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The best generator for home backup depends on how you want outages to go. For most homes, a 13,000-watt dual fuel portable with a 50-amp outlet and a transfer switch gives the most backup per dollar. If you want silent power you can run indoors, a battery system is the better fit. If you want the house to switch over by itself with no one home, that takes a standby generator or a battery system with an automatic transfer switch.
Below is how the three options compare, how to size one, and the in-stock picks we would choose in each category. Jump to our picks if you already know which type you want.
| Portable fuel generator | Battery backup system | Standby generator | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it works | Gas, propane, or natural gas engine you roll out and start | Large battery with an inverter, charged from the grid or solar | Permanently installed engine on natural gas or propane |
| Starts automatically | No, you start it | Yes, with an automatic transfer switch | Yes |
| Runtime | As long as you have fuel | Until the battery is empty, then recharge | As long as the gas line or tank lasts |
| Noise and fumes | Loud, carbon monoxide, outdoors only | Silent, no fumes, can sit indoors | Moderate noise, outdoors only |
| Upfront cost | Lowest | Middle to high | Highest, plus installation |
| Best for | Most homes on a budget, long outages | Quiet backup, short to mid outages, solar homes | Hands-off whole-home backup |
The short version: portables win on cost and runtime, batteries win on quiet and convenience, and standby wins on hands-off whole-home coverage. Many prepared homes combine a battery for quiet nights and instant switchover with a portable for long outages.
Size it to what you will run at the same time, not to the square footage of the house. Add up the running watts, then make sure the generator can also cover the startup surge of your largest motor (well pump, fridge, or central air).
For long runs, keep your continuous load at or below about 80% of the generator's running watts. Our guide on what size generator to run a house has the appliance-by-appliance wattage list.
To power your furnace, well pump, or any hard-wired circuit, the generator has to connect through a transfer switch or a listed interlock kit. Never backfeed a panel through a wall outlet; it can electrocute utility workers and neighbors. Match the switch to the generator's largest outlet: 30 amps for an L14-30, 50 amps for a 14-50. Our generator transfer switch guide explains the sizing, and battery owners can see transfer switches for solar generators.
Every product below is carried by Krato Power and in stock as of this writing.
Best for most homes: DuroMax XP13000HX. 10,500 running watts on gasoline and 9,975 on propane, a 50A 14-50 outlet for a transfer switch, CO sensor shutdown, electric start, and a 5-year limited warranty. $1,399. Enough for the essentials plus a well pump.
Best for homes with natural gas: DuroMax XP13000HXT. Adds natural gas: 10,500 running watts on gasoline, 9,500 on propane, and 8,500 on natural gas, so it can run from your gas line through a long outage. Remote start, CO shutdown, 5-year warranty. $1,499. Have a licensed gas fitter make the connection.
Best budget essentials: DuroMax XP5500HX. 4,500 running watts on gasoline, an L14-30 outlet for a 30A transfer switch, CO shutdown, and a 5-year warranty. $629. Covers a fridge, freezer, lights, a furnace blower, and a sump pump.
Quietest fuel option: DuroMax XP11000iH. A dual fuel inverter with 9,000 running watts on gasoline, clean power for electronics, and a rated 61 dB at 25% load. $2,499. Not for sale in California. Deciding between an inverter and a regular generator? See inverter generator vs regular generator.
Compare more in our guide to the best portable generators for home.
Best battery backup for essentials: Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000. 3,072 Wh of LiFePO4 capacity and 3,600W output with a 7,200W surge, enough to carry a fridge, lights, internet, and medium loads through an outage night. From $1,799. The Nature's Generator Lithium 3600 offers the same 3,072 Wh and 3,600W for $1,999.99.
Modular 240V battery setup: two Nature's Generator Lithium 3600 units with the Lithium 3600 Combiner. Two units at $1,999.99 each plus the $149.99 combiner give you 7,200W at 240V, so a well pump or other 240V circuit can run on battery power through a transfer switch such as the Nature's Generator 12-Circuit 50A switch ($479.99).
Best expandable whole-home battery: Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus. About 5 kWh to start, 7.2 kW of 120V/240V output, and expandable with add-on batteries. $3,149 for the unit, or $5,479 bundled with two SolarSaga 500 X panels and Jackery's Smart Transfer Switch.
Best automatic whole-home battery: MyGrid 10K with Transfer Switch. 10 kW of 120/240V output and a 10,496 Wh battery with a 50A automatic transfer switch, so the house switches over on its own when the grid drops. From $5,999.99, with solar panel and extra battery bundles available.
Not sure which fits? Compare generators, home battery backup, and portable power stations, or call our team at 888-855-7286 with the appliances you need to keep running.
Yes, and for long outages it is often the best setup. The battery handles the quiet hours and switches over instantly when the grid drops. The generator runs for a few hours a day to recharge the battery and carry heavy loads, which saves fuel and noise compared with running it around the clock. Our guide to the best solar generators for home backup covers battery sizing in more detail.
What is the best generator for home backup? For most homes, a 13,000-watt dual fuel portable like the DuroMax XP13000HX, connected through a 50A transfer switch. For quiet, automatic backup, a battery system such as the MyGrid 10K or Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus with a transfer switch.
What size generator is needed to run an entire home? A whole home with central air usually needs a 13,000-watt class portable with a 50-amp outlet, a 240V battery system of 7,200 watts or more, or a standby generator. Essentials alone need about 3,000 to 5,000 running watts.
Is a portable generator good enough for home backup? Yes for most homes. A large portable with a transfer switch can run essentials and a well pump, and on propane or natural gas it can run for days. The trade-offs are that you have to start it and it must run outdoors.
Can a battery replace a generator for home backup? For short and mid-length outages, yes. A battery runs silently, indoors, and switches over automatically. For multi-day outages, pair it with solar panels or a generator to recharge it.
Which generator brand is the most reliable? Reliability comes down to the model and how you maintain it. Look for copper windings, low-oil shutdown, CO shutdown, a multi-year warranty, and a seller who stocks replacement parts. Run your generator every few months so it starts when you need it.
Do I need a transfer switch for a home backup generator? Yes, to power anything hard-wired. Plugging appliances directly into a generator with extension cords is fine; connecting to your home's wiring requires a transfer switch or a listed interlock kit installed by a licensed electrician.
Ready to choose? Compare generators and home battery backup, or call our team at 888-855-7286 and we will size the backup and the transfer switch together.
This guide is general information, not electrical or professional installation advice. Never run a fuel generator indoors or in a garage. Transfer switches and natural gas connections should be installed by licensed professionals per local codes.
Reviewed by the Krato Power team. Questions? Reach us at 888-855-7286.