The 11 best backup power generators in 2026: Consumer Reports

Portable generators give households a practical way to keep the lights on during a blackout that lasts for days. Without one, a household can lose refrigeration, heat and any way to charge a phone or run medical equipment.

Consumer Reports tested 11 portable generators on power delivery, carbon monoxide safety and run time, giving shoppers a shortlist to work from before the next outage.

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Consumer Reports rated the Honda $HMC EU7000is with CO-MINDER highly for home backup power, even though its $4,499.99 price lands far above the rest of this list. Its 5,500-watt output trails several cheaper models in this lineup, though it still carries refrigerators, lights and other household basics through an outage. CR found it supplied steady, clean power and ran efficiently on fuel while staying quiet. Owners who add a transfer switch can run hardwired equipment, including a well pump and a water heater, from the home's breaker panel.

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Weight is the tradeoff buyers accept with the Predator 9500 with CO SECURE, which costs $2,300.00 and weighs 301 pounds, more than any other inverter in CR's ratings. The 7,600-watt unit runs nine to 17 hours on a full tank. CR found it absorbed sudden appliance surges without strain and judged its noise level modest for anyone standing well back. Electric start, a fuel shutoff and a low-oil shutoff come standard, and Harbor Freight is the only retailer that carries the Predator line.

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The Predator 10,000 Watt 72624 reaches 8,000 watts on gasoline, short of the figure in its model name. CR rated it highly for the consistency of its electrical output, called it simple to operate and recorded efficient fuel use throughout testing. Six outlets, electric start, low-fuel shutoff and low-oil shutoff come standard at $900.00, though buyers must purchase wheels separately to move the 257-pound unit. That price falls well below the Predator 9500 above it, leaving the 72624 one of the cheaper routes to full household backup power.

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No other portable model in CR's ratings puts out more power than the Generac XT8500EFI, which is rated at 8,500 watts and costs $1,500.00. CR rated it highly for steady output and for current clean enough to run sensitive electronics. Five outlets, an electric start and a fuel shutoff valve for blocking gasoline flow between uses come standard. The unit also includes an automatic carbon monoxide shutoff, which CR evaluates on every gas-burning generator it tests.

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The Generac GP8000E COSENSE 50ST produces 8,000 watts for $1,179.99, several hundred dollars less than the XT8500EFI listed above it. CR found it handled power output and steadiness nearly as well as that pricier sibling. Its standard feature set includes five outlets, an electric start and an automatic carbon monoxide shutoff. Noise is the tradeoff, since CR found it ran as loud as most other portable models.

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Buyers outfitting a boat, an RV or a small house can start with the Generac IQ3800DF, which costs $939.00 and leads CR's midsized rankings. CR rated the 3,000-watt inverter highly for power delivery and quality and found it quiet and easy to run. Standard features include a fuel shutoff, a low-oil shutoff and an indicator light that explains an unexpected engine stop. Runtime reached 12 to 25 hours per tank, longer than most midsized inverters CR tested, though its carbon monoxide safety technology earned only average marks.

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Shoppers pay $699.00 for the Ryobi RYi4022X, more than $200 less than the Generac IQ3800DF above it. The 3,400-watt inverter weighs 102 pounds, far less than the home-backup machines listed earlier. CR rated it highly for reliable output and gave its carbon monoxide protection better marks than the costlier Generac earned. Noise is the one tradeoff, since testers measured louder operation here than from most midsized inverters in CR's tests.

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Among standard portable generators, the Firman P03628 scored higher than any other model CR tested. The unit carries a $699.00 price tag, a rated output of 3,650 watts, and a run time of 13 to 24 hours on a full tank. CR found that wattage more than covered the appliances used in its testing and gave the Firman strong marks for handling sudden load spikes. Starting and moving the unit posed no trouble for CR's testers, who credited onboard controls meant to simplify operation.

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The Wen GN5602X costs $378.34, less than every other model in this lineup. CR found the 4,500-watt unit supplied power consistently and without fluctuation during its tests. The generator weighs 132 pounds and runs as long as 19 hours per tank. Safety features include low-oil and carbon monoxide shutoffs, and buyers also get electric starting and four power outlets.

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CR ranked the Champion 100571 above every other camping and tailgating generator it tested. The 2,300-watt inverter produced steady, distortion-free power and stayed quiet through CR's noise testing. Campers can charge a phone or run other sensitive electronics without worrying about damage from distorted current. The Champion costs $725.00 and comes with carbon monoxide shutoff protection plus an automatic cutoff triggered by low oil.

Credit: Harbor Freight

The Predator 2500 Watt Super Quiet with CO SECURE is priced at $630, despite a name that suggests more muscle than its actual 2,000-watt output delivers. That output still earned strong marks from CR for both power quality and delivery, putting it in the same league as the Champion listed above. A built-in carbon monoxide safety shutoff comes standard, and the unit is quiet and simple to run. It stretches to 11 hours on a single tank of gas, and Harbor Freight remains the only retailer carrying it, just as with the Predator 9500 earlier in this list.