The Tesla Powerwall is arguably one of the most popular home batteries of all time. 

This high-powered battery pack is riding the dual waves of the Tesla brand's widespread automotive recognition and a boom in residential solar adoption that's been reinforced by numerous incentives, including a federal tax credit that allows you to claim 30% of the total cost of your storage system back on your tax return.  

Tesla itself has also offered rebates in the recent past that can be combined with other incentives. 

Even with the many credits, rebates and other incentives, batteries are often the most expensive single component of a residential solar system. And the Powerwall 2 itself is a fairly pricey energy storage unit, at between $9,000 and $13,000. 

In this quick guide, we'll take a closer look at the Tesla Powerwall 2 and try to help you decide if it's a worthwhile purchase. 

There's plenty to consider that you may not have thought of, according to Garrett Mendelsohn, founder of Solar Bootcamp. 

"The thing about batteries is they have a 10- to a 15-year lifespan, and a lot of the time homeowners finance for 25 years," he said. "So you're financing a product that's not going to really be doing anything by the end of the 25 years and paying interest on it."

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Let's dig into the details to help evaluate what makes sense for you.

What is the Tesla Powerwall?

Put simply, the Tesla Powerwall is a big battery that can be mounted inside or outside of your home. It can be hooked up to charge an electric vehicle in your garage, provide back-up power, store energy from a connected solar array or all of the above. You can also connect multiple Powerwalls together to have more capacity to do all these things at once. 

A Powerwall, just like any other solar energy storage system, can keep your essential systems online in case the grid goes down, help you maximize your net metering savings or even be your primary source of power if you have an off-grid setup. 

Those are the basics, here's some of the more technical details:

How much does a Tesla Powerwall cost?

Adding energy storage to your home can be a substantial investment. The Tesla Powerwall 2 typically costs between $9,000 and $13,000 before taxes and installation. It's a lot to pay for a single battery, but it's competitive with other comparable storage systems on the market. 

There are also other considerations that could affect the total overall cost of installing a Powerwall: Installing one in a safe and convenient place might require labor and some other material costs. On the other side of the ledger, the federal tax credit, other incentives from state and local governments, utilities and even Tesla itself can drive down the net price. 

Tesla offers an energy design tool that it uses to help drive sales, but it's also useful to get a sense of how much you might expect to spend on a solar system for your home that includes a Powerwall. Depending on your home's energy needs, you might need multiple Powerwalls if you're looking to create a whole-home backup. But definitely don't make any major decisions based solely off online research. Talk to multiple installers in your area to get more than one quote specific to your situation.

Pros and cons of the Tesla Powerwall

Pros:

• Unlimited cycle warranty 
• Well-rounded efficiency and performance 
• Cheaper than other batteries of similar size
• Compatible with and without solar panels

Cons: 

• Limited modularity
• Glitchy energy management app
• Poor customer service reputation

Is the Tesla Powerwall worth it?

If you're set on storing a significant amount of energy for your home, the Powerwall is a solid choice. It has a great warranty, strong performance, competitive price point and the backing of a well-known brand. That said, some have reported the company's customer service to be lacking. Tesla no longer operates a media office and didn't provide any comment for this story. 

But if you're on the fence about getting a large battery, Mendelsohn thinks it might be better to wait. He points out that most components of a home solar system are warrantied for 25 years, but batteries are rarely guaranteed to last longer than a decade. 

"If you don't have blackouts, it's not really worth it for the price. You spend $13,000 to $15,000… for a battery that can't even do the full house; it can do the essentials, not even the whole house," Mendelsohn said. "So it doesn't really make a lot of sense until the battery technology gets better, and they can be warrantied for 25 years."

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Eric Mack Contributing Editor

Eric Mack has been a CNET contributor since 2011. Eric and his family live 100% energy and water independent on his off-grid compound in the New Mexico desert. Eric uses his passion for writing about energy, renewables, science and climate to bring educational content to life on topics around the solar panel and deregulated energy industries. Eric helps consumers by demystifying solar, battery, renewable energy, energy choice concepts, and also reviews solar installers. Previously, Eric covered space, science, climate change and all things futuristic. His encrypted email for tips is [email protected].

Expertise Solar, solar storage, space, science, climate change, deregulated energy, DIY solar panels, DIY off-grid life projects. CNET's "Living off the Grid" series. https://www.cnet.com/feature/home/energy-and-utilities/living-off-the-grid/ Credentials

• Finalist for the Nesta Tipping Point prize and a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

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