The Best Pure Sine Wave Inverters, from 600W up to 3000W

Buying the right solar setup is a step you can’t afford to scrimp on. And yet, unless you’re a tech-wizard or an electronics-enthusiast, just hearing the term ‘pure sine wave inverter’ can be confusing enough to put you off the idea of installing your solar array in the first place. Thankfully, you needn’t know the complete workings of DC-AC inverters in order to choose the right one for your setup. So long as you know the wattage your various household or business appliances require, we’ll help you with the rest.

Solar panels take power from the sun and turn it into DC output through a process known as the ‘photovoltaic effect’ (learn the process of generating electricity using solar energy). DC (direct current) is a single current which runs in one direction only, and which through solar panels will fluctuate a little and slowly as the intensity of the sun’s light changes throughout the day. However, most household and business appliances require AC input in order to function. AC (alternating current) runs in both directions, and fluctuates a lot and often, forming a wave. These waves can take many different forms, but the most common and effective for our appliances is the ‘sine wave’. Our appliances function most efficiently when the AC input sine wave is as ‘pure’ as possible: replicating most accurately the sine wave of regular grid power (for which our appliances have been designed). The closer the pure sine wave of an inverter is to that of grid power, the fewer power disruptions you’ll experience. Moreover, inverters are today designed to maximise not only the efficiency of the converted power output, but also that of the solar panels themselves.

It is for these reasons that a pure sine wave inverter is one of (if not the) most important aspects of your solar array. A sine inverter takes the DC output of your solar array, converts it to AC, and does so in a way which replicates as closely as possible the pure sine wave of grid power alternating current. Moreover, pure sine wave inverters amplify the converted current to differing strengths of wattage and voltage. Different wattages are better suited to different appliances. For example, if you’re powering a coffee machine, you’ll need a much smaller wattage than you’d need to power a refrigerator (discover the solar panels required to run a fridge). Ensuring that you buy a high-quality pure sine wave inverter which works for your home or business is crucially important.

Before we take an in-depth look at the best pure sine wave inverters on the market, there are a few things to bear in mind. In the United States, AC power is delivered to appliances at 120 volts – maintaining this as a stable voltage is a necessary element of any good inverter. When it comes to the frequency of the emitted sine wave’s oscillation, US appliances require a frequency-regulated input current of 60Hz (60 full waves per second). Hertz and Volts are elements you’ll see crop up a lot, so it’s just good practice to know what these mean, when shopping around.

Read also: Various Options for Solar Panels

Best 300 Watt – 600 Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters

GoWISE Power 600W Pure Sine Wave Inverter

This 600 watt pure sine wave inverter from GoWISE is one of the more affordable inverters on the market, and designed for use with smaller appliances. With a one year warranty, and the versatility afforded by its 3 AC output sockets (2 regular, 1 USB), it looks to be a pretty promising little unit. Customer reviews detail a few drawbacks, however, mostly related to the quality of the alligator clips included in the pack. Whilst the 8 gauge clips are advertised as able to handle up to 1000W, the reality is that they tend not to be able to handle anything much higher than 600W (with one customer even reporting that they could only draw about 300W). As such, we’d recommend purchasing better quality clips separately. Furthermore, the GoWISE, though advertising a power surge maximum of 1200W, is more realistically in the region of 800W. The last point to note is that the ON/OFF toggle switch pictured on the product’s page is actually a push button – which, though not affecting most situations – would affect your usage if you planned to use it for backup power, since when 12V power is removed from the inverter (even when switched to ON) it will automatically switch OFF, whereas a toggle switch would allow for it to be kept continuously ON.

Samlex PST-600-12 Series Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Samlex power inverters are some of the best-loved pure sine wave inverters on the market, and the same goes for their PST-600-12. This model has two GFCI-protected AC output sockets, and comes with both battery clamps and a cigarette lighter plug-in wire, giving you a few choices for input (especially handy for use when driving – say for your RV or trailer). With two additional protection systems (short circuit and ground fault) when compared to competing products, it’s also built to operate safely in most any conditions. Customer reviews have quoted Samlex’s inverters as “the best performing sub-1500W line of inverters […] ever tested”, whilst other customers champion the silence of the machine, even when the fan is operating at full capacity. Unlike other brands, the Samlex PST-600-12 runs true to the advertised continuous and surge wattages, though customers have stated that the supplied cables don’t get the most out of the inverter, and that other, more use-appropriate cables should be purchased separately, to really maximise the potential of this pure sine inverter.

GIANDEL Power Inverter Pure Sine Wave 600W

The GIANDEL 600W inverter is a nice middle-of-the-road unit, coming in at a respectable price between its two competitors in this wattage bracket. One of the most useful elements unique to this particular inverter is that it comes with a remote controller on a 15ft long cable, meaning that you don’t need to visit the inverter every time you need to power it ON or OFF. Furthermore, it has a USB output in addition to its 2 regular AC outputs, and advertises a high surge of 1200W on top of its usual continuous wattage of 600W. Customer reviews have supported its claims of steady voltage and wattage output, and American customers have found this company’s customer and tech support to be of great help (not so elsewhere in the world). One of the biggest issues faced by customers is the accompanying cables (as seems to be the case with many pure sine wave inverters). Several customers have reported the fuses blowing after as little as 3 weeks of use, which seems to be attributable to the low quality clamps which are included (and which many customers receive damaged in the first place). As such, we highly recommend you invest in a set of high-quality clamps to go alongside your GIANDEL 600W pure sine inverter.

Best 1000W/1500W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters

GoWISE Power 1000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter

There seems to be a trend with pure sine wave inverters, in that the cables they supply are lacklustre or even entirely ineffectual, if not faulty from the outset. It’s a shame, because otherwise this 1000W inverter from GoWISE might be pretty perfect. Nevertheless, customers have applauded this unit for running easily and without complications at its advertised continuous wattage of 1000W – one customer runs their full-size fridge on it “no sweat”. Like the less-powerful 600W GoWISE, the 1000W model has two regular AC outputs and 1 USB, and comes with a 1 year warranty. Unlike the other model, this one also comes with a remote switch – handy since it doesn’t automatically turn back on after a shutdown. We highly recommend, as usual, investing in a better set of wires/cables – customers who have report 4+ years of use without fault.

GoWISE Power 1500W Pure Sine Wave Inverter

Here’s another entry from the GoWISE line of pure sine wave power inverters and battery chargers. After a modest price jump from the 1000W model, you get a unit that packs a bigger punch. Unfortunately, yet again there is the issue with the cables – those included are useless, and essentially need replacing immediately, if you want to get the full potential out of your inverter, without the cables overheating and the inverter shutting down. Nevertheless, get yourself some high-quality cables and you’ll be more than satisfied with this purchase. It has more power than the other models, so much so that several customers have successfully used this inverter during hurricanes. One customer calls the GoWISE 1500W a “Hurricane Irma saviour”, reporting that its two fans kept it cool and efficient throughout. Whilst customer experiences tend to vary, generally it seems that the 1500W runs more or less within the advertised range of its wattage rating. Unfortunately, it still seems that the 3000W surge rating is a little optimistic, and in addition to this, the model claims that you need to purchase an external breaker, which is not initially included in the pack. Otherwise, a great inverter which has kept more than one customer safe and powered during an emergency.

AIMS Power 1500 Watt Pure Sine DC to AC Power Inverter

If you’re willing to shell out a bit more than you might for either of the GoWISE models, and you enter territory in which the sine wave inverters run even quieter, more efficiently, and with fewer reported issues. A great example is this here AIMS Power 1500W model. With lifetime tech support in Nevada in the States, you can rest assured that you’re never more than a phone call away from solving any issues you might experience. What’s more, customers report that not only does the AIMS inverter work as advertised at a continuous output of 1500W, its surge is also as advertised, and can handle up to 3000W no problem (unlike the cheaper models, which overestimate their surge wattage capacity). One customer has been variously running their TV, fridge, WiFi router and thermostat through an AIMS 1500W inverter for 7 months without a single issue. We suspect that part of the reason this model works so well is that it doesn’t come with any cables or wiring included – since you have to purchase them yourself, you’re not going to face the issues customers have faced who bought inverter packs with shoddy, cheap wiring. Some of the only issues reported with this pure sine wave inverter is that the 2 year warranty advertised is in fact only 1 year, and that it comes with a ‘reset’ button only (instead of an ON/OFF button or remote controller), meaning you have to travel to the unit to turn it back on every time it shuts down.

Samlex America 1500 Watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter

The price jump from the AIMS 1500W model we’ve just looked at to this 1500 watt-er from Samlex is, how should we put it… steep. However, as we stated in our introduction, a good sine wave inverter is not something you should cheap-out on. If you can afford it, there are seemingly few 1500W models as good as this. With a 2-year “rock solid” warranty, its lifetime is also guaranteed to a greater degree than any of its competitors in this wattage rating bracket. Moreover, it garners seriously positive customer reviews. As we saw with the less-powered Samlex earlier, one customer calls this line of inverters “the best […] ever tested”. Another praises the accompanying manual as being “awesome”. “A complete tutorial on inverters,” they say. The sine wave produced is clean and pure, much more so than you’d find in a modified sine wave inverter, and meets its advertised wattage rating. A last note is that the unit is very quiet, even when the fans do run (which they don’t often need to), and the GCFI-protected rating is a major plus. Again, however, wiring is an issue, and the two sets provided should be swapped out for higher-quality sets at your earliest convenience.

2000W Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters

AIMS Power 2000 Watt Power Inverter

The 2000W inverter from AIMS (who have already featured on our list) is a pretty solid inverter, producing high-quality pure sine waves up to 2000 watts continuous and 4000 watts at peak surge (which seems to be backed up by customer reports). With lifetime technical support in Nevada, US customers know they’re buying from a brand built with them in mind. Oddly, the 2000W model has just 2 AC outputs, versus the 3 offered by its lower-strength cousin. However, since both are GFCI-rated, and there’s a USB output there, too, there’s not too much to complain about. The company advertise a 2-year warranty, but beware, it’s actually only 1. Other than this, the fact that the button is a ‘reset’ button rather than an ON/OFF button can be a hassle, but add their optional wired controller to your cart and you can quickly solve this problem. Make sure to add some high-quality wiring to your cart, too, since this model doesn’t come with any included (probably for the best given the quality of most included wiring). Ultimately, one of the more reasonably priced and reliable pure sine waves power inverters.

Samlex 2000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter 24V

Here’s another entry from Samlex America (though note the brand has no connections to America…). It’s a pretty solid build, and so it should be, for the price point. The most expensive unit in this wattage rating bracket, it’s also the only 24 volt DC input-120 output voltage inverter on our list. What this means for you, the consumer, is that you should only be looking to buy this particular inverter if you wish to use it with 24V output solar panels (thankfully, most solar panels come with the option to output 12V or 24V, depending on the user’s needs). The Samlex 2000W has a more realistic surge peak of 3500W – certainly more believable than the rather optimistic 4000W peaks of competing brands, and what’s more, it’s reported to meet these advertised levels without a hitch. Running smoothly and quietly even when the fans are triggered, customers rave about the Samlex (whether American made or not). With a 2-year warranty, and built of industrial-grade materials, this kit is designed to last. There are really few downsides to this model.

Kinverch 2000W Power Inverter

Kinverch make their only entry onto this list with a 2000W inverter designed to work alongside a free-to-download Bluetooth-ready app, from which users can control several aspects of the operation of their pure sine wave inverter. With the Bluetooth app, you can monitor in real-time the input voltage, output power, have a look at the parameters in an overview, set times for your inverter to operate, and of course be notified should there be any faults or issues. Whilst the Kinverch remains true to its voltage estimations, losing little in the conversion, there does seem to be some major discrepancies when it comes to actual power. In other words, whilst 2000-4000 watts are advertised, you’re likely to find it struggles to run efficiently past the 1500W mark. Moreover, the included cables and grounding wires are reportedly too short to be of much use (again, we recommend purchasing wiring separately). One last thing to be aware of is that, whilst not true for all customers, several have expressed concern over the functionality of the two in-built fans. There are several customers who have reported the fans not working at all, let alone perfectly – resulting in rapid overheating and damage to the device and to devices attached, including gaming consoles, smaller electronics, sewing machines, sensitive electronics, cameras, laptops, and handheld mobile devices.

3000W + Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters

GoWISE Power PS1004 3000W Inverter

In the 3000W+ category, you can’t get much cheaper than the GoWISE 3000W inverter, and at first glance you’d think that cheap (in this case) is good. However, closer inspection of customer experiences and its specifications tells a different tale. Unfortunately, yet again the cables included with this inverter are simply not up to the task, and if you were to use them you’d soon find that they produced next to none of the power promised by such a strong unit. Whilst it does run quiet, even when the fans are on, and comes with a year’s warranty, several customers have expressed their reservations about recommending the product. Mainly, it seems, the GoWISE 3000W may not have the kind of longevity you’re looking for, with at least one customer complaining that the unit packed in shortly after the 1-year warranty period was over. Moreover, it seems that customer service from GoWISE can be pretty poor, and was one of the major gripes of this product’s customers. Whilst fine for powering small devices like laptops, batteries, small motors and electronics, this may not be the reliable unit you’re looking for when it comes to larger pieces of equipment or appliances.

Go Power! GP-SW3000-12 Pure Sine Wave Inverter

The first and only entry from small Canadian distributor Go Power! on this list, and it’s a pretty impressive unit. The price point for this is noticeably higher than the GoWISE, but for good reason – it’s just better. This unit actually works, and what’s more, it’s designed specifically with the solar power market in mind, rather than others which are designed to typically be used with regular batteries. Customer reviews rave about the customer care provided by this brand – one of the things sorely missing from many of the competing brands on the pure sine wave inverter market. Furthermore, the unit is built from solid materials, and designed efficiently so that it is quiet and smooth in performance. One of the few gripes we have is the lack of versatility in its outlets – with only 2 AC outputs – however, the GFCI-rating is a nice bonus. Arguably there could be more done in the way of protection systems, too, but again, no customers have reported any issues in this department, so it’s likely only a small issue, if one at all. We’d love if a remote control were included, but at least one is optional to purchase additionally (as wires must be).

Cotek SD3500 Pure Sine Wave Inverter 3500W

Our very last entry on the list is also the most expensive, but don’t let that put you off. As we’ve said before, expensive in relation to pure sine wave inverters is generally a good thing. With this unit from Cotek, you’re also buying the most powerful sine wave inverter on the market – producing 3500W as standard continuous wattage, with a peak surge rating of 6000W. There’s an energy-saving mode, too, which no other inverters we’ve found have, and which maintains the health of this inverter like no other. As with the Go Power! we do think that there could be more diversity when it comes to AC outlets (perhaps a third, or at least GFCI-rating, though at least at this wattage USB would probably be redundant). Thankfully, customer reviews are all positive. “Overall [an] awesome product [and] well worth the money!” says one customer, though they do express a desire for the manual to be a mite clearer, and note that, somewhat frustratingly, wires and cables are not included and must be purchased separately. Still, if you’ve got the money and you’re serious about the power you want to extract and invert from your solar array, then the Cotek may just be the inverter for you.

Read also: Solar Panel’s Power Generation

How Do Pure Sine Wave Inverters Work?

In the introduction above, we’ve given you plenty of information to go on. And so, if you feel ready to start shopping around for a pure sine wave inverter, please do scroll down to our section on the best inverters available on the market today.

However, if you’d like to know a little more about the specific operation of a pure sine wave inverter, continue reading.

Pure sine wave inverters are the top of the range inverters, best suited to your solar array requirements, especially if you plan to feed your solar-generated electricity into the grid, perhaps in a bid to benefit from net metering. However, in order to best explain how they work, it’s necessary to first explain how other types of (cheaper) inverters function. The essential, bare-bones requirement of any solar inverter is to take the DC volts solar panels produce, and to convert them into AC.

If represented by a line, then Direct Current looks like a straight, unwavering line flowing from left to right. On the contrary, Alternating Current looks like a high-frequency wave, moving in peaks and troughs both from left to right, and right to left. To change DC to AC requires quite a lot of manipulation, as you can imagine. The simplest and cheapest way to do this is via a mechanical switch in the inverter, which switches off and on at a set frequency, literally ‘chopping’ the Direct Current into dashes, replicating on a very basic level the movement of a wave. The next method, one step up from chopped-DC inverters, requires a more complex switch which, instead of turning the DC off and on, actually reverses the current back and forth. This creates a kind of ‘square wave’, which again attempts to replicate the sine wave of AC power.

However, neither of the methods described above are ideal. Since they don’t actually convert DC to AC, but instead try to force DC to act like AC, they can be problematic in their application, causing power failures or disrupting the grid. Which is where pure sine wave inverters come in. Pure sine wave inverters are much more complex machines, with circuit boards which are designed not to chop or meddle with DC electricity, but to actually oscillate it until it forms an AC wave. At this point, the AC sine wave has been created, but is not yet fit for use. The next step in the functioning of pure sine wave inverters is to amplify the sine wave to the correct frequency, attempting to replicate the purity of the sine wave you get from grid power, so as to circumvent any of the potential problems which those earlier inverter models experience (as described above). Lastly, this amplified, frequency-corrected pure sine wave needs to undergo one last change before it can be fed into the grid or your appliances: its voltage needs to be raised or lowered to whichever level your appliances require (usually 120V in the USA).

Having pushed the DC electricity from your solar panels through these three stages – oscillation, amplification, voltage adjustment – a pure sine wave inverter has successfully converted Direct Current into an Alternating Current which is essentially indistinguishable from that supplied by the grid; thus maximising the efficiency of your solar panels, and ensuring the safety and longevity of both the grid and your home or business appliances.

Pros and Cons of Pure Sine Wave Inverters

We think that it’s important consumers are provided all of the information they require to make an informed purchased. That’s why we want to show you not just the positives, but the negatives associated with pure sine wave inverters.

Pros:

1. Clean, reliable and efficient AC replication. Poor quality AC replication can result in damage being done to your appliances, or problems with the grid (if you’re feeding your solar/renewable energy into the grid). However, with a pure sine wave inverter you can ensure that you don’t experience these issues, as the AC output is clean and nearly indistinguishable from the grid’s AC sine wave.
2. Quiet operation. Most of the models on this list are essentially silent when on, saving you the frustration of diesel or gas generators which cause lots of noise pollution (not to mention general carbon pollution).
3. Versatile. Inverters often come equipped with USB outputs as well as plug socket and grid-link outputs, meaning that whether you want to charge your phone, your fridge, or your entire home with your solar array, most DC-AC pure sine wave inverters will do the trick.
4. Integrated protection systems. With a unit as integral to the maintenance and production of your energy supply, it’s important that they are as safe to use as possible. Pure sine wave inverters typically come with several in-built protection systems to ensure their own longevity, as well as the longevity and security of your solar panels and appliances. These protection systems can include, but are not limited to: thermal, overload, input voltage overload, input voltage underload, low voltage alarm, short circuit shutdown, ground fault shutdown.
5. Additional features. Some of the best pure sine wave inverters on the market come with handy additional features such as external LED screens for you to monitor efficiency and operation, remote controls, or even WiFi/Bluetooth apps through which you can operate and monitor your inverter system on the go.

Cons:

1. Expensive. We recommend paying top dollar for a pure sine wave inverter, since it is one of the most integral parts of your solar array, and because the cost of repairing damage caused by cheap alternatives can skyrocket. Having said that, price is obviously still a significant concern for most consumers, and pure sine wave inverters don’t come cheap.
2. Bad wiring. Unfortunately, one of the most pervasive issues with pure sine wave inverters is that the cabling and wiring which come with them is often reported by customers to be of poor quality, or just downright faulty. This means you may well want to buy separate, high quality clamps and/or cabling in addition to your inverter.
3. Dodgy advertising. It’s always worthwhile reading customer reviews before making a purchase, but rarely is it as important as with these inverters. Many of them advertise themselves at a certain wattage, but are reported to never reach said level. Keep an eye out for erroneous advertising from manufacturing, though, and you should still come away happy.

Read also: Top-rated Grid-tie Inverters

Buyers Guide

As we stated in our introduction, there are a lot of considerations you need to make when looking to buy a pure sine wave inverter for your solar array. We recommend considering the following: the wattage you require to power your appliances, the input voltage of your solar system, the number of outlets you require per inverter, your budget, your technical-savvy versus your need for good customer/technical support, whether you wish to remotely control your inverter, and finally, whether you’ve already got good quality wiring, or are happy to buy some additionally.

Making these considerations and calculations before you start shopping around will significantly reduce the time you’ll spend looking, and will equip you with the base knowledge you’ll need to make an informed decision. Still, if you feel out of depth (and let’s face it, pure sine wave inversion is not straightforward stuff), then luckily for you we’ve written a whole article explaining exactly how pure sine wave inverters work!

Head there now, and once you’re done, pop back here to commence your browsing of the various products on our list.

Read also: Breakdown of Net Metering

Final Verdict

We’ve taken a good, long look at the very best pure sine wave inverters on the market for the production of various wattages, but let’s cut to the chase: which are the best of the best, and which should you buy if you don’t have the time to read every detail of every spec-sheet?

In the 300-600W category, you can’t do much better than the GIANDEL Power Inverter Pure Sine Wave 600W. Though the cables included in the pack are essentially duds, with a separately purchased set of cables you’ll rarely find faults with this inverter. An 18 month warranty, solid customer support, and reliable wattage rating alongside a humble price point make this a great choice for small battery and electronics charging.

In the 1000W-1500W category, our top pick is the AIMS Power 1500 Watt Pure Sine DC to AC Power Inverter. Sure, you’ll have to purchase cables and/or wiring separately, but aside from that, you’ll have no issues. Unlike the competitor products in this category, the AIMS power inverter actually does what it says it will, delivering a steady, quiet, and seamless 1500W continuously to your household or business appliances.

In the 2000-3000W category, we’d say that your best bet is to go for the Samlex 2000W Pure Sine Wave Inverter 24V. You’ll have to ensure that your solar panels can output 24 volts in order to work effectively with this inverter, but provided they do you’re in for a winner. It may be the most expensive inverter in its category, but it’s undoubtedly the best. It runs quietly, with next to no reported operational errors or malfunctions, has got rave customer reviews, and is built with industrial-strength materials.

And finally, when it comes to 3000W+ inverters, look no further than the Go Power! GP-SW3000-12 Pure Sine Wave Inverter. It’s relatively affordable, actually meets its projected wattage outputs (both continuous and surge), is quiet when it runs, and its 2 AC outlets are both GFCI-rated. What’s more, it’s produced by a small Canadian manufacturer whose customers absolutely love its customer and technical support. You’ll have to buy wiring for it, and the remote controller has to be bought separately too, but at least it’s reliable and function superbly.

Read also: Are Solar Panels AC or DC Generators?