15 Best Portable Solar Chargers and Panels

In this article, we’re taking a close look at all of the best portable solar panels on the market. For the on-the-go person, investing in residential solar panels can seem beyond reason if you don’t spend much time at home. However, taking the steps to a more sustainable future is not out of reach. There is a large variety of portable, flexible and small solar panels that are easy to use and very effective.

Remember, EcoKarma is all about change, and even the smallest changes can help shrink your carbon footprint and live a greener and healthier life! So here are some fun and extremely useful best portable solar panels around! Here’s our review of the best solar chargers.

Top Portable Solar Charger Comparison Table

Our table is ordered by price ascending so that it’s easy for you to browse based on your budget. In our review section below this, we’ve mirrored this same structure for to make it easy to reference.

Image	Charger	Type	Power	Weight	Smartphone Charge Time	Price
	Dizaul Solar Charger Power Bank	Panel+Power Bank	1 Watts	0.5 lbs	2.5 hrs	💰
	Hobest Solar Charger	Panel	5 Watts	0.5lbs	2 hrs	💰
	BigBlue Portable Solar Charger	Panel	28 Watts	1.3 lbs	1.5 hrs	💰
	Anker PowerPort Dual USB Solar Charger	Panel	21 Watts	0.91 lbs	4.5 hrs	💰
	Snow Lizard XTREME Waterproof iPhone Charging Case	Panel+Power Bank	3,000wAh	0.91 lbs	7 hrs	💰💰
	PowerFilm AA Foldable Solar Charger	Panel	2.2 Watts	0.5 lbs	N/A	💰💰
	iClever Solar Charger	Panel+Power Bank	8000wAh 12 Watts	1.85 lbs	1.5 hrs	💰💰
	Voltaic Systems Amp Solar Charger	Panel+Power Bank	4,000wAh 4 Watts	1.1 lbs	3.5 hrs	💰💰
	Yolk Solar Paper	Panel	5 Watts	0.3 lbs	2 hrs	💰💰
	SOKOO USB Portable and Waterproof Solar Panel	Panel	22 Watts	1.1 lbs	2 hrs	💰💰💰
	Brunton Solaris Foldable Solar Array	Panel	26 Watts	1.75 lbs	1.5 hrs	💰💰💰
	LightSaver USB Roll Up Solar Charger	Panel+Power Bank	3 Watts	0.5 lbs	3 hrs	💰💰💰💰
	Renogy Portable Folding Solar Panel	Panel Kit	100 Watts	29.8 lbs	N/A	💰💰💰💰
	PowerFilm 10 Watt Foldable Solar Panel	Panel	10 Watts	1 lbs	1 hrs	💰💰💰💰
	GoPower! Portable Folding Solar Kit	Panel Kit	120 Watts	28.7 lbs	N/A	💰💰💰💰💰

15 Best Portable Solar Chargers & Solar Panels: Reviews

Just like every other product in the universe, there are quality solar chargers out there and there are crappy solar chargers out there.

But not to worry. Now that we have you completely convinced about how awesome these devices are, it’s time to give you some recommendations for the best solar phone chargers. Whether you’re a camper, RV owner, visiting remote locations, or just looking to impress, portable solar panels are one of the only viable options to charge essential items.

As mentioned above, our list is in price order from low to high, but we have given a few of our favorite portable solar panels special awards to highlight our EcoKarma favorites.

Here are our Top 15 best portable solar charger picks:

• Type: Panel and Power Bank
• Power: 1 Watt
• Weight: 0.5 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 2.5 Hours

If you’re looking for something a little more durable, you should try out this portable panel from Dizaul. It’s very well liked by consumers, and is a steal at under $35. The design is made to help it easily clip to backpacks or carabiners. It has dual usb chargers, allowing for fast simultaneous charges. This portable solar charger also comes in a variety of colors to best fit your personal style.

• Type: Panel
• Power: 5 Watts
• Weight: 0.5 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 2 Hours

This design is smart and compatible with charging all devices, with two USB ports you can multitask without losing power. It’s perfect for camping, since it also features a built-in flashlight, and includes a compass, whistle, and carabiner. Hobest makes their solar chargers to be compact yet durable, to help last through all of your treks and adventures.

• Type: Panel
• Power: 28 Watts
• Weight: 1.3 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 1.5 Hours
• Awarded to BigBlue Portable Solar Panel: Best All-Around Portable Panel

BigBlue is one of the newest best solar panel that is fit to charge all of your electronic devices. If you’re camping and need to charge up your GoPro for your water skiing adventure, or you’re on a long term hike and want to be able to update your adventure blog – the BigBlue 28 W portable panel is capable of charging any phone or camera that you need on your camping or hiking adventure.

With 28 Watts of power and 5 volts of output, you’ll stay plugged-in with natural and renewable energy wherever your adventure takes you! Even though this being a new release item, we were impressed to the point that we decided to quickly put it on our list of solar panel reviews for your convenience!

• Type: Panel
• Power: 21 Watts
• Weight: 0.91lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 4.5lbs

If you frequently find yourself in extreme weather conditions, the Anker solar charger is about to become your new best friend.  Its industrial strength PET polymer panels sewn into rugged fabric are fit to stand even the harshest of conditions.

Rain storm coming in hot? No problem. The Anker Solar Charger is also water resistant. Anker’s PowerPort solar array is about 24% efficient which is about enough juice to charge two devices at the same time. Not bad. This unit weighs 14 ounces. Anker is known for their high quality charging accessories and has over 10 million users as of 2017.

• Type: Panel and Power Bank
• Power: 3000wAh0
• Weight: 0.91 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 7 Hours

Want to kill two birds with one stone when shopping for the best solar charger? Look no further than the Snow Lizard SLXTREME . It’s a portable solar charger combined with a waterproof case. Pretty nifty, eh?

The Snow Lizard is super convenient, lightweight, and the charging process couldn’t be any easier- as long as it’s in the case, all you have to do is flip the phone over. The Snow Lizard weighs 14.7 ounces and comes with a storage capacity of 3,000 mAh.

• Type: Panel
• Power: 2.2 Watts
• Weight: 0.5 lbs
• Awarded to PowerFilm AA: Best Small Solar Panel

Here’s a teeny addition to the family of foldable solar panels: this little guy from PowerFilm is going to charge your AA batteries with solar energy whenever you need it.

This is perfect for camping and takes around three and a half hours to charge two batters, and under seven for four at once. That’s certainly a lot of batteries if you’re constantly charging over a week long camping trip. It’s an inexpensive and convenient way to dip your toes in solar energy!

• Type: Panel and Power Bank
• Power: 8000wAh + 12 Watts
• Weight: 1.85 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 1.5 Hours

If killer storage capacity is what you’re looking for, then the iClever USB Solar Charger is the way to go.

This baby comes with a storage capacity of 8000 mAh- meaning it can be fully charged within 4 hours, and be ready to charge your phone or tablet even without any sun.

Coming in at 1.86 pounds, this lightweight foldable charger will not be a struggle to fit in your gear pack. It can also easily attach to your backpack, so you can charge it up on the go. The monocrystalline silicon panels mean more efficiency, and less of your time.

• Type: Panel and Power Bank
• Power: 4000wAh + 4 Watts
• Weight: 1.1 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 3.5 Hours

For the treehugger out there, the Voltaic Amp is going to be the best solar charger to suit your needs. Its fabric is made from recycled materials (soda bottles, actually), plus it’s super lightweight, foldable and waterproof.

The Voltaic Amp weighs 1.1 pounds and comes with a storage capacity of 4,000 mAh.

• Type: Panel
• Power: 5 Watts
• Weight: 0.3 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 2 Hours

Fan of the slim, sleek and sexy? Then you need to get your hands on the Yolk Station Solar Paper charger. This is the thinnest solar charger on the market, coming in at a mere .45 inches at its thickest point.

The Yolk Station weighs in at just 4 ounces- perfect for anyone seeking a lightweight option. It is also water resistant and extra panels are available if you want to increase the voltage.

• Type: Panel
• Power: 22 Watts
• Weight: 1.1 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 2 Hours

If you’re an active person, we highly recommend this foldable, portable, and waterproof solar panel charger from SOKOO. With Dual-USB Smart Charging Technology, the panel’s system can actually identify your device and adjust the amount of power output accordingly. It’s compact size is slightly smaller than a piece of paper. It also comes with an 18 month warranty, so if something goes wrong you will be able to get a new one without any problems.

• Type: Panel
• Power: 26 Watts
• Weight: 1.75 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 1.5 Hours
• Awarded to Brunton Solaris: Best Heavy Duty Camping Solar Panel

This particular Brunton model comes with a USB output built in that can easily hook up to cell phones, music players, GPS units, and much more! The foldable design makes storage and uses very easy.

More than its SolarRoll cousin, the Solaris Foldable Solar Panel works incredibly in many different climates and does not require direct or full sunlight to work properly. When paired with a great portable battery or power storage, this panel will be able to give you a charge when you need it, even in the middle of the night!

• Type: Panel and Power Bank
• Power: 3 Watts
• Weight: 0.5 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 3 Hours
• Awarded to LightSaver USB Roll-Up Charger: Best Camping Solar Panel

When you’re camping or backpacking, the less room you need for extra gear the better. We have found the best camping solar panel, for those who want to be able to take their phone or camera with them and keep a full charge. The PowerFilm LightSaver Roll Up Solar Charger can not only charge your phone fully 1.5 times, it also has an internal battery.

The battery bank has a capacity of 3200mAh, and will charge fully in just under 6 hours if you have maximum sunlight. The great part about having an internal battery, is that you no longer have to only charge your phone or devices during peak sunlight time. Just unroll this panel, and pack it up for later!

• Type: Panel Kit
• Power: 100 Watts
• Weight: 29.8 lbs
• Awarded to Renogy Portable Folding Solar Panel: Best Compact Solar Panel

This monocrystalline “Solar Suitcase” gives the user two 50 watt panels (with 12-volt battery charging) that are easy to transport, set up, and read. Renogy provides you with a Solar Charge Controller, and easy-to-read LCD screen and a self-adjusting battery that will vastly improve the lifetime of your Renogy solar kit. They’ve recently updated this model to have no grid lines for a cleaner look.

Folded up, this kit will only take up a small amount of space with very simple set-up and go functions, you’ll be charging up in no time when you’re on the go. Camping, RVing, or even just emergency electricity due to a down power line will not prevent you from the power you need to keep going!

• Type: Panel
• Power: 10 Watts
• Weight: 1 lbs
• Smartphone Charge Time: 1 Hour
• Awarded to PowerFilm Foldable Solar Panel: Best Durable Portable Solar Panel

This ultra-lightweight foldable panel weighs less than a little over half a pound and folds out to be 4.5 X 10.5 inches in size.  But don’t let its size fool you, this little guy can help a lot! The portable and durable manufacturing makes it safe to pack up and take out as many times as needed.

This 10 watt charger comes with a female 15 volt charger and is perfect for on the go charging of electronic accessories like cell phones or cameras, but could also be a great addition to any camping trip in order to provide just an extra kick of power. It is also going to perform fantastically for you in cloudy weather which is why it is one of the best portable solar panels we could find for you.

• Type: Panel Kit
• Power: 120 Watts
• Weight: 28.7 lbs
• Awarded to GoPower! Portable: Best RV Solar Panel

This deluxe set of GoPower! Solar panels is lightweight and easy to transport to power your RV or trailer camping vacation! It’s weather proof and set up and take down is no problem.

With a built-in stand and high efficiency monocrystalline solar cells. These are German made cells, a country that has invested a lot of time and money in alternative renewable energies, solar panels being one of the many they have mastered. GoPower! Solar is providing a top-of-the-line portable kit guaranteed to fit your needs with a warranty covering 25 years of power.

---

General Thoughts on Harnessing Solar Energy on the Go

Ditch the outlet with one of the best solar chargers! Why?

It’s always safe to have a portable charger so your phone won’t die when you’re out, and solar power’s even better.  These days, choosing a phone is pretty much equivalent to choosing a car- the make, the model, and the color are all things we take into careful consideration.

But most likely you didn’t put the same careful consideration into selecting your phone’s best mate- the charger. You probably have just been rockin’ the same one that came with the phone, right? And hey, that makes sense, chargers can’t tell us the best pizza spot in town, give us directions, or let us send funny memes to our friends.

However, the role of the charger should not be underestimated. Because without it, your phone can’t perform any of those vital tasks previously mentioned.  So, where should your search for the perfect charger for your phone start? First things first- it’s time to ditch the outlet and switch to a solar powered charger.

Solar powered chargers are taking over the traditional outlet charger’s spot as your phone’s new BFF.  Why? Because they’re pretty freakin’ awesome, that’s why (for both you and the environment!). Read this article to find out exactly why a solar charger is the way to go and to discover the best solar charger on the market that money can buy!

Top 3 Benefits of Solar Chargers

1. Going Green 

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard something about the downward spiral of our environment.  From cars to food, to clothes, it seems like everything in our daily lives is somehow detrimental to the environment. And our cell phones are certainly no exception.

Although they can be recycled, most people choose to throw cell phones away. And unfortunately, when you throw a cellphone away, it doesn’t magically turn into a pretty flower.  Instead, the toxic materials from cell phones pollute the water, soil, aquatic life, aquamarine life, and other animals.  But these dangerous effects haven’t slowed us down from throwing our phones in the trash. In fact, according to the EPA, 135 million cell phones were trashed in 2010 alone.  To put that amount of waste into perspective, consider that it would only take 42 recycled cell phones to power a home for the entire year.

Want to make yourself a part of the environmental solution instead of the problem? Then it’s high time you invest in the best solar charger for your phone.  Unlike America’s go-to electricity source, coal, solar cells do not suck up any of the earth’s precious energy or resources, nor do they emit harmful pollutants. When using a solar charger, you can feel a little better knowing that you aren’t wasting more of the earth’s energy and resources. You’re just borrowing a little energy from the sun.

2. Reliability A+++

Speaking of the sun, did you ever notice how reliable it is? Unlike wall chargers, which can be both unreliable and hard to find to find an outlet for, solar chargers have convenience written all over them.

No more fighting for the prime seat in the coffee shop next to the outlet. And no more worrying about conserving your battery on your next camping trip so you have enough to take some sweet pics.  As long as you know when the sun is shining, the whole wide world is open for you to get your charge on.

3. Easy as 1,2,3

Ok, maybe part of the problem when it comes to protecting the environment comes to human laziness- like, who really enjoys taking the time to sort recycling? However, with solar portable chargers, there’s really nothing stopping even the laziest of us from using them.

• Solar chargers are lightweight-usually less than a pound.
• They are user-friendly- if you can locate the sun, you’re good to go. Plus,
• they are relatively inexpensive. Most are only around $100 but last for ages.

Best Solar Chargers & Panels: Time to Take Your Pick

Now that you know the benefits of using a solar charger and have a list of our top picks, it’s time to choose the one that’s right for you.

Chances are high you’ll love it and will be a solar energy loving fiend. When that happens, be sure to also check out our top recommendations for the best solar panels. 

Love one of these chargers on the list or do you have a recommendation for the best solar charger that we didn’t include? Drop us a comment below and share your thoughts!

For more information on solar energy and panels, check out our solar energy section.

---