12 Best Portable Generators of 2026, Lab-Tested and Reviewed
We tested traditional and inverter generators from brands including Champion, Generac, and Predator to make sure you’ll be powered up during an outage
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A severe storm (like the nor’easter forecast to hit the Northeast this weekend) can knock out power for days at a time. And a portable generator is a great way to run not only household essentials like lights and refrigerators, but also lifesaving medical equipment and electronic gear—computers, phones, routers—that help you stay in touch.
Portable generators are much cheaper than a permanently installed whole-house generator, which can cost more than $10,000 to buy and install. And portable generators can be more practical if you live in an area where weather emergencies are relatively rare or where power is often restored within a few hours.
Whether you opt for a traditional portable generator or the more efficient, quieter, and pricier inverter option, you can still get plenty of power to run most of the key appliances and systems in your house. Even a midsized recreational generator suitable for tailgating or car camping can help power some essentials in a pinch.
- Best Generators for: Powering a Home Small Houses, Boats, and RVs Camping and Tailgating
- How CR Tests Generators
Best Portable Generators to Power Your Home
These workhorses provide 7,000 to more than 8,000 watts of power, so they can power most or all of your essential appliances during an outage, but they usually weigh 200 pounds or more. If you get one of them, you’ll probably want to have an electrician install a transfer switch, which allows you to plug the generator into your electrical panel and power hardwired appliances like a water heater or well pump. Prices for these models generally range from just under $850 to $2,300.
Best Portable Generators for Small Houses, Boats, and RVs
These midsized generators provide 2,500 to 4,900-plus watts of power and weigh about 80 to 180 pounds. They pack plenty of power for a boat, an RV, or a camper, or they can power a few household essentials using heavy-duty extension cords. Prices range quite widely, from around $400 to $2,000.
Best Portable Generators for Camping and Tailgating
These generators provide up to 2,500 watts of power and usually weigh around 50 to 60 pounds, making them perfect for campsites. You can power a fridge and a few lights with these during a power outage at home, but for anything beyond that consider the larger generators above. These more modest units are fuel-efficient and quiet, and you’ll pay around $500 to $1,100.
How CR Tests Generators
While safety is essential, our performance testing reveals whether a generator will work as promised when you need it most. To do that, our expert engineers load up every model with a variety of essentials you might want to power during an outage, like a space heater, refrigerator, or window air conditioner.
We make sure the generator can handle the load it’s supposed to, and we look at what happens when a sudden spike in voltage hits—for example, if the compressor in your refrigerator kicks on when the generator is already close to capacity.
The best models take these spikes in stride, while others bog down or even stall. We also look at how easy it is to move and use a generator, as well as how efficiently it uses gasoline and how long it runs on a full tank.
Watch our generator-testing video.
