Natural Gas, Propane, and Diesel Home Generators for Sale

Table Of Content

• Briggs & Stratton PowerProtect™ 12kW Standby Generator, Model 040666
• The Best Portable Solar Panels
• Generac Air-Cooled Standby Generator
• Safety
• Generac PowerPact 7.5-kW Generator
• Pros and Cons of Standby Generators
• Adaptability: The Best Thing About the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max Solar Generator
• Generac GP6500 CoSense Portable Generator

Most standby home generators come equipped with several safety features designed to protect them from overheating and failing when you need them most. Though a home generator is a long-term investment, the unit, and its components still must fit your budget. Once you’ve figured out your power needs, the next two major considerations are the physical footprint of the generator and the amount of noise it makes. Whether you have a small yard or many acres of land, you’ll likely need the generator near your home, so the size and sound matter. Champion is newer in the home generator market, but the company is making a reputable name for itself with excellent quality generators built to last. An unmatched 10-year warranty, free lifetime technical support and a whisper-quiet 63 dbs of noise make Champion’s 12.5kW Home Standby Generator the best on our list.

Briggs & Stratton PowerProtect™ 12kW Standby Generator, Model 040666

Our top pick is the DuroMax Electric-Start Generator, which provides a high power level and has five built-in outlets, making it powerful enough to power appliances like your refrigerator or washer/dryer. A standby generator produces electricity to power the systems and appliances in your home during a power outage. Generators are available in various sizes that can power just a few essential home devices or an entire home’s worth of devices and systems.

The Best Portable Solar Panels

A home generator with an endless supply of fuel and no mechanical issues could theoretically run until it needs regular maintenance. A generator engine is similar to your car engine in that it requires upkeep such as oil changes, belt replacements and similar maintenance. Consumer feedback is a crucial indicator of how a generator performs and the level of customer service provided by the company. Each company was evaluated based on reviews over several public platforms and scored accordingly.

Generac Air-Cooled Standby Generator

While portable generators may provide enough power for lights and small electronics, they can’t power your entire household. The chart below estimates how much electricity common household appliances, devices, and equipment consume so you can find whole-home generator with enough wattage to meet the power needs of your household. The major con of portable power stations is the cost per watt, which can be significantly higher than traditional portable generators. Additionally, because these power stations must be charged via plug-in or solar, they may be difficult to use long-term during a power outage. If you are looking for an option for tailgating, powering key devices or appliances during a short-term outage, portable power stations are a great choice. A whole house generator, also known as a standby generator, is a device that provides backup electrical power to an entire house in the event of a power outage.

Safety

Choosing the right whole house generator based on your budget involves careful consideration of your power needs and available options. While these generators offer excellent backup power solutions, your choice should align with your financial constraints. When you’ve determined what power level you need from your whole house generator, you should consider whether you want an air-cooled or liquid-cooled system.

Generac PowerPact 7.5-kW Generator

Those that can use both fuel types are easily converted, without tools, to be ready to burn whichever fuel is needed. Large whole-house generators have an output of 10,000 watts or more, which means enough power for all your appliances. On average, they run from 140 to 200 hours on a propane tank, a shorter duration than their smaller counterparts. Our generator buying guide can help you select the style that’s right for you.

Pros and Cons of Standby Generators

Home standby generators, as detailed above, are permanent installations which automatically turn on during a power outage. Home standby generators run on propane, which is safer to store than traditional gasoline. Unlike portable generators, home generators are ready the moment your power goes out and most will even start themselves automatically when they sense the draw of power from your home’s electrical panel. Even if they don’t start automatically, home generators often have a remote start, which is significantly easier than a pull-cord that you might find on a portable generator. Erica Puisis has been covering home appliances and tools that make everyday life easier.

When your home or business generator needs repair, our experienced professionals will arrive on-site to perform efficient repair and restore your equipmen... Since generators can be both lifesaving and expensive, it’s natural to have some questions before you’re confident in your decision. Together with the above shopping considerations, these answers provide you with just about everything you need to know about emergency power generators. If a generator is placed on a slope or hill, the internal lubrication system could malfunction and lead to premature engine wear and damage. Finally, ensure the generator has cooled down before you refill it since spilling gasoline on a hot engine can cause a fire.

Generac GP6500 CoSense Portable Generator

Best Backup Generators Of 2024 – Forbes Home - Forbes

Best Backup Generators Of 2024 – Forbes Home.

Posted: Thu, 15 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

This isn’t usually an issue for most electrical devices—the exception being sensitive electronics like tablets, laptops, televisions, and other smart devices which can be damaged by current distortion or surges. The installed cost of a 20-kilowatt generator could fall between $10,000 and $15,000. Before choosing a generator, it's important to understand the safety considerations involved. Generator exhaust contains carbon monoxide that, when improperly ventilated, can build up and poison people. While these machines certainly still exist, there's now much more variety available. You don't want to overspend on more power than you could ever possibly want, and you also want to avoid a generator that can't deliver the electricity you need when it matters most.

With the colder months approaching, we face the possibility of power outages that can last from hours to weeks. Investing in a standby generator is one of the best ways to keep your most important appliances up and running and help everyone inside stay a little more comfortable. In some extreme cases, you may even be able to help provide power to neighbors. If the starting watts are not listed, you can usually multiply the running watts by three.

The IQ3500 is a great compact generator for job sites and emergency home backup. Champion packed a lot of value in here, starting with the ability to run on either gas or propane. Monitoring the current when turning the saw or planer on, we saw a symmetrical sine wave. Total harmonic distortion held at 0%, though it blipped to 3.7 when we turned the saw on. With a 30-amp, RV-style plug, this generator is suited to powering a medium camper, and though it doesn’t have a 240-volt outlet, it could come in handy during an emergency at home. Given that a standby generator like this is a semi-permanent installation and is hooked directly to your home's power system, we recommend having this professionally installed.

The EU2200i is ideal for camping and other outdoor events where generator noise might be frowned on. That enclosure is an important feature as it protects the inverter electronics and helps contain noise—the EU2200i is remarkably quiet. In testing, we measured sound levels of 68.9 decibels at the generator under no load. When we switched it to “eco” mode, which reduces engine speed when power isn’t called for, sound was reduced to 76 decibels. At half the size and less than half the weight of the other models in this test, the Honda EU2200i inverter generator is incredibly portable.

You can also find generators certified to mitigate the risk with features like carbon monoxide sensors and automatic shutoffs. If you're looking for other options, consider the advancements in home backup batteries. Echo is a smaller outdoor power equipment company that’s new to the generator market. Most of its models are recreational or midsized; many of them have low-carbon-monoxide engines. Low-Oil ShutoffIf oil falls below minimum levels, the generator shuts down to prevent engine damage. Typically a standard feature on stationary generators, it’s increasingly common on portables.

To find the best home generators for this list, she considered factors like power output, size, fuel type, and cooling system. Most of the generators on this list are whole-home generators, but portable and battery generators are included for short-term supplementary power needs. 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.

We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the latest and greatest models available. We found that customers who gave this product positive reviews were particularly impressed by its low noise level and easy startup. However, some reviewers did find it difficult to start and others said it ran out of fuel quickly.