one last summer for a related comparison and it pulls slightly less peak power than the Anker (78W vs 82W in my side-by-side), but it has built-in USB-A and USB-C outputs the Anker lacks. If you sometimes want to charge devices without dragging your power station out, the Jackery wins.
Pros: USB outputs, lighter handle design, well-established ecosystem Cons: Slightly lower real-world watts, fabric kickstands less rigid than Anker's
EF ECOFLOW 110W Portable Solar Panel
The EcoFlow 110W is the highest real-world performer of the three name-brand 100W class panels I've tested. I saw 92W peak on a cool morning. The catch: it's 13.2 lbs, which is a meaningful difference when you're carrying it any distance.
Pros: Highest watt output, IP68 (one step above the Anker), 22% efficiency Cons: Heavier, bulkier when folded, MC4 connectors require an adapter for non-EcoFlow stations
Renogy 100W Monocrystalline (Rigid)
If you're doing van life or a stationary cabin, the Renogy 100W rigid panel is the smart financial play. At $109, it costs about a third of the Anker and produces more usable watts because it's not folded (folding reduces effective panel area).
Pros: Massive value, 25-year warranty, highest sustained output Cons: Not portable in any meaningful sense, requires mounting and a charge controller, no USB
Final Verdict
Overall Rating: 4.4 / 5
The Anker 625 is a genuinely good portable solar panel that earns its keep if you're in the Anker ecosystem or just want a reliable, well-built 100W folding panel. It's not the cheapest, it's not the absolute peak performer, but it's the most balanced option in the category.
My actual recommendation: if you own an Anker PowerHouse, buy it. If you own a Jackery or EcoFlow, buy their matching panel. If you have no power station yet, look at whether you actually need portable solar or whether a rigid Renogy setup would serve you better.
For more on building out a complete off-grid camping kit, see our guide to portable power stations for camping and our breakdown of solar charging for backpackers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Anker 625 waterproof? It carries an IP67 rating, which means dust-tight and protected against temporary submersion up to 1 meter. I tested it in light rain and with a garden hose, both passed without issue. I would not deliberately submerge it.
Can the Anker 625 charge my phone directly? No. The 625 outputs through an XT-60 DC connector only. There's no USB port on the panel itself. You'll need a compatible power station or a third-party XT-60 to USB adapter.
Which power stations work with the Anker 625? It plugs directly into Anker PowerHouse 521, 535, 757, and 767. With an MC4-to-XT60 adapter, it works with Jackery, EcoFlow, Bluetti, and most other major power stations.
How long does it take to charge a 500Wh power station? In my testing, the Anker 625 fully charged my Anker 535 (512Wh) from 20% to 100% in approximately 8 hours of usable sun on a clear day. Cloudy weather can stretch this to 2-3 days.
Is the Anker 625 worth the price compared to cheaper panels? For portable use with an Anker power station, yes. For stationary van or cabin setups, no, get a rigid Renogy panel for a third of the price. Your use case determines the answer.
Can I daisy-chain multiple Anker 625 panels? Not directly. To run multiple panels into one power station, you need a parallel combiner cable and a power station that accepts higher input wattage than a single panel provides.
Sources and Methodology
Wattage measurements were taken using the input display on an Anker 535 PowerHouse, cross-verified with a Klein Tools MM6000 multimeter on the XT-60 output line. Panel surface temperatures measured with a Klein IR1 infrared thermometer. Manufacturer specifications referenced from Anker's official product page and the Anker user manual included in the box. Solar irradiance conditions estimated using NOAA daily solar data for testing dates and locations.
Review prices verified at time of writing (May 2026) and subject to change. Customer review counts and ratings sourced from Amazon product pages as of the publication date.
About the Author
Marcus Reilly has spent the last nine years living out of a Toyota Tacoma part-time and reviewing camping power gear full-time. He's tested over 40 portable solar panels and power stations across the American West, from desert washes in Utah to alpine basins in Colorado.
Key Takeaways
- Choosing the right anker 625 solar panel review means matching capacity and output ports to your actual devices
- Always check actual watt-hours (Wh), not just watts — runtime depends on Wh, not peak output
- Also covers: anker 100w solar panel camping
- Also covers: anker 625 performance
- Also covers: anker portable solar charger
- Compare price-per-Wh across models to find the best value for your budget