Briggs & Stratton 40346
This unit comes with the rugged 35HP built for tractors and commercial uses, so it runs strong if a little loud according to home generators (for example: GOAL ZERO YETI 1250 ) reviews even under heavy load. The 40346 is ideal for medium to large homes with 200 amp service and one or two central HVAC units. It’s a reliable unit and the weekly diagnostic runs like clockwork. Home generator reviews suggest that the insulation is not really adequate as far as keeping the unit quieter, but is easily remedied by any DIY types.
Installation is also not terribly complex, but you’ll definitely need to bring in an electrician for the final 240v hookup. A maintenance kit with handy oil and filters is also available as extras, as it is a heater kit which is actually recommended by those living in cold weather regions, as the light 5W30 oil can tend toward freezing. There may also be issues due to the fact that you will have to rely on local distributors for service and service contracts, which can vary. The ability to program the exercise schedule right into the computer is also a plus. But this is a great value among the best whole house generators as a strong unit that runs reliably and is easily maintained.
Kohler 20RESAL-200SELS
This is a nice unit that comes with a composite< noise-dampening enclosure and a 5 year warranty. It can be set up for online monitoring and even text alerts. Home generators reviews indicate this is a reliable, powerful, and surprisingly quiet generator that’s well worth the investment. Professional installation could be pricey compared to some units, but home generator reviews note that it looks good and runs well, although some minor adjustments may come along, due to slight vibration, and known engine throttle problems that can cause dirty power flow. The cause is often a bad carburettor gasket that’s relatively cheap to replace. Cold-weather users will want to pick up a carburettor heater.
In addition to being very quiet for its size it also has very low levels of harmonic distortion, so you don’t have to worry about running your HD TV or laptops with this unit to rely on. The one major problem that appears is not the unit itself, but the manufacturer. Several people report poor or slow customer service, as well as a few surprises regarding their warranty or service coverage in some areas. But if you read the fine print and follow Kohler’s instructions you wind up with an excellent generator that’s almost completely covered by a 5-year warranty.
Generac 6438
This 11,000 watt unit is powered by propane or natural gas, but those running it on natural gas say it runs with less noise, but as usual with somewhat less power (10,000 watt). Theair-cooled, V-twin generator seems to be trouble free and runs strong even under the heavy load of a large house with pool filter and two-thirds of appliances going. A 250 gallon tank is recommended for liquid propane as it burns nearly 2 gallons of fuel per hour on a heavy load, though much less if you ease up on the power use. The 6438 is a great unit at this price, and most home generators reviews state that it kicks in seamlessly when the power goes out.
It is very easy to do the routine maintenance of changing plugs and oil, though the oil has to be pumped out. Overall it’s a nice looking unit that’s very reliable, even performs its self-test regularly without issues. It is a little noisy under load but still quieter than a portable generator, and it does what it’s designed to do – power your whole house. One buyer reported it running perfectly for 7 days straight in the aftermath of a hurricane. If there’s one problem users have reported its with the Generac web site; if you have a problem, call.
Briggs & Stratton 40396
Home generators reviews indicate these units are relatively quiet and easy to install, and pack a lot of power even for a 20 kilowatt unit, making it feel like you’ve installed a heavy industrial unit. One of these has proven adequate for the emergency needs of even larger 4000 to 8000 square-foot homes with multiple AC units. It’s a handsome and durable design under its black enclosure. But you probably don’t want pretty, you want a good, strong, reliable standby generator, and the 40396 is it. Many home generator reviews report that it ships quickly with a great warranty which you probably won’t need. Professionally installed units run excellent and do as advertised without reported problems.
It does lose a bit of power running on natural gas, but if there’s any problems its with phone-in customer service and not the unit’s performance. It does take a few seconds to kick in when the grid fails, but once it’s cranking you’ll feel lucky to have it. It’s a tad pricey, and a little bigger than most models even in the 20kw range, while the automatic transfer switch is bulky, as well. But most purchasers give it high marks across the board, and it comes with a good warranty coverage.