About VoltScout — Methodology & Data Policy

VoltScout exists because power station spec sheets answer the wrong question. Shoppers don't need to know that a unit outputs 1,800 W — they need to know whether it will run their fridge, their CPAP, for long enough to matter. Every tool on this site translates specs into that answer.

Methodology

Runtime = rated capacity (Wh) × 0.85 ÷ continuous load (W). The 0.85 factor covers real-world inverter and conversion losses that marketing runtimes ignore.
Fit = a station must clear both your continuous watts and your startup surge (compressor and pump spikes). Failing either means it shuts off, so we fail it.
Compressor honesty — fridges and freezers are modeled at realistic duty cycles (roughly 8 h/day of compressor time), not the 24 h/day that inflates competitor estimates.
Solar — daily generation = min(your array, the station's solar input cap) × 3.6 effective sun hours (4.5 peak hours × 0.8 real-world derate). The input cap, not your panel count, usually decides off-grid viability.
Lifetime cost per kWh = price ÷ (capacity × rated cycles). Our headline value metric — the cheap unit today is often the expensive one over five years. We only use cycle ratings published to the industry-standard 80%-remaining-capacity basis; makers who rate to 70% (e.g. Jackery) show “n/a” rather than an inflated number.
Medical readiness — flagged only for units with pure sine output and UPS switchover ≤ 30 ms. For life-critical devices, plan at least 2× the runtime you need, register with HHS emPOWER, and follow your device maker's guidance.

Data policy

Every station and solar-kit spec was verified against the manufacturer’s specification sheet with a retailer cross-check (last full pass 2026-09-13; per-model sources in our records), and each product page notes figures we could not confirm. Prices move constantly — treat listed prices as indicative and confirm at the merchant. Found an error? Tell us and we'll fix it and note the correction.

Our honesty rules

Every estimate carries a ±15% band, stated where you see it. Batteries age, temperature bites, duty cycles vary — a single confident number would be a lie of precision.
Nothing gets hidden. When a station can't carry your load we gray it and say why; we never delete it from view. Seeing what fails is how you calibrate what passes.
Worst-case headline, realistic detail. The headline runtime assumes everything on at once; daily-energy figures use realistic usage hours. Both are labeled so you know which you're reading.
We publish what we can't verify. Cycle ratings not published to the 80% standard show "n/a", not a flattering guess. Specs we couldn't confirm from a primary source are flagged on the product page.

Methodology changelog

v1.2 — July 17, 2026: Clinical spec pass: UPS-vs-EPS switchover class, output waveform and battery chemistry verified from manufacturer manuals for all 21 stations; medical-ready criterion tightened to marketed UPS modes ≤30 ms. Catalog expanded to 41 appliances with verified typical wattages.
v1.1 — July 16, 2026: Usage-pattern billing for outage sims (compressor duty cycles bill running time, not wall-clock); storm scenario re-based to 1 day; ±15% accuracy band added everywhere estimates appear.
v1.0 — July 13, 2026: Initial full verification pass: every station and solar-kit spec checked against manufacturer sheets with retailer cross-checks; 85% efficiency model and lifetime-cost-per-kWh ranking established.

Who runs this

VoltScout is built and maintained by Justin, a product designer who got tired of power-station marketing math. One person, one catalog, every spec traceable to a source document. Questions or corrections land in my inbox directly: contact.

Independence

VoltScout is independent and accepts no payment for placement or rankings. We earn affiliate commissions on some outbound links (disclosure), which never influence scores — the ranking math above is published precisely so you can check it.