The Very Best Portable Generators

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Best portable solar-powered generator overall

Capacity: 288 watt hours /Outlets: 2 AC, 2 USB-C (140W + 100W), 2 USB-A (both 15W), 3 DC /Weight: 9.5 pounds

Weighing just under ten pounds with a flip-up handle, the Elite 30 V2 is a toaster-size power station built not just for emergency backup but for the road — great for camping, RVing, or heading to the beach. Lunch-box-size portable power stations like the Bluetti offer plenty of power, plus a combination of AC outlets and at least one USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port, letting you run laptops and other devices that don’t use a traditional wall plug alongside household appliances.

With 288 watt hours of capacity, the Elite 30 V2 can run a full-size refrigerator for roughly three hours. At just 30 decibels — about as quiet as a library — it’s ideal for powering medical devices in a bedroom, where excess fan noise can be disruptive. Plugged into a wall outlet, the Bluetti recharges in about 70 minutes, can be charged using Bluetti’s 100W and 200W solar panels, and like many modern portable power stations, it can be monitored over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth so you can keep tabs on remaining power from your phone.

Capacity: 3,840 watt hours /Outlets: 6 AC, 2 USB-A, 3 USB-C, 2 240V /Weight: 133 pounds

For those who want more out-of-the-box power than the EcoFlow Delta 3 Plus can deliver and don’t mind the added weight, the Anker Solix F3800 can run kitchen appliances for hours with little effort. It also includes 240-volt outlets for high-demand draws, like an electric dryer. At nearly 4,000 watt hours, the power the Solix produces is closer to midsize portable gas generators. The chunky, 133-pound Solix is about the size of a standard carry-on suitcase, though taller, with a similar telescoping handle that makes it easier to move around. Front casters help it glide smoothly across hard surfaces like patios, hardwood, and carpet, but carrying it up or down stairs is a two-person job. In terms of output, the F3800 has enough capacity to keep a typical refrigerator running for roughly three days. The 240 volt port means you can connect the Solix to a wired transfer switch, or evencharge your electric vehicle in a pinch.

Anker’s 400-watt solar panels feature four adjustable angles that let you fine-tune their position throughout the day, so you can optimize how they face the sun: keeping them more upright in the morning and late afternoon, and flatter around midday when the sun is highest. Like EcoFlow’s panels, they’re weatherproof, so occasional rain isn’t a concern and, in a backyard with good southern or western exposure and few overhead trees, you could keep these out overnight. Deployed, the panels are enormous — more than eight feet long and about 40 inches tall. Folded for storage, they shrink to roughly 40-by-27 inches and about two inches thick, weighing just over 35 pounds each. With four panels generating a combined 1,600 watts of solar input, the Anker recharged in about 10 hours under partly cloudy conditions, though it can take from 3 up to about 15 hours, based on how strong the sun is. The panels feel substantial and well built, though their weight makes them somewhat cumbersome to move around. Solar input tops out at 2,400 watts — you can pair the F3800 with up to six of Anker’s 400-watt solar panels through the XT-60 connection, but at $600 per panel, maximizing your recharge time would add more than $3,500 to the purchase price of the F3800.

Pass-through charging allows you to run appliances while simultaneously recharging the unit through solar. Plugged into a standard wall outlet, the F3800 recharges in about three hours. With extra adapter cables, you can position the solar panels as far as 33 feet away from the power station, which means you can probably leave the unit inside while the panels are cooking outside. Like most of the modern power stations, the F3800 relays its charge status, both what’s left and how it is recharging, on a clear display and through an app that works through Wi-Fi or, when the internet is down, Bluetooth.

Like the EcoFlow, the Anker can use expansion batteries, letting you scale up the system to nearly 54,000 watt hours — enough to power an entire home for a couple of days in an outage. In this setup, a (technically) portable battery-powered system is as powerful as a gas-powered standby generator, which can produce anywhere from 10 to over 50 watt hours. That said, if you have those kinds of needs, you might want to look at a more permanent setup, since a system like that based on the F3800 — though more environmentally friendly — would come at a considerable cost.

Capacity:2200 watt hours /Outlets:2 AC /Weight:46 pounds

If you’re looking for a compact, quiet, and reliable generator for powering a few appliances during a storm, running a few tools at a worksite, or keeping smaller devices running at a campsite or tailgating party, this is the generator for you. With a full tank of gas, the EU2200i can run for more than eight hours, and during that time it provides steady power via two 120-volt outlets. Of the noise,Generator Bible’sPaul Melville says that it’s quiet, operating at 57 decibels, which is comparable to the volume of a normal conversation. Any reasonably able-bodied adult should be able to move this generator about with ease, as it weighs less than 50 pounds, and anyone will be able to operate it, too. It uses an easy pull-start ignition system and can be powered off by an onboard switch or remotely via app as this is a Bluetooth-enabled generator. It’s too small to tie into a home AC system or run any other larger power users that call for 240 volts (such as an oven, washer, or dryer), but for most people and most applications, it’s a great choice. Need more power? Consider purchasing another one; per theAubuchon Company’s Dandy, “the EU2200i has a unique feature that allows the user to link a companion generator,” which effectively doubles the output power.

Capacity: 4000 watt hours /Outlets: 4 AC /Weight: 135 pounds

A common complaint about traditional gas-powered generators is that fuel can go stale during long stretches between uses, making the engine harder to start in an emergency. Dual-fuel generators, which can run on either gasoline or the liquid propane in your gas grill’s tank, help sidestep that issue, and tri-fuel models like this Champion can also run on natural gas if you choose to have a plumber connect it permanently. “One benefit to doing a dual-fuel generator is that propane will store much longer than gasoline,” says Feak. “So it will not lose its combustibility, so you can have it sit in a shed for five years and it’ll be just as combustible as when you bought it.” The ability to run on propane may also help you avoid long lines at gas stations during major outages.

The Champion’s power output varies depending on the fuel source. On gasoline, it produces 5,000 starting watts and 4,000 running watts, while propane delivers 4,500 starting watts and 3,600 running watts. This model includes several features that make owning a gas engine easier, including a switch-activated electric start powered by an included battery, which is a major advantage for anyone uncomfortable with pull-starting a generator. It’s also engineered for easier cold-weather starts, a critical feature since winter storms are a common cause of power outages. While it doesn’t offer smartphone connectivity, a built-in display shows useful information at a glance, including power output and run-time data to help track maintenance intervals.

Gas generators are never quiet, but the Champion registers around 68 decibels from 23 feet away, roughly comparable to the sound of an electric toothbrush held at arm’s length. More important, it includes built-in carbon monoxide detection that can automatically shut the generator down if CO levels become dangerous. “A CO monitor that will automatically shut off the generator if it detects too high a concentration of carbon monoxide is a feature everyone should consider, considering how deadly CO can be and how people sometimes don’t think about the placement and have these units too close to a basement window or an open garage door,” says Feak. With a full five-gallon tank of gasoline, the 224cc engine can run for up to 14 hours at half load, while a standard 20-pound propane tank delivers about 10.5 hours at the same load.

Capacity:9500 watt hours /Outlets:4 AC /Weight:209 pounds

If you need to keep your entire home running like the power never went out or you need to supply electricity to a bustling job site, a television shoot, or multiple campsites at once, this burly generator is the one for you. Generator Bible’s Melville trusts the Westinghouse brand following years of positive experiences with its generators. The company is “really efficient when it comes to product support and warranty support,” he says. Not that you’re likely to need help on that latter front, as the WGen9500c is a remarkably reliable machine. The generator can run for up to 12 hours when under a modest load — say, running a fridge, a TV, and a fan — and can perform for eight hours at half-load, which could still mean powering multiple tools and/or appliances at once. Start-up is done via switch or remote control and is 100 percent electric — no need for pulling a cord. The generator self-monitors while running, shutting down if the oil runs low or if it detects carbon monoxide buildup. Heavy but well balanced, the generator is easy to move about on relatively flat, even ground thanks to its wheels, so you can get power wherever you need it. It may seem like more power than many people need, but Aubuchon Company’s Dandy advises, “I always said overkill in this case is not a bad thing.”