VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1500 portable power station
Shopping for a high-capacity battery power station to keep the lights (and a lot more) on during a blackout? Winter storm season is here for much of North America, so it’s a good time to add a portable battery power station to your emergency supplies. There’s another contender in this growing space that’s worth considering: the VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1500. This one packs a high capacity 1548Wh battery using LiFePO chemistry, it has every output port you could ask for including three AC outlets with 1500W output, it has the option of expansion with an external battery pack, features a 10-function battery management system (BMS) for safety, supports solar charging, offers fast-charging and can be used as a UPS. Central Air Conditioning
This was my first experience with the VTOMAN brand, but the company has an established presence, with U.S., Canada and EU availability and dozens of products including a wide range of portable power stations, solar panels, expansion batteries and even power tools.
Fast-charges in as little as one hour, optional solar charging
The FlashSpeed 1500 is a well-designed portable power station, with an attractive black, gray and yellow-orange color scheme. There are dual integrated handles, with an optional cart–although at 41.5 lbs it’s not too heavy to move around without it. There are 12 power outputs and an LED display on the front, vents on the sides and the back has a handy LED light strip. In a first–at least in my experience–the top has a built-in storage compartment that’s just large enough to stash the power station’s AC charge cable. I wish all portable power stations had that...
I plugged the FlashSpeed 1500 into an AC outlet and took advantage of its fast-charging. To add 7% to its charge level took just five minutes. If your electrical outlet can deliver the full 1500W maximum input, you can charge this power station from zero to 100% in about an hour. Fast-charging does come with a slight noise penalty, though. The cooling fans ramped up through the charging process, topping out at about 60dB.
Speaking of those cooling fans, now would be a good time to mention safety, which is a key selling of the FlashSpeed 1500.
Battery safety is a priority with VTOMAN's LIFEBMS
Its battery uses LiFePO (lithium ion phosphate) chemistry, which is a plus. LiFePO batteries are known for being more stable that traditional lithium ion batteries, making them less likely to overheat. While not a safety issue, LiFePO batteries also have a key advantage in a longer lifespan. Lithium ion batteries often have a 500 charge cycle lifespan, but the LiFePO batteries used by VTOMAN are rated for 3100 charge cycles–that’s going to save you money if you use this power station frequently.
Going back to safety, the VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1500 is equipped with the company’s LIFEBMS battery management system. It features 10 element protection (including temperature, over-charge and over-current) to ensure the power station is always operating within safe parameters.
What makes a power station like the VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1500 so useful is its combination of capacity and power output.
Smaller portable power stations are fine for charging devices, running fans and powering CPAP equipment for short periods. However, with a 1548Wh capacity and three AC outlets that can output a sustained 1500W (3000W peak power), the FlashSpeed 1500 can do much more.
That high capacity means power lasts for longer. The 1500W output pays off in multiple ways. You can charge or power up to 12 devices simultaneously–so long as their combined power draw fits within that threshold. You can also use this power station to run devices that far exceed the maximum output of smaller portables, such as microwave ovens, toasters and portable heaters.
My standard test for high capacity power stations is to plug in the refrigerator in my basement to see how long they can power it. This is a full-sized (21 cubic feet) fridge that we bought before energy efficiency became a priority. So if you have bought one in the past decade, you’re very likely to get better numbers than I do in this test.
The FlashSpeed 1500 kept a full-sized fridge running for 20 hours
The FlashSpeed 1500 kept the refrigerator running for 20 hours, which is a pretty solid performance. It had no problem powering my small kitchen appliances. I even used it with a jigsaw during a home reno project when the electrician cut the power.
FlashSpeed 1500's high capacity, high output means it can power almost anything, including power ... [+] tools and appliances
With the use of an optional VTOMAN external battery, you can double the capacity of the FlashSpeed 1500 to 3096Wh (the company offers the extra battery separately or in a discounted bundle), which would power that fridge for nearly two full days.
Why don't all portable power stations have a place to stash the cord?
The VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1500 is a good option if you’re looking for a high power, high capacity portable power station for home, emergency or camping use. At $1699, something like this is an investment but with its long-life LiFePO batteries you could be getting a decade of use out of it. It also pays off to watch for sales–for example, at time of publication, VTOMAN was offering the FlashSpeed for less than half price during its Christmas sale.
Foldable Kettle Electric Disclosure: VTOMAN provided a FlashSpeed 1500 for evaluation purposes but had no input into this review.