Head-to-head · checked 2026-09-03
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 vs C2000 Gen 2: which should you buy?
Buy the C1000 Gen 2 (£599) for fridge-plus-essentials backup at home. Buy the C2000 Gen 2 (£898.99) for campervans, power tools, or doubling to 4 kWh later. For small gear only, the C300 DC (£189) does the job for far less.
The verdict up front
The C1000 Gen 2 (£599) is the home-backup sweet spot: 1.02 kWh, 2,000W across 9 sockets, full recharge in 49 minutes. Enough for a fridge, lights and router through a typical outage.
The C2000 Gen 2 (£898.99) is the bigger, more versatile box: 2.05 kWh, 2,400W, a campervan socket, engine charging, and an add-on battery taking it to 4 kWh. It is heavier (18.9 kg vs 11.3 kg) and £300 more.
Only pay for the C2000 if you will use the extra capacity, the campervan socket, or the expansion path. Otherwise the C1000 does the same home job for less.
Capacity and output: double the storage, more headroom
The C2000 holds exactly twice the usable energy (2.05 vs 1.02 kWh) and can double again to 4 kWh with the BP2000 add-on, while the C1000's size is fixed. In practice: the C1000 covers an evening of essentials, the C2000 covers that plus power-hungry jobs.
Output tells the same story: 2,000W steady (3,000W peaks) against 2,400W steady (4,000W peaks). Both run kettles and microwaves; the C2000 has more headroom for tools and overlapping loads.
Charging: wall, solar, car and cheap overnight power
Both charge fast from a wall socket. The C1000 refills in 49 minutes, the quickest in its size class. The C2000 adds more ways in: solar panels (800W max), a 12V car socket, a generator, and an 800W alternator charger that tops it up while you drive a campervan.
The C2000's standout is its cheap-tariff mode: charge overnight on cheap electricity and run things by day. It is the closest a portable box gets to battery economics, though it still cannot feed your home wiring.
Backup behaviour: both switch in 10 milliseconds
Both keep plugged-in gear running in a power cut with a 10-millisecond switchover, so routers and computers stay up. The C2000 adds storm mode, which pre-charges the box when bad weather is forecast.
Neither box is weatherproof for a permanent outdoor install, and neither is a fixed home battery: no fuse-box wiring, no grid feed. For the full boundary, see our portable-vs-plug-in guide.
Price and the cheaper third option
At £599 vs £898.99, the C2000 costs 50% more for roughly twice the storage plus the campervan kit and expansion path. Fair value if you camp, tour or run a workshop. It is overkill if you just want the fridge to survive a blackout.
And if even the C1000 is more than you need, the C300 DC (£189) handles phones, laptops and lights in a box a third of the weight. Match the box to the job, not the spec sheet.
Questions people ask
Which is better value, the C1000 Gen 2 or C2000 Gen 2?
The C1000 Gen 2 at £599. The C2000 Gen 2 costs £898.99. It is worth it only if you need the extra capacity, output or campervan features.
Do they work as home backup in a power cut?
Both switch to backup in 10 milliseconds, so computers and routers stay up. The C2000 adds a storm mode that pre-charges before bad weather.
Is there a cheaper Anker option for small gear?
The C300 DC (£189): 0.288 kWh and 300W for phones, laptops and lights. It cannot run a fridge or power tools.
Can either one power my house wiring?
No. Both are portable boxes with their own sockets. Neither feeds your home wiring, so neither cuts energy bills on its own.
Sources and further reading
- Anker SOLIX UK — C1000 Gen 2 product page1.02 kWh, 2,000W, 49-minute recharge, 4,000 cycles
- Anker SOLIX UK — C2000 Gen 2 product page2.05 kWh, 2,400W, BP2000 add-on, campervan charging
- Anker SOLIX UK — C300 DC product page0.288 kWh, 300W, 140W charging, £179.00
- Amazon UK — Anker SOLIX C1000 and C2000 listingsExact-model listings, live checked 3 September 2026