With the recent storms knocking out the electricity, the question was asked as to what is the best method to have back up power. After looking at the details we decided to find out which generators were the best. We looked at a number of factors. The first of course was the power generation. We want to find out if there is going to be enough power to provide electricity to an average sized American home in case the storm knockout electricity.
View the best home generators for power outages here
The second was the sound of operation. There is no use to having electricity if the noise from the generator can wake up any one sleeping within a 4 mile radius. Then we looked at the fuel used to power the generator. Last, but definitely not the least important point, is to look at the operation easiness and help from the manufacturer.
Contents
Five Great Back Up Generators
Best Portable Generator for the Money
DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator Review
The DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator can operate at 3500 watts for continuous usage and at 4400 for surge. That is around 30 amperes of power. Moreover you can also run heavy equipment such as drills on it. It is good for use in 2 or 3 rooms. It can run for 8 hours on a single tank and has automatic shutdown for low fuel.
The generator can be started from the key (if the battery is charged and via the starting chord if the battery is not charged. The generator is very small for the power it generates, which means that it can fit in tight spaces. Moreover due to the wheels attached to its body and the good protection of its body mean that one can easily move it from one place to another. This generator can very easily fit inside a garage.
Best Deal for Gas Portable Generator
Champion Power Equipment 201052 Dual Fuel Portable Generator Review
The Champion Power Equipment 201052 Dual Fuel Portable Generator will generate around 4750 watts of power constantly. There are options to run 2 120v lines and the generator would run at 120 v single line for a remarkable 14 hours. This generator could have been a less noisy for the power that it generates. But what it lacks in noise suppression it makes up or it in simplicity of use.
The generator will take gasoline for input. It was very easy to operate the generator. The simplicity of design shows up in the zero frills start and stop operations on this generator. The simple composition of the generator makes it a great choice for first time users of generators. The body is made for the generator to be mobile and well protected against physical battering.
Best Heavy Duty Generator with Easy Start
Generac GP2200i Inverter Generator Review
The Generac GP2200i Inverter Generator will provide you with a 2300 watts constant power supply. The advantage of this generator is that while running at half the power the generator can operate for a half a day (12 hours). The generators comes with an 8 gallon fuel supply to not necessitate quick refills when required. The sound suppression worked very well. It could be easily installed in the backyard with the neighbors turning on you.
Unfortunately it is a single fuel operated i.e. it takes only gasoline as an input. The fact that the gas storage is separate from the main storage allows us to keep the fuel tank in a safe place. This adds to the safety value of the generator. The manual for the generator was very elaborate and self-explanatory which is an added advantage when one is living in remote areas where a technical person might not be available. Like most generators the fact that you have the dual option of starting the generator with a button or a pullout string gives you the flexibility in case the battery start goes out.
Best Powerful Portable Generator for Backup
Generac 6459 Generator Review
The Generac 6459 is a gas powered generator that can generate 8000 watts at a constant rate for hours on end. This should be enough for the needs of the complete medium sized family. The generator comes in a very compact and protected casing providing against impact. The generator can be started with a hassle free electric start along with a free battery.
The manual operation is always available in case the battery dies out. Safety and information generation are the specialties of this product. It is equipped with low oil pressure warning system which would stop the engine in order to protect it from any damage. LED’s are placed in order to take the status readings on vitals such as the fuel remaining from afar.
The panel on the generator gives a lot of good information that is used to maintain the generator along with the hours of power left with the current gasoline supplies. In case there a surge this generator is equipped with a GFCI circuit breaker to protect the appliance in your home.
Best Generator for Home Power Outage
DuroMax XP10000EH Generator Review
Okay so the DuroMax XP10000EH Generator can provide as much as 50 amp of power with 240 volts. Of course you would need their heavy duty 50amp wire to do that but that is quite a limit to test out. Basically it should be enough to power your heating unit and all of your other equipment of the house at no sweat. The sound was quite for a generator with that power.
This quiet generator embodies American spirits and values when it says that it will work with both LPG and Gasoline. There are input units for both in there. There no problems in connecting the generator and running it away if you use the power cable and the power box from the same company. You shouldn’t have any worry using and enjoying the power of this generator. For any generator always remember to fire up the generator.
