The 8 Best Portable Generators of 2022

Best Overall:
Westinghouse Outdoor Power Equipment Westinghouse WGen9500c Home Backup Portable Generator

As our top pick for the best portable generator, the Westinghouse WGen9500c is precisely the generator you want to have in tow to be able to run all the necessities in an average-sized house in the case of a power outage. With 12,500 starting watts, and 9,500 running watts, it has the capacity to power all the lights and appliances you can’t live without, enabling you and your family to continue to function as somewhat normal through a blackout. 

Whether you want to be prepared for a storm or need this generator to power a mobile home or RV, the Westinghouse WGen9500c has more than enough power and is easy to use. It features a push-button electric start and a key fob, and it’s a dual-fuel machine, which means it can be powered by either gasoline or propane. It has many handy features, such as automatic shutdown if low oil is detected and control panel spotlights. It’s also transfer-switch ready, meaning you can have it permanently hooked up to the house and it will kick in automatically whenever the power cuts out.

Though it weighs a fair 222 pounds, it’s easy to roll around thanks to its large wheels, but you might need some help lifting it in and out of the trunk if you’re planning on moving it from place to place. It’s also not the quietest machine, so if you want to operate it on a more long-term basis, you might want to think about whether it will disturb your sleep if you’ll be using it in an RV. The included keyfob, however, enables you to operate it from a distance if you want to move it further away from the house.

Price at time of publish: $804

Product Details:

• Wattage: 12,500 watts (starting), 9,500 watts (running)
• Fuel: Gasoline, propane
• Engine: Dual-fuel, 457cc 4-stroke OHV engine
• Size: 27.2 x 26.1 x 26.5 inches
• Weight: 222.1 pounds
• Runtime: 12 hours
• Noise: 74 decibels

Best Budget:
Sportsman 4,000/3,500-Watt Gasoline Powered Portable Generator with RV Outlet

Perfect for powering smaller appliances or all the necessities in an RV or mobile home, the affordable Sportsman 4,000 Surge is our choice for the best portable generator for those on a budget. While it’s not the most powerful generator on the market, you can comfortably power a refrigerator, your basic lights, a couple of fans, and some electrical devices for around eight hours on one tank of gas.

It’s quite a good generator for camping, too, but you might want to position it a little further away from your sleeping area since, though it’s not the loudest generator, you can’t exactly call it quiet. If you live at an altitude or are planning on going camping in a high-altitude environment, this generator is not recommended—the carburetor cannot be adjusted for altitudes of over 3,000 feet, and the thinner air does not provide the ideal oxygen/gas mixture ratio. This can potentially damage the spark plug and generally does not allow the generator to run smoothly. 

For those looking for the best portable generator for a small jobsite or a workshop, this is a great option. It can run power tools of up to around 900 running watts each, albeit not at the same time. At 91 pounds, this unit can be maneuvered and transported a little easier than some other models. The wheel and handle kit, unfortunately, doesn’t come with the machine, but can be bought separately. This portable generator has six outlets and a pull starts that is easy enough to pull without requiring too much elbow grease.

Price at time of publish: $397

Product Details:

• Wattage: 4,000 watts (starting), 3,500 watts (running)
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Engine: 212cc, 4-stroke OHV engine
• Size: 23 x 19.5 x 17.5 inches
• Weight: 91 pounds
• Runtime: 10 hours at 50{5376dfc28cf0a7990a1dde1ec4d231557d3d9e6448247a9e5e61bb9e48b1de73} load
• Noise: 69 decibels

Best Quiet:
Generac Generac 7127 iQ3500-3500 Watt Portable Inverter Generator Quieter Than Honda, Orange/Black

Though inverter generators are known to be a little flimsier than regular generators, this Generac model is housed in a durable and hard-wearing steel enclosure to keep it safe from damage. It’s quiet enough to be taken camping and won’t disturb you or the neighbors, even in congested living areas.

According to Generac, the company does not publish decibel levels; however, it does state that this generator is five decibels quieter than the Honda EU3000IS portable generator, which is often touted to be the quietest on the market at 49 to 58 decibels. This would put the Generac 7127 iQ3500 generator at around an impressive 45 decibels at a quarter load—about as quiet as a regular conversation—meaning that you can keep it right outside the tent when camping and you’ll still be able to sleep like a baby.

It operates via a simple and intuitive dial which starts, runs, and stops the machine, and starting it up is practically effortless thanks to its electric start. It has two engine speeds to choose from, depending on what you want to operate, and you won’t have to worry about your sensitive electronics either thanks to this machine’s clean inverter technology.

Price at time of publish: $1,199

Product Details:

• Wattage: 3,500 watts (starting), 3,000 watts (running)
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Engine: 212cc, OHV engine
• Size: 23.7 x 18 x 21.7 inches
• Weight: 109.1 pounds
• Runtime: 8.9 hours at 50{5376dfc28cf0a7990a1dde1ec4d231557d3d9e6448247a9e5e61bb9e48b1de73} load
• Noise: 45–55 decibels

Best Lightweight:
Wen WEN 56235i Super Quiet 2350-Watt Portable Inverter Generator with Fuel Shut Off

For smaller houses or apartments, or for use when camping, this lightweight Wen 56235i is a top choice for many reasons. Not only is it light enough to carry with one hand, but it offers up to seven hours of runtime on half a load and emits only 51 decibels of noise when used at a quarter load.

If your shed or refueling station is a little further away from the house, and you’d rather not top up the generator right next to your home, this 39-pound portable generator is easy to carry to and fro without any backache. It has an innovative fuel shutoff system that uses up the fuel remaining in the carburetor, which extends the engine’s life. It also comes with a two-year warranty.

It offers five outlets (120V and 12V DC receptacles and two 5V USB ports) and is safe enough to run all your sensitive electronics, such as laptops, as well as securely charging your phones and tablets, too. It runs for 10.5 hours on a quarter load, and it even has an eco-mode that automatically adjusts the fuel consumption, depending on what you’ve got plugged into it. 

Price at time of publish: $430

Product Details:

• Wattage: 2,350 watts (starting), 1,900 watts (running)
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Engine: 79 cc, 4-stroke OHV engine
• Size: 17.3 x 11.5 x 17.5 inches
• Weight: 39 pounds
• Runtime: 7 hours at 50{5376dfc28cf0a7990a1dde1ec4d231557d3d9e6448247a9e5e61bb9e48b1de73} load, 10.5 hours at 25{5376dfc28cf0a7990a1dde1ec4d231557d3d9e6448247a9e5e61bb9e48b1de73} load
• Noise: From 51 decibels

Most Powerful:
Duromax DuroMax XP13000HXT Remote Start Portable Generator

As the most powerful option on our list of the best portable generators, the Duromax Tri-Fuel is an impressive machine capable of powering everything that the average house needs to operate in a power shortage. Your lights, refrigerator, fans, air conditioning units, household appliances, and TVs can continue to work, even if the whole neighborhood has gone dark. 

This generator provides convenience in a number of ways. To start with, it’s a tri-fuel generator meaning it can run on gasoline, propane, and natural gas, giving you many powering options. While running it on gasoline provides the most power, it still gives you a massive 9,500 running watts on propane, and a bit less for natural gas. The natural gas hose and propane regulator is included in the kit. The interface is on the front with all the functions, including a push-button start, the outlets, a low oil sensor, and the LED display, which shows the gas and load gauges, voltage, and frequency.

In addition, there’s an alert which will automatically shut the machine down when it detects a high level of carbon monoxide. It’s a heavy machine, but the included handle and wheel kit make it easier to push from place to place. Though it’s supposed to be run outdoors, it’s best to keep it in a somewhat sheltered area to protect it from the elements, especially heavy rainfall. 

Price at time of publish: $2,499

Product Details:

• Wattage: 
• Gasoline: 13,000 watts (starting) 10,500 watts (running)
• Propane: 12,000 watts (starting), 9,500 watts (running)
• Natural gas: 10,000 watts (starting), 8,500 watts (running)
• Fuel: Gasoline, propane, and natural gas
• Engine: Tri-fuel, 500cc, 20 HP, 4-stroke OHV engine
• Size: 29 x 30 x 26 inches
• Weight: 236 pounds
• Runtime: 8.5 hours on gasoline, 6.5 hours on propane at 50{5376dfc28cf0a7990a1dde1ec4d231557d3d9e6448247a9e5e61bb9e48b1de73} load
• Noise: 74 decibels

Best Dual-Fuel:
Champion Power Equipment Champion Power Equipment 200961 2500-Watt Dual Fuel Generator

Champion is one of the best portable generator companies, and this 2,500-watt model is a prime example of its quality products. With the option of powering the generator with either gasoline or the more cost-effective propane, users can get anywhere from 10 to 34 hours of runtime. The generator is not only powerful and reliable, it’s also lightweight at under 40 pounds, making it a breeze to take camping or bringing out of the garage or storage shed when necessary.

This portable generator can work in tandem with another identical unit, meaning that if you have two of them, you can easily put them side by side, attaching them together with the clip-on connection provided in the parallel kit—sold separately—for double the power. The panel is easy to read and displays all the important information such as run time, output, and how much fuel you have left. An LPG hose for using it with propane is included as well as a USB adapter.

Starting this generator up is super easy thanks to its intuitive start-up dial, and it’s extremely low-noise at just 53 decibels from 23 feet away. It also has a feature that shuts the system off automatically if unsafe levels of carbon monoxide are detected. What’s more, this generator offers clean inverter power technology so if you want to operate your computers, laptops, and other sensitive devices, they’ll stay safe. Another perk offered by Champion is a three-year limited warranty and free lifetime technical support for peace of mind.

Price at time of publish: $839

Product Details:

• Wattage: 
• Gasoline: 2,500 watts (starting), 1,850 watts (running) 
• Propane: 2,500 watts (starting), 1,665 watts (running)
• Fuel: Gasoline, propane
• Engine: Dual-fuel, 79cc, 4-stroke OHV engine
• Size: 17.3 x 12 x 17.7 inches
• Weight: 39 pounds
• Runtime: 11.5 hours on gasoline, 34 hours on propane at 25{5376dfc28cf0a7990a1dde1ec4d231557d3d9e6448247a9e5e61bb9e48b1de73} load
• Noise: 53 decibels

Best Solar Powered:
Jackery Jackery Solar Generator SG880 with 2 Solar Panels

With no gas or fumes, the Jackery SG880 is an eco-friendly portable generator that is super quiet, extremely lightweight, and easy to use, too. Fully charging this unit takes only 6.5 hours, and it has enough outlets to run up to eight appliances at once with 1,000 watts of continuous power. The unit comes with two solar panels for charging, but you can also charge it via a wall outlet or a car outlet, though these options take around 13 hours. 

There’s a handy LED flashlight, which is convenient for camping and outdoor activities, and, in addition to its two USB outlets (one with a quick charge), it even has a USB-C outlet. Its lithium-ion battery can be used for around 500 cycles, and even then, it will still offer 80{5376dfc28cf0a7990a1dde1ec4d231557d3d9e6448247a9e5e61bb9e48b1de73} of its original power. If, however, you notice the power dwindling before the 500 hours, the company will repair it for you free of charge.

Jackery doesn’t offer one particular run time as this is dependent on the appliances you want to operate. As an example, however, it can run a microwave of 1,000 watts for 42 minutes, a blender of 300 watts for 2.3 hours, a mini fridge of 60 watts for up to 60 hours, and a CPAP machine (usually rated between 30–60 watts) for up to 70 hours. To calculate how many hours you can get for a particular device, use the following formula: 880 x 0.8 / running watts of device you wish to power.

Price at time of publish: $1,323

Product Details:

• Wattage: 2,000 watts (starting), 1,000 watts (running)
• Fuel: None, powered by lithium-ion battery, and solar panel
• Engine: N/A
• Size: 13.1 x 9.2 x 11.1 inches
• Weight: 33 pounds
• Runtime: Various (to be calculated as 880 x 0.8 / device to be powered
• Noise: 50 decibels