Best solar inverter brandsEnphase: The longtime leader Enphase is the most popular inverter on EnergySage by a landslide: About 70% of quotes from the second half of 2023 included an Enphase inverter. SolarEdge: The most efficient inverter. Schneider Electric: Best voltage performance.
Which solar inverter is best?
CNET experts have compared the most popular solar inverters' specs, warranties, prices and more. The SolarEdge Home Wave Inverter is our top pick in 2024. It was the most efficient inverter we looked at, letting you use a larger percentage of the energy your solar panels generate. This translates to less and more power to use around the house.
The most common type of solar panel inverter used in solar panel installations is the string inverter.
String inverters are the most common inverters used in residential solar systems. These inverters connect to multiple solar panels and convert your home's DC energy to AC electricity. String converters work best in homes with little to no shading and simple solar panel designs.
One of the cheapest solar panel inverters available is the ENPHASE IQ7 Microinverter (Model # IQ7-60-2-US). Launched in 2018, this microinverter is priced at approximately $120. The main reason why the ENPHASE IQ7 is so cost-effective is that this model is installed on each solar panel, handling the output of that specific panel.
In short, a reliable inverter is essential to a well-functioning, efficient solar setup. There are a few different types of inverters, each designed with unique applications in mind. String inverters are the most traditional type. They connect a series (or "string") of solar panels to a single inverter.
Modern solar inverters are all very efficient, but there's still a lot of variation between specific models. For example, the AIMS Power and Sungold Power inverters each have a maximum efficiency of 88%, while the Outback Power and Fronius inverters can perform at up to 97% efficiency.