Goal Zero Yeti 700 review

What it is and who it suits

The Yeti 700 is a sixth-generation compact station from Goal Zero. Its battery is 677.37 Wh of LiFePO4, rated by the maker for 4,000 cycles to 80 percent of original capacity. It suits a household that wants a router, lights, phones, a laptop or a small fridge covered through a short outage, and wants something it can also carry to a campsite.

This review is researched, not tested. It relies on Goal Zero's product page and Ready.gov.

Output: what 600 W will and will not run

Goal Zero lists the AC inverter as pure sine wave, 600 W continuous and 1,000 W surge at 115 V. Total combined output across all ports is listed at 850 W. That matches the 600 W AC and 1,000 W surge on our power station page. Check a device's rating label against 600 W before plugging it in, because anything above that is outside the listed range.

Other ports are two USB-A at 18 W each, one USB-C PD at 100 W, two USB-C QC at 30 W each and 12 V ports. A passthrough mode is listed with a 1,140 W maximum.

Backup runtime, with a caution

Goal Zero's own runtime list includes a 60 inch LED TV (80 W) for 7.2 hours, a CPAP (65 W) for 8.5 hours and a smartphone (12 Wh) for 48 recharges. It also says you can plug a full-size refrigerator in for up to eight hours of run time. Treat that as a best case. Our refrigerator guide shows how to check.

Ready.gov says a refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours without power. For powered medical gear, Ready.gov advises talking to your medical provider about a power outage plan. Our medical devices guide and CPAP battery page cover that ground.

Charging: the page gives two answers

The specification table lists AC fast charge at 500 W, taking 1.7 hours, and a default low-speed mode at 340 W, taking about 3 hours. The highlights text says 600 W input and under 2 hours. We would plan around the specification table, the lower figure. The unit ships in low input mode.

Solar input is listed at 200 W maximum, 3.8 hours in the table and 4 hours in the highlights. The car charger is listed at 6 hours in the table and 6.4 hours in the text.

Weather, storage and safety notes

The page lists charging at 32 to 125.6°F and discharging at -4 to 140°F, plus an IPX4 water-resistance rating. Goal Zero's FAQ says to avoid getting the unit wet or excessively dirty. The page says it passes testing for UL2743 requirements, but it does not give a listing number, so ask Goal Zero for the certificate if you need one.

The specification table lists a shelf life of 12 to 18 months without explaining the term. Ask Goal Zero what it means before leaving the unit untouched in a closet. The warranty is 5 years. Goal Zero's notices page lists recalls for the Yeti 3000X, Yeti Link and EC8 cables, and a 25 amp fast charger; none of them names the Yeti 700. Read our lithium battery fire safety guide for storage habits.

How it compares and who should skip it

On our comparison page, the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro lists 768 Wh, 800 W and 18.2 lb, so it gives more capacity and output at lower weight. The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 lists 1,070 Wh and 1,500 W at 23.8 lb, and the Anker SOLIX C1000 lists 1,056 Wh and 1,800 W. Goal Zero's own Yeti 1500 lists 1,505 Wh and 2,000 W at 52.75 lb. The Jackery Explorer 300 is far smaller at 292 Wh and 7.5 lb.

Skip it if you need to run a heater or other loads above 600 W, if you want a kilowatt-hour or more for a whole outage, or if you want the most capacity for the weight.

How much power does the Yeti 700 put out?

Goal Zero lists 600 W continuous and 1,000 W surge from the AC inverter, with 850 W total across all ports.

How fast does it recharge?

The spec table lists 1.7 hours on AC fast charge at 500 W and about 3 hours in the default low-speed mode. It lists 3.8 hours from 200 W of solar. The highlights text gives slightly different numbers.

Can it run a refrigerator?

Goal Zero says up to eight hours of run time for a full-size fridge. That is a best case. Ready.gov says a fridge stays cold for about four hours unaided, so check your fridge's load first.

Is it weatherproof?

It has an IPX4 rating, which is splash resistance. Goal Zero says to avoid getting it wet or excessively dirty, though it can be rinsed off. It is described as water resistant, not waterproof.