The best solar battery in 2024: Peak performance & price

Not everyone needs a home battery. But if you don't have access to a great net metering program, frequently experience power outages, or just want more independence from your utility company, they can be a great purchase. 

There are dozens of batteries to choose from––so how do you select the best one? It generally comes down to the battery's chemistry, performance, customization, warranty, and price. From there, you need to think about why you want a battery, and what you need to power with it. 

We'll walk you through our top solar battery picks: Any of them could be a great addition to your home, depending on your needs.

Our top battery picks

After reviewing dozens of batteries, we found five that stand out above the rest.

1. Duracell Power Center Max Hybrid

You've long been able to power your TV remote with Duracell batteries––now you can use them to power your entire home. Duracell is one of the most recognizable battery brands in the world, so it's no surprise that it offers a stellar home battery. 

There are a few key reasons why we chose the Duracell Power Center Max Hybrid as the best solar battery:

• It provides the highest continuous power, meaning you can power a lot of devices at once.

• If you're willing to buy multiple Power Center batteries, they'll power your home for days on end. 

• It's on the more affordable end of batteries, based on quotes through the EnergySage Marketplace. 

All-in-all, the Duracell Power Center is a top-tier battery. The only thing we don't love is that it can't be DC-coupled, so you'll lose some power during electricity inversions. Its starting size is also pretty big at 15 kWh, so if you don't need that much capacity, it might not be the right battery for you. 

2. HomeGrid Stack'd Series

You may not recognize the name HomeGrid, but the company makes a powerful battery that's particularly good for those interested in going off-grid. 

Here's why we like HomeGrid's Stack'd Series:

• It's the most scalable battery, with the highest maximum usable capacity (systems can be up to 476 kWh!). The average person won't need a battery system this big, but it's great if you have a large home and want to go off-grid. And, the scalability ensures you only pay for what you need even if you need much less than the maximum capacity.

• It's super efficient. As a DC-coupled battery with 98% efficiency, very little energy is lost. 

• It provides plenty of power––enough to run most household appliances at once.

Unfortunately, if you already have solar and want to add a battery, you should skip this one because it can only be DC-coupled. It also doesn't have the strongest warranty, guaranteeing only 60% of initial capacity by year 10. Other than that, HomeGrid's Stack'd Series is a solid pick. 

3. Villara VillaGrid

Villara's VillaGrid battery comes with the longest warranty (20 years!) thanks to its special battery chemistry (lithium titanium-oxide or LTO), which increases its recharge capabilities. The VillaGrid also doesn't contain any carbon, which makes it extra safe. But you shouldn't be worried about the safety of any of the batteries on our list––the rest use lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, which is also very stable. 

Our favorite things about the VillaGrid:

• It has the longest warranty, guaranteeing 70% of initial capacity at 20 years. 

• It offers the highest peak power output, making it a great choice if you have power-hungry appliances requiring a lot of start-up power.

• It's the most efficient battery on our list at 98.5% round-trip efficiency. 

The VillaGrid has a lot to offer, but it didn't come in at number one because it's the only battery out of our top five picks that can't support extended outages. Depending on what you're powering, you can drain the 11.5 kWh battery pretty quickly. Its LTO chemistry also makes it less power-dense than the average battery, so it takes up a fair amount of space. 

The VillaGrid can come with some sticker shock: It's more than double the cost of some batteries on our list, but it will also last twice as long. 

4. Savant Storage Power System

Savant is a luxury smart home company, offering products that make your home comfortable, convenient, and sustainable. Savant's Storage Power System integrates directly with its Power Modules (which make your electrical panel smart) and its Level 2 EV Charger for complete control over your home's energy use. 

But even if you don't plan on getting Savant's full product suite, its battery can still be worth it. All around, the Storage Power System is a solid battery choice. Here's why:

• It's very scalable, up to 180 kWh. Most people won't even need that much power. 

• It has very high peak and continuous power so you can power multiple devices at once.

• You can directly integrate it with Savant's product suite for luxury smart home living.

Like HomeGrid, you can't add the Savant Storage Power System to an existing solar panel system because it's DC-coupled. Its smallest usable capacity is also relatively large at 18 kWh, so it may provide more backup power than some homes need. These homeowners could save money by selecting a smaller battery.

5. Tesla Powerwall 3

Tesla recently replaced its Powerwall 2 with the Powerwall 3. So far, most installers and homeowners seem to love it. The Powerwall 3 uses LFP battery chemistry (the Powerwall 2 used NMC, which is less stable) and offers much higher power output. But the biggest update to the old battery is that the Powerwall 3 comes with an integrated hybrid inverter.

Many installers carry the Powerwall 3, so if you're interested, you shouldn't have any trouble installing it. 

Here's why we (and the industry as a whole) think the Tesla Powerwall 3 is a great choice:

• It has solid peak and continuous power ratings, providing ample power for most homes. 

• It can be DC or AC-coupled––but you'll get the most out of it if you DC-couple it with a new solar panel system because it comes with a built-in hybrid inverter. 

• It's relatively affordable.

If you have a shady roof and want panel-level optimization for your solar panel system (e.g., microinverters or power optimizers), you might consider skipping the Powerwall 3. You'll get the most out of the Powerwall 3 by DC-coupling it, which means using the Tesla hybrid inverter that comes with it.

To determine which solar batteries are best, we evaluated dozens of battery models quoted through the EnergySage Marketplace. Here's how we compared them:

Battery chemistry

A battery's chemistry refers to the primary compound used to store electricity inside the battery. It's arguably the most important characteristic to compare because it ultimately determines a lot of the battery's characteristics. 

Today, most home batteries use lithium-ion chemistry, which can be broken down into three primary categories: Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC), Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP), and Lithium Titanium Oxide (LTO).

Battery performance

You can think about a battery's performance in a few different ways: how much power it can provide at once, how much capacity it has to store power, and how efficient it is at supplying that power.

System configuration

A battery's coupling refers to its configuration relative to your solar inverter and electrical panel. There are two ways batteries can be coupled: alternating current (AC) coupling and direct current (DC) coupling.

Warranty

The primary metrics to look at when comparing battery warranties are the length and the end of warranty capacity. It's also worth checking if the warranty includes a throughput or cycles clause. 

Price

Batteries vary a lot in price. But generally it costs about $9,000 after the federal tax credit to install a 10 kWh battery that will back up your essential devices. 

Choosing a more expensive battery can be worth it: Villara's VillaGrid lasts twice as long as the average battery! Just make sure you understand why the battery is more expensive than average to ensure that it's worth it.

Top 10 solar batteries, compared

*Cost after installation for systems under 30 kWh, based on data from the EnergySage Marketplace. Cost applies to the brand, not to the individual battery model.

While we think the Duracell Power Center is the best battery overall, that doesn't mean it's right for you. Some batteries are ideal for certain setups, but won't work in others. It's important to choose the battery that's best for your home, considering your solar setup and why you want a battery.