Buying Guides
Best Portable Generators for Home Power Outages
General information only, not professional advice. In an emergency, call 911 and follow local officials. How we use sources
In this guide
If you are choosing a portable generator for home outages, choose the size first, from the labels on your own appliances, and the model second. Look for a carbon monoxide shutoff, and plan to run the unit outdoors and well away from the house. A generator that is too small for the load, or run in the wrong place, causes more trouble than it solves.
We did not test any generator. This page compares published maker specifications, maker claims, safety standards and federal guidance, and every number in the table is the maker’s own claim. Follow your local emergency officials, call 911 in an emergency, and when in doubt, don’t.
Safety before you buy
A generator makes carbon monoxide (CO), a gas you cannot see or smell. That is why the rules below come before any model. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) gives the yearly toll:
“More than 200 people in the United States die every year from accidental non-fire related CO poisoning associated with consumer products. More than 100 of those deaths are linked to portable generators.”
Source: CPSC, Carbon Monoxide (cpsc.gov), accessed November 2026.
The CPSC’s 2026 hurricane-season release says where a generator can run:
“Never use a portable generator inside homes, garages, basements, crawlspaces, sheds or other enclosed areas, even if doors or windows are open. Generators produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.”
Source: CPSC, CPSC Warns of Generator, Carbon Monoxide and Fire Hazards Ahead of Hurricane Season (cpsc.gov), accessed November 2026.
The same release gives the distance:
“Operate generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from homes and buildings, with exhaust directed away from windows, doors and vents.”
Source: CPSC, CPSC Warns of Generator, Carbon Monoxide and Fire Hazards Ahead of Hurricane Season (cpsc.gov), accessed November 2026.
Our page on how far a generator should be from the house covers placement and running a generator in the rain. For shopping, the point is simple: if you cannot set a generator at least that far from the house with the exhaust pointed away, do not run it there. Picture where it would actually sit before you buy.
The second rule is an alarm inside the home. The CDC says:
“When using a generator, use a battery-powered or battery backup CO detector in your home.”
Source: CDC, What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage (cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.
The CPSC adds that you should test alarms monthly. Our guide to the best carbon monoxide detectors covers what to buy and where to put them. If you are shopping for a generator this week, buy a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm on the same trip.
How we compared
We picked six units that run from a small inverter to a large dual fuel model, and we read each maker’s own product page. We compared the fields that change a buying decision: running and starting watts, fuel type, the carbon monoxide shutoff system as the maker names it, the maker’s stated noise, and weight.
A few limits apply. Noise figures are not comparable across makers, because some give a distance (23 feet) and some do not. Honda and other brands exist; we left them out because we could not read a maker spec page for them, and we will not put figures in a table we cannot trace. We did not rank on quality, durability or reliability, because no source we could cite supports that. “Best fit” below means the best fit for a stated load, nothing more.
What size generator do you need?
Start with your appliances, not a model. Every appliance has a label or nameplate with its watts (or volts and amps). Read yours.
- List what must run during an outage: the refrigerator, a few lights, a phone charger, perhaps a sump pump or a furnace fan.
- Write down the running watts of each item from its label, and add them up.
- Add some margin. Norwall, a retailer’s buyer guide that uses the same steps, says 20 to 30 percent is usual. This is a rule of thumb, not an agency requirement.
- Motors need a surge to start. Norwall tells readers to add the starting watts of the item with the biggest surge, and gives a sump pump as an example of a motor that starts often. Make sure the generator’s starting (or peak) rating covers your running total plus that surge.
In maker listings, running (or rated) watts are the figure for steady use, and starting (or peak) watts are a higher figure for a brief surge. The table lists both because they are different numbers.
Once you have a total with margin, read down the running-watts column in the table below and stop at the first model that covers it, then check its starting figure against your surge. A total that fits under 1,850 running watts keeps the small Champion 201323 in play. A total in the 3,000 to 3,900 range points to the iQ3500, the Champion 201531 or the iGen5000c. A total above 5,500 is beyond every model here except the Westinghouse WGen7500DFc, whose maker lists a 120/240-volt outlet for larger loads. We are not giving a single number for each kind of household, because your appliances are not ours. Our page on how many watts a refrigerator uses is a good place to start with the one appliance almost everyone runs.
If your total is small, a battery power station is a different option. See our guide to portable power stations for power outages before you decide a generator is the only route.
The comparison table and the picks
All figures below come from each maker’s product page, read on November 10, 2026, and are the maker’s claims. Watts are for gasoline. “Not published” means the page did not give the number. Our Resources page lists a generator or portable power station in its power, light and radio section.
| Model and class | Running / starting watts | Fuel | CO shutoff (maker’s name) | Maker noise | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion 201323, small dual fuel inverter | 1,850 / 2,500 | Gasoline or propane | CO Shield | 53 dBA from 23 ft | 45.9 lb |
| Generac iQ3500, mid inverter | 3,000 / Not published | Not published | COsense Technology | Not published | 109.1 lb |
| Champion 201531, mid dual fuel inverter | 3,250 / 4,500 | Gasoline or propane | CO Shield | 64 dBA from 23 ft | 51.8 lb |
| Westinghouse iGen5000c, mid to large inverter | 3,900 / 5,000 | Gasoline | CO sensor with automatic CO shutdown | ”As low as” 52 dBA, distance not stated | 105.8 lb dry |
| Generac GP5500E, large gasoline portable | 5,500 / 6,875 | Gasoline (maker runtime figures) | COsense Technology | Not published | 172 lb |
| Westinghouse WGen7500DFc, large dual fuel | 7,500 / 9,500 | Gasoline or propane | CO sensor with automatic shutdown | 72 dBA, “as low as”, distance not stated | 202.1 lb dry |
The best fit for each, with the one thing that cuts against it:
Champion 201323. Best fit for a small load: a refrigerator, a few lights, chargers. At 45.9 pounds it is the lightest in the table, and it runs on gasoline or propane. The catch is the ceiling: 1,850 running watts goes quickly if a sump pump or a microwave joins the list.
Generac iQ3500. A mid-size inverter at 3,000 running watts. Generac’s page lists the CO system as COsense. What’s missing is information: the starting watts, fuel type and noise are not published on the page we read, so you would need the spec sheet or the unit’s label to size around it.
Champion 201531. Best fit for a household that needs a mid-size load and wants a choice of fuel. At 51.8 pounds it is the lightest of the mid-size units. The tradeoff is that propane lowers the output: Champion lists 3,250 running watts on gasoline and 2,925 on propane.
Westinghouse iGen5000c. Best fit for a mid-size load where low maker-stated noise matters. Westinghouse lists a CO sensor with automatic shutdown. The tradeoffs are that the page lists gasoline figures only, and the maker lists GFCI outlets and transfer switch ready as “No,” so it is not the unit to plan a house hookup around.
Generac GP5500E. Best fit for a larger load than the mid-size units can carry, at 5,500 running watts. Size works against it: at 172 pounds it is the second heaviest here, and Generac does not publish a noise figure on the page. The maker’s page lists compatibility with its HomeLink manual transfer switch.
Westinghouse WGen7500DFc. Best fit for the biggest loads in the table, with gasoline or propane. The maker lists it as transfer switch ready, with GFCI outlets. The tradeoffs are weight (202.1 pounds dry), the loudest maker figure here at 72 dBA, and a drop from 7,500 to 6,750 running watts on propane.
Check the suffix on the model name. Westinghouse sells the WGen7500DF and the WGen7500DFc at the same ratings, 7,500 running and 9,500 starting watts. The maker’s DF page lists “Carbon Monoxide (CO) Sensor: No.” The DFc page lists “Yes.” One letter separates a generator with a CO sensor from one without. Read the exact model number on the box and on the maker’s page.
Best inverter generator
Generac’s page for the iQ3500 says inverter generators use a different type of alternator than standard generators, and describes the result as reduced weight and size with clean power. Four of the six models above are inverters: the two Champions, the iGen5000c and the iQ3500. The other two, the GP5500E and the WGen7500DFc, are listed by their makers as portable generators.
The makers also describe how the engine behaves. Champion says its inverter technology includes an Economy Mode that “monitors the electrical load to reduce engine speed, noise, and fuel consumption.” Westinghouse says the iGen5000c’s variable engine speeds give 30 to 50 percent higher fuel efficiency than a traditional generator. These are maker claims, not test results.
A common reason to buy an inverter is cleaner power for electronics. The maker figure that bears on it is total harmonic distortion (THD). Champion lists less than 3 percent THD on the 201323 and 201531, and Westinghouse lists 3 percent or less for the iGen5000c. Westinghouse lists 23 percent or less for the WGen7500DFc. A low THD figure is a maker’s number, not a guarantee that any given device is safe on it. Our page on whether a generator can damage electronic devices goes into that question.
Small inverters have limits too. For the iGen5000c, Westinghouse lists transfer switch ready as “No” and GFCI outlets as “No.” If someone in your home depends on powered medical equipment, ask the device’s maker and your doctor what it needs from a generator. We cannot answer that for you.
What a CO shutoff does and does not do
The CPSC tells shoppers to look for one:
“Look for portable generators that have a carbon monoxide shut-off safety feature. These features automatically shut off generators when dangerous carbon monoxide levels build nearby. Models certified to the latest PGMA G300-2023 and UL 2201-2023 standards include carbon monoxide safety technologies designed to significantly reduce CO poisoning risk.”
“UL 2201 certified models have reduced CO emissions in addition to the CO shut-off feature.”
Source: CPSC, CPSC Warns of Generator, Carbon Monoxide and Fire Hazards Ahead of Hurricane Season (cpsc.gov), accessed November 2026.
PGMA is the Portable Generator Manufacturers’ Association, and UL 2201 is a safety standard. The edition matters: on the pages we read, Champion lists the 201531 as “G300-2023” but the smaller 201323 as “PGMA Compliant G300-2018,” the earlier edition. “Compliant” is the maker’s word, not a certification we checked, and we could not confirm a standard for the other four models from their pages, so this page does not claim one for any of them. Check the label on the unit and the maker’s page for the standard and the year it names.
A shutoff does not replace the other rules. Champion says so on its own product page:
“CO Shield is not a substitute for an indoor carbon monoxide alarm or for safe operation. DO NOT allow engine exhaust fumes to enter a confined area through windows, doors, vents or other openings. Generators must ALWAYS be used outdoors, far away from occupied buildings with engine exhaust pointed away from people and buildings.”
Source: Champion Power Equipment, 2500W Dual Fuel Inverter, model 201323 (championpowerequipment.com, maker spec page), accessed November 2026.
Treat the shutoff as a backup to the placement and alarm rules, not a replacement for them.
Connecting it to the house: cords, transfer switches and backfeed
The simplest hookup is a heavy-duty extension cord from the generator to each appliance. Ready.gov says:
“Always connect the generator to appliances with heavy-duty extension cords.”
Source: Ready.gov, Power Outages (ready.gov), accessed November 2026.
Safe Electricity, an electrical safety nonprofit, says to use shop-type cords designed and rated for heavier, outdoor use. The CDC says a cord more than 20 feet long is one way to keep the generator at a safe distance:
“Use an extension cord that is more than 20 feet long to keep the generator at a safe distance.”
Source: CDC, What to Do to Protect Yourself During a Power Outage (cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.
We are not giving cord gauges, because we did not find a federal figure to cite. Read the cord’s label and the generator’s manual.
Never plug a generator into a wall outlet in your house. Safe Electricity says doing so can send power back out onto the utility lines and injure people working on them, and it can damage the generator and your home’s electrical equipment. It also says a transfer switch, installed by a qualified electrician, breaks the path between the utility lines and your main electrical panel.
The CDC’s archived worker-safety page describes the hazard directly. It is an archived page, so read it as background rather than current guidance:
“If the portable generator is improperly sized, installed, or operated, it can send power back to the electrical lines. This problem is called backfeed or feedback in the electrical energy in power lines. Backfeed can seriously injure or kill repair workers or people in neighboring buildings.”
Source: CDC (archived page), Worker Safety (archive.cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.
The same page gives two instructions:
“Have a trained, qualified electrician install a portable generator.”
“Be sure that the main circuit breaker is OFF and locked out prior to starting the generator. This will help protect utility workers from possible electrocution.”
Source: CDC (archived page), Worker Safety (archive.cdc.gov), accessed November 2026.
If you want the generator to feed the house, ask your utility and a licensed electrician what your area requires, and follow your local emergency officials. Rules on transfer switches and interlocks vary by place, and we are not giving legal advice. A generator that lists itself as transfer switch ready, like the WGen7500DFc, still needs professional installation. When you are not sure how something should be connected, don’t connect it.
Fuel, cold and upkeep
Three of the six models, the Champion 201323, the Champion 201531 and the Westinghouse WGen7500DFc, list both gasoline and propane (LP gas). Propane lowers the stated output: the Champion 201531 lists 3,250 running watts on gasoline and 2,925 on propane, and the WGen7500DFc lists 7,500 and 6,750. Our guide to storing fuel for emergencies covers the storage side. We are not making cold-start claims here; our page on whether propane generators work in cold weather takes that up.
Two more rules come from Ready.gov:
“Let the generator cool before refueling. Fuel spilled on hot engine parts can ignite.”
“Keep the generator dry and protected from rain or flooding. Touching a wet generator or devices connected to one can cause electrical shock.”
Source: Ready.gov, Power Outages (ready.gov), accessed November 2026.
On upkeep, the CPSC says:
“Regularly check and maintain generators to ensure they work properly. Read and follow all labels, instructions and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.”
Source: CPSC, CPSC Warns of Generator, Carbon Monoxide and Fire Hazards Ahead of Hurricane Season (cpsc.gov), accessed November 2026.
We are not listing service intervals, because those are the maker’s to give.
Questions
What size generator do I need? Add up the running watts printed on the labels of what must run, add 20 to 30 percent of margin (a rule of thumb from a retailer guide, not an agency), then make sure the starting rating also covers the largest motor surge. The table lists both numbers for each model.
Is an inverter generator better? It depends on the job. Generac says inverters are smaller and lighter, Champion says its Economy Mode slows the engine at light loads, and Champion and Westinghouse list lower harmonic distortion on their inverters. In this table the inverters are also lighter than the GP5500E and the WGen7500DFc, which are the two models whose makers list transfer switch compatibility. No source we cite ranks inverters as safer.
Can I plug a generator into my house? Not into a wall outlet. The CDC’s archived page describes backfeed as a hazard that can injure or kill repair workers and neighbors, and says to have a trained, qualified electrician install a portable generator. Ask your utility and a licensed electrician about local rules.
How far from the house should it be? The CPSC says outdoors only, at least 20 feet from homes and buildings, with the exhaust pointed away from windows, doors and vents. Never in a garage, basement or shed, even with doors open.
What is a CO shutoff? A feature that shuts the engine off when carbon monoxide builds up nearby. The CPSC says to look for one. It is not a replacement for a battery-backed CO alarm in your home, and not a reason to relax the distance rule.
The Family Emergency Binder has a Power Outage page with the generator carbon monoxide steps and a Warranties and Serial Numbers page, which is where a new generator’s model number and warranty dates belong.