The best portable generators for home backup
Three generators judged on the one number that decides the job: the watts on tap for the second a fridge and a chest freezer both restart at once. Not battery capacity, and not the running total.
Buy the Champion 201513 6500W Inverter. It is the middle machine of the three, an inverter with household outlets and a 240-volt locking outlet, and it clears this plan's worst-case surge on gasoline with room to spare. Take the FIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter instead if you want the smallest unit that still clears the surge and will never want 240 volts, or the Westinghouse WGen9500DF if you want the most headroom and the only one of the three we can price. All three are rated past 3,520 watts of starting surge, which is what separates them from the 30 units that clear the best case only.
The Amazon links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which units are picked. How that works.
| Model | Running | Peak | Margin over worst-case surge | Weight | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our pick | Champion 201513 6500W Inverter | 5,000 W | 6,500 W | +2,980 W | 102 lb | no verified listing |
| The smallest that clears it | FIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter | 3,200 W | 4,000 W | +480 W | 90 lb | no verified listing |
| Room for a well pump | Westinghouse WGen9500DF | 9,500 W | 12,500 W | +8,980 W | 211 lb | on Amazon |
Who this is for
You want a fridge, a chest freezer, the Wi-Fi and a few lights to outlast an outage measured in days, and you would rather store fuel and pull a cord outside in the rain than watch a battery empty. You need somewhere outdoors, well away from windows and doors, for the machine to sit and stay.
If you want backup that runs indoors with nothing to start and nothing to store, read our page on portable power stations for home backup instead; it covers this same fridge, Wi-Fi and lights on batteries. And if what you really want is a well pump, a furnace blower or central air, no generator on its own does that: those are wired circuits, and connecting one to them is a licensed electrician's job.
How much generator you need
A generator is not sized the way a battery is. A battery has to hold the whole day's energy, so you shop for watt-hours. A generator makes power for as long as you feed it, so you shop for watts instead, and above all for the watts it can deliver in the second or two when a compressor restarts. This plan takes 210 to 1,320 watts to keep running, which is the easy part. The number that decides it is 710 to 3,520 watts of starting surge.
That range is wide because the fridge and the chest freezer each cycle on their own clock. Most of the time they take turns. When they happen to kick in within the same second, the generator sees both starting surges stacked on top of the router and the lamps, and a machine sized to the running total stalls at exactly that moment. Sizing to the top of the starting range is insurance against a coincidence you cannot schedule.
So we size on that worst case. Of the 58 units we track, 38 are workable at all, 8 clear the worst case and 30 clear only the best one. All three picks sit in the first group with margin on gasoline. What separates them is fuel, outlets and noise, not whether they will restart your fridge.
Adjust this plan to your house. Change the hours or the loads and the picks are re-scored here, with the same planner and the same maker figures.
Where the energy goes, load by load
| Load | Hours | Running watts | Duty cycle | Energy | Share of worst case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator/freezer | 24 | 100–700 | 20–50% | 480–8,400 Wh | 55% |
| Chest freezer | 24 | 80–500 | 15–45% | 288–5,400 Wh | 35% |
| Wi-Fi router and modem | 24 | 15–40 | 100% | 360–960 Wh | 6% |
| A few LED lights | 8 | 15–80 | 25–75% | 30–480 Wh | 3% |
Energy = running watts × duty cycle × hours, at each end of the range. The right-hand end of every row is what the plan is sized on.
A refrigerator, a chest freezer, Wi-Fi and lights for 24 hours, run against all 58 units we track: 38 clear at least the best case, 17 do not, and 3 could not be judged (a missing maker figure or an unresolved recall identity). Every figure is from the maker’s own page or manual; nothing here was tested by us. The method.
Our pickChampion 201513 6500W Inverter
The one most people should buy
5,000 W continuous6,500 W peak102 lbgasoline
Champion 201513 6500W Inverter is the middle machine here and the one most people should buy: an inverter that clears this plan's worst-case surge on gasoline and keeps a 240-volt locking outlet in reserve for a well pump or shop tools later. It runs on gasoline only, so there is no propane fallback, and you start it by hand. It suits someone who wants one machine to cover the fridge now and the option of more later, and who would rather have the extra outlet than the second fuel.
No Amazon listing for the bare unit has passed our identity check, so no price and no Amazon link.
A refrigerator, a chest freezer, Wi-Fi and lights for 24 hours:
- Running loadyes, even in the worst case
- Starting surgeyes, even in the worst case
Living with it
You start it by hand, every time. There is no electric start and no remote on this version, just a recoil cord in the dark and the rain; the manual calls the start type manual and the website calls it recoil, the same pull. It carries Champion's CO Shield shutoff, which kills the engine when carbon monoxide builds around it — and Champion states plainly that this is no substitute for an indoor CO alarm. The battery-powered alarms inside the house are still what wake you.
The outlets are a pair of household duplexes, a thirty-amp RV socket, a 120/240-volt locking outlet of the kind a transfer-switch cord uses, and a regulated 12-volt car socket. Its quarter-load runtime is the longest of the three, helped by a bigger tank than the small inverter's. On paper it sits between the other two for noise, and it is the only one quoting a measuring distance.
The manual's oil chart changes grade with temperature rather than naming one oil for all seasons, and an automatic low-oil shutdown stops the engine before a low sump ruins it. It cannot be paralleled: no port, no kit, so a second unit is another extension cord, not more watts. Never-flat wheels and a folding handle are fitted, which you will want at this weight. Three-year limited warranty with lifetime technical support. Owner reports are thin here: our searches turned up retailer listings, spec aggregators and threads about other Champion models, so there is no owner experience to pass on and we have borrowed none from its siblings.
- Noise
- 64 dB(A) at 23 feetchampionpowerequipment.com
- Warranty
- 3-year limited warranty plus free lifetime supportchampionpowerequipment.com
- Starting
- Recoil pull-start only; no electric or remote startchampionpowerequipment.com
- CO shutoff
- CO Shield carbon monoxide auto-shutoffchampionpowerequipment.com
- Runtime at quarter load
- 18 hours at 25% load on a full 4.5-gal tankchampionpowerequipment.com
- On propane
- Not applicable; gasoline onlychampionpowerequipment.com
- Outlets
- Two 5-20R, one TT-30R, one L14-30R, one 12V DC outletchampionpowerequipment.com
- Low-oil shutdown
- Yes, automatic low-oil shutoff includedchampionpowerequipment.com
- Parallel
- No; not parallel capable, no parallel kit availablechampionpowerequipment.com
What you give up
One fuel, one arm, one machine: no propane, no electric start, no parallel port. And we could not verify a retail listing for it, so this page carries no price. Champion sells several inverters with near-identical names, so match the part number rather than the marketing name when you go looking, locally or online.
Figures from championpowerequipment.com, captured August 11, 2026; recall screen: not screened against the recall database yet (how we screen, CPSC).
The smallest that clears itFIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter
Smallest inverter that clears the surge
3,200 W continuous4,000 W peak90 lbgasoline, propane
FIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter is the smallest machine on this page that still clears the starting surge, and it does it on its gasoline rating. Run it on propane and it gives up enough output that the margin over the worst case gets thin, so propane is its reserve fuel rather than its everyday one. It is 120 volts only. It suits someone whose plan will never grow past appliances on extension cords, and who wants the lightest thing here that still restarts a fridge and a freezer together.
No Amazon listing for the bare unit has passed our identity check, so no price and no Amazon link.
A refrigerator, a chest freezer, Wi-Fi and lights for 24 hours:
- Running loadyes, even in the worst case
- Starting surgeyes, even in the worst case
Living with it
It starts either way: the manual lists a recoil cord and an electric start, with a battery behind the key. One owner hunting a replacement battery found this one takes nut-and-bolt terminals where most off-the-shelf batteries use spade terminals. FIRMAN's CO Alert shutdown cuts the engine when carbon monoxide builds around it, which is a last line, not an alarm; the ones that matter are battery-powered and indoors.
There is one household duplex, not GFCI protected, a thirty-amp RV socket, a 12-volt DC output and a USB socket, plus two parallel ports — though the kit that pairs two units is FIRMAN's own and sold separately. The tank is the smallest here and so is the quarter-load runtime, which FIRMAN does not say is measured on gasoline or propane. Its noise figure is the lowest of the three, but no measuring distance is given. A long-term owner of FIRMAN's WH02942 — a sibling, not this model — found it quieter than one rival inverter and louder than a Honda.
Several owners describe the oil fill and drain port sitting at an awkward, near-horizontal angle that makes an oil change a chore even with a long-neck funnel; an automatic low-oil shutdown sits behind it. Watch the warranty if you shop refurbished stock: new units carry three years, factory-refurbished ones under the same model number ninety days. Buyers of those report boxes missing the AC charging cord the electric start needs, a battery terminal disconnected out of the box, and an LPG regulator housing without the right screw seatings, replaced under warranty.
- Noise
- 58 dBA per maker, tied to 1/4 loadfirmanpowerequipment.com
- Warranty
- 3 years new; 90 days if factory-refurbishedfirmanpowerequipment.com
- Starting
- Has both recoil pull-start and electric startcdn.shopify.com
- CO shutoff
- CO Alert automatic carbon monoxide shutdowncdn.shopify.com
- Runtime at quarter load
- Up to 9 hours at 25% loadfirmanpowerequipment.com
- On propane
- 3200W gas vs 3000W LPG running; 4000W vs 3750W startingcdn.shopify.com
- Outlets
- 5-20R duplex, 30A RV outlet, 12V DC, USB, parallel portscdn.shopify.com
- Low-oil shutdown
- Yes, automatic low-oil shutdown includedcdn.shopify.com
- Parallel
- Yes, up to 6000W paralleled; needs optional kitcdn.shopify.com
What owners report, from public threads and long-term reviews; not our own testing.
- Refurbished units bought through deal-site listings show inconsistent quality control: buyers report units arriving with a disconnected battery terminal or missing the AC charging cord needed for electric start.slickdeals.net
- One owner found the LPG regulator housing shipped without the correct screw seatings, blocking propane assembly until FIRMAN sent a replacement housing under the 90-day warranty.ebay.com
- Several owners describe the oil fill and drain port as sitting at an awkward, near-horizontal angle, making routine oil changes difficult even with a long-neck funnel.ebay.com
- One owner needing a replacement starter battery had trouble finding one with matching nut-and-bolt terminals, since most readily available replacement batteries use spade terminals instead.ebay.com
What you give up
The ceiling. It is the smallest of the three, its propane margin over the worst case is thin, and 120 volts only means no well pump and none of the locking outlet a transfer-switch cord wants. We could not verify a retail listing either, so there is no price here; what carries this model number on the shelves is carburettors, spark plugs and air filters.
Figures from firmanpowerequipment.com, captured August 11, 2026; recall screen: not screened against the recall database yet (how we screen, CPSC).
Room for a well pumpWestinghouse WGen9500DF
Room for a future well pump
$999 at Amazon, September 16, 20269,500 W continuous12,500 W peak211 lbgasoline, propane
Westinghouse WGen9500DF is the open-frame machine of the three: the most output by a wide margin, gasoline or propane, and both 120- and 240-volt outlets including the twist-lock a transfer switch uses. It is the only pick with a retail listing we could verify, so it is the only one this page can price. It is also the heaviest and the loudest, and Westinghouse lists no CO shutoff on it. It suits someone building towards a well pump or an inlet, not someone whose whole plan is a fridge and a freezer.
The listing we verified as the bare unit; the price is on Amazon.
A refrigerator, a chest freezer, Wi-Fi and lights for 24 hours:
- Running loadyes, even in the worst case
- Starting surgeyes, even in the worst case
Living with it
It is the easiest to start: a push button, a wireless remote fob, and a recoil cord for a flat battery. Carbon monoxide is the opposite story: no CO sensor, no shutdown. Westinghouse's spec sheet says so, reserving that feature for the near-identical WGen9500DFc, one letter apart — do not confuse the two. Your indoor alarms are the only carbon monoxide protection here.
The outlets are two GFCI household duplexes, a 120/240-volt thirty-amp twist-lock and a fifty-amp 120/240-volt socket. The twist-lock is the point of this pick: it is what a transfer-switch or inlet cord plugs into, though the switch, inlet and wiring are a licensed electrician's job. The tank is the biggest here, with a gauge, and Westinghouse quotes runtime at half load as well as a quarter. It is also the loudest of the three, with no distance or load stated, and being open-frame rather than an inverter its power is dirtier: give sensitive electronics a surge protector.
Automatic low-oil shutdown, an oil chart that changes grade with temperature, four-stroke oil only. It is not parallel-capable as far as we can tell: the parallel kit's manual limits it to Westinghouse inverter generators, an inference from the kit's scope, not a flat statement. One forum poster passed a couple of hundred hours without trouble. Another describes the starter re-engaging on a running engine and throwing sparks; a control board swap did not cure it. One report, not a pattern. Hard starting on propane recurs across threads, traced by owners to regulator pressure and the quick-connect fitting, not the machine.
- Noise
- 74 dBA per maker; distance and load not specifiedwestinghouse.com
- Warranty
- 3 years residential, 1 year commercial; lifetime support linewestinghouse.com
- Starting
- Electric start with remote fob; recoil backup if battery dieswestinghouse.com
- CO shutoff
- None; no CO sensor - CO version is a separate SKU, WGen9500DFcwestinghouse.com
- Runtime at quarter load
- Up to 12 hours at 25% load on a full 6.6-gal tankwestinghouse.com
- On propane
- 9,500W gas vs 8,500W propane running (about 10% less)westinghouse.com
- Outlets
- Two GFCI 5-20R outlets, one L14-30R, one 14-50R; no USBwestinghouse.com
- Low-oil shutdown
- Yes, automatic low-oil shutdown includedwestinghouse.com
- Parallel
- No; parallel kit only fits Westinghouse inverter modelscdn.westinghouseoutdoorpower.com
What owners report, from public threads and long-term reviews; not our own testing.
- One owner reported the starter motor re-engaging while the engine was already running, causing sparks near the flywheel housing; a control-board replacement reportedly did not fully resolve the fault.powerequipmentforum.com
- Hard-starting or failure-to-start on propane is a recurring complaint on owner forums, usually traced to LPG regulator pressure or the quick-connect fitting rather than a defective unit.powerequipmentforum.com
- Some owners report the generator runs fine on one fuel but won't start on the other, which forum members trace to the fuel-selector solenoid or carburetor circuit rather than total failure.powerequipmentforum.com
- One long-term tester logged over 200 hours with no problems and liked the digital display showing voltage output and cumulative running hours.tractorbynet.com
What you give up
Weight, noise and carbon monoxide. It is a two-person lift or a wheeling job, it is the loudest of the three on the makers' own numbers, and it is the only pick with no CO shutoff at all, which leaves the whole job to your indoor alarms. If you will never add a 240-volt load, you are paying for and shifting headroom you never use.
Figures from westinghouse.com, captured August 11, 2026; recall screen: not screened against the recall database yet (how we screen, CPSC).
Past the first tank
A generator has no fixed runtime; it runs as long as you keep feeding it, so day two is a fuel question rather than a capacity question. Each maker quotes runtime on a full tank at a quarter of rated load, the figure on each card, and this plan sits near that mark. Count the refuels that implies across a 24-hour outage, and follow this page's safety notice every time you fill: cool engine, outdoors, fuel kept clear of the machine.
Two of the three also run on propane, which keeps for years in a way gasoline does not and starts a machine that has sat since the last storm. It costs output. FIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter gives up a slice of both running and starting watts on propane, enough to make its margin over the worst case thin, and Westinghouse WGen9500DF gives up about a tenth of its running watts. Neither publishes a propane runtime on the same basis as its gasoline one.
Hooking it up safely
Four rules that are not optional
Outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust pointed away. Never in a garage, even with the door open. Fit battery-powered CO alarms indoors; a CO shutoff on the generator is not a substitute.
Never plug it into a wall outlet. That backfeeds the utility line and can kill the worker restoring your power. Wired loads need a transfer switch or inlet installed by a licensed electrician.
Keep it dry. Running it wet is an electrocution hazard; the makers sell covers for a running generator.
Fuel: never refuel a running or hot engine, and store fuel outside living space in containers made for it. The full safety boundaries.
Buying it right
A search for any of these models returns bundles, sibling models and, often, the same unit under two listings at different prices. We link only a listing whose own title states the bare unit and its exact battery and output; the box should say the same. Check the seller is the maker or Amazon itself, and that the model number on the label matches the one on this page.
Champion 201513 6500W Inverter
- “Champion 4000-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator”, $740: Listing's model number is '201050' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'..
- “WEN 2800-Watt Inverter Generator, Quiet, Portable, and Lightweight with Fuel Shut Off and CO Watchdog (56280iX)”, $386: Listing's model number is '56280iX' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'..
- “WEN 2500-Watt Inverter Generator, Quiet, Portable, and Lightweight with Fuel Shut Off (56250i)”, $385: Listing's model number is '56250i' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'..
- “Champion 4000-Watt RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator”, $649: Listing's model number is '100809' and the title does not carry the part number '201513'..
- “WEN 6800-Watt Dual Fuel RV-Ready Electric Start Portable Inverter Generator with Fuel Shut Off and CO Watchdog for Electric Vehicle Backup (DF680iX)”, $798: Listing is an accessory or part that names this model, not the unit itself..
FIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter
- “HUAYI Carburetor 333467008 Compatible with Firman WH03242 4000w Dual Fuel Generator Carb Huayi#1006.131000.07”, $49: Listing is an accessory or part that names this model, not the unit itself..
Westinghouse WGen9500DF
- The listing we verified: “Westinghouse 12500 Watt Dual Fuel Home Backup Portable Generator, Remote Electric Start, Transfer Switch Ready, Gas and Propane Powered”, $999 when checked. Listing's own model number is WGen9500DF, matching our record's part number exactly.
- “Westinghouse Outdoor Power Equipment WGen Generator Cover - Universal Fit For Portable Generators Up to 9500 Rated Watts”, $17: Listing is an accessory or part that names this model, not the unit itself..
- “Natural Gas Conversion Kit fits Westinghouse WGEN9500DF Generator”, $130: a bundle, not the bare unit; the extra hardware is in the price.
What this page can’t promise
Nothing here was tested by us. The figures are the makers' own, read off their pages and manuals and cited under each pick; what owners report comes from public forum threads and review sites, labelled as such. Some of those threads were readable only through search snippets, none of the three has been screened against the recall database yet, and where a maker's page and its manual disagree we say so.
We can price only Westinghouse WGen9500DF, the one pick with a listing whose model number matches our record. For the other two we found parts and lookalike models, so this page carries no price for them. That is a hole in our data, not a verdict on the machines.
The competition
Every unit we track was run against the same plan. The ones that clear at least the best case are below with their own shortfall; the ones that do not are listed with the rule they fail.
Every unit that clears at least the best case (38)
| Model | Running | Peak | Weight | Fuel | Verified price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter | 3,200W | 4,000W | 90 lb / 40.8 kg | gasoline, propane | no verified listing | Clears the numbers |
| Champion 201444 5500W Inverter | 4,000W | 5,500W | 92 lb / 41.9 kg | gasoline | no verified listing | Clears the numbers |
| Champion 201255 5500W Open Frame Inverter (CARB) | 4,000W | 5,500W | 82 lb / 37.0 kg | gasoline | no verified listing | Clears the numbers |
| Champion 201254 5500W Dual Fuel Open Frame Inverter (CARB) | 4,000W | 5,500W | 85 lb / 38.4 kg | gasoline, propane | no verified listing | Clears the numbers |
| Champion 201513 6500W Inverter | 5,000W | 6,500W | 102 lb / 46.3 kg | gasoline | no verified listing | Clears the numbers |
| Champion 201598 8500W Wireless Start Tri Fuel Inverter | 6,500W | 8,500W | 132 lb / 60.0 kg | gasoline, propane, natural_gas | no verified listing | Clears the numbers |
| Champion 201176 9000W Tri-Fuel Open Frame Inverter | 7,250W | 9,000W | 166 lb / 75.2 kg | gasoline, propane, natural_gas | no verified listing | Clears the numbers |
| Westinghouse WGen9500DF | 9,500W | 12,500W | 211 lb / 95.7 kg | gasoline, propane | $999 | Clears the numbers |
| Honda EU2200i Super Quiet Inverter Generator | 1,800W | 2,200W | 47 lb / 21.5 kg | gasoline | $2,578 | Clears the best case only |
| Honda EU3000iS Inverter Generator | 2,800W | 3,000W | 131 lb / 59.3 kg | gasoline | $2,399 | Clears the best case only |
What will not work, and why (17)
- Too little energy (13). Even the best case needs 1,158 Wh over 24 hours; these hold less than that: Jackery Explorer 1000 Plus (JE-1000C) (1,075 Wh usable); Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (910 Wh usable); Anker SOLIX C1000 (898 Wh usable); Jackery HomePower 1000 v2 (870 Wh usable); EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus (870 Wh usable); EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic (1024Wh) (870 Wh usable); EcoFlow DELTA 3 (870 Wh usable); BLUETTI Elite 100 V2 (870 Wh usable); EcoFlow DELTA 2 (EFD330) (870 Wh usable); Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 (870 Wh usable); Jackery Explorer 600 v2 (544 Wh usable); BLUETTI AC50B (381 Wh usable); EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus (243 Wh usable).
- Cannot start the biggest motor (3). A compressor pulls several times its running watts for a split second; at minimum this plan needs 710 W of peak output, and these publish less: Anker SOLIX C300 (600 W peak); Jackery Explorer 300 v2 (600 W peak); EcoFlow RIVER 3 (600 W peak).
- Jackery Explorer 300D — Continuous output is 140W. Your selected loads draw at least 210W running together, so this unit cannot run them even in the best case.
Questions people ask
How many watts do I need to run a fridge and a chest freezer in an outage?
This plan takes 210 to 1,320 running watts, but the number that decides whether a generator copes is 710 to 3,520 starting watts, for the moment a compressor restarts. All three picks are rated past the top of that starting range. Size to the running total alone and the machine can stall the first time the fridge and the freezer restart together.
How long will a portable generator run my fridge, freezer, Wi-Fi and lights?
As long as you keep refuelling it. Unlike a battery it has no fixed runtime, so the useful figure is the maker's quoted hours on a full tank at a quarter of rated load, shown on each card. Work out from that how many refuels a 24-hour outage costs you, and follow the refuelling rules in this page's safety notice every single time.
What actually separates the three picks?
Not whether they run the fridge; all three clear the surge on gasoline. FIRMAN WH03242 Dual-Fuel Inverter is the smallest and quietest on paper, runs on gasoline or propane, and sticks to 120 volts. Champion 201513 6500W Inverter adds a 240-volt outlet and the longest quarter-load runtime but runs on gasoline alone and starts by hand. Westinghouse WGen9500DF has the most output, both voltages, propane, electric and remote start, and the most weight and noise.
Do I need a 240-volt generator and a transfer switch?
Only if you want power at your house's own circuits rather than at extension cords. A well pump, a furnace blower or central air needs the 240-volt outlet that the value and big picks carry, fed through an inlet and a transfer switch. Buying the outlet does not finish the job: the inlet, the switch and the wiring are a licensed electrician's work, and never back-feed a dryer socket instead.
Does a CO shutoff make it safe to run one in the garage?
No. These are outdoor-only machines, and a CO shutoff does not change that. Champion says outright that its shutoff is no substitute for an indoor CO alarm, and the Westinghouse pick here has no CO sensor at all; that feature belongs to a different version of the model. Keep battery-powered alarms inside the house and read this page's safety notice on placement before you set one up.
Why is there no price for two of the picks?
Because we could not verify a retail listing for either. Searching turned up carburettors, spark plugs, air filters and other models with confusingly similar names, but nothing whose own model number matched our record, so we would rather show no price than guess at one. Only Westinghouse WGen9500DF has a matching listing today. Match the other two by part number yourself before you pay.
Other plans we sized
- Home backupThe best portable power stations for home backup
A fridge, the internet, a few lamps and everyone's phones through a day without the grid, indoors, with no engine to run. Sized on the harder end of every range.
- Camping and road tripsThe best portable power stations for camping
Two nights of phones, a laptop and a few lights is a small job with a wide range, and the range is what catches people out. All three picks cover the easy end of it on one charge; the hard end takes a panel at the site or a full charge before you leave.
- CPAPPortable power for a CPAP machine: one night, and three
A CPAP is a small, steady load, so this comes down to battery size and one switch: the heated humidifier. Covering a single night is settled; covering three, or running the heat, takes a bigger box.
- RefrigeratorHow much battery it takes to run a refrigerator, and which power station does it
A fridge is the appliance everyone wants kept running, and the one whose appetite varies most from house to house. Size it on the harder end of that range and the choice of station mostly makes itself.
- Sump pumpThe best portable power stations for a sump pump
A sump pump is a motor that starts hard and then runs in bursts: the starting surge decides which station can start it at all, and the weather decides how much energy it drinks. Sized on the harder end of every range.
- FurnaceThe best portable power stations for a gas furnace
A gas furnace burns its own fuel and asks the grid only for the blower and the control board, which is the good news. The bad news is that both are wired into the house, so the battery is half the job and an electrician is the other half.
- Well pumpThe best backup power for a well pump
A well pump is the hardest start in an ordinary house, and it is wired in at 240 volts rather than plugged into anything. That is why this plan usually lands on a generator, and why every figure here is sized on the harder end of its range.
- Camping with a fridgeThe best portable power stations for camping with a fridge
Put a compressor fridge in the back of the car and it becomes most of the battery: it is the one thing in your kit that keeps drawing while you sleep. We size this page from the hard end of every range.
- GuidePower station or generator: which do you actually need?
This is the decision that comes before choosing a product, and it is the expensive one to get wrong in either direction. A battery bought for a well pump is wasted money; a standby generator bought to keep a router alive is a great deal more of it.
- GuideHow to connect a power station to your house
These four methods differ less in how much power they move than in what they can reach: a cord reaches a plug, transfer equipment reaches a circuit. The fifth thing people try, a cord into a wall socket, can kill the line worker restoring your power.
- GuideSolar panels for a power station: how many, and how long
Panels are where the optimism creeps into a backup plan. The arithmetic is simple enough to do on the back of an envelope, and the answer it gives you is the best case, not the likely one.
- GuideExpansion batteries: what an extra battery for a power station actually does
An extra battery for a power station is the cheapest-sounding fix for the wrong problem about half the time. It buys hours, it does not buy watts, and the pack you buy has to be the exact one your station was built for.