It never hurts to have a backup power source, whether you’re going camping or preparing for a natural catastrophe.
We’ve already covered a variety of external power sources, such as everything you’ll need in the event of a blackout, one writer’s favorite power station, and the finest portable chargers.
We’ve compiled a list of the finest portable generators based on Amazon’s most enthusiastic reviews.
Portable Generator With The Highest Rating
Westinghouse WGen7500 Portable Generator
4.5 stars, 4,044 reviews
This portable generator has an electric start, which appealed to several five-star reviewers, including one who said, The electric start and remote worked well.
Everything was included (battery, oil, funnel, spark plug socket, etc.) and the battery was fully charged and ready to go, which was a great touch.
Had this generator for a year now and started it again in anticipation for Hurricane Florence, says another, who adds, Well-designed and well-built, starts first attempt.
The electric start is convenient, but if your battery dies, you may use the pull start.
While you must have a transfer switch installed by an electrician, one user claims that Westinghouse is fantastic for a portable generator since it is extremely simple to start owing to the electric start button.
It stores a lot of fuel and has to be refilled twice a day, depending on the amount of weight you put on it.
And, according to one reviewer, the battery still maintains a charge after five years: I took it out of storage yesterday, poured in new gas, and it started and ran excellent right away.
I couldn’t believe the battery was still charged and I didn’t need to jump start.
Portable Generator With The Highest Rating (At A Lower Price)
SereneLife Portable Generator, 155Wh Power Station
4.4 stars, 516 reviews
Campers love this portable generator since it’s small and portable.
I really love that I can connect a solar panel in so we don’t have to use the saved charge while it’s sunny out, one reviewer says, adding, I really love that I can plug a solar panel in so we don’t have to use the stored charge while it’s sunny out.
It can also be charged using a conventional AC or DC vehicle socket, and it takes roughly eight hours to fully charge the battery, which means it may be used on consecutive days.
It has a capacity of 155 watt-hours when completely charged, which means it can power two 9-watt LED lamps (60 watt incandescent counterparts) for a whole 8+ hours.
According to one reviewer, we also have a very low-wattage little AC-powered fan that only uses 4 watts, which means we could potentially get 38 hours of run time from that.
The majority of customers purchased this to power their CPAP machines, which have shown to be effective in helping persons with sleep apnea breathe at night while camping.
One user writes, Most importantly for ME, it will run my CPAP (Resmed Airsense 10) for NINE HOURS on a full charge, provided I turn off the humidifier/ heated tubing function on the unit, while another writes, 8.5 hours running CPAP, no problem and only used one bar on charger, so should run cpap two or three nights on a charge.
Portable Inverter Generator With The Best Noise Level
Westinghouse WGen9500 Portable Generator
4.4 stars, 1,883 reviews
Wow, this thing is quiet, said half of the five-star reviewers, including one who puts it on the porch without disturbing neighbors: My initial impression was ‘Wow, this thing is quiet.’ I wasn’t expecting it to be that silent.
I picked an inverter since I live in a townhouse complex and was worried about powering my essentials in the event of a power outage without causing annoyance to my neighbors.
When I finally heard it run, I was overjoyed.
This tiny darling simply continues purring away and needs very little gasoline, says another, adding that it operated for 13 hours on one gallon.
It’s fantastic.
It may also run a lot.
I’ve been using it for four weeks as home backup power since storm Maria devastated Puerto Rico, knocking the island off the grid, one reviewer said.
I use it on a daily basis for 12 hours on average, powering a refrigerator, one 55-inch LED TV, one 40-inch LCD TV, one Blu-ray DVD, eight 16-watt lamps, two large fans, one 800-watt espresso coffee brewer on a six-minute cycle in the morning, charging my cell phones, tablets, and laptops, and doing two loads of laundry per week.
I have to say this tiny unit has been a life savior for me and my family, a fourth reviewer said after his house in Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria.
It has greatly facilitated our lives, and I want to purchase a second one as a backup.
Quietest (And Cheapest) Portable Inverter Generator
WEN 56200i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator, CARB Compliant
4.6 stars, 2,150 reviews
The low noise level of this portable generator earns it great points.
At up to roughly 600W, this unit is so quiet, you can literally run it outdoors on your balcony without bothering the neighbors, one customer says.
This generator rocks, says another, adding, It maintained two refrigerators and two freezers running 24 hours a day with a little bit to spare for four days in the wake of Hurricane Irma in Atlanta.
We live in south Florida and this generator got us through hurricane Irma, one reviewer says, adding, We reside in south Florida and this generator got us through the storm Irma.
We bought it because of the price and performance; it is very fuel efficient, small, light, and silent.
The generator has been used every day for at least eight hours every day and it’s still operating strong with no difficulties whatsoever, writes another reviewer after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico.
People, that’s at least four months!
Portable Generators With The Least Amount Of Weight
Powermate PM2000 49ST
now 21% off
4.4 stars, 135 reviews
The terms portable and lightweight aren’t typically synonymous, yet the Powermate generator excels in both categories.
It weighs just under 62 pounds (one-third the weight of our top selection from Westinghouse), making it light enough to be carried by one person effortlessly and the ideal size for camping, according to one reviewer.
It was able to handle lights, a fan, and the coffee maker without burning up its gas too soon, according to the report.
The generator is not only lightweight, but also incredibly straightforward to operate, according to a second reviewer.
It comes with all you need to set it up and operate it, including a funnel and a spark plug tool for when you need to undertake maintenance, not simply because it stores away conveniently until required.
These characteristics came in good for a third reviewer, who needed to utilize the generator at their horse ranch in the Northern California highlands during a big snow and wind storm.
They claim the generator started every morning with one or two pulls of the cord in frigid conditions and worked without a hitch from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. during a five-and-a-half-day power outage.
This generator is fuel efficient (0.1 gallon per hour) and can easily power lights, refrigerator, freezer, and a tiny booster pump that feeds water to the residence.
The Best Portable Generator For Heavy-Duty Use
A-iPower 12000 Watt Portable Generator
4.5 stars, 427 reviews
Unlike other generators that are better suited to transitory conditions, this A-iPower generator is designed to function at full capacity for lengthy periods of time.
For one reviewer, who bought the generator before Hurricane Irma knocked off their electricity in 2017, this was critical.
They write, My generator worked wonderfully.
I’m rather taken aback.
[It] lasted 14 hours before requiring refueling, for a total of 36 hours.
It’s also said to have held up nicely over time.
I’ve used this generator for 3.5 years and it still starts on the first spin! Another reviewer claims that this generator kept their whole family running during a severe storm.
It never failed me down and handled anything I attempted to do with it for a total of 80 hours, they add.
I had a full-size Whirlpool double door refrigerator/freezer, a 12,000 BTU AC window unit, a 65-inch LED TV with surround sound, two PlayStation 4s, an Internet modem and router, another 40-inch LED TV, four box fans, two standing fans, seven lamps, and a cell phone charger all running off it at the same time.
A third reviewer, who used the generator for two years before writing a review, claims it is great value for the money…
We have frequent power outages where I reside in rural West Virginia.
Our whole home is powered by this generator, which includes central air, an electric water heater, three freezers, a well pump, and many televisions.
Portable Generators With Fuel Shutdown Are The Best.
WEN 56203i 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator w/Fuel Shut Off
4.6 stars, 2,986 reviews
This generator has a fuel cutoff mechanism that burns up the remaining gasoline in the carburetor before shutting down automatically – a feature that, although technical, fully sold one reviewer.
This is critical because gasoline may clog the carburetor if left in for too long.
It just takes about a minute for it to run out of gas, they say.
Another observes that this feature will extend the generator’s useful life: If you add stabilizer in your gasoline and utilize the fuel shutdown option, this generator should easily last a decade.
However, critics generally agree that this generator consumes a conservative amount of fuel: This device consumes virtually NO petrol, one reviewer said.
I’ve used it through two power outages already for approximately 6-8 hours each time, and I’m nothing close getting through the 1 gallon of gas, says another.
Although it isn’t the most powerful generator available, one reviewer claims that it was able to power all of their lights, refrigerator, entertainment center, internet, and security system at the same time.
Portable Generator With Dual Fuels That Is The Best
Champion 3800-Watt Dual Fuel Portable Generator
4.6 stars, 5,150 reviews
After testing this dual-fuel portable generator, one reviewer exclaims, Wow, what a terrific generator! I powered her up after making the battery connections and added some gas.
She was off in three cranks.
It has a smooth and quiet sound to it.
The craftsmanship is excellent, and it seems to have been put together with pride.
It’s particularly tempting since it’s dual-fuel.
Another reviewer enjoys the dual-fuel capability since it allows her to use both gas and propane, which she describes as the selling factor.
There’s no need to be concerned about gas clogging up the engine with propane.
Propane is a safe fuel.
The selling element was the dual fuel usage, said one client who purchased it for his RV.
Pulled over that night and ran our A/C in our RV from midnight to 7AM, he adds.
It was a bit noisy at first, and we were worried about our neighbors, but after we heard the truck engines and other RV’ers with their generators, everything was OK.
We slept well and had plenty of gas left over.
Bottom line, it ‘simply works’ for me, and I couldn’t be happier with this product, writes one reviewer.
The dual fuel capability is a major selling factor; there’s no need to be concerned about the age of your gasoline.
The best portable generator that is simple to start
Champion 7500-Watt Dual Fuel Portable Generator
4.6 stars, 5,150 reviews
Toss your old Honda, Generac, Kolar, Homlite, and anything else into the recycle bin.
Nothing compares to this kind of generator, one reviewer exclaims, before going on to say, It has to be the greatest generator ever manufactured.
I also have a lot of generators.
I have Champions who have logged over 5,000 hours.
God bless this generator, says another reviewer, who adds, This generator has more than paid for itself simply keeping my fridge running during Dominion Power’s repeated outages, so we don’t have to throw away hundreds of dollars worth of food at a time.
When you utilize the propane option, it always starts with the electric push-button starter, and operation and maintenance are a breeze.
I loathe dealing with gasoline engines, and I’m at that point in my life where I can’t cope with the annoyance of pull starts, says a third reviewer, adding, Started like a dream and operates much more smoothly than other generators.
Plus, everything looks fantastic, and I keep joking that Bumblebee the Transformer has taken up residence in our garage.
Overall, this is another another fantastic Champion Power product.
The Best Portable Gas Generator That Is Simple To Start
Generac 7117 Gp2200I W 50St Inverter, Orange
4.7 stars,1,340 reviews
Despite the lack of a electronic push-button starter, more than 20% of reviewers characterize this generator as simple to use, which is unusual for gas generators.
One reviewer comments, Amazingly, it started on the first pull after adding gasoline, using the choke for just a few seconds.
And there have been others who have had comparable experiences.
Super simple to start (even I can do it, and I have problems with other pull start machines, one reviewer states, while another adds, It always starts with the first pull.
The number of devices that this 2,200-watt generator can power is likewise astounding.
One comments, We used it entire summer to operate the 5,000 BTU AC unit.
We also utilized it to power the coffee machine (after turning off the air conditioning) and for lighting, charging laptops, and other things.
Two 24 monitors, A beast of an engineering computer, a modem, and a Sonicwall VPN A 50-inch television, a Bose speaker, and Side-by-side refrigerator, all lights (led bulbs), heater, and ceiling fans.
While there are several 2,200-watt generators on the market, one clever comparison shopper claims that this one is somewhat better: I researched many of the 2,000 watt to 2,200 watt portable inverter/generators, and chose this one based on the slight 100 watts of running power over the 2000 watt models, even though this one is only a few db’s louder, while still being as light as, or lighter than, competing 2000/2200 watt options, they explain.
It also has a somewhat bigger fuel tank, allowing for a claimed 10 hours or more of runtime on eco (which is ideal for circumstances when I need clean little power for extended periods of time (a few hundred watts).
The Best Solar-Powered Portable Generator
Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240 Solar Generator
4.8 stars, 12,751 reviews
According to one reviewer, the combination of features and form factor of this Jackery solar-powered generator makes it the Tesla of generators! They claim that the Jakery generator, like most others, can help power lights, phones, computers, TVs, blenders, and much more.
However, it contains a number of features that other solar-powered generators lack, such as surge prevention, short circuit protection, [and] temperature control.
Another reviewer, who dislikes smelly/loud generators, uses this one in the field while working with drones.
The display displays how much energy I have left and how much I’m now draining, allowing me to make informed choices about what to charge and what to leave running on battery for the time being, they write.
After many tornadoes, floods, and storms, a third reviewer opted 11 years ago to wean themselves off all electrical equipment and transition to only solar-powered appliances.
They claim the Jackery Power station is a wonderful alternative for someone who needs a solar generator after trying damn never every preparation item you can think of, including a solar oven, solar radios, and battery-operated equipment.
I would strongly suggest it for anybody living in an RV, homesteading, camping, van life, preppers, small houses, and essentially anyone who needs excellent, portable, and dependable emergency power in the event of a disaster.
Portable Solar-Powered Generator With The Best (Lowest) Price
Wawui Portable Solar Generator
4.3 stars, 2,156 reviews
This little solar-powered generator isn’t designed to power your whole house, but it does have enough electricity to give emergency lights, charge your phones, and operate basic computer things, according to one reviewer.
This makes it an excellent choice for usage on the road, such as when fishing or camping.
Another reviewer adds, This little device is excellent to toss in the bag and go.
I charged it for approximately 6 hours today with the solar panel in bright sunshine, and the power indication is 100 percent.
A third reviewer describes it as a portable charger that seems to operate well.
It’s not very fast, but it’ll suffice for camping or power outages.
While a bigger, more powerful generator would have been preferable, the reviewer notes that they utilized this generator when the California wildfires knocked out electricity in [their] flat for nearly four days.
Not only were they able to use their lights and charge their phones, but they were also able to transport the generator down the street to assist [their] neighbors.
How Do We Choose Each Product?
All of the portable generators we’ve featured have over 100 reviews and an average rating of at least 4.1 stars, and they’re all Amazon-fulfilled.
If anything isn’t to your taste, Amazon, not a third-party vendor, will manage customer care and product returns.
In case you’re looking for a reliable generator that will keep you safe in any situation but don’t want to spend too much money, our best-rated (less expensive) pick is the one that meets all of our criteria at the lowest price in the category, and our best-rated (less expensive) pick is the one that meets all of our criteria at the lowest price in the category.
The remainder of the items are divided into categories depending on what people want and what reviews rave about.
