Bluetti AC180 vs EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus: cheaper per watt-hour vs lighter per watt-hour

Specifications checked against manufacturer pages on 2026-08-23.

The Bluetti AC180 (1,152 Wh, 1,800 W) and the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus (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 $0.78/Wh); the DELTA 3 Plus 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 $0.78/Wh) and continuous watts per dollar (3.61 W/$ vs 2.25 W/$); the DELTA 3 Plus 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.

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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 Plus
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 1,000 W17 ✓
Max AC charging input 1,440 W18 1,500 W19 ✓
AC outlets 420 621 ✓
Highest USB-C port 100 W22 140 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 ✓ $79932

* Calculated: rated capacity × an assumed 85–90% conversion efficiency; no maker publishes a usable figure.

Notes on the figures

  1. AC180, rated capacity: 1,152Wh (AC180) / 1,440Wh (AC180P)
  2. DELTA 3 Plus, rated capacity: 1024Wh
  3. AC180, continuous output: 4 x 120V/15A 1800W In Total
  4. DELTA 3 Plus, continuous output: 1800W
  5. 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.
  6. DELTA 3 Plus, surge: EcoFlow’s X-Boost raises sustained output to 2,200 W for resistive loads; 3,600 W is the surge figure. The two are different things.
  7. AC180, recharge: Bluetti publishes a 0–80% time (45 minutes), not a full-charge time.
  8. DELTA 3 Plus, full recharge: With the 1,500 W AC input setting.
  9. AC180, cell chemistry: LiFePO₄ (Lithium Iron Phosphate)
  10. DELTA 3 Plus, cell chemistry: Third-gen LiFePO4 (LFP) cells offer fast charging without sacrificing longevity.
  11. AC180, cycle life: 3,500+ Cycles to 80% Original Capacity
  12. DELTA 3 Plus, cycle life: With 4000 cycles to 80% capacity, enjoy up to 10 years of reliable use, 25% above the industry standard.
  13. DELTA 3 Plus, UPS switchover: Stated as under 10 ms; an upper bound.
  14. AC180, expandable: Bluetti’s B-series batteries can charge the AC180 but do not extend its capacity as a single system.
  15. DELTA 3 Plus, expandable: up to 5kWh expandable
  16. AC180, solar input: Solar Input: 500W Max., VOC 12-60VDC, 10A
  17. DELTA 3 Plus, solar input: 2 ports, DC Charge Input, 11V-60V 500W Max*2
  18. AC180, AC input: Turbo Mode figure from SPECS > INPUT.
  19. DELTA 3 Plus, AC input: 1500W
  20. AC180, AC outlets: From SPECS > OUTPUT.
  21. DELTA 3 Plus, AC outlets: 6 outlets, 1800W total (Surge 3600W)
  22. AC180, USB-C: From SPECS > OUTPUT.
  23. DELTA 3 Plus, USB-C: 2 ports, 140W Max
  24. AC180, app: Bluetooth only; the page does not claim Wi-Fi.
  25. DELTA 3 Plus, app: APP (TOU / Storm Warning Alert)
  26. DELTA 3 Plus, 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.
  27. AC180, warranty: From SPECS > GENERAL.
  28. DELTA 3 Plus, warranty: 5 years
  29. AC180, weight: Bluetti’s page gives 35.3 lb in the spec table and 37 lb in the description; we use the spec table.
  30. DELTA 3 Plus, weight: Manufacturer states ‘approx.’
  31. AC180, price: Manufacturer price when checked; no separate list price was shown.
  32. DELTA 3 Plus, price: Manufacturer list price when checked; on sale at $669 that day.

The same specs, normalized

Ratios, so the bigger unit does not win by default.

Measure AC180 DELTA 3 Plus
Cost per watt-hour $0.43/Wh ✓ $0.78/Wh
Watt-hours per pound 32.6 Wh/lb 37.1 Wh/lb ✓
Surge headroom Not comparable — the AC180 figure is a boost-mode rating, not a motor-start surge.
Recharge rate Not comparable — Bluetti does not state a full-recharge time for the AC180.
Rated cycle life 3,500 4,000 ✓
Continuous watts per dollar 3.61 W/$ ✓ 2.25 W/$

Definitions and direction of each ratio: How we verify.

What each one runs, for how long

Appliance AC180 DELTA 3 Plus
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 $0.78/Wh for the DELTA 3 Plus. At list the AC180 is $300 cheaper ($499 vs $799) for 1,152 Wh vs 1,024 Wh. Prices move with sales; the ratio moves with them.

Weight for the capacity. The DELTA 3 Plus 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 Plus 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 2.25 W/$ on the DELTA 3 Plus: if what you need is to run a high-draw appliance rather than to run a small one for days, this ratio is the one to read.

Which one, and for whom

On normalized measures the two split evenly: the AC180 leads on cost per watt-hour ($0.43/Wh vs $0.78/Wh) and continuous watts per dollar (3.61 W/$ vs 2.25 W/$); the DELTA 3 Plus leads on watt-hours per pound (37.1 Wh/lb vs 32.6 Wh/lb) and rated cycle life (4,000 vs 3,500). What decides it is the figure your outage actually tests:

  • CPAP overnight. Switchover: AC180 no UPS figure stated, DELTA 3 Plus under 10 ms. A 40 W CPAP runs roughly 20–24 hr on the AC180 and 18–21 hr on the DELTA 3 Plus. Both run the night; the AC180 states no UPS figure, which matters more overnight than the hour difference.
  • Keeping a refrigerator cold. Start-up comes first. The AC180 states a boost figure rather than a motor-start surge rating; the DELTA 3 Plus 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 Plus 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. Our CPSC revision matrix tracks how the official count of generator carbon-monoxide deaths has changed across report editions, and this page puts every verified unit on the same refrigerator scenario.

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

Published specifications only; no bench tests. Method: How we verify. More: Comparisons.