EcoFlow River 3 Plus Review: Now that’s a winner

Published: Mar 06, 2025, 6:14 AM 

EcoFlow’s River 3 Series has been around for some time, and we’ve had the opportunity to test the two standard models: the River 3 (check out our full EcoFlow River 3 review) and the River 3 Plus, which offers a higher 286Wh capacity. The latter now features expansion ports, with EcoFlow selling additional batteries that help users upgrade to the EcoFlow River 3 Max or the River 3 Max Plus (more on that follows).

After putting the unit through extensive testing for everyday home use, it's time to share what we found.

The EcoFlow River 3 Plus closely resembles its non-Plus relative, following the same design with a built-in handle on the rear. While it's slightly larger and heavier — weighing in at 10.36 lb (~4.7 kg) with dimensions of 9.21 x 9.13 x 5.75 in (234 x 232 x 146 mm) — the sturdy handle helps balance the weight, making it easy to carry around. 

Here's a breakdown of the River 3 Plus's ports:

2x USB-A ports (12W max per port, 24W total)

1x USB-C port (100W max)

1x Car outlet (12.6V / 10 A, 126W max)

3x AC outlets (600W total output)

Like most portable power stations, the device features an LCD screen on the front, but this one is noticeably brighter than most we’ve encountered. No more squinting to read the screen in bright sunlight, so kudos to EcoFlow for that!

Large and modern-looking, the screen provides real-time details about input and output wattage, UPS status, and more. Unlike the standard River 3, this model comes with a built-in light unit on the front with two brightness levels and an SOS mode — a welcome addition for campers. Moreover, you have two ventilation grills on each side. On the back, you can find all available charging ports, plus two AC outlets.

Given its relatively affordable asking price, it’s no surprise that the portable power station has a plastic design. It’s not some kind of cheap material, though, and the unit looks pretty well-designed overall. Contrary to the standard River 3, this variant doesn’t collect fingerprints on the top side as easily, which is another welcome upgrade.

Speaking of appreciated changes, the River 3 Plus has expandable capacity. The model supports the EcoFlow EB300 (286Wh) and the EB600 expansion batteries, providing more reliability and extended runtime. With the EB300, you transform the station into the River 3 Max model, while the larger expansion battery gives you the EcoFlow River 3 Max Plus. The battery expansion port is placed on the bottom side of the unit.

The River 3 Plus delivers 600W total AC pure sine wave output. Through the EcoFlow app, however, you can enable the X-Boost technology, which lets you power appliances with higher wattage requirements (up to 1200W). Inside, the compact power station features LiFePO4 battery cells, rated for a 10-year lifespan (up to 3,000 cycles) before capacity drops to 80%.

How to recharge the River 3 Plus? You can use mains electricity with the provided AC cable, vehicles (again, you get the cable in the box), solar power (up to 220W), or gas generators. For the latter, simply connect the provided AC cable to the generator’s standard AC socket. Moreover, you can transform your power station into a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) unit with switchover times of <10 ms via the included USB-B port.