For most people, our experts say you should just buy the gas powered DuroStar DS4000S. When researching portable generators, a rule of thumb is that the more watts it produces, the more appliances that can plug into it at a time. Smaller devices like a phone charger only needs 25 watts, but a computer and monitor need 800 watts, and a coffee maker 1,000 watts. With 4,000 starting watts and 3,300 running watts, the DuroStar has the power to run multiple electronics at one and has multiple outlets—two for 120V household appliances and one for 120V 30A twist lock outlets. This gas-powered generator is approved for use in all states and has a run time of approximately eight hours on a full tank of gas. Being gas-powered, it does require regular maintenance, which includes oil changes. It’s also heavier at 94 pounds, so consider purchasing the optional wheel kit for maneuverability. As long as you’re willing to look after it, it’s a top choice that will last for years to come. Outlets: 120V (2), 240V (1) | Size/Weight: 24x17x17 in. / 94 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 3.96 Gal. | Starting Watts: 4000W | Running Watts: 3300W
The control panel itself includes three total outlets (one DC and two household), plus a USB adapter. Additionally, you can plug it into a second unit to create an even stronger power source. At 59 dB of operating power, it’s fairly quiet—several users have compared it to the sound of a running car engine. The one downside? It can’t be shipped to California because it doesn’t meet certain emission laws. Outlets: 120V (2), 12V (1) | Size/Weight: 22.4x14.4x19.9 in. / 55 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 1 Gal. | Starting Watts: 2200W | Running Watts: 1700W Its output is just 68 dB, but some customers note this is a bit louder than some of the competition. Features like the low-oil sensor and Intelli-gauge for quickly glancing at voltage, hertz, and operating hours make this an all-around top choice. Online reviewers rave about the customer service and the free lifetime technical support you’ll receive in addition to the three-year limited warranty. Outlets: 120V (4), 240V (1) | Size/Weight: 30.1x25.7x25.2 in. / 152.1 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 5.7 Gal. | Starting Watts: 6250W | Running Watts: 5000W
Weighing 48 pounds, it’s lightweight, but it doesn’t have wheels for easy transporting. It can handle up to ten hours of power at a 25% load. When pushed to a 50% load, battery life diminishes slightly but it remains equally quiet. Nationwide customer service and a three-year warranty are among the best in the industry. Outlets: 120V (2), USB (2) | Size/Weight: 19.8x11.4x17.9 in. / 48 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 1 Gal. | Starting Watts: 2500W | Running Watts: 2200W Reviewers say it’s powerful, fuel-efficient, and a great value for the price. It comes with a 2V battery charger, oil, an oil funnel, and a toolkit. At 200 pounds, it’s definitely a heavier generator, but you can still move it thanks to wheels and a convenient foam grip handle. Outlets: 120V (4), 240V (1), ST Switch (1) | Size/Weight: 27.2x26.1x26 in. / 192 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 6.6 Gal. | Starting Watts: 9500W | Running Watts: 7500W It comes with a 12VDC 365-CCA battery and your first oil supply, as well as a wheel kit and maintenance kit so you can keep it in tip-top shape should you need to move it. One customer who weathered Hurricane Sandy in 2012 said they used it for 11 days to power their entire house. They’ve used it ever since with no issues. Outlets: 120V (4), 240V (1), ST Switch (1) | Size/Weight: 48.5x31x39.5 in. / 390 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 16 Gal. | Starting Watts: 26250W | Running Watts: 17500W Features such as Eco-throttle and clean output make it a standout in this category (and help explain the steep price). The 2,200 watts of starting power and 1,800 watts of running power maintain excellent fuel efficiency. There’s also a standard oil alert for proper engine maintenance, as well as a circuit protection feature to prevent the generator from overloading. You can connect the EU2200i in tandem with a similar unit for twice the power. Outlets: 120V (2) | Size/Weight: 16x20x11 in. / 46.5 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: .95 Gal. | Starting Watts: 2200W | Running Watts: 1800W The capacity of the fuel tank is 1 gallon, so it won’t last as long as bigger models, but the runtime is estimated to last 9.4 hours with a quarter-load of gas, so you should be able to keep going for a full day and night with a tank. Port options include a 12V DC receptacle, a 5V USB port, a 120V AC port, and a parallel connection to two other generators to increase total wattage. Outlets: 120V (3), 12V (1), USB (1) | Size/Weight: 18x11x18 in. / 48 Lbs. | Fuel Capacity: 1 Gal. | Starting Watts: 2000W | Running Watts: 1600W Nick Jaynes has been writing for Lifewire since 2019. He specializes in tech gadgets, especially those related to the automotive market. He has previously been published in Mashable, Digital Trends, Cool Hunting, and Travel + Leisure.
What to Look For in a Portable Generator
While it’s pretty easy to make sure you have enough power when you’re at home or in your car, there are plenty of situations in which you might need some kind of power source on the go. Sure, a decent battery pack is probably fine for keeping your phone charged up during the day, but what about powering something more substantial when you’re on a camping trip? Or, what if you’re facing some kind of natural disaster and the power is out? That’s where a portable generator comes in handy. Of course, there are plenty of portable generators to choose from, and they’re not all created equal. When buying a portable generator there are dozens of features and considerations to keep in mind. Before diving into the features of a portable generator, it’s worth defining what a portable generator actually is. There are two main types of generator: a portable generator and a standby generator. Standby generators are powered by natural gas or propane and start automatically during a power outage. They generally start in the $5,000 range and are installed at least semi-permanently. Portable generators, on the other hand, don’t start automatically and can be powered a few different ways, though the most powerful ones are usually gas-powered. They’re quite a bit cheaper than standby generators, starting at around $500 and ranging up from there. When buying a portable generator, the first thing to consider is where you want your generator to draw power from. Some modern portable generators are solar-powered, but they aren’t able to provide as much power as a gas or a diesel generator. Then, there are a host of other features to consider, like the number of power outlets you want, whether you want USB outputs, how much noise your generator emits, size, weight, and more. Whether you know exactly what you’re looking for from a portable generator or the concept is totally new to you, we’ve put together this guide to help you.
Types of Portable Generators
The first thing to consider when buying a portable generator is the type you want. There are gas-powered generators, which use unleaded gas, and diesel-powered generators, which use diesel fuel. There are also solar-powered generators, which are powered by the sun and tend to be significantly less powerful. Gas generators are perhaps the most common type of portable generator out there. Gas generators have a small motor in them that burns gas to produce energy. This means you have to make sure that you have enough gas on hand to run the generator. There are a few advantages to gas generators. While some aren’t necessarily built for continuous use, you could theoretically run a gas generator indefinitely, provided you have enough gas to do so. Many of them are also more compact than solar generators because they don’t require solar panels to charge up—meaning that they may be a better option for packing away in the car. Even compact gas generators can output a lot of power. Because of the fact that gas generators are so easy to set up, and are often more compact than solar generators, they’re best for backup in case of a power outage or natural disaster. Diesel generators use a type of fuel to run, but they actually work a little different than their gas-powered counterparts. We’re not going to go into the nitty-gritty of how diesel and gas generators work, but what’s important to know is that diesel generators are usually much more fuel-efficient than gas generators. The result is that they’ll run a whole lot longer with the same amount of fuel—or run for the same amount of time, but require less fuel to do it. There are some drawbacks to diesel generators, though. For starters, diesel portable generators are famously noisy, meaning that they may not be a great choice for those planning on using their generator in a tight-knit neighborhood.
Other Features and Considerations
While determining the overall type of portable generator you want to buy is important, there is a range of other features to think about, too. Here’s a rundown of those other features, and how important they should be in your decision-making process.
Battery
While many generators simply output power as they generate, sometimes it can be helpful to have a generator with a battery, too. When a generator has a battery, it can store the power that it generates until you need it, meaning you don’t always need to have the generator running to use it. Batteries are especially necessary for solar-powered generators, as they generally won’t be able to generate as much energy as you use. Instead, they’ll need to store that energy so there’s plenty available when you need it. Batteries in portable generators can range from around 8,000mAh, which is enough to charge a smartphone two or three times, to 50Ah or more, which is big enough to charge a phone as many as 15 times—though, of course, you’ll probably want to use it for more than just charging a phone. There are tradeoffs to larger batteries. For starters, generators with larger batteries are more expensive. Plus, they’re usually bigger in physical size, too—which may or may not be important to you.
Wattage
The wattage of a generator basically dictates how much power a generator can output at once. Different devices need different amounts of power to work properly, and if your generator doesn’t have a high enough wattage, it won’t be able to supply enough power to run those devices. So how much power do different products need? Well, it’s worth checking out a wattage charge to figure it out. Smaller devices, like a light bulb, only require around 60 watts to run, while a grill requires around 1,650 watts, and a coffee maker requires 1,000 watts. The more you want to power at once, the higher wattage generator you’ll need. To get the highest wattage, you’ll likely need a gas or diesel generator. Solar generators are perfectly fine for powering phones and sometimes even laptops, but to power things like electric grills, multiple lights, and more, you’ll need the power that only a gas or diesel generator can supply.
Voltage
Generally, portable generators are aimed at supplying power to household electronics, and most of the time, depending on where you live, these electronics require either 110V or 220V to work properly. Therefore, your generator should be able to supply those voltages.
Outputs
Besides the amount of power that a generator can supply, consider how you get that power from the generator to your devices. Often, generators have power outlets where you can plug your devices in, but you should pay attention to how many outlets are available. Many modern generators offer USB outputs for things like smartphones and tablets, which can seriously free up power outlets for other things.
Circuit Protector
Most portable generators should have a circuit protector built into them, but if you see one that doesn’t, we recommend steering clear. Getting one that doesn’t have a circuit protector could result in your generator being damaged and could put you in a dangerous situation.
Noise
As mentioned, gas and diesel generators usually produce at least some noise, and because of that, the amount of noise that they produce is worth considering. It can be hard to determine how much noise your generator will emit before you buy it, but some companies list the amount of noise in decibels. If they do, normally those generators will be quiet in general, but we recommend looking for one that’s no louder than 60 or 70 dB, which is around the volume of a soft radio playing.
Size and Weight
A generator could have a huge battery, high output wattage, and plenty of outlets, but if you’re buying it for camping and can’t fit it in your car, then it doesn’t really matter what kinds of features it offers. It’s definitely worth considering how big of a generator you want, and how heavy you want it to be. Portable generators can range in weight from well under 50 pounds to hundreds of pounds. For most users who want a generator for camping, you shouldn’t need a generator that weighs more than 50 to 70 pounds.
