While these terms are often used interchangeably, and are called different things by different manufacturers, for the purposes of Outdoor Life's coverage, we're defining them as follows: 1. Portable Solar Panels: Large folding panels that must be paired with a power station 2. Solar Chargers: Smaller panels that can. I called in 13 different solar chargers from nine different manufacturers for testing. The main criteria was that it be a portable panel that you can use to. The best solar charger for your needs depends on a number of factors, including your budget, your power needs, and the available sunlight in the region. After using several models over the course of several months, I provided the above recommendations based.