ActiveOutdoorsBioLite SolarPanel10+ review: a reliable solar panel-meets-portable batteryWith a solar panel that harvests energy for its built-in portable battery the BioLite SolarPanel10+ quickly refuels your tech when you need itWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Jamie Carter)T3 VerdictThe BioLite SolarPanel10+ is perfect for camping, hiking and just for keeping your gadgets charged-up on sunny days outdoors. Its 10W solar panel works well, it’s easy to use, has a rugged design and, crucially, has a portable battery inside so you can even use it at night.Reasons to buy+Built-in 3,200mAh battery+Recharges devices quickly+Simple rugged design+Lightweight and portableReasons to avoid-Uses micro USB-Low capacity battery-Needs aligning-Requires patienceWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
ActiveOutdoorsBioLite SolarPanel10+ review: a reliable solar panel-meets-portable batteryWith a solar panel that harvests energy for its built-in portable battery the BioLite SolarPanel10+ quickly refuels your tech when you need itWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Jamie Carter)T3 VerdictThe BioLite SolarPanel10+ is perfect for camping, hiking and just for keeping your gadgets charged-up on sunny days outdoors. Its 10W solar panel works well, it’s easy to use, has a rugged design and, crucially, has a portable battery inside so you can even use it at night.Reasons to buy+Built-in 3,200mAh battery+Recharges devices quickly+Simple rugged design+Lightweight and portableReasons to avoid-Uses micro USB-Low capacity battery-Needs aligning-Requires patienceWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
With a solar panel that harvests energy for its built-in portable battery the BioLite SolarPanel10+ quickly refuels your tech when you need it
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)T3 VerdictThe BioLite SolarPanel10+ is perfect for camping, hiking and just for keeping your gadgets charged-up on sunny days outdoors. Its 10W solar panel works well, it’s easy to use, has a rugged design and, crucially, has a portable battery inside so you can even use it at night.Reasons to buy+Built-in 3,200mAh battery+Recharges devices quickly+Simple rugged design+Lightweight and portableReasons to avoid-Uses micro USB-Low capacity battery-Needs aligning-Requires patience
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
T3 VerdictThe BioLite SolarPanel10+ is perfect for camping, hiking and just for keeping your gadgets charged-up on sunny days outdoors. Its 10W solar panel works well, it’s easy to use, has a rugged design and, crucially, has a portable battery inside so you can even use it at night.Reasons to buy+Built-in 3,200mAh battery+Recharges devices quickly+Simple rugged design+Lightweight and portableReasons to avoid-Uses micro USB-Low capacity battery-Needs aligning-Requires patience
T3 VerdictThe BioLite SolarPanel10+ is perfect for camping, hiking and just for keeping your gadgets charged-up on sunny days outdoors. Its 10W solar panel works well, it’s easy to use, has a rugged design and, crucially, has a portable battery inside so you can even use it at night.
T3 Verdict
The BioLite SolarPanel10+ is perfect for camping, hiking and just for keeping your gadgets charged-up on sunny days outdoors. Its 10W solar panel works well, it’s easy to use, has a rugged design and, crucially, has a portable battery inside so you can even use it at night.
Reasons to buy+Built-in 3,200mAh battery+Recharges devices quickly+Simple rugged design+Lightweight and portableReasons to avoid-Uses micro USB-Low capacity battery-Needs aligning-Requires patience
Reasons to buy+Built-in 3,200mAh battery+Recharges devices quickly+Simple rugged design+Lightweight and portable
Built-in 3,200mAh battery
Recharges devices quickly
Simple rugged design
Lightweight and portable
Reasons to avoid-Uses micro USB-Low capacity battery-Needs aligning-Requires patience
Uses micro USB
Low capacity battery
Needs aligning
Requires patience
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
The BioLite SolarPanel10+ on review here may be all about the 10W solar panel at its core, but it’s special because it also masquerades as a portable battery ripe for recharging a smartphone. With a rugged design, a travel-friendly size and a built-in battery, the BioLite SolarPanel10+ is perfect for hiking trips, camping weekends and any kind of foray into the off-grid world where you need to recharge personal devices.
BioLite is known for making cleverly designed products for cooking, lighting, and providing power when you’re going off-grid. Its devices appear in ourbest power bankandbest camping stoveguides already, so is the SolarPanel10+ good enough to rank amongst today’sbest solar chargers, too? I’ve been testing one out to see. Read on for my full BioLite SolarPanel10+ review.
BioLite SolarPanel10+ review: price and release date
Although it’s been on sale for a few years the BioLite SolarPanel10+ was upgraded during 2021, taking its 3,000mAh battery to 3,200mAh. It sells on theBiolite websitefor UK£129.99 / US$139.95, which is around AUS$189.
BioLite SolarPanel10+ review: design
BioLite SolarPanel10+ review: specsPower:10WSize:259x208x23 mm/10.2x8.2x0.9 inchesWeight:550g/19.4 ozConnections:micro USB, USB-ABattery:3,200 mAh
Power:10WSize:259x208x23 mm/10.2x8.2x0.9 inchesWeight:550g/19.4 ozConnections:micro USB, USB-ABattery:3,200 mAh
Power:10WSize:259x208x23 mm/10.2x8.2x0.9 inchesWeight:550g/19.4 ozConnections:micro USB, USB-ABattery:3,200 mAh
Power:10WSize:259x208x23 mm/10.2x8.2x0.9 inchesWeight:550g/19.4 ozConnections:micro USB, USB-ABattery:3,200 mAh
However, what really makes the BioLite SolarPanel10+ different to most of its rivals is its built-in 3,200mAh lithium-ion battery. Its cells are arranged in a ridge along the back of the top of the BioLite SolarPanel10+, so it doesn’t much affect the product’s sleek packed design.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
BioLite SolarPanel10+ review: features and what’s new
The BioLite SolarPanel10+’s key feature has to be that newly-increased capacity built-in battery, which comes with both a 5V/2.4-amp USB-A slot (for attaching any charging cable you want to a smartphone or tablet) and a micro USB slot (for charging the battery itself from the wall, which is a good idea before setting out on a trip). Both charging slots are hidden behind pop-out silicon rubber flaps, which round-off an excellent outdoor-centric design.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
The battery’s presence means that when you fold-out and set-up the solar panel, and then attach a smartphone, it’s not actually charging your smartphone directly, but its battery. That means no interruption in charging when, for instance, the Sun goes behind a cloud.
On the battery are four LEDs that show how full it is, or otherwise; 25%, 50%, 75% or 100%. Those lights blink as it charges so you can easily see how charged-up it is and whether it’s currently charging.
BioLite SolarPanel10+ review: performance
Even when set-up in blazing sunshine it’s necessary to aim the BioLite SolarPanel10+ at the Sun. That may sound obvious, but the Earth moves at 18,000mph so it does need moving every 30 minutes or so. There’s a helpful sundial-style aiming device in the top corner so you can get maximum solar power.
Do that and the BioLite SolarPanel10+ refills its battery from its solar panel relatively quickly.
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
However, since it’s got a battery the best way to use it is to put it out in the sunshine with your smartphone cabled-up to it, but placed behind it in its shade (things can get pretty hot!). It will then recharge your smartphone using its battery then continue to charge it with sunshine. If you can it’s best to then just leave the BioLite SolarPanel10+ back at camp to recharge it completely while you go out for the day (though you will lose about 30% of its performance once its sundial goes out of alignment).
In my test – a sunny spring day with plenty of clouds – it took six hours to put 80% charge into a 10,000mAh portable battery before dark clouds rolled in, which was impressive. Although I did re-align the solar panel to maximise performance, I only did so occasionally.
BioLite SolarPanel10+ review: alternatives to consider
A very similar portable solar panel to the BioLite SolarPanel10+ is theGoal Zero Nomad 10, which produces the same power though it lacks a built-in battery. Not so the Powertraveller Kestrel 40, a slightly more powerful 12W solar panel with a huge built-in 10,000mAh battery.
BioLite SolarPanel10+ review: verdict
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
(Image credit: Jamie Carter)
My only slight concern is that the built-in battery is a little small, though physically it’s about the limit to keep the BioLite SolarPanel10+ sleek enough for travel. If you’re after a simple, reliable and versatile solar panel for going off-grid with a smartphone then the BioLite SolarPanel10+ comes fully recommended.
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