Portable Generators

Sizing a generator for a small cabin is different from sizing one for a full house. Here’s how to size your actual load list, keep noise down, and solve fuel storage between visits.

If your homestead has a year-round stream, micro-hydro can provide continuous power a generator can’t match. Here’s what head and flow you need, what it costs, and the permitting hurdles to expect.

Three thousand watts is the sweet spot for a lot of buyers who don’t need whole-house backup or job-site power — just enough to run a camper’s AC and fridge, keep a few essentials alive during a short outage, or power sensitive electronics without a generator that rattles the neighborhood. It’s small enough to carry,…

Traditional inverter generators hide their engine inside a fully enclosed, molded case — great for noise reduction, but it makes higher-wattage units heavy, expensive to manufacture, and harder to service. Open-frame inverter generators split the difference: they keep the clean, stable inverter power output that sensitive electronics need, but expose the engine and components in…

Keeping the refrigerator and freezer running is usually the top priority during a power outage — it’s the difference between losing a few days of groceries and losing everything in the freezer. The good news is that fridges and freezers don’t actually draw much power once they’re running. The catch is the split-second surge when…

Every generator spec sheet lists two wattage numbers, and the gap between them trips up more buyers than almost anything else in the sizing process. Running watts and starting watts aren’t a marketing gimmick — they describe two genuinely different physical demands, and understanding the difference is the single most useful thing you can learn…

Which inverter generators work best for ham radio and off-grid comms in 2026 — noise, RFI, power quality, and battery-hybrid setups for silent operation.

Choosing a generator for home medical equipment — inverter picks, sizing, and life-safety rules.

The best generators for well pumps — sizing by pump HP, and how to handle the surge draw.

The best generators for camping in 2026 — Honda EU2200i, Champion 2,000-watt dual fuel, and the fume-free Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 — plus camping CO safety.