Last Updated on July 21, 2022 by William

Best Portable Generators to Keep You OUT of the Dark!

Good generators can make or break a living situation. Without a good generator, you could find yourself stuck without power and no way to run your utilities and appliances.

In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at what you should be looking for in a good generator and we’re going to list three products that are worthy of purchasing.

These great generators won’t break down on you and can generate enough energy to fuel your electrical needs. And if you need to find the best portable inverter generator, check out our other article.

Portable Power Generators Buying Guide

Let’s take a look at the actual features and factors you should be considering with your purchase of a generator. Learning a little bit about generators will make you a more informed consumer and get you on the right track to purchasing the right generator for you.

1. Know Your Wattage Needs

Portable generators come in all kinds of different wattages. It’s up to you to find out how many watts will be adequate for your needs. Not everyone needs a huge generator with enough power to provide for an entire home. You can check out this worksheet to determine exactly what wattage generator you’ll be needing for your home, personal effects, and/or business.

Be sure that you factor in that you may have to run more than one device and/or appliance at once, and in all likelihood, you should buy a generator with more wattage than you actually expect to use. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

2. Consider Purchasing Additional Accessories

If you purchase a portable generator, you should consider buying accessories for it. A generator cover is good when you need to store the generator away, and a transfer switch is useful so that when the power goes out, the generator can automatically take over powering the electrical needs of a home.

3. Choose A Modern Generator

Modern generators have better quality standards than older models. If you’re in the market to purchase a portable generator, make sure that you choose a modern one. Not only do modern generators perform better, they’re also safer than generators of the past.

4. Buy An Additional Generator As A Backup

An additional generator might be a really good idea. If one fails, you’ll have another one there to generate the electricity you need. Buying an additional generator is a smart decision that might just save your life in the event of an emergency.

5. Get A Good Warranty

A portable generator can be one of the most important aspects of an emergency plan. You don’t want to waste your money on a generator without a warranty. The best generator companies have warranties to keep you safe from any possible defects and ensure that you are never left stranded without a means to recoup the cost of the purchase.

6. Buy From A Solid Company

You don’t have to find out the hard way that not all generators are created equal. Buying from companies like Generac, Duro, Eastern Tools and Equipment, Briggs and Stratton, Champion, and Westinghouse will give you the peace of mind that you bought from a reputable company.

You can read the reviews on Amazon for yourself to determine if the generator you’re considering is really worth the purchase. These are the brand names with the highest ratings in the market place.

Generac 5943 GP7500E 9,375 Watt Electric Generator Review

If you’re looking for a portable generator that is both modern and efficient, you should take a look at the Generac 5943 GP7500. Featuring an electric start system, it starts up effortlessly. With a compact frame you can wheel around, it also goes virtually anywhere you can roll it. 7,500 watts of power allows you to generate enough electricity to power a great many of your home appliances.

While it won’t power an entire home and everything in it, you can run your PC, refrigerator, furnace, washer/dryer, and a few other choice appliances until you can restore main power. This unit has the capability to keep your home in working order until you can find out the problem with the main power.

Two of these portable generators would be enough to cover everything in a home. On camping trips, it can make for a very enjoyable time in the great outdoors.

A portable generator like this can save you from catastrophes like hurricanes, floods, and torrential storms. Owning a home without having a portable generator or two on hand is risky. Consider buying two of these and guarantee yourself the safety of being able to run your appliances when you lose power.

Product Features:

• X-Torq Governor Keeps The Engine Running Smoothly And Without Stalls
• Full Pressure Lubrication System
• Eight Gallon Steel Gas Tank
• 11 Full Hours Of Operation At 50% Load
• Built In Fuel Gauge
• 10,000 Maximum Watts For Startup Devices
• Electrical Overload Protection
• Two Year Warranty
• Electric AND Recoil Start Options

Final Analysis:

Pros:

• This portable generator is very safe with the electrical overload protection and people have noticed that it’s very quiet.
• The 2 year warranty is a great feature of this generator. If anything goes wrong within the 2 year window period, you’re protected.
• Operates well in cold temperatures. Reports of successfully running during outside temperatures of 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit for three days long! This unit has the power to save you even in the worst conditions.
• If the electric start ever fails, you can rely on the recoil start feature. This is an extra bit of protection against possible malfunction.
• After 5 hours of continuous use, this generator only uses 2.5 gallons of gas!
• Reports of people using this item for 250 straight hours with flawless operation.
• Although many people have had tons of positive experiences with this generator, if anything goes wrong Amazon will replace it for free if it’s still under warranty.

Cons:

• Oil fill cap uses plastic threads
• Doesn’t charge the battery while running. This generator comes with a separate charger.

ETQ TG32P12 4,000 Watt 7 HP Gas Powered Portable Generator Review

This is a portable generator company that you may not have heard of before. But rest assured, this is a quality company. ETQ stands for Eastern Tools and Equipment and this is a generator that can really save you if weather knocks the power out. A portable generator like this should be part of any emergency plan for power outages.

With one of these, you can power most of your house and appliances without having to worry. This portable generator features a seven horsepower, four stroke air cooled engine with overhead valves and a low oil safety shut off feature. When the oil level gets dangerously low, it shuts itself off automatically.

The four gallon fuel tank provides you with enough fuel capacity for hours of problem free operation. It’s also surprisingly quiet, with a oversized muffler so it’s running at under 65 decibels at all times. With the included portability kit, you’ll be able to take it nearly anywhere. The reliable recoil start system ensures that you’ll be able to get it started every time, and an exclusive feature known as “Sine Power” makes this generator safe for all electronics. The resulting low THD waveform output ensures you that your electronics will be safe.

Although it doesn’t come with a fancy housing, this portable generator is mechanically solid and provides a great many people power when their electricity fails.

Product Features:

• 1 Year Factory Warranty
• 13 Hours Run Time Running At 50% Of Capacity
• 7 Horsepower 4 Stroke Air Cooled Engine With OHV
• Low Oil Safety Shut Off Feature
• 4 Gallon Fuel Tank For 13 Hours Of Continuous Operation

Final Analysis:

Pros:

• This portable generator scored very high in the Amazon review section, which is a good indicator of the quality.
• This unit runs clean and provides a dependable energy source in the event of a power outage.
• When people tested this generator using large load amounts, it performed well.
• Many people have found this to be an exceptional value as a backup generator.
• Fuel efficient enough to run many hours in the event of an emergency.
• A great value for the price.
• Through 80 hours of continuous run time this generator performed flawlessly.

Cons:

• Requires a funnel with a flexible neck in order to add oil to the machine.
• Needs frequent oil changes if running for a substantial period of time.