Outdoors & Fitness · Head-to-head
BigBlue SolarPowa P25 vs BLUETTI SP100L Solar Panel
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Solar Chargers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The P25 wins because BigBlue publishes rated and working power together, which no other maker here does, and delivers it in the lightest package with two usable USB ports. The SP100L is the pick the moment you are charging a power station rather than a phone.
BigBlue SolarPowa P25
Buy itThe only panel here that prints a rated power and a working power next to each other, at under half a kilogram with two USB ports.
- BigBlue states rated power of 25W and working power of 20W in total, which is the honest number and almost nobody publishes it.
- Two outputs, USB-A at 5V 2.4A and USB-C at 5V 2.4A, with a stated combined maximum of 5V 4A.
- 0.46 kilograms, or 1.01 pounds, which is the lightest panel in this comparison.
- Back-contact monocrystalline cells with a stated conversion efficiency of up to 25.4 percent, and an IP68 rating on the panel itself.
- 5V output only, so it charges phones, power banks and headlamps but will not feed a power station directly.
- 20 watts of working power is a slow charge for anything with a large battery.
- The 4A combined limit means two devices share the output rather than each getting its own.
BLUETTI SP100L Solar Panel
Buy itA hundred watt panel whose own page tells you to expect ninety, with a standard MC4 connector so it is not locked to one brand of battery.
- BLUETTI states a maximum power of 100W and says plainly that under ideal conditions the panel can produce up to 90W.
- Monocrystalline silicon cells with a stated efficiency of up to 23.4 percent, behind an ETFE lamination.
- Standard MC4 connector, so it works with most solar generators rather than only BLUETTI's own.
- Full dimensions published: 595 by 1132mm unfolded, 595 by 564.5 by 55mm folded, at 4.95 kilograms.
- Nearly 5 kilograms, so this is a car, van or basecamp panel rather than something you carry far.
- No USB output, so it needs a power station or a charge controller to be useful.
- Folded it is still 595mm on the long edge, which is awkward in a small boot.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| BigBlue SolarPowa P25 Our pick | BLUETTI SP100L Solar Panel | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Hikers and campers charging phones, power banks and headlamps who want the real output figure before they buy. | Anyone charging a portable power station at a campsite, in a van, or as backup at home. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$$ · premium |
| Headline rating | 25W rated | 100W maximum |
| The maker's own lower figure | 20W working power | Up to 90W in ideal conditions |
| Output type | USB-A and USB-C, 5V | MC4 connector for a power station |
| Stated weight | 0.46 kg (1.01 lb) | 4.95 kg (10.9 lb) |
| Cell type and efficiency | Back-contact monocrystalline, up to 25.4 percent | Monocrystalline silicon, up to 23.4 percent |
| Folded size | 118 x 163 x 35mm | 595 x 564.5 x 55mm |
| Weather rating | IP68 (panel only) | IP67 |
| Charges a power station | No, 5V USB only | Yes, via MC4 |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the BigBlue SolarPowa P25 if
hikers and campers charging phones, power banks and headlamps who want the real output figure before they buy.
Know before buying: 5V output only, so it charges phones, power banks and headlamps but will not feed a power station directly.
Pick the BLUETTI SP100L Solar Panel if
anyone charging a portable power station at a campsite, in a van, or as backup at home.
Know before buying: nearly 5 kilograms, so this is a car, van or basecamp panel rather than something you carry far.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the BigBlue SolarPowa P25 - The only panel here that prints a rated power and a working power next to each other, at under half a kilogram with two USB ports. Choose the BLUETTI SP100L Solar Panel instead if anyone charging a portable power station at a campsite, in a van, or as backup at home.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Solar Chargers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).