To have a generator in your home is ideal especially if you experience many power outages. It can also generate power for power tools and your heating and air conditioning.

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To find the top generators for home use consider searching online where there are many consumers who write reviews on the product they bought. Here are some good choices to select from.

Top Rated Portable Generator under $1000

This Westinghouse WH7500E Portable Generator costs about $849 online and it received 4.5 stars from 50 Amazon reviewers, making this one of the top generators for home use. It has a four stroke 420cc OHV engine and 10 inch solid wheels that make it easy to maneuver the machine from one place to another.

It has a 6.6 gallon fuel tank. It has an LCD hour meter and a simplified control center. It full enclosure helps protect the electrical connection and its cast iron fan guard helps ensure safe operation. It can run up to 12 hours on half load and it has an electrical and manual starting system. It comes with a three year limited warranty. It runs on 9000 watts surge and 7500 watts continuous.

It comes with various outlets such as one 120/240 volt twist outlets and four 120 volt outlets. It has a wheel kit, tool kit, handle kit and funnel that comes with this item at time of purchase. It is non carb compliant and is not sold in the state of California.

Best Dual Fuel Propane/Gas Portable Generator

This DuroMax XP4400EH Propane/Gas Powered Portable Electric Start Generator has an electrical starting system for easy start up. It runs on 4,400 watts surge and 3,500 watts rated. It has a low oil shut off to help prevent damage to the engine.

It has a 7 hp air cooled engine and it comes with various outlets including one 120/240 volt 30 amp twist lock and one 120 volt 20 amp outlet with three prongs. It weighs about 130 pounds and it has a full power panel. There is a volt meter, circuit breaker and power outlets.

It costs about $650 online and it earned 4.5 stars from Amazon reviewers, making this one of the top generators for home use.

Best Propane Generator with Tank Holder

This Generac 6001 LP5500 Series Liquid Propane Powered Portable Commercial and Residential Generator comes with a one year commercial warranty and a two year residential warranty. It has various outlets including one 120 volt twist lock 30 amps, two 120 volt duplex that is 20 amps, and two circuit breakers of 20 amps.

It shuts down if the oil is low to help protect the life of the engine. It has a recoil pull start and a quick access enclosure. It is carb compliant and is sold in all 50 states. It runs on 5,500 watts continuous and 6,875 watts surge. It is ideal for outside events such as camping and job sites.

It has a .25 inch steel tube cradle and it weighs 184 pounds. It comes with a tank holder and it costs about $799 online. It received 4 stars from Amazon reviewers, making this one of the top generators for home use.

 Best 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Generator

This Champion Power Equipment 46539 Gas Powered Portable Generator has a wireless remote control and an electrical start system. It is carb compliant and is sold in all 50 states. It weighs about 140 pounds and comes with 8 inch wheels for easy portability.

There are various outlets it comes with including one 120 volt duplex, one 120 volt twist lock and an rv receptacle. It runs on 3,500 watts continuous and 4,000 watts surge. It costs about $430 online and it received 4.5 stars from more than 112 Amazon reviewers, making this one of the top generators for home use.

It has a cast iron sleeve over the motor to protect it. It can run for up to 12 hours on half load. It comes with a 196cc 4 stroke engine for added power.

 #1 Bestseller for Generators & Portable Power

This Durostar DS4000S Gas Powered Portable Generator weighs about 93 pounds and comes with an EZ pull coil start. It is non carb compliant and is not sold in the state of California. It has a 4 gallon tank and can run up to 8 hours on half load.

It runs on 3,300 watts continuous and 4,000 watts surge. It has a 7hp OHV 4 cycle engine. It comes with a one year warranty and a wheel kit for easy portability.

It has an automatic shut down if there is low oil for the protection of the engine. It costs about $330 online and it received 4.5 stars from 195 Amazon reviewers.

These are all among the top generators for home use that can be found online and in your local hardware store. They will deliver plenty of power that you will need to generate electricity for lights, power tools, machinery, etc. They are ideal to have around in case of emergency.

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A great camping generator needs to be reliable, easy to start, portable, quiet and has electronics-safe clean power.  Whether you have a recreational vehicle or just a tent trailer, having a reliable source of power for lights and running a few appliances opens up a whole new area of camping in  National parks, or private land away from crowded campsites, especially if you get a model with a spark arrestor on the exhaust.

There is so much you can do with solar panels and power, but firing up a generator is reliable, quick and requires very little planning ahead.  All you need is the fuel and the machine, whether it is gasoline or propane.

Best quietest inverter generators with great ratings

Generally the smaller inverter generators work well for camping, boating and power on the road, the only disadvantage is generally they only have a limited output, usually 3000 watts max, so will run a few smaller appliances like coffee makers, toaster ovens and lights.

They usually have a carrying handle but no wheel kit so you have to carry them.  With them you can also run laptops and televisions without fear of power surges damaging your electronics, like some of the cheaper less sophisticated generators can.

Lifan ESI 2000iER, Parallel Port Quiet Inverter Generator with Electric Remote Start

Extreme Max EXT3000 Electric Start Inverter Generator

Yamaha EF2000iS 2,000 Watt Gas Portable Inverter Generator (CARB Compliant)

Best portable propane generators to buy

One of the advantages of propane is likely you already have a bunch of propane tanks in the garage for your gas BBQ grill, from all those times you left the empty tank at home and had to get another for an upcoming BBQ party.  The following gensets run on propane fuel and you get the convenience of long term storage of fuel before use, without the fouling of carburetors that comes from using old gasoline.

These generally give out lower emissions while running, and you can get some nice powerful units that will run a small home that are not that big or bulky.  Some of the Generac even have a useful cart for moving the propane bulk tank as well.  There are more small models coming up on the market all the time now, as consumer demand increases.

Generac 6001 LP5500 Propane Portable Generator with Tank Holder

Sportsman GEN4000LP 4000 Watt Propane Powered Portable Generator

Generac 6000 LP3250 3,750 Watt Propane  Portable Generator With Tank Holder

Best larger gas powered portable generators for camping

These are mostly brushless alternator models which, while they do not contain or use an inverter, they give out cleaner electrical power for running Tvs and other fine electronics safely, for a relatively lower purchase cost than the inverters.  They use more fuel due to the larger engines, but generally have longer run times for more freedom so you can leave the campsite for the day and your fridge will still be cold when you get back!

These low decibel quiet models often have a special muffler, extra padding, insulation and engine mountings to reduce noise and vibration keeping sound out put lower.  This size may be more useful for running a larger RV or trailer or boat, and all have wheel kits and foldable handle to maneuver these larger units.  Of course there are smaller models of these brands with similarly high consumer ratings if these are a little large or expensive for your needs. 

Generac 5943 GP7500E 9,375 Watt Generator with Electric Start

Lifan ESI 5600iER-CA, Idle Control Quiet Inverter Generator – Electric Remote Start

Westinghouse WH7500E Portable Generator, 7500 Running Watts/9000 Starting Watts