Power inverters turn car batteries into universal power supplies. By turning DC current into AC current, you can attach a power inverter to a car battery and use it to charge almost anything. This makes the power inverter ideal for RV and camping use.
When looking for a power inverter, you want to make sure you buy the best one for your needs. They come in a variety of watts, with 500 taking its place near the middle of the road. Prices for 500 Watt inverters vary greatly, from $36 to $94. However, most of them usually cost around $50.
Here, we will review five 500 watt power inverters, including the pros and cons of each one. Stay tuned for our top pick at the end.
COMPARISON CHART
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Bestek 500W Power Inverter
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Energizer 500 Watts Power Inverter
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Potek 500W Power Inverter
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VertaMax Pure Sine Wave 500 Watt
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BLACK+DECKER PI500B 500W Power Inverter
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1. Bestek 500W Power Inverter
The Bestek 500W power inverter gives its users 500 watts of continuous power while offering a peak power rating of 1000 watts. This double range helps protect devices from electrical overloads with plenty of safe space to operate in.
It features two 2.4A Smart USB charging ports and two 110 volt AC power outlets. These ports allow for a total of four appliances to be used simultaneously. You can use the BESTEk to power a plethora of household appliances, from lights to laptops. The USB ports automatically adjust output levels to match your devices fast charging speeds.
Additionally, the inverter features several safety features to protect your devices from over/under voltage, over loads, short circuiting and overheating. Two 40A fuses help protect your devices. You can easily access and replace the fuses should the need arise. Externally, the inverter’s aluminum alloy shell offers both protection and a sleak, professional appearance.
With both alligator battery clips and cigarette port plug, you can use the inverter both in and out of your vehicle. If you need to use more than 150 Watts, do not use the cigarette lighter and instead connect directly to the battery.
PROS
- Excellent safety and protection features
- Aluminum alloy exterior
- Smart USB outlets
- Quiet cooling fan
CONS
- Uses Modified Sine Waves
2. Energizer 500 Watts Power Inverter
This modified sine wave power inverter turns 12 volt DC into 120 volt AC power to give you 500 watts of continuous power. It features four 2.4A USB ports and two 120 volt AC outlets. Energizer intends this product to power a variety of household appliances and chargers for devices such as laptops and cell phones.
Unfortunately, the max power rating tops out at 500 watts. This means that the device does not have a “peak power” rating beyond the continuous operating power. Therefore, it cannot handle additional power loads like some of the other inverters on our list.
This power inverter includes “smart chip protection” against low/high voltage, overloads, overheating and short circuiting. The ultra silent fan helps protect from overheating without producing bothersome noise pollution.
Like all the best power inverters, it comes with both the battery alligator clips and a cigarette port cable This allows you to operate the device in and out of your vehicle.
Energizer gives its inverter a two year warranty and customer support based in the United States. You can reach customer service via phone, email or live chat.
PROS
- 4 USB outlets
- Smart chip protection
- Two year warranty and lifetime customer support
- Super quiet fan
CONS
- No replaceable fuses
- Max 500 watt peak power
- Modified sine wave
3. Potek 500W Power Inverter
The Potek 500 watt power inverter converts 12 volts of DC into 110 volts of AC. While it has a continuous power rating of 500 watts, the Potek can provide a maximum of 600 watts continuous power for brief periods of time. Additionally, it offers a peak power rating of 1000 watts to give extra power when needed.
That huge amount of power comes with a safety guarantee. It features overload, overheating, short circuit and over/low battery protection. The Potek uses a built in cooling fan to protect from high temperatures. This fan only turns on at 200 watts or 104 degrees to provide a quiet environment up to that point.
With two 2.0A USB ports and two 110 volt outlets, this inverter can handle four devices at the same time. You can use many household appliances such as laptop and phone chargers, as well as lights, TVs and game consoles. Potek explicitly warns against using high power electric devices such as electric heaters, curling irons and hair dryers.
It features the standard battery alligator clips and cigarette plug cables for use in and out of your vehicle.
PROS
- High power rating
- Safety guarantee with 18 month warranty
- Digital display
- Lightweight and compact
CONS
- Low USB port output
- Some users report significant power draws when off
4. VertaMax Pure Sine Wave 500 Watt
The only pure sine power inverter on our list, the VertaMax supplies the same electrical power as the electrical grid. This allows you to operate any household electrical appliance so long as it does not exceed 500 watts of continuous power draw. It includes battery alligator clips and cables.
You can use pure sine wave power inverters for more devices, but that comes at an increased price. With a current MSRP of $93.99, the VertaMax tops our list as the most expensive power inverter listed. All other inverters retail for about half of that. It also weighs almost twice as much as other inverters at 3.49 pounds.
With a continuous rated power level at 500 watts, the VertaMax can handle peak surge levels of 1000 watts. It includes two 115 volt outlets and one 2.1A USB port. It has the least number of USB ports of all inverters on our list.
It includes two 30 amp fuses, both externally located for easy removal and replacement. These fuses help protect against reverse polarity. It also features short circuit, overload and low/high voltage protection. A built in cooling fan helps protect against overheating.
PROS
- Pure sine wave power for maximum usage capabilities
- One year warranty
- Excellent protection and easily replaceable fuses
CONS
- Expensive
- No cigarette plug
- Only one USB port
5.BLACK+DECKER PI500B 500W Power Inverter
The Black+Decker 500 watt power inverter features two 3.1A USB charging ports for fast charging of smartphones. The two 120 volt power outlets can handle household appliances such as device chargers, lights, TVs and game consoles.
It features battery alligator clips and a cigarette plug cable to maximize convenience. And at only one pound, it is the lightest power inverter on our list.
For a completely silent experience, it does not include a cooling fan. Other than a low voltage alarm to protect your battery, Black+Decker does not advertise any additional safety features for this inverter. It does, however, include a one year limited warranty.
User reactions seem more mixed than our other listed inverters. While some report years of use, it can fail without apparent cause for others.
PROS
- Extremely lightweight
- Best USB ports for maximum fast charging ability
- Entirely silent operating experience
- One year limited warranty
CONS
- Lack of apparent safety features results in failure for many customers
- Lack of fan may lead to overheating
What can you Power with a 500 Watt Power Inverter?
Most 500 watt power inverters can handle many household appliances. Many customer use inverters for TVs, gaming consoles, laptop and cell phone chargers, and lights. The majority of 500 watt inverters use modified sine waves and therefore cannot handle everything.
However, pure sine wave inverters can handle almost any household item, including more high energy devices. So long as the wattage of the appliances does not exceed 500 watts, your 500 watt inverter should handle it.
Do Power Inverters Kill Your Battery?
Since power inverters draw power from your battery, improper use could result in a dead battery. However, many power inverters feature safety precautions to keep this from happening. Low voltage alarms and shutoff measures will engage when the inverter detects low power levels in the battery.
Some power inverters draw power from the battery whenever they are plugged in, even while turned off. When you use a power inverter connected to a battery in a car, it will not drain the battery so long as the car is running. When looking into a power inverter, check to see how much power it draws while turned both on and off.
As a safety precaution, try to always disconnect the power inverter from the battery when not in use.
Conclusion: The Best 500 Watt Power Inverter
Of these five 500 watt power inverters, the Bestek 500W Power Inverter takes first place. Reasonably priced, it features all of the staples of the best power inverters with the only minor drawback of modified sine waves instead of pure sine waves. While pure is better, the inverters cost significantly more.
Bestek put top protection features which extend all the way to the aluminum cover. Overall, the Besek 500W power inverter gives users the best all around device at a reasonable price.
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