The Best Portable Generator

​Our dependence on electricity or power is such that life comes to a standstill in case of power cuts or shortage of electricity. At such times, portables generators come handy as a convenient source and power back-up solution. Portable generators depend on fuel, diesel mostly, to produce power for domestic use. In fact, I have used a portable generator for my campsite, house and even while traveling in my RV. So, understanding what goes on behind the scenes, how a portable generator works, or alternatively fails, can definitely help in purchasing a dependable and truly portable unit.

You’ll find out just how easy this Westinghouse portable generator is to you the moment that you go to fire it up for the first time. With both a push button electric start mechanism and a remote start wireless key fob, turning on your portable generator in an emergency is going to be effortless.

Fuel economy with this unit is outstanding, and for the most part this portable generator is going to be relatively maintenance-free. The ability to utilize the “transfer switch” capabilities of this generator – tying it directly into your already existing electrical circuits at home or the office – is outstanding. This feature lets you use your appliances, your lights, and your power outlets at home or at work the same way you would if the power was actively on traditionally.

Combine all of that with a full three year warranty from Westinghouse and you’ll soon see why we believe the Westinghouse WGen 7500 is the best portable generator on the market!

The only thing that really stopped us from putting this on the generator at the top of our favorite portable generator list is the fact that it’s is small and compact, and not always ideally suited for EVERY generator application. Even still, this generator is something fantastic. On the engineers have rebuilt some of their best generators into this ridiculously small footprint, producing a piece of technology that can provide constant and surge power in a backpack style form factor – all while cutting down on the noise emitted from this generator while in use.

Best of all, it’s possible to run this generator for anywhere between four hours and almost 10 hours on a single tank of fuel (depending upon your usage), making it one of the most fuel friendly portable generators on the market today. You’re going to fall in love with everything that this Honda generator has to offer in the odds are pretty good that this will be one of the last generators you ever have to buy. That’s how dependable over the long haul they really are!

It would be a mistake to think that we put this generator this high on our rankings just because of its amazingly low price tag, though the budget price certainly played a factor in our decisions.

Featuring a 7 hp and air cooled OVP engine that can produce between 3300 W and 4000 W depending upon whether or not it’s offering constant or surge power, this generator is plenty capable enough to handle anything at home, at the office, on the farm, or on a job site – in the middle of a natural disaster or a bright, sunny summer day.

There have been a couple of quality control issues with some of the generators produced by this company, and some of the units that they make available have oil leaking problems that need to be addressed. But for the most part, this generator is worth absolutely every penny of its inexpensive price tag and then some!

Certainly not the least expensive of all the portable generator options out there – or even on this list – you’ll inevitably spend full-size generator money for this compact Yamaha unit, but most that have had a chance to try out this unit in real life are happy to make that trade.

Pumping out 1600 W of AC output when set to a continuous stream of energy, but capable of throttling up to 2000 W during surge power, this unit remains quiet and fuel-efficient thanks to its Smart Throttle technology.

The engineering that went into this unit “under the hood” allows it to very the engine speed depending upon the load being placed upon it. There might not be a more responsive unit available right now, though we wouldn’t be surprised if other manufacturers start to copy this kind of technology and weave it into their top-tier generators sooner rather than later.

​As we touched on earlier, when this Briggs and Stratton generator is working the way it should be you aren’t going to have anything to worry about.

It’s continuous power system works wonderfully to make sure that your appliances and electrical items have a steady supply of juice to keep them up and running. The surge power system provides 25% more power when you have multiple appliances tools hooked up to the generator, giving you the extra electricity you need on demand.

An easy to use control panel, keyed electric start, and 12 inch “never go flat” wheels make this ideal for less than civilized setups – in the middle of the woods, camping, or on a construction site. The only real “wrinkle” with this Briggs and Stratton generator is when the power surge system doesn’t behave the way it should. When that happens, fuel can be consumed a lot faster than you expected – and is an issue that needs to be remedied ASAP.

​​Like we mentioned before, our reviews are classified based on the brand. Instead of grouping them based on capacity, size or some other criteria we chose the brand because brand based performance is what makes the biggest difference. Each brand has a specific price range, pros, and cons with varying levels of dependability. Some are designed to last really long but aren’t that efficient while others are super efficient but break down in a couple of years. Likewise, a few cost a lot, others are usually affordable as makeshift solutions. Check out our selection of brands below.

Just like no two individuals are ever alike, no two generators will ever be the same. Even if it uses the same engine, similar construction, performance will always differ. We have seen that performance difference usually arises out of a variety of factors. Here is a short summary of a few important points you may consider before looking for the best portable generator.

I remember from my school days, wattage being defined as voltage multiplied by amperage (current). It is a simple term to understand and correlate for any physics major but with a little practice, you too can learn how to use this rating to your advantage. Most home appliances today have a clear description of the wattage, which is generally of two kinds.