Find out what a 1000 watt power station will run to see whether this is the right size for you and things like what you can take on your camping trip.
Keep in mind that the examples below are very general guidelines. Your actual device brands may have different power needs.
A 1000 watt power station with 2000 surge watts should be able to run “stronger” things like a ⅓ HP sump pump, rice cooker, or coffee maker separately.
Another direction you can go is powering multiple smaller devices at the same time.
A 1000 watt power station should be able to run an electric shaver, cell phone charger, portable fan, TV, laptop, and slow cooker at the same time too.
Below you can find a chart with more device examples and how to calculate the power needs when running multiple appliances and tools.
What can a 1000 watt power station run separately?
Before showing examples of devices a 1000 watt power station can run, you need to keep a few things in mind.
First of all, since many 1000 watt models come with this capacity, I will assume the power station comes with the option to produce 2000 surge watts.
This will be relevant for appliances and tools that need an extra burst of electricity to get going.
Secondly, keep in mind that these are rough appliance wattage estimations.
In reality, your specific brands of devices could have different power needs.
Thirdly, you definitely want to check the next section of the article if you plan to run multiple of these electrical machines at the same time.
| Device | Running Watts | Total Starting Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Home Phone | 5 Watts | 5 Watts |
| Electric Shaver | 15 Watts | 15 Watts |
| Internet Router | 20 Watts | 20 Watts |
| Cell Phone Charger | 25 Watts | 25 Watts |
| Stereo | 33 Watts | 33 Watts |
| Portable Fan | 40 Watts | 120 Watts |
| Incandescent Light Bulbs | 60 Watts | 60 Watts |
| Ceiling Fan | 75 Watts | 75 Watts |
| Curling Iron | 100 Watts | 100 Watts |
| Flat Screen TV | 120 Watts | 120 Watts |
| Radio | Up to 200 Watts | Up to 200 Watts |
| Dishwasher | 220 Watts | 540 Watts |
| Laptop | 250 Watts | 250 Watts |
| Slow Cooker | 270 Watts | 270 Watts |
| Ice Maker | 300 Watts | 300 Watts |
| Blender | 400 Watts | 850 Watts |
| Coffee Maker | 600 Watts | 600 Watts |
| Printer | 600 Watts | 600 Watts |
| Electric Drill | 600 Watts | 900 Watts |
| Food Dehydrator | 600 Watts | 600 Watts |
| Well Pump (⅓ HP) | 650 Watts | 1050 Watts |
| Rice Cooker | 700 Watts | 700 Watts |
| Well Pump (½ HP) | 700 Watts | 1200 Watts |
| Garage Door Opener | 720 Watts | 1440 Watts |
| Sump Pump (⅓ HP) | 800 Watts | 1300 Watts |
| Juicer | 800 Watts | 800 Watts |
| Microwave Oven (650 Watts) | 1000 Watts | 1000 Watts |
What can a 1000 watt power station run at the same time?
There is a bit more calculating involved when you want to use your 1000 watt power station to run multiple of the electrical machines above.
The steps you will have to take are:
- Note what devices you want to run at the same time.
- Find out the power needs of these devices. You can use the chart above but keep in mind that your devices can vary. To make sure a 1000 watt power station is enough, you would check the actual wattage needs.
- If the sum of the running watts is higher than 1000, you will need a stronger power station.
Next, there are two ways to go. One simpler method that is slightly less optimal or a more precise one that requires more calculation.
- Simpler: Add the highest additional starting watts to the sum of your running watts. If this is higher than 2000 watts, your 1000 watt power station may not be strong enough.
- More precise: Go through starting up the devices on your list in the optimal way (often highest peak watts first). If you go over 2000 watts at any point, you will again need a stronger power station.
After going through these steps, you can figure out that a 1000 watt power station should be able to run something like an internet router, laptop, and coffee maker at the same time.
With the numbers above, you can also start to figure out what capacity of power station you need to run device combinations for certain amounts of time without an additional power source.
Frequently asked questions
Can a 1000 watt power station run an air conditioner?
The most common sizes of air conditioners tend to be too power-hungry for 1000 watt power stations.
At the same time, it is theoretically possible that there are tiny air conditioners that are small enough for this size of power station.
Will a 1000W power station run an electric kettle?
Electric kettles often use more than 1200 watts so a 1000w power station is often not strong enough to run devices like this.
Can a 1000 watt power station run a refrigerator?
Standard-sized refrigerators often need around 2200 watts to get going. In turn, a 1000 watt power station (even one with 2000 surge watts) will often not be strong enough for this.
That being said, a 1000 watt power station can be strong enough to power smaller refrigerators.
