A portable home generator is an extremely convenient thing to own, for a number of reasons. But like almost anything involving electricity, it’s a bit of a complicated topic. With so much to know, the process of buying a portable home generator can be a bit daunting.

Don’t worry: We’re here to help. Let’s take a look at why you should buy a portable home generator, and what to look for when shopping. 

Why Buy A Portable Home Generator?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIbnnNFHxBM 

The biggest and simplest reason to buy a portable home generator is the same as any generator: to be prepared for power outages. 

If you live in an area that’s prone to intense weather events and natural disasters, like earthquakes, hurricanes, and blizzards, it’s essential to be prepared. These kinds of events bring a huge likelihood of knocking out power for large areas, and for extended periods. 

If you’re not prepared beforehand, you’ll have a hard time finding a portable gas generator for home after the fact. Without a generator, you might have to go weeks without power. 

Not having power is, at a minimum, annoying. Not having lights or hot water and having to throw away perishable foods are just two examples of what you’ll have to deal with. But if you have certain medical conditions, it could be much more serious.

Without power, you won’t be able to use things like CPAP machines and other medical equipment. If you have an especially serious condition, being without power for an extended period could be life threatening.

Considerations for Buying a Portable Home Generator

Now that we know why to buy a portable home generator, let’s take a look at what to consider when buying one. 

Assess Your Power Needs

Before you do anything else, you need to assess just how much power you’ll need from your portable home generator. Decide what electronics you’ll want to power when the lights go out. 

Will you just be running lights and charging devices? Do you want to use appliances like fridges and electric cooktops? Is there any medical equipment that you’ll need to run?

Decide what items in your home you’ll power, and then make a list of them. Then, find the power needs of each item.

Keep in mind that many electronics will have a running wattage and a starting wattage (or “surge”). This can be as much as two or three times the wattage to run the device. Be sure your generator is able to supply this amount of power. 

You can find the power requirements of your devices and appliances in various places. They might be found on the device's power cable or adaptor, on the device itself, or in the device’s user manual. If you’re unable to find the power requirements anywhere, you can estimate it with an online generator wattage calculator.

Once you have all the power information, it’s time to add things up. You’ll need to do two calculations: one for the running wattage, and one for the starting wattage. Add up each separately to find the total wattage you’ll need to start your devices, and what you’ll need to run them.  

With this information in hand, you now know how powerful of a portable home generator you’ll need. 

Decide What Fuel Type

The next thing to consider when buying a portable home generator is what fuel type you’ll use. A variety of fuel types are available, with the most common being gasoline, propane, and diesel. 

When comparing gasoline vs. propane vs. diesel generators, each fuel type has its own particular advantages and disadvantages:

• Gasoline is a widely available option that’s easy to use and provides lots of power per gallon of fuel. But, gasoline is difficult to store long term and can damage a generator if fuel is left sitting unused for long periods. Plus, in an emergency situation, such as after a hurricane, gasoline can be hard to find. 
• Propane isn’t quite as widely available as gasoline, but it’s still fairly easy to find. Plus, it can easily be stored for long periods, and won’t damage your generator if unused propane is left inside it. While propane doesn’t provide as much power per unit of fuel as other types, it produces less carbon monoxide than gasoline. 
• Diesel is a powerful and efficient option. Diesel generators tend to run longer and require less maintenance than gasoline. However, both diesel generators and diesel fuel can be expensive to purchase, and diesel fuel may be harder to find in an emergency situation. 

A dual-fuel or even tri-fuel portable home generator is also an option. As you can likely guess from the name, these are generators which are able to use two different fuel sources, typically gasoline and propane. These are some of the best generators for home backup power, although it will require greater upfront costs. 

Consider Runtime

Your portable home generator’s runtime refers to how long it can run on a single tank of fuel. Your generators runtime will depend on a number of factors such as:

A larger generator with a longer runtime will provide maximum convenience, because you won’t need to refill it as often. But, it will also be more expensive, so you’ll have to strike a balance between your budget and run time. 

Check for Safety Features

Portable home generators are convenient, but they’re not without their dangers. By picking a generator with comprehensive safety features, you can better keep you and your family safe.

Look for a portable home generator with safety features like

Features like these will prevent potential accidents like fire hazards and CO exposure, so you can run your generator without worry. 

Look For Extra Features

If you’re having trouble deciding between portable home generators, extra features can push one option ahead of the competition. When shopping for generators, look for features like:

Features like these can help you get the most out of your generator and make it easier to use. 

Keep Noise Levels in Mind

Any portable home generator is going to produce some noise. Some are about as loud as a running fridge, while others are as loud as a heavy duty truck or hairdryer. 

Generally speaking, a more powerful generator is going to produce more noise. So, you’ll want to strike a balance between power and noise levels. A mini generator for home use will be quieter, but it might not be enough for a large household. 

Ideally, you’ll find a generator with noise levels between 50 dB and 70 dB. However, if you need extra power, a loud generator may be worth it; just be sure to be mindful of your neighbors and anyone else around. 

Check Consumer Reviews and Brand Reputability

The final step when buying a portable home generator is to see what consumers think of the product and the brand that makes it.

Check websites like Amazon and Consumer Reports to find real reviews of the generator from people that have owned it. That way, you can be sure you’re getting a quality product.

The same resources can be used to see the quality of a brand in general. You can also ask people you know who own generators what they recommend. 

A Portable Home Generator Is A Great Thing To Have

With a portable home generator, you can be prepared for whatever comes your way. Before buying, you’ll want to consider things like your power needs, fuel type, and other factors. Now that you know all about portable generators, buying one will be so much easier. 

Sources:

1. https://kratopower.com/blogs/news/how-to-pick-the-best-home-generator-the-simple-guide
2. https://www.genpowerusa.com/blog/how-to-calculate-commercial-generator-size
3. https://www.elephantenergy.org/wattage-calculator/
4. https://kratopower.com/collections/generators/products/duromax-xp13000hxt-13-000-watt-10-500-watt-500cc-tri-fuel-portable-generator-with-co-alert-in-blue
5. https://www.petro.com/why-petro/articles/how-long-can-generator-run

Image sources:

1. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Honda_EBR2300CX_001.JPG/1024px-Honda_EBR2300CX_001.JPG
2. https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-using-a-calculator-16282306/
3. https://www.pexels.com/photo/clear-glass-with-red-sand-grainer-39396/
4. https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-top-covering-ears-with-fingers-4584387/