Portable Power Station for Mobile Catering: What an EcoFlow Will (and Won’t) Run
Last updated: October 2026
A portable power station is a big rechargeable battery with plug sockets on the front. For UK mobile caterers, an EcoFlow portable power station runs lights, a card reader, a fridge and a laptop quietly, from £232.40 for a small unit up to £2,622.80 for the 4,096Wh DELTA Pro 3. You size one by adding up watts and hours.
A power station is the standard quiet-power choice for market stalls and events that restrict generators. It is widely regarded as the wrong tool for anything that makes heat, because heating appliances empty a battery in about an hour.
In 30 seconds:
- Batteries suit electronics: lights, a till, a card reader, a laptop and a small fridge.
- Heat is the problem. A kettle, fryer, griddle or coffee boiler drains a battery in roughly one to two hours.
- Size it with one sum: battery watt-hours divided by appliance watts equals hours of running.
- Four EcoFlow sizes are in stock: RIVER 3 (245Wh) from £232.40, DELTA 3 (1,024Wh) from £629, DELTA 3 Plus from £662.80 and DELTA Pro 3 (4,096Wh) from £2,622.80.
- The best setup runs the heat on propane and the electrics on the battery.
Not sure how much power your whole trailer needs? Start with our off-grid mobile catering setup guide, then come back here to pick a battery size.
How to size a power station: watts and watt-hours
What are watts? Watts show how hard an appliance pulls. Every battery has a maximum output. If your appliance asks for more, it will not run.
What are watt-hours? Watt-hours (Wh) show the size of the tank. A 1,024Wh battery can supply 1,024 watts for one hour, or 100 watts for about ten hours.
The sum. Divide the battery Wh by the appliance watts. Then knock off about a fifth for losses in the inverter, as a rule of thumb.
- Worked example: a 900W roller grill on a 1,024Wh DELTA 3 runs for about 1.1 hours if it heats nonstop.
- Same battery, a 100W load of lights, card reader and chargers: about 10 hours.
- Always read the rating plate on your own kit. Never size a battery from a guess.
EcoFlow power stations compared
| Model | Battery | AC output | Price from | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIVER 3 | 245Wh | 300W (600W X-Boost) | £232.40 | Lights and card reader |
| DELTA 3 | 1,024Wh | 1,800W (2,400W X-Boost) | £629 | Fridge, till and lights all day |
| DELTA 3 Plus | 1,024Wh | 1,800W (2,400W X-Boost) | £662.80 | Faster charging, solar top-ups |
| DELTA Pro 3 | 4,096Wh | 4,000W | £2,622.80 | Heavy electric loads, quiet running |
Prices and stock are checked live from our shop. Always check the product page for current availability before you plan a trading day around one.
EcoFlow RIVER 3: the small stall battery
Quick specs
- Battery: 245Wh LFP, about 3.5kg
- Output: 300W AC, 600W with X-Boost
- Charge: full in about one hour
- Protection: IP54 water-resistant battery pack
- Price: from £232.40 (the RIVER 3 UPS model with 10ms switchover is from £195.60)
Best for: a stall that only needs lights and a card reader. It is light, silent and small enough to sit under a table.
What it runs
- Lights, routers and cameras
- Card readers and phone chargers
- Other small appliances up to its 300W limit
Don’t use it for
- Kettles, coffee machines, fryers or griddles
- Any appliance that heats
Run time: 245Wh runs a 50W load for about 4.9 hours. It is a top-up unit, not an all-day power source for a trailer.
EcoFlow DELTA 3 and DELTA 3 Plus: the all-day stall battery
Quick specs
- Battery: 1,024Wh LFP, 4,000 charge cycles, expandable to 5kWh
- Output: 1,800W AC, 2,400W with X-Boost, 3,600W surge
- DELTA 3: 0 to 80% in 45 minutes, solar up to 500W, from £629
- DELTA 3 Plus: 0 to 100% in about 56 minutes, solar up to 1,000W, 10ms UPS switchover, from £662.80
Best for: a stall or pop-up bar that needs a fridge, lights, a till and a laptop through a full day. The EcoFlow DELTA 3 portable power station is the sensible starting point for most traders.
What it runs
- Fridges, lights, tills and card readers
- Laptops, phone chargers and power tools
- Small travel kettles and some small catering appliances
Don’t use it for
- A standard 3kW kettle, which only runs at reduced power in X-Boost
- Electric fryers or griddles for a whole service
Run time: about ten hours on a 100W load, but only about 1.1 hours on a 900W roller grill. Heat is where this size runs out.
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3: the heavy-duty option
Quick specs
- Battery: 4,096Wh LFP, expandable from 4kWh to 12kWh, 4,000 charge cycles
- Output: 4,000W AC, 8,000W surge
- Solar input: up to 2,600W
- Noise: 30dB at 2,000W, quieter than a fridge
- Price: from £2,622.80
Best for: a trailer with several electric appliances where noise matters, such as a quiet evening event pitch.
What it runs
- Several electric appliances up to 4,000W at once
- A 2.7kW coffee machine element, within its output limit
- Fridges, lights and tills for days on a single charge
Don’t use it for
- Running heat all day, because it is still a battery
- Replacing a generator on a long, heavy-load trading day
Trade-off: 4,096Wh lasts about 1.5 hours on a 2.7kW element switched on nonstop. At this price, compare it with an LPG generator in our best LPG generators for mobile catering guide.
Battery for the electrics, propane for the heat
Heat is the most power-hungry job in any catering setup. Propane does it cheaply and quietly, so that is where it belongs. Keep the battery for lights, tills, chargers and the fridge.
If you need mains-style power for bigger loads, an LPG generator runs on the same propane as your griddle. Our guide on what size LPG generator you need shows how to size one.
Some propane appliances still need a little mains power for pumps or controls. Check the rating plate for the wattage before you size the battery.
Which size should you buy?
- Lights, card reader and phone charging only: the RIVER 3.
- Fridge, till, lights and a laptop for a full day: the DELTA 3 or DELTA 3 Plus.
- Faster turnaround between events or solar top-ups: the DELTA 3 Plus.
- Several electric appliances, quiet running, no generator allowed: the DELTA Pro 3.
- Anything that heats all day: a propane appliance, or an LPG generator.
Our off-grid guide says a 2,000Wh battery runs a small fridge, lights and a card terminal for a day. For a coffee machine, our coffee machine running costs guide shows what the electrics really draw.
The biggest mistake: buying on capacity alone
Traders compare watt-hours and forget the output limit. A big battery with a low output ceiling still cannot start a 2.7kW element. Check watts first, then watt-hours.
The second mistake is plugging in heat. A kettle, fryer or griddle can empty a 1,024Wh battery in about an hour. Put heat on propane and your battery lasts all day.
FAQ: portable power stations for mobile catering
Can an EcoFlow power station run a coffee machine?
Not an electric one for a long day. A 2.7kW one-group element is above the DELTA 3’s 2,400W X-Boost ceiling, so it will not run. The DELTA Pro 3 can run it, but 4,096Wh gives only about 1.5 hours of nonstop heating. A propane coffee machine suits a van far better.
How long will a power station run a fridge?
Divide the battery’s watt-hours by the fridge’s running watts. For example, a 100W fridge on a 1,024Wh DELTA 3 lasts about 10 hours. Fridge motors cycle on and off, so real use is often lower. Check the rating plate and leave a margin for losses.
What size power station does a market stall need?
For lights, a card reader and phone charging, the 245Wh RIVER 3 is usually enough. Its 300W output covers small loads, and 245Wh runs a 50W stall for about 4.9 hours. Add a fridge or laptop for a full day and step up to the 1,024Wh DELTA 3.
Can a portable power station run a kettle?
Only a small one. A standard 3kW kettle runs at reduced power on a DELTA 3 in X-Boost mode, and the 300W RIVER 3 cannot run it at all. The DELTA Pro 3 handles 4,000W, but boiling water drains the battery fast. A propane water boiler is the better tool for tea and coffee.
How long does an EcoFlow take to recharge?
The RIVER 3 recharges fully in about an hour. The DELTA 3 reaches 80% in 45 minutes from the mains, and the DELTA 3 Plus goes from empty to full in about 56 minutes. Charge the big DELTA Pro 3 overnight and check its manual for exact times.
Should I buy a power station or an LPG generator?
Buy a power station for quiet, low-power jobs like lights, a till and a fridge. Buy an LPG generator if you run heating appliances or trade long days. The generator uses the same propane as your griddle or fryer, so you only carry one fuel.
Can I charge a power station from solar panels?
Yes. The DELTA 3 takes up to 500W of solar input, the DELTA 3 Plus up to 1,000W and the DELTA Pro 3 up to 2,600W. UK cloud cuts the real output, so treat solar as a top-up between events and charge from the mains overnight.
How long does a portable power station battery last?
EcoFlow rates the DELTA 3, DELTA 3 Plus and DELTA Pro 3 at 4,000 charge cycles, and the RIVER 3 at 3,000 cycles. At one full charge a day, 3,000 cycles is more than eight years. They use LFP cells, which last longer than standard lithium.