The Best Generator Brands of 2026

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When a storm strikes and the power goes out, a generator from one of the best generator brands can prevent hours in the dark and a fridge full of spoiled food. Depending on its size, a portable generator can provide up to 15,000 watts of energy, enough to keep the lights on and power the air conditioner and refrigerator. However, a generator is only as good as it is reliable. 

With so many brands on the market, finding a model that provides dependable backup power without breaking the bank can pose a challenge. In this guide, we delve into the world of generators—both portable and stand-by systems—to identify the best brands in the business. We leveraged our own experience using generators as a backup source of power for home and RV, along with extensive research to inform our selections of the best generator brands. 

Not only is it a manufacturer of some of the most reliable automobiles on the market, but Honda also produces some of the best generators available. Honda revolutionized the generator market when it introduced the now legendary EU1000i model in 1998, redefining portable power. 

Since then, the company has continued to improve on that technology, while others have sought to copy it. Though this generator is more expensive than others, consumers are willing to shell out the extra dough because of Honda’s reliability and reputation for quiet operation. The EU2200i produces around the same amount of noise as a coffee maker at its loudest (between 48 and 57 decibels).

Our Top Picks

 

Shop more Honda generators at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Northern Tool + Equipment.

Unlike some of the other top brands that produce generators as only a part of their business, Generac only makes generators. Generac made a name for itself some 60 years ago when it began engineering and producing affordable generators for home use. In addition to producing a line of generators for commercial use, the company today puts out inverters, portable generators, and standby generators for the home.

It continues to stick to its mission of producing affordable products, with portable generators that fall within the $500 to $1,000 range and whole-house generator options that start at the $2,000 price point. Generac’s product line includes its inverter and portable generators, which produce up to 8,000 watts, and its Guardian series of home backup generators. Part of this series of Generac home generator models is the 22,000-watt standby model, which also offers an automatic transfer switch.

Our Top Picks

Shop Generac generators at Amazon, Ace Hardware, or The Home Depot.

One of the older companies on this list, Westinghouse was founded by George Westinghouse in 1886 as an electric company. The company produced its first generator, a steam turbine-driven machine, in 1901. Today, Westinghouse produces many different types of portable generators. Its products range from small inverters that generate about 1,200 starting watts to monster machines that produce 15,000 peak watts. 

Westinghouse’s large product line, coupled with affordable prices (on a watt-per-dollar basis), allows the company to serve a broad range of customers. The company has been an innovator in the market, having also developed a line of solar-powered generators in recent years. Westinghouse has also improved the efficiency of its gas-powered models, extending their runtimes to an industry-leading 12 hours and offering top-rated generators with dual-fuel options like the Westinghouse WGen9500DFc  for enhanced versatility.

Our Top Picks

Shop Westinghouse generators at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Menards.

Although Champion launched its generator line in 2003, it quickly rose to the upper echelons of the industry thanks to its innovations in dual-fuel technology and relatively low prices. Its generators are among the most affordable on the market. 

The company’s dual-fuel generators, like the 10,625-watt model, can run on either propane or gasoline. This generator also comes equipped with a broad range of plugs, including a 30-amp outlet and standard 120-volt outlets. These versatile connections, coupled with their ability to run off propane, have made these generators popular in the RV market. Like its rival Westinghouse, Champion also boasts a broad line of generators that range from smaller 2,000-watt inverters to 12,000-watt beasts. 

Our Top Picks

Shop Champion Power Equipment generators at Amazon, Tractor Supply Co., or The Home Depot.

As one of the world’s largest producers of small gasoline engines for everything from lawn mowers to go-karts to generators, Briggs & Stratton should know about building durable engines. The company has a reputation for producing reliable and powerful engines for a broad range of equipment. In fact, its engines are so well-regarded that the company provides the engines for several other popular generator brands. 

Briggs & Stratton produces some of the top generators on the market. Although the company has a variety of generators to choose from, including portable, inverter, and home standby generators, it’s perhaps best known for its energy-efficient compact PowerSmart Series like the 2,400-watt model above, as well as its Elite Series of powerful portable generators that can produce as much as 9,000 watts. 

Our Top Picks

Shop Briggs & Stratton generators at Amazon or The Home Depot.

DuroMax makes its own engines, which are renowned for their durability. Like its rival Champion, DuroMax is an innovator in dual-fuel technologies, with many of its generators capable of running off both propane or gasoline. Several of its generators are loaded with a variety of connections, including 30-watt and 50-watt sockets, making DuroMax generators popular with RVers. 

Models like the DuroMax 13,000-watt dual-fuel generator also offer the added safety of a carbon monoxide alert. DuroMax generators also have innovative features, including the company’s MX2 power-boost technology, which doubles the amperage of a 120-volt outlet to 240 volts to handle heavier loads. Some of DuroMax’s dual-fuel generators can produce up to 15,000 watts, thanks to a 23-horsepower V-twin engine.

Our Top Picks

 

Shop DuroMax generators at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.

Discount tool and equipment company Harbor Freight, which was founded in 1977, markets its own brand of generators under the name Predator. Like its other product lines, Harbor Freight makes generators that boast high performance at a budget price. 

The Predator line, which is popular with RVers as well as homeowners and contractors, also includes bargain-priced 4,000-watt generators and larger inverters, like this 9,500-watt model. Another one of the company’s most popular generators is this super-quiet Predator Inverter Generator that produces a maximum of 3,500 watts, which it sells at a fraction of the price of similar-powered inverters from other brands.

Our Top Picks

 

Shop Predator generators at Harbor Freight.

Wen was a pioneer in the power tool market in the mid-20th century, helping to develop chainsaws, soldering guns, electric jigsaws, and other products since its launch in 1951. The company’s mission is to help woodworkers and artisans execute their wildest dreams. 

Over the years, Wen has expanded to include a variety of other power tools, including generators. Wen produces home generators and portable generators, like the 3,800-watt inverter, that are among the least expensive on the market despite their broad range of features, such as the electric start and automatic fuel shut-off, which helps to improve overall efficiency for longer run times.

Our Top Picks

Shop Wen generators at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Although Sportsman’s generators can be used as backup emergency power for a home, they’re designed for outdoor enthusiasts, with the largest generator topping out at about 4,000 watts. Sportsman generators run off a variety of fuels, including gasoline, propane, and natural gas, making them one of the few tri-fuel generators on the market. Its generators, including the two we feature, have 30-amp hookups that work with RVs. This versatility makes Sportsman generators ideal for a variety of uses, ranging from tailgating to camping to emergency electricity during an outage. 

Our Top Picks

Shop Sportsman generators at Tractor Supply Co.

Ryobi launched in 1943 as an auto parts company before later expanding into power tools and generators. Today, the company’s power tools are sold primarily through The Home Depot. Like its line of power tools, Ryobi’s generators are relatively affordable. 

Though the company produces just a handful of models, Ryobi’s generators feature innovative controls that make them more user-friendly than many other generator brands. Its most popular models like the 4,000-watt inverter feature digital displays that provide real-time data regarding fuel level, power load, and runtime, all of which can be monitored via Bluetooth from a smartphone. These generators also come with safety features, including a carbon monoxide automatic shut-off switch. 

Our Top Picks

Shop Ryobi generators at The Home Depot.

Though Firman has been making generators for years for such brands as Kohler and Ridgid, it didn’t start producing generators under its own brand name until 2015. The company has made inroads into the market by addressing top customer demands. 

No one likes having to constantly refill the tank in the generator, which is why Firman outfits its generators with gas tanks that are 25 percent larger than a standard gas tank, giving its generators significant runtimes of 12 hours on a half-load. Firman also knows that the second biggest gripe about generators is noise, which is why the company has an entire line of generators—the Whisper series—that is designed to produce as little noise as possible, with outputs of around 67 decibels. Firman’s generators range from 3,000-watt inverters for camping to models like the 10,000-watt generator featured here for homes or remote worksites. 

Our Top Picks

Shop Firman generators at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.

DeWalt started in 1924 with a woodworking machine called the “Wonder-Worker,” which was designed to help increase productivity and efficiency on the farm. By 1992, the company released its first portable electric power tools. Today, DeWalt is one of the most trusted names in the power tool industry. The company also offers a selection of traditional gas generators, battery-powered generators, and portable generators. Several models, including the 10,000-watt portable, meet stringent CSA and CARB emission regulations. While the company’s generator selection is not as extensive as that of some other manufacturers, DeWalt does offer a range of options to meet the varying power needs of different customers. 

Our Top Picks

Shop DeWalt generators at Amazon or The Home Depot.

Jackery was founded in 2012 to spread the use of clean energy to combat climate change. The company—which is now one of the top-selling solar generator brands in the world—was the first to launch a line of lithium portable power generators. The Explorer series is designed to deliver power for outdoor activities, travelers, mobile families, or anyone else in need. 

Following the release of the Explorer series, Jackery debuted its SolarSaga solar panels. Harnessing the power of the sun, this line of solar panels can help boost the effectiveness and longevity of Jackery’s generators. The SolarSaga panels are designed to be portable with their folding design, and they set up in seconds with the integrated kickstands. They then just need to be plugged into models like the Jackery Explorer 1000 to start collecting free energy.

Our Top Picks

Shop Jackery generators at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.

The A-iPower brand is a relative newcomer in the generator market, though it has quickly established a reputation for affordable and reliable equipment. Although it is an American company headquartered in California, all manufacturing is based in China. It is the preferred generator brand of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), which is the governing body for drag racing in the U.S. and Canada.

The range is extensive, with everything from an ultra-lightweight 1,500-watt inverter ideal for tailgating or camping to the 15,000-watt heavy-duty generator featured below. A-iPower focuses on high efficiency, low emissions, and safety with GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupters) as a common feature. Many of the A-iPower generators are also RV-ready.

Our Top Picks

Shop A-iPower generators at Amazon or The Home Depot.

 

Those looking for feature-rich, budget-friendly generators will want to check out the range offered by GenMax. The company has been around since 2010 and produces an extensive selection that should satisfy just about every need.

The brand is known for innovation. The 10,500-watt generator we selected as a top pick was the first tri-fuel inverter generator on the market and is capable of running off gasoline, propane tanks, or natural gas. GenMax’s inverter range uses Quiet Technology to keep noise to a minimum, and its Open Frame models offer competitive performance, the ability to run in parallel for double the output, and up to 40 percent weight reduction when compared to traditional models.

Our Top Picks

Shop GenMax generators at Amazon, Walmart, or The Home Depot.

Northern Tool + Equipment is a family-run business that started trading in 1981, and in addition to its online business, it now has 120 stores nationwide. Powerhorse is one of several house brands, and it’s focused on durability and value for money.

The range of generators offered isn’t as extensive as some, but it includes a lightweight portable inverter at 2,300 watts in addition to the 27,000-watt monster with a 999cc V-twin motor we chose as a top pick. Reliability is enhanced by copper-wound cylinder heads that prevent overheating. User-friendly features include an electric start and an ESC (Engine Smart Control) that varies the throttle to save fuel.

Our Top Picks

Shop Powerhorse generators at Amazon, Walmart, or Northern Tool + Equipment.

Pulsar is based in Ontario, California, and claims to be one of the fastest-growing brands in the industry. Quality and reliability are underlined by the fact that it is also licensed by Ford to build that company’s generators.

The brand’s range is impressive. It includes both inverter and traditional generators, all with very competitive price tags. Pulsar produces gasoline, dual-, and tri-fuel models from the low-cost 2-cycle 1,200-watt model we chose as a top pick to a 15,000-watt electric start model with carbon monoxide safety alert. Other features include a digital readout for performance monitoring and low oil shutdown to prevent motor damage.

Our Top Picks

Shop Pulsar generators at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Acme Tools.

The Yamaha corporation has been around since 1887, when it originally made reed organs and pianos. The brand still makes a wide range of musical instruments, but also produces everything from motorcycles and outboard motors to industrial robots and water purification systems.

The Yamaha generator range focuses on quiet, user-friendly portable inverter generators like this 4,500-Watt model, which is RV-ready. The company also manufactures traditional models with auto decompression for easy starting, and diesel generators that, according to the manufacturer, offer up to 40 percent better fuel economy than gas-powered alternatives.

Our Top Picks

Shop Yamaha generators at Amazon, Walmart, or Acme Tools.

Kohler specializes in whole-home standby generators that can be installed on the property to provide backup power to the entire home in the case of a power outage. While these generators are more expensive than a portable generator and can’t be freely carried in your RV or to the campsite, they do ensure that you have reliable backup power at home, so you won’t have to worry about your refrigerated items going bad or being unable to cook when the power goes out.

The Kohley RCAL 14,000-Watt Standby Generator is an impressive product that can run on both liquid propane or natural gas, so you have several options available when the power goes out. This standby generator also has an automatic transfer switch, so that when the electricity in the neighborhood goes down, the generator will automatically turn on, instead of forcing you to make the switch manually.

Our Top Picks

Kohler RCA 20,000-Watt Dual Fuel Standby Generator

Buy at Lowe’s

Kohler RCAL 14,000-Watt Standby Generator with Automatic Transfer Switch

Buy at Lowe’s

Shop Kohler generators at Lowe’s or The Home Depot.

You can expect to find high-capacity, portable power stations and solar generators when you shop for EcoFlow products. But the company also offers generators that operate on gas or propane, giving you a backup solution for when AC power is unavailable. So, whether you are looking for a solar-powered backup or a fuel-powered generator, EcoFlow has what you need.

The EcoFlow Smart Dual Fuel Generator can be monitored with an app on your phone, providing various safety alerts and instant operation feedback. It also has a built-in LCD HD screen and an ergonomically portable design to improve user convenience. Use this generator with either liquid propane or gasoline to provide power to the job site, campsite, or to supplement your RV.

Our Top Picks

EcoFlow Delta 2 Max Power Station

Buy at Lowe’s

EcoFlow Smart Dual Fuel Generator

Buy at EcoFlow

Shop EcoFlow generators at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.

How We Chose the Best Generator Brands

After extensive product research reviewing the variety of types of generators on the market, we are able to offer this collection of recommended products. These generators from the best generator brands were selected based on several criteria including value for money, size, flexibility of use, and popularity with users. While reviewing the generators available on the market, we specifically looked for and chose products that provide a range of features from electric generator start options, dual-fuel (and unusual triple-fuel options), remote start, and safety features.

Runtime, durability, ease of use, and the number and types of outlets provided were also valued features we considered when reviewing the available generators from the top brands. The selection in this guide includes generators at a variety of price points that can ably power part or all of a home during an outage; some can power an RV, and others are designed to power a tailgating event or camping adventure.

The post The Best Generator Brands of 2026 appeared first on Bob Vila.

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