Solar appliance checker

What can your solar setup actually power?

Choose an appliance and see the battery size, inverter output and solar capacity you may need.

Check an appliance Browse solar calculators

One practical answer

Battery · inverter · panels

See the complete requirement, then compare only products with sufficient documented output.

Choose an appliance

What do you want to power?

Search or choose a common appliance to get a practical starting point.

Popular checks

Hours per dayMaximum budget (£)

Season

Summer onlyAll year

System type

Off-grid solar systemPortable power stationPlug-in solar

Preferred brand

Results use typical appliance figures. Check the rating plate before buying equipment.

Suitability verdict

✅ Great choice

The load is within the range of a sensibly sized portable or off-grid system, subject to the exact appliance label and product manual.

Daily energy

300 Wh

Battery size

500 Wh

Inverter size

200 W

Solar panels

100 W

Expected runtime

7.7 hours

Typical recharge

6.7 peak-sun hours

Watts versus watt-hours: watts describe power at one moment; watt-hours describe energy used over time.

Assumptions

30–100 W running range; 6 hours/day; medium confidence.

Complete your setup

Money-saving tips

Size from the appliance rating plate before paying for extra inverter capacity you may not need.
Reduce daily running time where practical: battery capacity is driven by watt-hours, not watts alone.
Use high-power heating appliances from the mains when available; they can make a portable system disproportionately large.
Compare a solar-panel upgrade with a larger battery: panels improve replenishment, while extra battery only extends stored runtime.

Popular appliance questions

Can solar power a fridge?Yes. A modest solar-and-battery system can usually run an efficient fridge if it is sized for overnight energy and compressor start-up.Can solar power a freezer?Yes, but reliable freezer power needs a battery, compressor-surge headroom and more winter reserve than a summer-only setup.Can solar power a TV?Usually yes. Most modern televisions are modest loads for a portable power station or small off-grid solar setup.Can solar power a Wi-Fi router?Yes. A router is a low-power load, but a dependable connection may also require power for an fibre ONT, modem or network switch.Can solar power a garden office?Often yes for laptops, monitors, routers and lighting; electric space heating usually makes a small off-grid system impractical.Can solar power a computer?Yes, provided the battery and inverter are sized for the computer, display and peak workload rather than an idle-power estimate.Can solar power a kettle?Technically yes with a high-output inverter, but a standard UK kettle is a demanding load and is a poor reason to oversize a small solar system.Can solar power an air fryer?It can, but the inverter must cover the appliance's full heating load and the battery must support the cooking time.Can solar power a pressure washer?Possibly, but motor start-up and high running power mean many pressure washers need a substantial inverter and battery.Can solar power a coffee machine?Often, but heating elements make espresso and pod machines more demanding than their short brew time suggests.