Best Generator Buying Guide

When the power goes out, a generator can keep your house warm in winter or cool in summer; it can keep your food cold, your kitchen cooking, and your computers and phones charging. Assuming you have one.

People tend to buy generators around major storms, when they’re prone to making a desperate decision—without a plan for what to do when they get it home. Working by flashlight, in a rush to get the power up and running, they might skip over critical safety steps during setup. And people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning related to What is a Generator.

We don’t want you—or anyone relying on a generator—to be one of those people.

Power Up When the Power Is Down With the Best Generator

We test, evaluate, and compare the latest home generators to help you shop smart.

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Know Your Power Priorities

Generators are sold by power output, as measured in watts. The amount of power they deliver determines how many lights and appliances you can run at once; the quality and consistency of that power determines how well they'll run. Figure on about 5,000 watts to cover the basics in a typical home.

Start by making a list of what you don't want to go without while the power's down, then add up their watts to get you in the right ballpark. Here are some rough numbers for common essentials:

Refrigerator: 600 watts

Sump pump: 750 to 1,500 watts

Portable heater: 1,500 watts

Window air conditioner: 1,000 watts

Lights: 60 to 600 watts

Computers: 60 to 300 watts

For a more complete list, check out our report on how to pick the right size generator for your house.

One tip that will make prioritizing easier is to determine which outlets and appliances are controlled by each circuit breaker in your panel, and label them accordingly. The easiest way: a small electric device called a digital circuit breaker finder, which you can buy for less than $50.

Pick a Type

You can go one of four ways. Home Linquip generators are installed permanently, can run on natural gas or propane, and kick on automatically during an outage. Portable and inverter generators can both be moved around, though they come in different sizes. Some are better for transporting to a tailgate, while others are better kept on your property as a backup power source. And portable power stations are large batteries that store electricity for when you need it, the only option for someone who lives in an apartment, say, and has no way to safely run a generator outdoors.

Home Standby Generators

• These units cost the most money and should be installed by a pro (so factor in labor costs). An experienced electrician can help with town or municipal permits, noise restrictions, and proper location.

• These start automatically when the power goes out, and typically supply more power than these other options.

• They run a self-diagnosis and let you know when maintenance is needed. Some even do this via email or text, to you or your dealer.

• You have your choice of fuel— propane, which is less risky to store than gasoline, or natural gas, which provides an unlimited supply of power.

• They range from roughly 5,000 to 20,000 watts.

Typical cost:

$3,000 to $6,000

Home Standby Generator Ratings

A portable generator.

Portable Generators

• These units tend to cost less than home standby generators.

• They typically run on gasoline that you may need to store in large quantities. Stabilizer must be added to your fuel for prolonged storage.

• You can use portable generators anywhere on or off your property—but never in an enclosed space. These models can quickly produce deadly levels of carbon monoxide. Always run a portable generator at least 20 feet away from your home, including equipment such as a central AC condenser or window AC, and direct the exhaust away from your home or any other structure, including the neighbors' home.

• If it's raining, shield your generator with a canopy designed for your particular model.

• Several of these models offer electric starting. The battery required, however, may not be included.

• They provide from 3,000 to 8,500 watts.

Typical cost:

$400 to $1,000

Portable Generator Ratings

An inverter generator.

Inverter Generators

• Because their engines are more complex, these models generally cost more than portable generators of a comparable output.

• Inverter generators are much quieter than their conventional counterparts because they throttle up and down to match demand rather than run at full power all the time. They also have more sophisticated exhaust systems which also help tamp down noise.

• They run more efficiently and produce fewer emissions, but you should still follow all the same safety precautions you would with a portable generator.

Typical cost:

$500 to $4,000

Inverter Generator Ratings

A portable power station.

Portable Power Stations

• These devices don’t use gas or propane—they’re powered by a battery that you can charge by plugging into an electrical outlet or, sometimes, an included solar panel (you might also see them called “solar generators”).

• Portable power stations are relatively new to the market, and they typically cost more than portable gas generators.

• For those concerned about noise, note that these devices are extremely quiet.

• They don’t produce fuel emissions/carbon monoxide, so you can use them indoors.

• Don’t expect to power as many appliances or run them for an extended period of time, since they don’t output as much power as portable generators and you can't keep them running without recharging them, either with electricity or solar power.

• There are no issues with starting because there's nothing to start—think of these power stations as a large battery pack for your cell phone.

Typical cost:

$750 to $3,000