EcoFlow RIVER 3 review
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Portable Power Station
By Tom Calder
The RIVER 3 is a small 245Wh unit with one 300W mains socket and a 3.55kg body; X-Boost lets it run some heating-element appliances up to 600W. EcoFlow quotes a one-hour mains recharge and 110W of solar input. It keeps a router, phones and LED lights running for many hours, but one socket and 300W rule out a fridge. Compared with the RIVER 3 Plus already on this page, it is the smaller and cheaper choice; the Plus adds capacity and a 600W output.
- Best for
- Phones, router, lights and a laptop through a short power cut, at a size that fits a shelf or a grab bag.
- Skip it if
- You want to keep a fridge cold
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Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- 3.55kg and a library-quiet rating under 30dB on EcoFlow's figures
- Full mains recharge in about an hour
- USB-C at 100W charges most laptops
Worth knowing
- One mains socket and 300W means no fridge, kettle or heater
- 245Wh runs a router for roughly a day, but not much beyond that
- The standard model's UPS switchover is rated slower than the separate RIVER 3 UPS version
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Our review
EcoFlow's RIVER 3 is the entry point to its range: 245Wh and 300W in a 3.55kg box a little smaller than an A4 sheet and 11cm deep, quiet enough to live beside a bed. It is a broadband, phones and lamps battery for an evening's cut. The catch is a two-year warranty where the RIVER 3 Plus gets five.
What 245Wh and 300W mean
245Wh is a quarter of a kilowatt-hour: a night of broadband and several phone charges, or a couple of hours of laptop work. 300W is the limit of the single UK socket, and a 600W X-Boost lets heating appliances up to that rating run at reduced power, so a small heated blanket yes, a kettle no. The cells are lithium iron phosphate, rated at 3,000 cycles to 80%. Beside the mains socket sit a 100W USB-C port, two USB-A ports at 12W each and a 12V car socket rated at 126W. EcoFlow says its X-GaNPower circuitry gives up to double the runtime on loads under 100W, a claim it bases on lab tests with a 3W light or a Wi-Fi router.
In a UK power cut
On the method our guides use (capacity × 0.9 depth of discharge × 0.85 inverter efficiency, divided by the load plus 10W for the unit), about 187Wh reaches the sockets. A broadband router runs for 8 to 10 hours, a full-fibre box for 12 to 14, LED lamps for 8.5 to 12 hours, a laptop in use for 2.5 to 4.5 hours, a CPAP without humidifier for 6 to 13 hours and a TV for 1 to 4.5 hours. Running the router from the 12V socket with a suitable cable avoids the inverter's losses and stretches those figures. The UPS switchover is under 20ms on the standard model; EcoFlow sells a separate RIVER 3 (UPS) version rated under 10ms for kit that is fussier about the switch.
A fridge-freezer is technically 3 to 8.5 hours, but one 300W socket and a 600W surge rating leave little headroom for a compressor start. Our sizing guide explains where to start for a fridge.
How it compares
EcoFlow's own RIVER 3 Plus adds 41Wh, doubles the output to 600W, has three mains sockets, a 10ms UPS, 220W of solar input and the option of a clip-on battery up to 858Wh, for about 1.2kg more and a five-year warranty. BLUETTI's Elite 30 V2 is 288Wh, 600W and 4.3kg with a 140W USB-C port and a 10ms UPS, also with five years. The plain RIVER 3 is the lightest and cheapest of the three, and that is its whole case. Our EcoFlow comparison page lines them up.
Living with it
EcoFlow quotes a full mains charge in 60 minutes at 305W, 2.6 hours from a 110W solar panel, 2.8 hours from a car socket and an hour from a generator. A full charge draws at least 0.25kWh, roughly 6p a full charge at the October to December 2026 price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh. Noise is rated under 30dB, measured by EcoFlow in a 32°C laboratory, which on its figure makes it fit for a bedroom. EcoFlow UK's warranty table gives the RIVER 3 and RIVER 3 (UPS) 24 months against five years for the Plus, and returns are 30 calendar days on direct orders.
Safety
EcoFlow's limits are charging between 0°C and 45°C and discharging from -10°C to 45°C, and it says the IP54 claim covers the battery pack only, not the whole unit, so keep it dry. Our lithium battery guide covers charging and storage at home.
Our verdict
Buy the RIVER 3 for a quiet bedside or router-cupboard battery that keeps broadband, phones and a lamp going through an evening cut and charges in an hour. If you can stretch to the RIVER 3 Plus or the Elite 30 V2, the longer warranty and double output are worth it. For anything with a compressor, start at 768Wh.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 21 Oct 2026. Sources: EcoFlow UK — RIVER 3 product page and specifications; EcoFlow UK — warranty policy; Ofgem — energy price cap unit rates, October to December 2026.
Who shouldn't buy this
You want to keep a fridge cold: step up to a 1kWh unit. If you only charge phones, a large power bank is cheaper.
Key specs
| Capacity | 245 Wh |
| Output | 300 W |
| Weight | 3.55 kg |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for The cheapest way to keep a router, phones, lights and a laptop running through an evening's power cut, from a brand with a five-year warranty.
Best for Keeping the essentials going in a power cut — fridge, broadband router, phones and a few lights.
as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Phones, a router, lights and a laptop through an evening's power cut, in a unit small enough to live in a cupboard — with the option to add capacity later.
Questions
How long will the EcoFlow RIVER 3 run a broadband router?
On our method 8 to 10 hours for a router drawing 8.5W to 14W, and 12 to 14 hours for a full-fibre box. EcoFlow claims up to double the runtime on a router from its efficiency circuitry in lab tests; our figures do not count on that.
Does the RIVER 3 work as a UPS?
Yes, with a switchover under 20ms on the standard model, fine for a router or lamp. EcoFlow sells a separate RIVER 3 (UPS) rated under 10ms for equipment that needs a faster switch.
How loud is the RIVER 3?
EcoFlow rates it under 30dB, measured in a laboratory at 32°C, and markets it as quiet enough for round-the-clock use.
Can the RIVER 3 run a fridge?
Not usefully. Its single socket is limited to 300W with a 600W surge, and 245Wh would give a fridge-freezer only 3 to 8.5 hours. A 768Wh or 1kWh unit is the right size.
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