Best UK balcony solar kits — 2026 honest picks
Five options, one strict rule: if UK stock or compliance is unclear, we say “watch” instead of hiding it.
Read on 2 September 2026: none of the five kits below appears among the twenty devices the ENA register currently lists as compliant. They were available in the UK when we last verified them, and they are what we picked on the evidence we had at the time. The register is a separate test, and it moves — our register history page records every reading we have taken. See what the register says, and which compliant devices are actually on sale.
The five picks
EcoFlow STREAM
- Deepest UK distribution of any balcony brand
- Route excess into the battery, discharge into the evening peak
- Polished, brand-supported install
More detail
EcoFlow has by far the deepest UK distribution among balcony solar brands in 2026. The STREAM line is the company’s plug-in solar play — AC-coupled, app-controlled, with optional add-on battery (STREAM Ultra, additional ~£400–£600). Inverter output respects the 800W cap. Good fit if you want a polished, brand-supported install and don’t mind paying for it. See the head-to-head vs Anker SOLIX and battery storage guide.
Anker SOLIX Solarbank 2
- Charges by day, discharges into your evening usage
- Mature firmware, time-of-use schedules
- UK Amazon stock is intermittent — check first (Amazon DE often has it)
- Amazon lists a newer generation (Solarbank 3 E2700 Pro). We have not tested or priced it. Read on 5 August 2026.
More detail
Anker’s Solarbank 2 is the headline AC-coupled balcony battery. It charges from panels during the day and discharges into the household at night to maximise self-consumption. The battery is 1.6 kWh and stackable. UK Amazon stock has been intermittent — the easier path is often Amazon DE with EU shipping, which is fine for a UK buyer.
Zendure SolarFlow 800
- Direct Solarbank competitor, neat enclosure, strong app
- AC output respects the 800W cap
- UK distribution improving — verify before buying
More detail
SolarFlow 800 is Zendure’s direct competitor to the Solarbank. Smaller modular AB1000/AB2000 batteries, neat enclosure, strong app. UK distribution is shallower than EcoFlow but better than it was last year.
APsystems EZ1-M
- The European balcony workhorse — proven, Bluetooth monitoring
- + one 400–500W panel = unbeatable £/W
- Electrician hardwire now; the plug-in route opens 27 August 2026 for a device that complies with IPS v2
More detail
If you want the simplest, lowest-cost compliant hardwired install, an APsystems EZ1-M microinverter paired with one or two 400–500W panels is unbeatable on price. The EZ1-M is a well-known European balcony solar workhorse: anti-islanding, EN-certified, Bluetooth monitoring. Pair with a CPS-registered electrician’s hardwire install now. The plug-in route opens on 27 August 2026, for a device certified to Interim Product Specification v2 — we know of none.
Hoymiles HMS-800
- Often a few pounds cheaper than the EZ1-M
- Major OEM — spares easy to find
- WiFi monitoring via S-Miles cloud
More detail
Direct competitor to the EZ1-M, similar spec, often a few pounds cheaper. Hoymiles is a major OEM behind several branded kits, so spares and replacement parts are easy to find. Two MPPT inputs mean you can wire two panels facing different directions. WiFi monitoring via the Hoymiles S-Miles cloud.
How to pick — three tiers, no overlap
Cheapest fully-compliant 800W
EZ1-M or HMS-800 + one 400–500W panel + electrician hardwire + free G98.
£300–£500 all-inPolished & UK-supported
EcoFlow STREAM kit + small panel + electrician + G98. Easiest app experience.
£700–£1,000Time-shift into the evening
STREAM Ultra, Solarbank 2 or SolarFlow 800. Slower payback, more control.
£1,000–£1,500What about “wait for legalisation”?
That’s a defensible choice, but be clear about what you would be waiting for. The plug-in route opens on 27 August 2026 (SI 2026 No. 848), and it applies to a device certified to the Interim Product Specification v2. We are not aware of any product yet certified to it, including the five on this page. Waiting for the date is not the same as waiting for a compliant product — the question to put to a retailer is whether the device meets IPS v2, not when the rules change. Meanwhile the hardwired route with a CPS-registered electrician and a free G98 notification is available before 27 August 2026 and stays available after it, in a high-rate region (most of England & Wales is on the ~27p/kWh cap) at the same savings. Run your numbers in the UK savings calculator.
Prices and stock for the five picks were written in July 2026 and have not been re-checked since — we are not putting a date on figures we did not open today. They change frequently, and the links open the current live listing so you can check for yourself. One line worth reading on any datasheet is the AC operating voltage range: GB networks may legally run up to 253 V, and the voltage problem explains why that matters more than it sounds. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.