Product comparisons
Backup Power compared, with a verified Canadian price.
7 products verified · checked Oct 6, 2026
For rural Oxford County homes on a well, where a power outage doesn't just mean dark rooms — it means a sump pump and a well pump that stop cold, and a basement that can flood while the furnace fan, the fridge, a CPAP, and phones all go quiet too. Ice storms are the usual trigger around here, and they tend to last longer than a candle and a flashlight can cover. The seven units below — four lithium power stations and three fuel generators — are compared on type, capacity or output watts, runtime, warranty, and a verified Canadian price, not marketing claims.
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| Product | Type | Capacity / output | Runtime | Warranty | Price | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station Jackery | Lithium power station | 1,070Wh / 1,500W continuous AC output | Varies by load — not stated as a single figure on the product page | 3-year standard + 2-year extension (5 years total) when bought via Jackery's official site | $614.00as of Oct 6, 2026 Jackery Canada → | Jackery's current mid-size power station — silent, no fuel to store, and fast enough to recharge between outages during a multi-day ice storm. More+ Fastest full recharge in this table — about an hour on AC power, useful for back-to-back outages in one storm – The CAD price we verified was a markdown from $1,099 — confirm the current price hasn't reverted before buying |
BLUETTI AC180 Solar Portable Power Station BLUETTI | Lithium power station | 1,152Wh / 1,800W rated, 2,700W surge (Power Lifting Mode) | Varies by load — not stated as a single figure on the product page | 5-year | $594.00as of Oct 6, 2026 BLUETTI Canada →Affiliate link: the retailer pays us a commission if you buy | A 1,152Wh station with a 2,700W surge mode — enough headroom to cover a sump pump or well pump's brief start-up spike, which the other stations in this table don't promise. More+ 2,700W surge mode handles a pump motor's start-up spike better than any other station in this table – The CAD price we verified was a sale price — the page's own regular price is $849.00, confirm before buying |
EcoFlow Delta 2 Portable Power Station EcoFlow | Lithium power station (LiFePO4) | 1,024Wh / 1,800W AC running, up to 2,200W with X-Boost | Varies by load — not stated as a single figure on the product page | 5-year | $699.00as of Oct 15, 2026 EcoFlow Canada →Affiliate link: the retailer pays us a commission if you buyEcoFlow Halloween sale until Nov 1. Code EFPDFAFF (EcoFlow says it takes an extra 5% off; we haven't confirmed it applies to this model). | Six AC outlets — the most of any station here — so a furnace fan, a fridge, and a CPAP can all stay plugged in without a power bar. More+ Six AC outlets is the most of any power station in this table — no power bar needed for multiple devices – X-Boost mode runs more devices by lowering voltage quality to each — fine for a fridge or fan, not recommended for sensitive electronics |
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station Anker | Lithium power station (LiFePO4) | 1,024Wh / 2,000W rated, 3,000W peak | Varies by load — not stated as a single figure on the product page | 10-year (InfiniPower program; battery keeps ≥80% capacity after 4,000 cycles) | $749.00as of Oct 6, 2026 The Cabin Depot → | The quietest station in this table at a stated 20dB, with the longest-dated warranty commitment — Anker calls it 10 years of battery coverage. More+ Quietest station in this table at a stated 20dB, and the only one with a 10-year warranty commitment – Anker's own Canadian site doesn't show a price — the CAD price here came from a Canadian retailer, not Anker directly |
Honda EU2200iTC Inverter Generator Honda | Gasoline inverter generator | 1,800W running / 2,200W peak | About 3.2 hours at full load; up to 8.1 hours at 25% load, on a 3.6L tank | 36-month residential limited | $1,544.00as of Oct 6, 2026 ARNS Equipment → | Honda's quiet, reliable gasoline inverter generator — the pick for anyone with close neighbours who needs real fuel-powered backup, not just a battery. More+ As quiet as 48 dBA at 25% load — the quietest gasoline generator in this table, and Honda's reliability record – Most expensive unit in this table and gasoline-only — no propane option like the Champion dual-fuel below |
Champion 3400W Electric Start Dual Fuel Inverter Generator Champion Power Equipment | Dual-fuel inverter generator (gasoline/propane) | 3,100W running / 3,400W peak | 7.5 hours on gasoline at 25% load; 14.5 hours on propane at 25% load | 3-year limited, with lifetime technical support | $1,350.00as of Oct 6, 2026 Shordee Generators → | 3,100 running watts on gasoline or propane — enough headroom for a sump pump plus a well pump's starting surge together, and propane still works when gas stations lose power too. More+ 3,100 running watts is the most headroom of anything in this table — enough for a sump pump and a well pump together – Rated at 59 dBA and burns fuel — must run outdoors, never in a garage or basement (see our carbon monoxide warning below) |
Generac GP2200i Portable Inverter Generator Generac | Gasoline inverter generator | 1,700W running / 2,200W peak | 10.75 hours at 25% load, on a 4.5L (1.2 gallon) tank | 2-year residential limited | $927.39as of Oct 6, 2026 IBS RV & Marine → | The lowest-priced generator in this table, with the longest 25%-load runtime per tank of anything here — a budget pick for occasional, shorter outages. More+ Longest 25%-load runtime per tank of any generator in this table, at the lowest generator price – Listed as out of stock at the retailer we verified — call ahead or check a local dealer before counting on it this outage season |
Prices and specs read directly from each merchant's Canadian product page on the date shown — never a guess. A product never appears here until we've verified it first-hand.
Reviewed by John Moelker
Founder, CompareLocal.ca · Oxford County, Ontario · Updated Oct 6, 2026 · How we choose
Near you: Woodstock, Stratford, St. Thomas — local water, utility and installer notes for power and outages.
How we chose
We only publish a product once we've opened its actual Canadian retail page ourselves and read the price and specs off it — see the "as of" date and source link on every row. Sizing starts with addition, not a single number: add up the running watts of everything that must stay on (a fridge is usually 100–200W running but can spike to 3–4x that for a second or two on start-up; a furnace fan is typically 500–800W; a sump pump or well pump's motor can briefly draw 2–3x its running wattage on start-up, which is why "peak" or "surge" watts matters as much as running watts). A lithium power station is clean, silent, and safe to run indoors, but even the biggest one here tops out around 2,000–3,000W continuous — enough for a sump pump, a fridge, a fan, and a CPAP together, but not enough to carry a well pump for hours on end the way a 3,000+ running-watt fuel generator can. We are not electricians and this isn't installation advice — if you need whole-house backup through an electrical panel, see the transfer-switch section below and hire a licensed electrician.
Backup power doesn't fix iron, sulphur smell, or hardness in well water once the pump is running again. See water treatment installers verified for Woodstock and area →
Already dealing with hard water on top of outage planning? Compare water softeners with a verified Canadian price →
Want the garage door opener itself to keep working on battery backup through the same outage? Compare garage door openers with a verified Canadian price →
Frequently asked questions
How many watts do I actually need for a sump pump or well pump?
Add up the running watts of everything you need powered at once, then check the single highest start-up (surge/peak) watt draw among them — that peak number, not the running total, is what can trip a station or generator that's sized too small. A typical sump pump runs around 800–1,300W but can briefly surge to 2–3x that on start-up; a submersible well pump is often higher. A fridge (100–200W running), a furnace fan (500–800W), a CPAP (30–60W), and phone chargers add up fast. A 3,000+ running-watt dual-fuel generator like the Champion in our table has enough headroom for a sump pump and a well pump together; most lithium power stations, even the biggest ones here, are better suited to the fridge-fan-CPAP-phones combination than to carrying a well pump for hours.
Portable power station or gas generator — which is right for my home?
A lithium power station (the Jackery, BLUETTI, EcoFlow, and Anker units in our table) is silent, has no fuel to store, and is safe to run right next to the people using it — ideal for a fridge, furnace fan, CPAP, and phones through a shorter outage, and it recharges from a wall outlet or solar panels once power or sun comes back. A fuel generator (the Honda, Champion, and Generac units) burns gasoline or propane, runs louder, and needs fuel stored safely on hand, but delivers far more running watts for far longer — the only realistic choice for carrying a well pump or multiple heavy loads through a multi-day outage. Many rural homes end up wanting both: a station for the quiet essentials, a generator for the well.
Is it dangerous to run a generator in my garage during a power outage?
Yes — never run a fuel generator indoors, in a garage (even with the door open), or in any enclosed or semi-enclosed space. Gasoline and propane generators produce carbon monoxide, a colourless, odourless gas that can reach lethal levels in an attached garage or basement within minutes, including seeping into the house even with doors shut. Health Canada and provincial fire services are explicit on this point: run a generator outdoors only, well away from windows, doors, and vents, and install carbon monoxide detectors in your home regardless. A lithium power station produces no exhaust and carries no carbon monoxide risk, which is one real safety advantage over a generator for indoor-adjacent use.
Do I need a transfer switch to use a generator safely with my house wiring?
If you want a generator to power hardwired circuits — a well pump, a furnace, permanently wired fixtures — through your home's electrical panel, yes: you need a transfer switch (manual or automatic) installed by a licensed electrician. A transfer switch isolates your home's wiring from the utility grid while the generator is running, which protects utility workers and your own home's wiring from backfeeding power the wrong direction — a real and documented hazard, not just a formality. If you only need to run a few plug-in appliances with an extension cord (a fridge, a few lamps, a phone charger), a transfer switch isn't required, but a generator or power station should still never be connected directly into a wall outlet or your panel without one. We're not electricians; this is general information, not a substitute for a licensed electrician's assessment of your home.
How do I recharge a power station if the power is already out?
Every power station in our table recharges from a standard wall outlet once utility power returns, but during the outage itself your options are a vehicle's 12V outlet (slow, and only for smaller top-ups), a generator (fast, if you have one — effectively using the generator to recharge the station rather than power things directly), or solar panels. Solar recharge times in our table range from about 1.8 hours (Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2, with a 600W panel) to 3–6 hours (BLUETTI AC180, EcoFlow Delta 2) depending on panel wattage and sunlight — useful for a multi-day ice storm where the sun still comes out even though the grid is down, but not a fast option on a cloudy day.
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