To have a generator at home for those times of experiencing a power outage is a great luxury. Many of them cost a high price while there are a few smaller units that can cost under a couple hundred dollars.  You can find some basic choices online and at your local hardware store.

At around 1000-2000 watts you are likely to run little more than a few electronics or lights or one or two larger appliances, so really these are just for the very basics or maybe these inexpensive units are better suited for camping, RVing and tailgating.

Shortcut to Amazon’s best selling generators under $200 here

Generally generators in this price range garner lower ratings as they are often cheaper basic quality, noisier or customer service is lacking or they actually run lower output than rated or advertized,  except the Champion genset, first up, which is the all round best!

Here are some of the best generators under $200 on the market.

Best rated inexpensive generator

This Champion Power Equipment 42436 Portable Generator is quiet, portable, and lightweight at 56 pounds. It runs on 1,500 watts maximum output and 1,200 watts rated or running. It is carb compliant and is sold in the state of California.

It has a low oil sensor and a volt meter to help protect the life of the machine. It is EPA approved and comes with a two year limited warranty. It runs on 10 hours on a full tank at50 percent load, giving you plenty of time to forget about fillups.

The engine is protected in a cast iron sleeve and lasts longer. It has an overload protection as well. This generator earned 5 stars from Amazon reviewers and costs just under two hundred bucks, making this one of the best affordable generators online.

Best gas generator under $150

This All Power America APG3004 Gas Powered Portable Generator has a two cycle 71cc 1.5 hp motor and runs on 800 watts continuous and 1,000 watts surge. It can handle giving power to your home and is ideal for camping or your RV. It comes with a battery charger with cables and a fuel gauge to monitor the gas level.

It has a recoil start and gives off a low amount of noise. It is non carb compliant and is not sold in the state of California. It is lightweight and compact at 44 pounds, making it easy to maneuver it to where you need outdoor power.

It comes with one 12 volt DC output and a 1.5 gallon tank that will allow the unit to create power for up to 8.5 hours, so this is quite efficient in fuel. The rated voltage is 115c and 60Hz at 10 amps.

Generator with longest run time under $200

This Sportsman GEN154 Portable Generator generator has a 4 stroke 80cc 2.8 hp OHV motor and holds up to 1.8 gallons of fuel. It can run up to 11 hours at 50 percent load and runs quietly at 65 dba. It has a circuit protector and is EPA approved though it is non carb compliant. It is not sold in the state of California.

It comes with one 120 volts outlet and one 12 volts DC outlet. It runs at 2,000 watts surge and 1,500 watts continuous. This item is one of the best cheap generators as it costs about $180 online.

Good generator for camping

This All Power America APG 3014 Gas Powered Portable Generator has a 4 stroke 3 hp motor and it has a recoil start. Its low noise level is ideal for using at home at 68 dba. It comes with various outlets including two AC 120 volt outlets and one DC 12 colt outputs.

It has a low oil shut down that helps protect the life of the engine. It weighs about 54 pounds and holds up to 1.32 gallons of fuel. It takes unleaded gas. Its frequency is 60Hz at 120 volts. It is non carb compliant and is not sold in the state of California. This machine received 3.5 stars from ore than 240 Amazon reviewers making this a good option for camping. It costs about $200 online.

Quietest generator under $200

This Otech 1200 Watt Portable Generator runs on 1,200 watts surge and 900 watts rated. It received 3.5 stars from Amazon reviewers and it costs about $140 online, making this one of the best generators under $200. It has a two stroke 7.5 amps63cc engine and requires little maintenance.

It runs up to 4.5 hours at 50 percent load and has a low noise level of 65 dba. It has carry handles for easy portability and comes with various accessories including a DC power connection terminal and a 110 volt AC outlet. It takes up to one gallon of fuel and has an easy start capability. There is a voltage capacity protector and a thermal circuit protector.

These are all among the best generators under $200 available on the market. As many of them can be expensive, these small cheap generators manage to give enough power in cases of an emergency or for a camping trip.

See more of Amazon’s best budget generators here

Generators are convenient when you experience a power outage at home or if you need that extra power to generate an RV or camper. With a remote start it is even easier to start up your generator with a push of a button without getting out of bed or boiling heat or freezing cold in the elements.

Shortcut to more easy to start portable generators here

Not every generator has a remote start. To find the ones that do search online or at your local hardware store. Here are a few of the best portable generators with remote starters and come with a starter keychain.  

If you want generator that will come on automatically when the power goes out at home, check out our standby generators reviews here.

Best generator with remote start for the money

This Champion Power Equipment 46359 Gas Powered Portable Generator has a wireless remote electric which is a wireless key start. It has a cast iron sleeve that helps protect the engine and parts.

It can run up to 12 hours at 50 percent load giving you lots of time to be away from the machine or to get a good night’s sleep.  It is quite portable and weighs about 140 pounds. It comes with a wheel kit and 8 inch wheels for easy portability along with a two year limited warranty.

It has an OHV 196cc 4 stroke engine and is EPA and Carb approved. This machine is sold in all 50 states. There is a low oil sensor to help avoid damage to the engine. Its display buttons are easy to use and the generators comes with various outlets including one 120 volt twist lock, one 120 volt duplex outlet, and one RV receptacle.

Engine oil is included with this machine at time of purchase.  This machine costs under $500 and has a great 4.5 star rating with great reviews from over 80 users.

Best propane generator with remote start

This Beem Outdoors MO4000P Portable Propane Inverter Generator runs at 3,200 watts rated and 3,400 watts surge. It comes with a remote control that can start and turn off the generator up to 75 feet away. This is considered among what are the biggest output inverter generators on the market.

It has a built in roller cage to easily maneuver the generator. It has an emergency stop control and an automatic shut down to help protect the engine. It is carb compliant and sold in all 50 states. It has an internal circuit breaker and it comes with a two year consumer warranty and a one year commercial warranty. This generator costs about $1,600 online.

Best small inverter generator with remote start

This Powerhouse PH 2100PRi Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator comes with a remote control start that allows you to be up to 75 feet away to start or stop the generator. It is considered one of the best portable generators with remote start for consumers.

It has a 125cc 4 stroke single cylinder 4.35 hp engine. It has an integrated inverter to safely operate electronic equipment which is a huge benefit when you want to run laptops, big screen televisions and other electronics.

This machine can run up to 7.5 hours on 50 percent load and it can run at variable speeds for fuel economy.  It comes with a one year commercial warranty and a two year consumer warranty. It weighs about 73 pounds and has a 1.3 gallon tank.

It is carb and EPA complaint which means it is sold in all 50 states. It is a quiet portable generator that runs at 5,000 rpm. It runs 2,100 watts maximum output and 2,000 watts rated. It received 4 stars from Amazon reviewers and costs under $700 online.

These are all among the top-rated and best value portable generators with remote start and are easy to operate. Depending on what you are looking for will determine which generator will work best for your needs.