Home batteries for renters: What you need to know

When the power goes out, it's not just the lights that go dark—it's your fridge, your Wi-Fi, your phone charger, or maybe even critical medical devices. Solutions like the Tesla Powerwall battery require professional installation, permits, and your landlord's blessing. But a new generation of plug-in batteries is changing that, putting backup power and electricity savings within reach for the tens of millions of Americans who rent.

Whether you want to secure backup power during outages or simply lower your electricity usage during peak demand hours to save money, there is a battery option for you.

Most home energy storage systems are hardwired directly into your electrical panel. A licensed electrician installs them, connects them to your home's circuits, and in many cases, pairs them with solar panels to maximize savings. They're powerful, efficient, and built to power a large portion of your home during an outage. But, they're also a significant investment, both financially and logistically. The average home battery installation costs $15,228 in 2026 before any available incentives.

Plug-in batteries work differently. You plug them into a standard wall outlet and connect your essential appliances (refrigerator, Wi-Fi router, computer, etc.) directly to the battery. That's it. No electrician, no permit, no landlord sign-off. And when you move, the battery moves with you.

The trade-off is capacity: plug-in batteries generally store less energy than whole-home systems and typically can't power your entire house. But for keeping the essentials running during an outage—or trimming your electric bill by charging at off-peak hours and discharging when rates spike—they've become a genuinely compelling option.

Patrick Anderson, one half of the clean energy YouTube channel The Electric Duo, told EnergySage that he uses a small portable battery to power his San Diego home office.

"It charges up at midnight, and it usually only takes 30 minutes to an hour to charge back up because we don't use it a ton. But the timer shuts off at 6:00 a.m., and then the entire day our home office is powered by that relatively small 2.6 kilowatt-hour battery," he said.

There are two primary reasons why you'd want a plug-in battery: to lower your electric bill and to add resiliency.

Lower your electric bill

How can a plug-in battery lower your electric bill? Many areas of the U.S. have time-of-use (TOU) rates or demand charges that make you pay more for electricity during peak hours. For example, your rates may go up during hot afternoons when everyone is cranking the AC.

With a plug-in battery, you can charge it at night when electricity is cheaper and use it to run devices when electricity costs more. Essentially, it's a form of energy arbitrage that lets you pay less for the same amount of energy.

“With a relatively small battery, it doesn't save me a ton of money—we'll say maybe 40 cents per day. But it feels good to me to know that at least I'm saving a little bit, and eventually it'll pay off after a few years," said Anderson.

Add resiliency

Ask anyone who's ever stared at a closed refrigerator wondering whether the food inside has spoiled—backup power has real value.

"It's too late to think about backup power once the storm's already here and the power's out," said Chad Conway, who helped design the Pila plug-in battery. Conway explained that plug-in batteries differ from standard backup power banks or generators you could get at the hardware store.

"When the storm comes, charging your battery is not top of mind. It's not the thing you necessarily think about. The cool thing with plug-in batteries is that they help you every day. So Pila charges when energy is least expensive or most sustainable, and then it can discharge into your appliances when energy is expensive, least renewable, and [least] sustainable. It's working every day, and that way, when there's a storm, it's ready," he said.

Just keep in mind that the more devices you run (and the higher their energy consumption), the shorter your plug-in battery will last during an outage.

Plug-in batteries are a great fit for many people, but not everyone. Before deciding, ask yourself:

1. How much backup power do you actually need? If you want to keep your whole home running during an outage, a plug-in battery probably won't cut it. A home energy storage system paired with solar is the better choice. But if your goal is to keep your refrigerator cold, your phone charged, and your Wi-Fi alive, a plug-in battery can absolutely handle that.

2. Do you pay time-of-use rates? If your utility charges more for electricity at certain times of day, a plug-in battery that automatically charges during cheap hours and discharges during expensive ones can meaningfully reduce your bills.

3. Do you experience power outages? The more frequently you lose power, the more valuable a backup battery becomes. Even a single unit keeping your fridge and Wi-Fi running can make a multi-day outage manageable.

4. Do you rent or move frequently? Plug-in batteries are the rare home energy product you can actually take with you. No installation means no attachment to the property, and no money left behind.

More and more companies are starting to launch plug-in battery solutions—here are the key things you should consider before choosing which is best for you:

Plug-in batteries are not yet widely available, but the following companies all offer products that you can either purchase or pre-order/reserve now.

Pila Energy

The Pila battery plugs into a standard wall outlet and your appliances plug into it. It charges automatically when electricity is cheapest or most renewable and discharges during expensive peak hours without any manual intervention. It also comes with an LCD screen so you can monitor it even without internet access, a cellular backup connection, and a proprietary mesh network that allows multiple units to communicate with each other.

"Two, three, four, five Pilas can all work together to power your specific appliances that are plugged into them during an outage," Conway explained. "But on a day-to-day basis, they work together to save you energy." That mesh capability effectively lets a handful of smaller batteries behave like one large one—and Pila is already exploring participation in virtual power plant (VPP) programs, which could earn you utility incentives on top of your energy savings.

Pila can also connect to a solar inverter to charge from excess solar generation. The average Pila customer buys about 1.5 units, starting with one and expanding from there. At $1,299 per unit, it's a significant step up in sophistication from a standard portable power station—and a significant step down in cost from a home battery installation.

Blip

Blip Energy set out to build a smart plug-in home battery that works for renters, apartment dwellers, and anyone else who's been left out of the home energy storage conversation. The blipOne is a compact LFP battery—the chemistry known for longer lifespans and better safety—that plugs into a standard wall outlet and connects to your home WiFi.

From there, it uses your utility rate data to automatically charge when electricity is cheapest and discharge when rates spike, saving you money without you ever having to think about it. During an outage, it can power a refrigerator for 24-36 hours or keep a modem, router, and laptop running for about a week. The company is also exploring participation in virtual power plants, positioning fleets of blipOne units as a grid-edge resource for utilities.

Blip is currently advancing through the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2) program, and is not yet widely available for purchase. Check blipenergy.com for the latest on availability.

WATTS

The WATTS Battery takes a Lego-like approach to home energy storage. Each module stores 1.2 kWh of energy and delivers up to 1.5 kW of peak power—and modules stack together easily, so you can scale your system to match your needs. Stack enough of them, and you can build a surprisingly capable home backup system without a single permit or electrician.

The batteries can charge from a standard wall outlet or directly from solar panels, making them a flexible option for renters and homeowners alike. Each unit can also be picked up and relocated as your needs change.

WATTS Battery is a California-based B Corp with a distributor model. Check the EnergySage Buyer's Guide for more information on their products and where to purchase.

EcoFlow

EcoFlow makes a range of portable power stations suited for everything from camping to home backup. Their DELTA series units offer multiple AC charging ports, USB connections, and compatibility with EcoFlow's portable solar panels—a major advantage during prolonged outages when grid power isn't available. Models vary in capacity and price, generally ranging from around $1,000 to $3,000. EcoFlow products are widely available and can be purchased directly through EcoFlow or major retailers.

Portable power battery options

The broader category of portable power stations—units from brands like Jackery, Bluetti, and Goal Zero—represents the most accessible entry point into plug-in battery backup. These units typically range from $500 to $1,500, offer multiple outlet types, and are light enough to move around your home or take on a trip.

The main drawback: Unlike smart plug-in batteries, most portable power stations don't automatically charge on a schedule or integrate with utility rate data. So, you'll need to remember to keep them charged.

A plug-in battery can save you money on its own, but enrolling it in a virtual power plant (VPP) program or pairing it will solar panels can maximize your savings.

VPPs coordinate networked batteries across thousands of homes to support the grid during peak stress—and utilities often pay participants for the privilege. Historically, VPP programs have been limited to homeowners with professionally installed systems. But smart plug-in batteries like Pila are changing that.

The best energy setup? Pairing your smart battery with solar. If you have rooftop solar, some smart batteries can connect to your solar inverter to charge from excess solar generation throughout the day, reducing how much power you draw from the grid. More portable battery units can connect to portable solar panels, giving you a renewable recharge option even during a prolonged grid outage.