When choosing a generator to power your own home you first need to work out how much power you will need.
This will depend on the size of your house, how many people live there, what you will need to power, how long you will need to power those, and the climate you live in. There are plenty of good online calculators for you to use.
I did the calculations and I would need around 14000w, so I would personally need a stand-by home generator of around 17000w to be safe. 17000w is a large generator for sure! But do not get too caught up in getting exactly the size you have calculated.
I could personally get any size generator between 15000w and 22000w. You are better off buying a good quality large generator that is a slightly different size than what you have calculated, rather than buying a sub-standard generator that perfectly matches your calculated size.
Any generator over 10000w would likely power the essentials in the event of an emergency.
So, let us look at some of the best large home generators.
DuroMax is one of the most well-known on the market, so there's no need to introduce the brand to most people. Duromax, a leading generator brand, is known for making durable products that can survive extreme conditions.
This generator is at the top of the list because it is both a trusted name in the industry and a great option for homeowners looking for a backup power source. The Duromax XP15000E features a 713cc, V twin Duromax engine. The generator will be able to produce 12,000 running watts with this engine and up to 15,000 starting watts.
You can use this to power a wide variety of appliances, including air conditioners, freezers, and various high-current equipment. It has a fuel capacity of 10.8 gallons, which equates to an operating time of 8.83 hours at 50% load.
Four standard 120V 20A outlets, one 120/240V 50A heavy duty outlet, one 120/240V 30A twist lock outlet, and one 120V 30A twist lock outlet are just some of the outputs available on this generator.
An RV or food truck may be hooked up to it, and it can also be used to charge several large devices at home, thanks to its many available outlets. The Duromax MX2 technology integrated into this unit maximizes output from each 120 V outlet.
Even if your neighbors are picky and like to complain, you can use this generator at your home
as its decibel level at 23 feet is 74 dB. Expect it to make about the same amount of noise as other similar sized generators.
The XP15000E is easily transported across any surface thanks to its foldable handles and inflatable rubber tyres. In addition, the generator's relatively light weight for its power of 349 pounds makes this setup practical for transporting it practically anywhere.
Finally, I'd like to point out that this generator is backed by a limited warranty that will ensure adequate upkeep for a full three years.
Generac’s range of generators is magnificent. They cover most sizes and produce premium generators for midlevel prices. In a saturated market, they stand out for me.
This generator features a liquid-cooled engine. Because they are more efficient at controlling temperature and typically less noisy than their air-cooled counterparts, liquid-cooled engines are a great choice for usage in residential areas where you don't want to bother your neighbors.
At 22 kilowatts (kW), it has enough power to supply most homes, but the high wattage and complex cooling system also make it somewhat costly. A liquid-cooling system may require more upkeep than an air-cooled system, but it could save your life in the event of a power loss during the summer if you're willing to put in the effort.
The brand isn't the most well-known, but it has earned its place on this list thanks to its incredible strength and comprehensive set of features, which should be sufficient for most purposes.
The PM0601258 is powered by a 22 HP Subaru engine, which generates 12,625 starting watts and 12,500 running watts. Almost anything in your home can be powered by this generator.
An 8-gallon fuel tank will only allow you 6-hours of run time at 50% load, so you'll need to stock up if you plan to use the generator for an extended amount of time.
This generator comes equipped with many ports, allowing it to power a wide variety of electronic devices and home appliances. At a glance, you can see that the control panel has four 120V 20A GFCI protected outlets, one 120/240V 50A outlet, and one 120V 30A twist lock outlet.
You may put this to good use in any setting, from your house to your office to your recreational vehicle. Due to its foldable handle and air-filled rubber wheels, this weighty generator may be carried with relative ease.
In all other respects, this generator is a simple piece of equipment that can get the job done. This no frills approach results in a very reasonable price, but I do wish that there were some extras included, such as a covered plug outlet or an electric start.
However, if you want a reliable generator just to roll out in the event of an emergency, then this is a good option. If you have more regular plans for your generator, then other generators on the list will likely suit you better.
The 2 year warranty is pretty standard, not the best but not the worst, but unfortunately there is no way for Californians to use this generator because it does not meet CARB standards.
For homes, backup generators that run on air-cooling are the norm. This generator model is low-priced and straightforward to keep in working order. The Generac Guardian 24kW, is one of the largest air-cooled generators available, can produce up to 24,000 watts of power when connected to a propane fuel source.
Homeowners who are looking for a generator that can keep up with their ever-increasing power needs will be pleased with this robust model. The unit's performance may be tracked remotely thanks to its Wi-Fi connectivity.
The popular design of this generator minimizes space while maximizing power production. The housing is 4 feet in length and 2 feet in width, making it slightly smaller than the largest portable generators on the market and noticeably smaller than traditional whole-house models.
It has a weekly self-test mode called Quiet-Test, and it operates at a whisper-quiet 57 decibels. For a generator of its size, the generator's regular operating noise level of 67 decibels is quite good, albeit this is about the norm for generators in general.
Unfortunately, this model does not include a transfer switch, thus you will need to purchase one independently.
Champion, one of the market leaders, manufactures a wide variety of generators. The Champion 100111 is one of the most popular due to its durability, large battery life, and extensive set of extras.
This Champion generator is equipped with a 717cc V-Twin Champion engine that features electronic starting and Intelligauge technology.
The 100111 has a maximum starting wattage of 15,000 and a maximum running wattage of 12,000. This is more than enough to run large appliances like air conditioners and refrigerators during the next power outage.
An estimated 9 hours of use is possible from the 10.7 gallon gasoline tank at 50% load.
When compared to other popular generators in this range it has a slightly longer battery life, but not by a significant margin.
This Champion generator has multiple outlets, and each one is protected by a plastic flap for safety. This generator has a variety of outlets, including a 120/240V 50A (14-50R), a 120/240V 30A locking (L14-30R), a 120/240V 30A (L5-30R), and two GFCI 120V 20A Duplex (5-20R) outlets.
This will make hooking up appliances of varying sizes to the generator a breeze.
The Champion 329.6-lb generator is not the lightest on the market, but how portabledo you need a home generator to be? The foldable handles, plastic wheels, and tyres on this generator make it extremely mobile and easy to move across a variety of terrain.
One of the most remarkable features of this generator is the integrated Intelligauge, an advanced LED gauge display from Champion that gives you access to the most important vital stats.
The engine is a Honda, which is well-known for its performance even if you are unfamiliar with the brand of the generator as a whole. NorthStar uses a reliable and powerful Honda GX690 engine in their products. This engine can provide up to 15,000 starting watts and 13,500 running watts.
As an added bonus, it has an electric start that makes it easy to start for people of any age, and also satisfies CARB rules.
While our power supply's starting watts are comparable to those of most on this list, its working watts are slightly higher, making it excellent for simultaneously powering a large number of electronic devices. This generator boasts an 11-gallon fuel tank, however it only runs for 8 hours when loaded at 50%.
This comes as a bit of a surprise, and is slightly below average for a generator of its size. However, like I said it does have a surprising amount of running watts, so you have to factor that into the equation.
This generator has an unrivaled number of outputs, I dont think you could ever use them all haha. For example, there are 120V 20A outlets, one 120/240V 60A outlet, one 120V 240V 30A locking outlet, and one 120V 30A non-locking outlet.
Not having wheels is one of the more annoying aspects of this generator. You might not give this much thought if you're searching for a generator that will be permanently installed, but if portability is a priority, you'll need to get creative. It will also be one of the louder generators on the list, albeit not by much (at around 79 dba).
Considering that it runs on a Honda engine, this generator is more expensive than other budget generators but you get one of the longest consumer warranty on the market at 4 years. If you plan to use it professionally, the warranty period is two years.
CAT is a well-known company name in the manufacturing business. For many years, they were the exclusive provider of both light and heavy machinery.
They also supply a selection of portable generators, including the CAT RP12000E that is highlighted here.Because of its high power output and rugged durability, the CAT RP12000E makes this list.
This unit's 670cc V-Twin CAT engine is powerful enough to provide 15,000 starting watts and 12,000 running watts from the generator. During a power outage, this generator can run the majority of your home's appliances and is robust enough to meet the needs of nearly any construction site.
This is the first of these generators that I would suggest using in a residential, commercial or industrial setting because of its sturdy design. A full tank of gasoline for this generator can keep it going for 11.7 hours at 50% load. This is perfect for keeping your air conditioner on all day or your lights on all night.
This CAT generator has a variety of outputs, including a 120/240V 30A L14 twist lock outlet, two 30A 5-20R RV outlets, a 50A 120/240V 14 twist lock outlet, a 12V VDC 8/3A outlet, and a 12V VDC 8/30R outlet. With that much flexibility, you can use this generator for just about anything you can think of.
CAT made transporting this 350-pound generator much easier by including a foldable handle and never-flat wheels.
You'll also benefit from the generator's electric start function, which makes starting the unit easy for just about anyone. In addition to the aforementioned, notable features include a 4-in-1 digital display, an LED-illuminated control panel, and an idle management system that improves both fuel economy and noise output.
It can be intimidating when thinking of buying a generator to help power your home in the event that the grid lets you down.
But rest assured we live in the golden age of generators, the standard and technology is very high.
This means that no matter your budget, you will be able to get a good generator. The premium ones are still likely to be better, but the gap between the best and worst generators on the market is a lot smaller than it used to be.
Happy shopping.
