Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 review: keeping you prepared when the power goes out

After two power outages forced me to pitch a couple hundred dollars' worth of groceries in the trash, Jackery's HomePower 2000 Plus v2 gave me a way to keep my fridge running.

There's no shortage of climate catastrophe, power grid problems, or the never-ending onslaught of minor inconveniences. It seems like the moment you get settled in, that's when Murphy's Law rears its ugly head.

I don't expect that this will change anytime soon. And in fact, I've learned this lesson, twice, in rapid succession.

Which is why when Jackery reached out and asked if I wanted to check out the new HomePower 2000 Plus v2 Red Cross edition, I took it as a sign from the universe.

HomePower 2000 Plus v2 review: The case for backup power

There are plenty of cases for keeping a giant backup battery around. If you're the average person, odds are, the best case is going to be your refrigerator.

Chances are, for the average power outage, your freezer is going to be fine. A well-packed freezer can survive a 24-hour power outage with no problem.

A refrigerator will not.

There are a few reasons for this, but the biggest is that your refrigerator already is barely keeping your food at a safe temperature.

The gap between "frozen" and "microbial swamp" isn't that big. If your fridge is set to 37 degrees, it only needs to climb four degrees before the "this is for sure going to give you food poisoning" timer begins.

That, plus the fact that your refrigerator is, essentially, a big box of non-insulating air surrounded by insulation, means you've got three or four hours, tops assuming you don't open the door. Then, everything goes into the trash.

This has happened to me twice in recent history. I've lived in my city for 14 years so far, and for 13 years, I'd never had a power outage for more than two hours.

2026 changed that in the worst way. In June, I got hit with a six-hour power outage that led to me pitching $50 of groceries into the trash.

Fortunately, the outage happened in the middle of the day, and I was able to transfer my most expensive items into the freezer.

Sure, I lost condiments, leftovers, and some mostly-used dairy products, but it wasn't the end of the world.

But then on September 3, five days before the unit arrived, my city was buffeted by the worst storm I'd experienced here. Not only did the storm knock out the electricity, but it also dislodged a tree that threatened to hit my house.

I didn't think to move my groceries to the freezer. The fridge was essentially in the direct line of where the tree would hit if it continued to lean.

The outage lasted for nearly 10 hours. I lost all my groceries. Again. This time, unfortunately, I had bought groceries earlier that day; about $150 worth of groceries would need to be discarded.

There wasn't much to be done for it, other than bundling up my various foodstuffs and throwing them out. But if I had the Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2, I feasibly could have kept my haul alive for three times longer than the actual power outage lasted.

So, backup batteries are handy. Let's take a look at why you might want this one.

HomePower 2000 Plus v2 review: A hefty battery

Jackery's HomePower 2000 Plus v2 is a portable battery station in its three-model Emergency Pro lineup. It has a 2,048Wh battery and a rated 2,400W AC output.

This one happens to be red, as it's done in partnership with the Red Cross. Now, the red color doesn't affect its usefulness, but I will say that it does make it easier to spot if you leave it in a cluttered area, or maybe in low-light settings.

I will say that calling it portable is a bit of a stretch. It's not not portable, but it's also not something you're going to cart around with you everywhere. Luggable, at best.

This is a "find a home for it in your house, then drag it out when you need it" kind of product. In fact, that's exactly what I've done.

It lives in my pantry, near a dedicated outlet, where I know it'll always be easily accessible. Should an emergency arise, it's a short, albeit somewhat burdensome walk to my kitchen counter to power my fridge.

The one I have weighs approximately 41.5 pounds and uses lithium iron phosphate battery cells. Jackery says compatible expansion batteries can increase its total capacity to about 12kWh; I don't have any of those expansion batteries, though.

The HomePower 2000 Plus v2 connections include AC outlets, two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and a 12V DC port. It accepts wall and solar charging, while Jackery's app provides battery controls and charge settings.

As far as apps go, it's fine. There aren't a ton of whistles, and it seems to mostly be geared towards users who are also charging it via solar panel.

I didn't charge mine via solar panel, but I appreciate that I can still check the power level while on the go. This is perfect if you're in a situation where you may need to leave your house while the power is still out.

The main takeaway is that the 2,048Wh battery is ideal for the average homeowner or apartment renter. It's good for keeping groceries cold while you figure out damage control, and it can power a radio, and keep your iPhone or MacBook charged.

HomePower 2000 Plus v2 review: The middle child

There are two other products in the lineup. The smaller HomePower 1000 Plus v2 has a 1,024Wh battery and 1,800W output. Jackery suggests that this would be ideal in emergency situations where you want to keep smaller devices, like phones, rechargeable lighting, fans, or even electric blankets working.

I also think this would be the ideal size to throw in a car for when you're camping at a campsite. Its smaller size means it's not too much of a pain to lug to and fro, and it's good for keeping your phones charged and even running a fan or two to keep your tent habitable.

There is, of course, the largest sibling of the three batteries. The HomePower 3600 Plus offers roughly 3.6kWh and 3,600W for higher-capacity backup needs. This one is designed to power high-draw tools.

I'm not entirely sure if the average person is going to need this one. Especially considering you're going to need to move it, presumably, when an emergency hits.

Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 review: It just works

There's not some big fancy review process I went through to test this. It's a big battery; you can plug things into it, and it will power them.

You can yank the power source, and power is supplied continuously to the connected devices. You don't need to do anything when power returns.

Unlike an art supply, a smartphone, or a 3D printer, a battery is painfully straightforward. But that's also the same reason why you reach for a battery during an emergency and not a 3D printer.

It's a very utilitarian device.

My testing methods largely just involve plugging things into the HomePower 2000 Plus v2 and seeing if it would charge them without interruption when I yanked the AC power out of the wall. I ran my fridge off of it for a few hours to see if it would power it.

It did.

The real measure of "is this a good battery" is the fact that it works well and that I personally feel much, much better having it in the house.

In the warmer months, if a storm knocks out the power, I can keep my refrigerator running for 30 hours. This is based on the battery capacity and my specific refrigerator's energy usage.

I will say, my refrigerator is pretty energy efficient and only two years old. Older, bigger, or less-energy efficient refrigerators may get less.

In the colder months, this battery could power an electric blanket or an electric cooktop should the power drop out due to an ice storm or blizzard.

And, of course, EMTs and first responders could find plenty of uses for a device like this. That's exactly what Jackery designed it for.

Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 rating: 4.5 out of 5

Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 pros:

• 34% lighter than its predecessor, according to Jackery
• Includes a 140W USB-C port, making it ideal for fast-charging Apple devices
• Smart energy management via the app

Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 cons:

• Still significantly heavy; may be too heavy for some users to easily carry around
• 12V output may not be needed by the home user; could utilize another port instead

Where to buy the HomePower 2000 Plus v2

You can snag your own Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2, or any of the other HomePower line, from Jackery's website. The unit I tested costs $1,199.