Small Generator Recommendations

[HenryFan]

Hurricane season is here again and I need to buy a portable generator to replace one that I sold to a neighbor after I somewhat recovered from Hurricane Helene last Fall. Electric service was restored to me sooner than my neighbor and I sold him my generator.

In any event, I need a portable generator to run a refrigerator and a freezer but not both at the same time. Also, and probably more important, is a way to power a coffee maker in the morning for She Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO). I don't cross SWMBO until she has a cup of coffee, at a minimum. Two cups is safer.

What would you folks recommend as a minimum wattage and also, what brand of generator has a reputation for good service? I hold Honda products in high regard but their generators are steep in price but I hate to buy something made of Chinesium which has a short life expectancy.

Also, I don't want a generator which is excessively heavy although I guess I could move it around with a hand truck if necessary.

Thanks in advance for any advice provided.

James

[BigAl52]

Johnnys Weekends on YouTube test alot of generators from dual fuel to just gas. I like Honda to but there generally way more expensive than the others. Pulsar makes a dual fuel one that should take care of what your trying to do for about 600.00. Its 4000 watts weighs about 50 lbs. Im considering one for the RV. Ive also looked at the WEN for 800 with electric start. Its also dual fuel. I think it weighs about 78 lbs and has a telescopic handle with wheels on the opposite end.

[dave77]

I can't make any recommendations about size or brand but I would suggest trying to get a duel fuel. A lot easier to store propane and it won't go bad over time like gas will.

https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... opane+last

[Sir Henry]

I can't make any recommendations about size or brand but I would suggest trying to get a duel fuel. A lot easier to store propane and it won't go bad over time like gas will.

https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... opane+last

Propane can be hard to start in cold weather.

[clovishound]

I bought a small Champion several years ago when my SWMBO insisted we needed one. I looked into dual fuel, but decided that I just couldn't get enough run time from a 20 lb tank of propane to be practical. I got one that is 4800w peak, 3800w continuous. It doesn't provide 240v nor does it have electric start. It will easily power a fridge, or a coffee maker plus some lights, TV etc. At half load, it will give somewhere around 12 hours on a 4.5 gallon tank. Quoted specs are from memory, so not necessarily spot on, but consistent with a similar model available right now.

I didn't want electric start, due to initial expense, and having to keep up with keeping the battery charged. I have no issues pull starting a small engine, YMMV. Inverter models are great due to increased fuel efficiency, and clean power delivered, but are substantially more expensive.

Typical compressor startup draw for the average refrigerator is 1500-2500 watts. Running draw is more like 700w. A fridge (or freezer) compressor typically cycles on and off during use. It requires 2 to 3 times the running power to get the compressor started, then it settles down to the lower running wattage. This is the difference between the two ratings on a generator. It will supply a somewhat higher wattage draw for a short period of time, but not continuously.

I've only used mine once in the last 4 or 5 years, and the power came back on about 20 minutes after I hooked it up. If you have frequent outages, consider having an electrician install a transfer switch. This allows you to SAFELY connect your generator to a couple of circuits in your home, without running extension cords from the generator to appliances.

Otherwise you will need a generator cord and a heavy duty extension cord or two. More of a pain to hookup when needed, but much less expensive to start with. That is the route I went, as power outages in my neighborhood are rare.

[Hatchdog]

I have one of these Firman units I bought from Costco. They do put it on sale from time to time at $200 off. This is an inverter set up that runs quiet like a Honda and has clean power output. It’s heavy at just over 100 lbs but has wheels and a nice folding handle so if it works for your place it is easy to move around. I used to take mine camping when I had a travel trailer and used a ramp to get into the back of my pickup. Lots of output for fridge/freezer and the coffee pot too!

The price in the Costco store is $799.00 not 999.00 as shown. The link is from the Costco Online page. I took this pic in June 2023 when I was thinking about selling mine, I see it was $150 off not $200 but that’s still a good sale price.



https://www.costco.ca/.product.4000027251.html

IMG_4033.jpeg (2.74 MiB) Viewed 1422 times

[rickhem]

The little Honda generators have become the standard by which others are judged. They sure are quiet.
In the past couple years there have been a lot of contenders in the small, light, portable, and quiet category though. Yamaha makes a nice one, as does a few other companies, and even the Predator ones from Harbor Freight get pretty good reviews. They all do seem to have a lifespan though, so a used one might not be the best option if you don't know the history.
I see people with these out on the beach in places where you can drive on, and they set up a nice little area with the generator barely audible on the other side of their vehicle. Pretty nice, actually.
After a while though, if it'll solve problems for you, you pick the one that seems the least problematic going forward, cross your fingers, and buy it.

[cooperhawk]

If you have frequent outages, consider having an electrician install a transfer switch. This allows you to SAFELY connect your generator to a couple of circuits in your home, without running extension cords from the generator to appliances.

Otherwise you will need a generator cord and a heavy duty extension cord or two. More of a pain to hookup when needed, but much less expensive to start with. That is the route I went, as power outages in my neighborhood are rare.

Well, this is about small gensets, but my two cents is that we purchased a Generac a few years ago. Not small by any means, 22KW, but we had the transfer switch installed which makes it much safer. If not you stand a chance of giving a lineman a good shock when he tries to fix the service problem. Also with electric start the Generac starts automatically and connects to the house quickly. It does make our computers restart but otherwise we don't even know its happened.

We live well out in the country and during summer storms we do get a lot of power outages.

[PBSnooker]

I bought a Craftsman (Generac) invertor 2200w from Lowes for under 700$. 15a plugs,quite and sips fuel. I use it more than my bigger generator. Only negative is it doesn't have a fuel shutoff.

[Ernie]

Consumers Report rate the Predator duel fuel super quiet from Harbor Freight almost the same as Honda. I have a small gas 1000 watt inverter that is very quiet.

[markiver54]

Consumers Report rate the Predator duel fuel super quiet from Harbor Freight almost the same as Honda. I have a small gas 1000 watt inverter that is very quiet.

We purchased a Predator 5000 from Harbor Freight after Hurricane Helene. (Hindsight is 20/20),
I researched them all extensively before settling on the Predator. It was $799.00 on sale. Regularly $1099.00. It is a dual fuel, inverter type w/remote starter. It's very quiet as generators go and delivers clean power.

We had an " Interlock Switch' installed in our main breaker box which is much cheaper than a transfer switch. We have a 30 amp plug in outside. The Interlock allows you to choose which breakers you want to have in the on position at any given time without having to choose which ones to activate via a "Transfer Switch". We're not concerned about running the clothes dryer during an outage. This set-up works great if you keep in mind the electric draw on your appliances/devices. You just don't try to use too many things at the same time. I can power the whole 2BR 2BA house with it. Fridge, lights, TV's coffee maker etc. no problem. I also bought a 30# propane tank and have 10 gallons of gasoline on the side if needed.

I'm very pleased with our purchase.

Good luck.

[HenryFan]

Thanks to those who responded. Good information from all.

I need to get on this but it seems some petty crisis seems to arise every day.

One of my neighbors said "If something ain't broke, you ain't farming hard enough." Well, something always seems to be broke.

From what I gather, a 4KW generator seems to be sufficient for a fridge or a freezer or a coffee pot.

The search begins.

[Ernie]

4000 watt generator should provide 33 amps at peak I believe.

[CT_Shooter]

Another consideration is the choice for where you plan to operate the generator. I bought a Generac backup unit last year to replace a Briggs and Stratton 8k electric start portable generator / transfer switch. I kept it and earlier versions in my garage, but during severe weather events, I still wouldn't be able to safely use it until the storms passed, which occasionally meant being without power for several hours. The new Generac eliminated that problem for me. I always prepared for a potential outage, though, filling the tub with water for the toilets and turning down temps in the fridge and freezer. Now, I don't bother. I gave the Briggs and Stratton and the transfer switch to my neighbor.

[rickhem]

We have a Kohler 14RESA that sits out next to one of the garages right where the utility lines come down onto the property. It has two 120 gallon propane tanks to fuel it, and those seem to almost never need topping off. We're in the house for over 4 years, and I've spent less than $65 on propane. It does it's exercise every Saturday at noon, runs for 20 minutes, and I've changed the oil and filters on it twice so far. The oil coming out is just as clean as the oil going in, but it's a chance to give it a good look-over, so I still do it. The transfer switch is inside that garage next to a breaker panel, and I think that switch and the installation of it probably cost more than the generator itself.
Ours has activated a few times in the least few years, but it seems like the old adage of how preparing for a certain situation seems to make it never happen, applies with this. Power outages may have been a bigger issue when this was first installed, but (knocking wood) it's very dependable now.
I'd still like to get one of those small inverter generators that I could bring out into the woods and use to power some tools while working out there.

[Sir Henry]

I have a diesel generator on my Class A pusher that I could use. The big problem is back feeding into the grid. I’ve spoken with an electrician and he said it could be wired not to back feed however the cost would be higher because how it’s wired into the grid feed. I should just get a propane standby as I already have three 1,000 gallon propane tanks.

The main reason I don’t is the power company is very reliable.

[Ernie]

It's like buying insurance. You spend money up front and find that most of the time you don't need it. But there has been a couple of times living here that the power has gone out for a couple of days and I was paid back in the convenience of using the well pump, having heat, and saving everything in the freezer. When I lived in Indianapolis an ice storm came through in January and my power was out for ten days. No generator and no chance of getting one. Being in the city I had water but no heat. Not happening again.

[dave77]

The main reason I don’t is the power company is very reliable.

Same here, in my 72 years here I can only remember 1 power outage that lasted for any length of time. It was in the Winter but it was caused by a big Chinook windstorm so the temperature was not too cold. It blew down many trees but the PUD crews had most of the power back on the next day. I now have a 7000 watt dual fuel that could run fridge, freezer, lights and a couple of space heaters if needed. Water could be a problem as I'm on a well, I do keep a supply of bottled water and a couple of full 5 gallon water jugs.

When I first moved onto my property I went several months without running water. I showered and did laundry at my mom's but had to haul a couple of 20 gallon containers from work for enough water for washing dishes, flushing the toilet, etc. You can get by with a fairly small amount of water when you have to carry it into your house.

[Mags]

I have a diesel generator on my Class A pusher that I could use. The big problem is back feeding into the grid. I’ve spoken with an electrician and he said it could be wired not to back feed however the cost would be higher because how it’s wired into the grid feed. I should just get a propane standby as I already have three 1,000 gallon propane tanks.

The main reason I don’t is the power company is very reliable.

There should be a Main breaker or throw switch in your breaker/fuse box or near the power meter that disconnects your house from the grid.

[Mags]

I have a 6000watt quiet Honda. I use it to power 2 frigs, a freezer, woodstove fan, the internet and a few lights when the power is out for an extended time. It's not enough to run the well pump at the same time. When the toilets run dry, I switch off the breakers to the frigs and freezer and turn on the breaker to the pump for few minutes. 6000w is not enough to run the heat pump so we are dependent on the wood stoves for heat.

We have dependable power delivery until we don't. There are 5 households on our power leg that runs through the forest. We can have a power outage anytime there is a good stiff breeze from falling branches. Power company is pretty quick about getting power back on, except when there is a major regional power outage. Our leg is pretty low priority when that happens and power can be out out for days.