Last Updated on September 4, 2024
Whether you’re planning an extended camping trip or anticipating the next power outage, off-grid generators can be a lifesaver. People all around the country use them for different reasons and they’ve certainly come in handy several times before, so it’s no wonder there are so many available out there.
Off the grid generators are useful because they’re made to withstand just about everything. They are portable, lightweight, and some are even able to power large appliances for an extended amount of time.
No matter where you are or what you’re planning on using an off grid generator for, it’s vital that you have the power you need and a generator that can produce high watts reliably. The last thing you want to worry about is if your generator is going to produce consistent, reliable power.
There seems to be some aspects and qualities that just about everyone looks for in an off grid generator. If you can’t figure out just what you need your generator below, keep reading to discover some of the top things to keep in mind when looking for generators and how to find the best generator for you.
10 Best Off Grid Generators (2022 Update)
1. Westinghouse WGen7500 Portable Generator
This Westinghouse generator is excellent if you’re looking for something simple to use yet powerful enough to support your electric tools, your RV, or even act as a backup generator for your house.
The Westinghouse brand is a trusted brand and known for its high quality and reliable power house generators. We decided to test this one out to see how good it really compares to the other generators on this list.
When it comes to simplicity, the Westinghouse WGen7500 Portable Generator does it best. The generator starts functioning with push of a single button or with the help of remote control that can be used from a distance up to 260 feet away.
It also has a twist-lock outlet to easily connect the generator to your home through a quick transfer switch. The generator has 7500 rated watts and 9500 peak watts and can run up 11 hours on a 6.6-gallon tank of fuel with its air-cooled engine.
To prevent the generator from overheating or getting any damage, it’s endowed with automatic low oil shut off so you won’t have to worry about heavy maintenance.
Pros
- It has a single button and remote start
- The engine is designed to prevent overheating and ensures longer durability
- It is versatile as a generator can power smaller to larger items
Cons
- Poor customer service and tech support
2. Honda EU3000iS Portable Generator with Inverter
Honda is known as a car manufacturer, but it also produces generators that are great for home appliances such as microwaves, fridges, and even RV AC units.
We found the highlight of the Honda EU3000iS Portable Generator with Inverter is its capacity to make very little noise when it’s running compared to other generators in the market.
In fact, it operates up to 58 dB which makes it ideal for powering essential appliances while you’re asleep. This generator can run up to 20 hours on 3.4 gallons of fuel and is equipped with advanced inverter technology which allows users to power sensitive equipment such as computers through clean energy.
Pros
- Ideal for overnight powering due to low noise levels
- Excellent traveling generator for campers as the only maintenance it requires is an oil change
- Fuel efficient, thanks to eco-throttle
Cons
- Does not have wheels which make for difficult transportation
3. WEN 56200i Portable Inverter Generator
The WEN56200i generator is a compact generator that only weighs 50lbs and produces clean power to operate sensitive gadgets.This is your budget friendly portable and lightweight generator, perfect for your on-the-go needs.
We love this generator for its easy portability. It produces 2000 surge watts and 1600 rates watts, and operates quietly up to 53 dB. A highlight point of this product is its capacity to work with fuel efficiency.
Its eco-mode feature allows for the automatic adjustment of the motor to prevent additional gasoline usage when not needed. If you need additional wattage, there’s the option of purchasing and connecting another WEN inverter generator for the extra power.
Pros
- Easy to carry around
- Produces clean energy suitable for sensitive appliances
- Produces little noise when running
Cons
- Has less power than other generators
4. WZRELB 2000w Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter
The WZRELB 2000w Pure Sine Wave Power Inverter is another smaller generator great for household appliances or overnight camping trips. Its most notable feature is its sine wave power perfect for an off grid system.
This generator is quite different from the ones mentioned so far. For anyone not very familiar with generators, this one might be more difficult to grasp right off the bat. It runs on 2000 watts continuous 12V DC to 120V AC power, and 4000 watts at peak power.
It’s designed to improve AC equipment performance while keeping your appliances safe through pure sine wave with high quality copper inductances. It also has earth connection for the 2.0 mm PCB board and output meant for high load capacity.
Pros
- Compatible with most batteries
- Priority is to protect appliances
- Robust and versatile
Cons
- Voltage meter isn’t attached very well
5. WZRELB Off Grid 3500W Pure Sine Wave
This WZRELB generator is more powerful than the previous one and has additional features which we found were much more interesting. Like WZRELB 2000W generator, this one is also compact and portable, perfect for camping or powering appliances for your home.
However, this one has more watts to offer and has a built-in cooling fan which is necessary to keep your devices in good condition and your generator last longer. The WZRELB Off Grid 3500W Pure Sine Wave generator runs 3000w on continuous power and 6000w at peak power.
It’s built-in cooling fan adjusts according to the temperature rather than load, and turns on when the temperature surpasses 50 degrees celsius. The generator also has high quality copper inductances and a high frequency transformer which transfers AC to DC along with a 2.0mm PCB for better load capacity.
Pros
- Holds up to 6000watts
- Has a in-built intelligent cooling fan
- Compact and portable
Cons
- Unclear installment directions
6. Champion Power Equipment 100165 Dual Fuel Portable Generator
The Champion Power Equipment 100165 generator is ideal to use as a backup for your home, on construction sites, food trucks or for your own personal projects. It’s able to operate with both gasoline and propane, and comes with a set of wheels for easy transportation.
This powerful generator works with 9375 starting watts and 7500 running watts on gasoline, and 8400 starting watts and 6750 running watts on propane.
It has an electric start feature which allows you to turn it on with a switch, and is accompanied by Cold Start Technology to ensure that it starts without a problem in cold weather.
You’ll love that the generator runs for 8 hours at 50% load with gasoline and for 5.5 hours at 50% load with propane. There is also a Volt Guard built-in surge protector to keep your equipment safe by preventing it from overloading.
Pros
- Ideal for camping in cold environments thanks to the Cold Start Technology
- Dual fuel efficient
- Endowed with overload protection
Cons
- Tends to be loud at 74 dB
7. Westinghouse iGen4200 (3500- 4200 Watt)
The Westinghouse iGen4200 is on the lighter side, weighing 50 to 82 pounds. But it’s still equally powerful for travel and to keep your home equipment operating. It has a handle on each side of the generator which makes it perfect to carry between two people.
What’s great about this Westinghouse generator is its ability to adjust the engine speed according to the power drawn to ensure engine longevity by reducing exhaust emissions.
This generator operates at 4200 peak watts and 3500 running watts. It has a run time of up to 18 hours at lower volume at 64 dB with a 2.6 gallon fuel tank. It also features a maximum economy mode for better fuel efficiency and a 30A TT-30R outlet for your RV, two USB ports, and additional outlets for your house.
Pros
- Easy to transport
- Runs quiet
- Self adjusting engine speed
Cons
- Poor customer service and tech support
8. CRAFTSMAN CMXGGAS030790
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The CRAFTSMAN CMGGAS030790 features an open frame design made easy to carry and comes with a set of wheels for easy transportation. It’s powered by a 420cc Briggs and Stratton engine and makes the perfect generator to power multiple items at once.
This one has 5750 running watts and 7200 starting watts compacted in a relatively smaller generator. If you need to run most of your electrical appliances at home during an unfortunate outage, you can rest assured that this Craftsman generator will hold up well.
It runs up to 12 hours at 50% load on a 8.5 gallon tank, and has four 120V household outlets plus one 120/240V 30A locking outlet. The most remarkable feature of this generator is the automatic shut off when harmful levels of carbon monoxide are detected.
Pros
- Easy to transport and carry
- Carbon monoxide detector
- Multiple outlets to use for your home
Cons
- No cool down feature
9. All Power America APGG10000GL (8,000-10,000 Watts)
This is one of the most powerful generators on this list which can also be used anywhere, whether it’s in your home, at work, or at a camping site. Unlike other generators, it has an hour meter which allows you to see the generator has been operating for.
This generator is all about reliability and quality. The All Power America generator has 10000 watt peak power and 8000 watt rated power on gas, and 8500 watt peak power and 7000 watt rated power on propane.
It has an 8 gallon gas tank or 20 lbs of propane fuel meant to run for 11 hours at 50% load.This generator also comes with a wheel kit for easy transportation and has an electric start feature to make things easier for you.
Additionally, if you want to switch from gasoline to propane in the middle of operating, all you need to do is shut off the generator, switch the lever to propane, and restart the generator as new.
Pros
- Dual fuel efficient
- Electric start
- Flat wheels included which need no maintenance
Cons
- Non C.A.R.B compliant
10. Briggs & Stratton P3000 (3000 Watts)
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The Briggs and Stratton generator is a much smaller generator but don’t underestimate its power. It’s ideal for your camping trips, personal projects, outdoor events, and even your home needs.
It has a quiet power technology which adjusts engines speed to reduce noise levels and simultaneously saves fuel. In fact, at 25% load, the noise level is only at 58 dB which makes it great for smaller settings.
This generator has 3000 starting watts and 2600 running watts, and can run up to 10 hours at 25% load. It also features an LCD screen ideal to see the generator metrics including maintenance reminders.
It has four 120V household outlets, one 12V-5A, DC outlet, and one USB and parallel port. With that, you can connect two PowerSmart Series inverter generators to pull more power without damaging your outlets.
Pros
- Luggage style transportation
- Features LCD screen
- Quiet at 25% load
Cons
- Poor voltage control
What to Consider When Buying Off Grid Generators
Type of Generator
This may not seem like it matters, but it should. There are two types of generators and while they may look similar enough, they function very differently. Very quickly, we’ll go over the basic differences and in what situations you may want which one.
The conventional generator has been around the longest. It has a larger fuel tank, higher power output, and is generally more affordable than inverter generators. Conventional generators are able to power RVs or construction sites because they put out so much power.
However, these generators are not recommended for use with smaller electronics as the power often fluctuates and can damage them.
Conventional generators also tend to run much louder and dirtier than inverter generators. Where inverter generators are quieter and provide more consistent (clean) power, conventional generators make a lot of noise and have fluctuating (dirty) power spikes.
Inverter generators, on the other hand, are a newer development and more fit for the modern world of technology. The power doesn’t spike and is stable enough that you can actually plug electronics directly into the generators.
These generators are typically more portable as well and better suited for camping trips when you may not want to haul a large, heavy box around just to charge utilities every now and then.
One downside of inverter generators though is the cost. Because they’re more modern and adapted to suit small electronics, they tend to cost quite a bit more than traditional generators.
They also have smaller fuel tanks and therefore shorter run times than conventional generators, something to keep in mind if you’re going to need lots of power for several days at a time.
Fuel Type
It may not seem important at first, but the type of fuel your generator will run on is important. Gasoline, while common and affordable, is highly flammable and has a relatively short shelf life.
If you’re looking to be able to store a lot of fuel in one place so you don’t have to worry about running out later on, a gasoline powered generator is probably not the way to go. On the other hand, you have the option of diesel powered generators.
Diesel is much less flammable than gasoline and has a shelf life twice as long. However, you will want to make sure you don’t run your generator with less than 40% fuel as diesel engines can become carbonized and start smoking if you do.
Propane is a third option. It’s pretty environmentally friendly and easy to get ahold of at any local gas station or grocery store. It has the longest shelf life of the three fuel options, but propane generators typically have shorter life expectancies and run through fuel extremely quickly.
Power Output
Again, depending on what you’re trying to power with your generator, your power needs will vary. If you’re looking to run just a campsite, then a generator with 2000 watts is plenty.
However, if you’re wanting to be able to have a full-fledged, back power generator in case of emergency, you’ll want to look into generators around 25,000 watts or more.
Also Read: Conventional Generator vs Inverter Generator: Ultimate Comparison
Conclusion
At the end of the day, there is no universally perfect generator. You have to be the judge of your own needs and determine exactly what you need a generator to do.
Ultimately, you need your off-grid generator to provide enough power and it needs to be absolutely reliable as you’ll be depending on it for all your power needs.
Understanding what types of off-grid generators there are on the market, what features you need and what kind of power output you want will put you in good stead to start your search.
Do check out our article on electric generators guide.
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