Specifications checked against manufacturer pages on 2026-08-23.
The Bluetti AC180 (1,152 Wh, 1,800 W) and the EcoFlow DELTA 3 (1,024 Wh, 1,800 W), compared on the figures their makers publish. On the normalized ratios, the AC180 costs less per watt-hour ($0.43/Wh vs $0.68/Wh); the DELTA 3 carries more per pound (37.1 Wh/lb vs 32.6 Wh/lb).
In short. The AC180 leads on cost per watt-hour ($0.43/Wh vs $0.68/Wh) and continuous watts per dollar (3.61 W/$ vs 2.58 W/$); the DELTA 3 leads on watt-hours per pound (37.1 Wh/lb vs 32.6 Wh/lb) and rated cycle life (4,000 vs 3,500). 2 of 6 measures tie or are not comparable. Pick by the one your outage will test.
Check the current price
Links go to the exact base unit we compared, not a bundle. Amazon prices change daily.
Specifications, side by side
Numbered notes below the table give the source location or a caveat for figures that need one; check marks mark the better figure where one can be judged; “Manufacturer does not state” means absent from that maker’s page as of its check date listed under Sources. UPS switchover is how long the outlets go dark when grid power drops.
| Specification | Bluetti AC180 | EcoFlow DELTA 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Rated capacity | 1,152 Wh1 ✓ | 1,024 Wh2 |
| Usable capacity (calculated)* | 979–1037 Wh | 870–922 Wh |
| Continuous AC output | 1,800 W3 | 1,800 W4 |
| Surge output | No conventional surge stated (2,700 W boost mode)5 | 3,600 W6 |
| Full recharge from wall | Manufacturer does not state (0–80% in 45 min)7 | 56 min8 |
| Cell chemistry | LiFePO49 | LiFePO410 |
| Rated cycle life | 3,500+ cycles to 80%11 | 4,000 cycles to 80%+12 ✓ |
| UPS switchover | Manufacturer does not state | <10 ms13 |
| Expandable | No14 | Yes, up to 5,000 Wh15 |
| Max solar input | 500 W16 | 500 W17 |
| Max AC charging input | 1,440 W18 | 1,500 W19 ✓ |
| AC outlets | 420 | 621 ✓ |
| Highest USB-C port | 100 W22 | 100 W23 |
| App control | Yes24 | Yes25 |
| Stated noise | Manufacturer does not state | <30 dB26 |
| Warranty | 5 years27 | 5 years28 |
| Weight | 35.3 lb29 | about 27.6 lb30 ✓ |
| Manufacturer list price when checked | $49931 ✓ | $69932 |
* Calculated: rated capacity × an assumed 85–90% conversion efficiency; no maker publishes a usable figure.
Notes on the figures
- AC180, rated capacity: 1,152Wh (AC180) / 1,440Wh (AC180P)
- DELTA 3, rated capacity: 1024 Wh
- AC180, continuous output: 4 x 120V/15A 1800W In Total
- DELTA 3, continuous output: 1800W total
- AC180, surge: The spec table labels this “Surge Power”, but the same 2,700 W figure is Bluetti’s Power Lifting Mode for resistive heating loads (FAQ Q1: “AC180 can run high-power heating devices up to 2,700W … Do NOT use this unit to run an air conditioner or washing machine.”). Treat as a boost mode for resistive loads; it is not a conventional motor-start surge rating and should not be read as one.
- DELTA 3, surge: Surge 3600W
- AC180, recharge: Bluetti publishes a 0–80% time (45 minutes), not a full-charge time.
- DELTA 3, full recharge: With the 1,500 W AC input setting.
- AC180, cell chemistry: LiFePO₄ (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
- DELTA 3, cell chemistry: LFP (LiFePO4 battery)
- AC180, cycle life: 3,500+ Cycles to 80% Original Capacity
- DELTA 3, cycle life: 4000 cycles to 80+% capacity
- DELTA 3, UPS switchover: Stated as under 10 ms; an upper bound.
- AC180, expandable: Bluetti’s B-series batteries can charge the AC180 but do not extend its capacity as a single system.
- DELTA 3, expandable: Up to 5kWh
- AC180, solar input: Solar Input: 500W Max., VOC 12-60VDC, 10A
- DELTA 3, solar input: DC Charge Input, 11V-60V 500W Max
- AC180, AC input: Turbo Mode figure from SPECS > INPUT.
- DELTA 3, AC input: 1500W
- AC180, AC outlets: From SPECS > OUTPUT.
- DELTA 3, AC outlets: 6 outlets, 1800W total (Surge 3600W)
- AC180, USB-C: From SPECS > OUTPUT.
- DELTA 3, USB-C: 2 ports, 100W Max
- AC180, app: Bluetooth only; the page does not claim Wi-Fi.
- DELTA 3, app: APP (TOU / Storm Warning Alert)
- DELTA 3, noise: Stated as under 30 dB at 600 W output and under 40 dB at 1,200 W; an upper bound at a stated load.
- AC180, warranty: From SPECS > GENERAL.
- DELTA 3, warranty: 5 years
- AC180, weight: Bluetti’s page gives 35.3 lb in the spec table and 37 lb in the description; we use the spec table.
- DELTA 3, weight: Manufacturer states ‘approx.’
- AC180, price: Manufacturer price when checked; no separate list price was shown.
- DELTA 3, price: Manufacturer list price when checked; on sale at $569 that day.
The same specs, normalized
Ratios, so the bigger unit does not win by default.
| Measure | AC180 | DELTA 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per watt-hour | $0.43/Wh ✓ | $0.68/Wh |
| Watt-hours per pound | 32.6 Wh/lb | 37.1 Wh/lb ✓ |
| Surge headroom | Not comparable — the AC180 figure is a boost-mode rating, not a motor-start surge. | |
| Recharge rate | Not comparable — Bluetti does not state a full-recharge time for the AC180. | |
| Rated cycle life | 3,500 | 4,000 ✓ |
| Continuous watts per dollar | 3.61 W/$ ✓ | 2.58 W/$ |
Definitions and direction of each ratio: How we verify.
What each one runs, for how long
| Appliance | AC180 | DELTA 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Full-size refrigerator 150 W, 900 W start, 35% duty · eff. 80%–87% |
18–19 hr | 16–17 hr |
| Mini fridge 70 W, 400 W start, 30% duty · eff. 70%–82% |
38–45 hr | 34–40 hr |
| CPAP without humidifier 40 W · eff. 70%–82% |
20–24 hr | 18–21 hr |
| CPAP with heated humidifier 95 W · eff. 80%–87% |
9.7–10.5 hr | 8.6–9.4 hr |
| Gas furnace blower 400 W, 1600 W start, 40% duty · eff. 85%–90% |
6.1–6.5 hr | 5.4–5.8 hr |
| 1/3 hp sump pump 500 W, 1800 W start, 15% duty · eff. 85%–90% |
13–14 hr (start-up not assessed) | about 12 hr |
| Router and modem 20 W · eff. 70%–82% |
40–47 hr | 36–42 hr |
| Laptop 60 W · eff. 70%–82% |
13–16 hr | 12–14 hr |
| 1500W space heater 1500 W · eff. 82%–88% |
0.6–0.7 hr | about 0.6 hr |
Calculated, not measured: hours = rated Wh × efficiency ÷ (appliance W × duty); assumptions on How we verify. “Unlikely to start”: start-up surge exceeds the stated surge rating. “Start-up not assessed” appears where the start-up draw meets or exceeds the unit’s continuous rating and the unit states no conventional motor-start surge to check it against (AC180); the hours assume the motor starts.
What the differences mean
Price per watt-hour. At the list prices we checked, the AC180 costs $0.43/Wh against $0.68/Wh for the DELTA 3. At list the AC180 is $200 cheaper ($499 vs $699) for 1,152 Wh vs 1,024 Wh. Prices move with sales; the ratio moves with them.
Weight for the capacity. The DELTA 3 carries 37.1 Wh/lb against 32.6 Wh/lb for the AC180. Both are two-hands-and-a-flat-surface units; the difference matters if the unit moves between car, porch and basement.
Cycle rating. The DELTA 3 is rated for 4,000 cycles against 3,500 for the AC180, both to the same remaining-capacity threshold — otherwise we would not compare them. At one full cycle a week the difference is measured in years, not months; at occasional outage use neither limit is reached.
Output for the money. 3.61 W/$ on the AC180 against 2.58 W/$ on the DELTA 3: this is the ratio to read if your outage plan is one big appliance, not many small ones.
Which one, and for whom
On normalized measures the two split evenly: the AC180 leads on cost per watt-hour ($0.43/Wh vs $0.68/Wh) and continuous watts per dollar (3.61 W/$ vs 2.58 W/$); the DELTA 3 leads on watt-hours per pound (37.1 Wh/lb vs 32.6 Wh/lb) and rated cycle life (4,000 vs 3,500). The deciding figure is the one your own outage will test first:
- CPAP overnight. Switchover: AC180 no UPS figure stated, DELTA 3 under 10 ms. A 40 W CPAP runs roughly 20–24 hr on the AC180 and 18–21 hr on the DELTA 3. Both run the night; the AC180 states no UPS figure, which matters more overnight than the hour difference.
- Keeping a refrigerator cold. The compressor has to start before hours matter. The AC180 states a boost figure rather than a motor-start surge rating; the DELTA 3 states a 3,600 W surge rating. A full-size refrigerator needs about 900 W to start.
- A multi-day outage with a generator or solar to recharge from. Full recharge: AC180 0–80% in 45 min (no full-charge time stated), DELTA 3 56 min. These are not comparable: Bluetti states no full-charge time for the AC180.
Check the current price
Links go to the exact base unit we compared, not a bundle. Amazon prices change daily.
Related reading
A 1,024–1,152 Wh battery cannot do what a gasoline generator does — the runtime table shows a 1,500 W space heater emptying either unit in 0.6–0.7 hr — but it also cannot poison a household. How often gasoline generators kill indoors — and how the official count keeps being revised — is documented in our CPSC revision matrix, and this page puts every verified unit on the same refrigerator scenario.
Other comparisons with these models
Ordering before a storm? Check the arrival date at checkout — a unit that ships tomorrow can beat a better one that ships next week. Amazon Prime includes fast delivery on eligible items and starts with a free trial; we earn a commission if you join.
Sources and method
- Bluetti AC180: manufacturer product page, checked 2026-08-23.
- EcoFlow DELTA 3: manufacturer product page, checked 2026-08-23.
Published specifications only; no bench tests. Method: How we verify. More: Comparisons.