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This engine drives an alternator to produce electricity, which is then converted to the appropriate voltage and frequency for household use. The Generac Guardian 26KW Home Backup Generator 7291 is our choice for the Best Overall Whole-Home Generator. Equipped with a G-Force engine, it delivers enough power to reliably run your home’s larger appliances with less routine maintenance. Even better, it features an automatic transfer switch and remote monitoring capability. It’s hard to beat Westinghouse’s 4,500-watt inverter generator for power output, versatility, and portability. It’s not the highest-wattage model we tested, but it excelled at running several power tools, including grinders and saws, as well as the essentials in our travel trailer.
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RV enthusiasts will also find that this generator provides enough power to start and run a 15,000 BTU RV air conditioner. After several years of use, we would have expected some issues based on the price, but there are zero to report. To determine the necessary power rating for your generator, add up the wattage of all the appliances you want to run during an electrical outage. As a general rule, a generator should have at least a 5,000-watt capacity to power a home’s essential appliances.
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Many options are gas-powered generators, but some are powered by diesel or propane. Multifuel generators (dual- and tri-fuel) are powered by multiple fuel sources, including gasoline, diesel, propane, and/or natural gas. Be advised that fuel-powered generators should never be used indoors since the engine can emit a toxic level of CO, leading to sickness or death.
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Low Oil Protection (Y/N) (5%)
The system is designed to detect when the generator starts so your home can use its energy. The switch then disconnects your home from the power grid and supplies power from your generator to designated circuits in your home. This process happens seamlessly if your generator has an automatic start (see above), which engages the machine after it detects an absence of power from the electric company grid. We strongly recommend that a transfer switch be installed by a professional electrician. To know how many watts you need in a generator, add up the wattage of the appliances or equipment you’re most likely to simultaneously operate. Portable generators, like the WEN DF475T Portable Generator, which run on gasoline, are useful in times of power outage because they allow you to continue using necessities like lights and refrigerators for a limited time.
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This generator is also the quietest of our top five with noise measured at only 62 dbA. The best models take that in stride while lower-performing generators bog down or even stall. We also look at how efficiently a generator uses fuel and how long it runs on a tank of propane.
Then dinnertime rolls around, you’re freezing, and the kids are completely over your “let’s turn this into a game” efforts. DeWalt is best known as a tool brand, but it makes gas-powered portable generators with contractors in mind. It primarily focuses on the construction market, with generators designed for worksites. • Inverter generators are much quieter than portable generators because they throttle up and down to match demand rather than run at full power all the time. The amount of power they deliver determines how many electronics and appliances you can run at once; figure on about 5,000 watts for a typical home. The delivery and quality of power—both of which we test and score in our generator ratings—determines how well they’ll power your home.
Low Oil Protection (5%)
• As with a small inverter generator, a portable power station is best for cases in which you know you won’t need power for long, such as camping, tailgating, or inflating an outdoor bounce house. • You have your choice of fuel—propane, which is less risky to store than the gasoline required for the other models here, or natural gas, which provides an unlimited supply of power. Home generators can be run by a variety of different fuel types, but all the ones on our list use either liquid propane (LP), natural gas (NG) or both. Those that can use both fuel types are easily converted, without tools, to be ready to burn whichever fuel is needed.
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Errors will be corrected where discovered, and Lowe's reserves the right to revoke any stated offer and to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions including after an order has been submitted. That's why we're standing by all day every day from our headquarters in Wisconsin to answer any questions you might have. Zach Lazzari is a freelance writer splitting time between the great outdoors, travel, and DIY projects ranging from camper builds to home renovations and maintenance. In keeping with that theme, our Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home.
You can manually add the wattage of each of your major appliances or check your utility bill to be perfectly sure. Installing a whole house generator or its transfer switch is a job best done by an experienced professional to ensure compliance with local safety codes. The best whole house generator is the one that fits best with the power requirements of your home and the appliances you need it to run. For the comfort of the homeowner, 10% of the total ranking went to noise level (dbA).
This component is a crucial link between your generator and your home’s electrical system. If you want nearly instant power restoration for key systems in the event of a power failure, install a backup generator like the Generac Guardian. This 10kW model offers Wi-Fi monitoring and is equipped for either natural gas or propane fuel sources. Pair it with a 100-amp, 16-circuit transfer switch or a 200-amp smart switch, depending on your needs. This generator boasts a sturdy aluminum casing with a powder-coated finish, ensuring its resistance to corrosion and suitability for use in any weather condition.
While portable generators often average between 3,500 and 10,000 watts, home generators usually have a capacity of 10,000 to 50,000 watts, or even more. They switch off the grid power and connect directly to several electrical circuit within the home to power the essential systems, appliances and several lights and outlets. The most crucial factor in determining which standby generator is suitable for your needs is whether it can keep up with your electrical demands during an outage. During a power outage, keeping crucial systems and appliances, such as HVAC and refrigeration, operating is enough for many.
Coming in under $500, this RV-ready portable generator by Champion Power Equipment makes our list as the best budget generator of the bunch. It also has a robust 1.25-inch steel-tube cradle that protects the unit and covered outlets for added protection. While this generator weighs close to 200 pounds, it’s still portable courtesy of its heavy-duty, never-flat wheels, which ensure it can go where you go without issue. Generac has an online sizing calculator that can help you determine the right home backup generator for your unique needs. They'll help you select the right generator, and provide you with a risk free quote. After researching more than 40 top models, we selected the highest-scoring models in a range of categories for hands-on testing.
With a noise level of 67 dbA, this unit’s noise is impressively low for the level of power output. The only thing missing from this package is an automatic transfer switch, which is sold separately. With a power output rating of 22,000 watts when using natural gas or propane, this generator can easily handle a home's essential systems. Plus, it operates at a modest 71 decibels and performs a weekly self-test cycle using a low 1,800 RPM engine cycle that's fuel-efficient and easy on the engine and alternator. However, for safe and automatic power restoration, you'll need to purchase a transfer switch separately.
We also considered brand reputation—manufacturers like Champion, Honda, Westinghouse, and Briggs & Stratton are highly respected in the generator industry. Midsized inverter generators have ample power to run a fridge and a window AC or space heater, as you can see in our interactive tool above. Small recreational models are compact enough to toss into the back of a pickup to power a TV and cooktop at a tailgate, and can be used to charge phones and laptops, as well as lamps and small kitchen appliances. While generators can be lifesavers in a storm, they often lose their reliability in hotter climates. This generator was designed with a top of the line liquid cooling system so that it stays cool even when the weather is unbearably hot.
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