Portable Generators Reviews

The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and identifying the best Portable Generators. See our ratings criteria

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Portable Generators Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Portable Generators Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Portable Generators Editors of Consumer Reports Oct. 2006		In this thorough review, editors rate and rank eleven portable generators and four standby generators based on objective testing. In addition to overall ratings, each generator gets specific scores for emergency power, power quality, ease of use, run time per tank and noise level (though decibel measurements aren't provided). The focus is on generators for household emergency backup in power outages, but the review does cover several small models that could be used for recreational trips. Consumer Reports also offers helpful advice on generator selection, safety and maintenance along with information on transfer switches.

Portable Generators Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Portable Generators Ratings Comments on Reviews

2. Camping Life Magazine	Packable Power Rich Johnson June-July 2006		This review covers high-end portable generators for camping and RV use, with detailed comparisons of five models that use inverter technology for quiet and clean power. Noise level is tested with a decibel meter at 20 feet, and runtimes per tank are measured in normal mode (not using a "smart throttle") with zero load. Each portable generator is also tested for ease of use, including maintenance and carrying comfort.
3. Field & Stream >> Details/Subscribe	Portable Power Bruce W. Smith Feb. 2007		Based on actual usage, this review compares four portable generators ranging from 1,600 to 2,400 watts. Even the least expensive model uses inverter technology for quiet, consistent electricity. The main emphasis is factors that make a portable generator useful for camping: quiet, light weight, power quality and ease of use -- but the review also covers fuel economy and "watts per dollar." This review doesn't rank generators, but covers the pros and cons for each.

Portable Generators Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Portable Generators Ratings Comments on Reviews

4. Popular Mechanics >> Details/Subscribe	4 Steps to Power Your Home When the Grid Fails Roy Berendsohn Aug. 2007		We'd rank this review higher if it documented any testing or even actual use. Popular Mechanics usually does excellent comparison testing, but this is more a brief buyer's guide than a full review. However, the article does recommend three specific portable generators, in three wattage ranges. Readers have added some useful comments -- suggesting, for example, using remote sensor thermometers to minimize the electricity needed to keep a refrigerator or freezer cold.
5. Black Enterprise >> Details/Subscribe	Keeping Consumers Out of the Dark Tamara E. Holmes July 2007		This short buyer's guide compares the pros and cons of standby generators vs. portable generators. Although three specific generators are recommended, only one is a portable. No testing is documented, so the recommendations seem based on features. In addition, the features mentioned seem very relevant. For example, the portable generator is recommended because it has foldaway handles for convenient storage
6. Electric Generators Direct.com	Portable generator ratings Jon Hoch and contributors to Electric Generators Direct.com As of Feb. 2008		Electric Generators Direct reviews the portable generators sold here. In each size range, editors pick a "best, better, and good" portable generator -- based on build quality, features and price. (Price is an important factor; other portable generators may be as good or better, but priced higher.) Owners rate and review these and other models, but you have to click on a generator and scroll down to see the ratings, then click on each review to read the details.
7. Amazon.com	Portable Generators Contributors to Amazon.com As of Feb. 2008		The owner-written reviews and ratings of portable generators are especially easy to browse here, because you can sort the list to show the top-rated models first. Unlike many sites, Amazon.com shows the number of reviews on which the average rating is based, a big help in judging credibility. At the time of this report, several portable generators have accumulated rave reviews from enough owners to make the ratings quite credible, though others only have one or two ratings. Amazon also publishes a very helpful buying guide, plus a worksheet for calculating the wattage you need.
8. Sears.com	Generators and accessories Contributors to Sears.com As of Feb. 2008		Sears publishes owner-written ratings and reviews of portable generators sold here under the Craftsman brand. The list of models shows their average rating, but not the number of reviews on which it's based. This still makes the ratings easier to browse than at most sites. Several portable generators get excellent ratings here, based on reviews from several owners. Some owners find the status monitor on these portable generators inaccurate, but many like the way it tracks wattage and fuel usage plus needed maintenance. A few owners complain of generator breakdowns, but most are quite enthusiastic.

Portable Generators Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Portable Generators Ratings Comments on Reviews

9. HomeDepot.com	Portable Generators Contributors to HomeDepot.com As of Feb. 2008		Home Depot publishes owner-written reviews and ratings of portable generators sold here, but at the time of this report, only a few models have accumulated more than a handful of reviews. The list of portable generators doesn't show the average rating, so you have to click on each model to find out if any owners have reviewed it. It's interesting to see that ratings vary by model, not brand. Some Coleman Powermate portable generators get much higher ratings than others, for example; the same is true of the Guardian brand.
10. Silver Orange Stuff	HondaEU3000is Review Dan James Apr. 2004		This detailed single-product review covers the electric start Honda EU3000is portable generator, based on the owner's actual use through blackouts, thunderstorms, snowstorms and hurricanes. The author praises the "ultraclean power" and says it's "incredibly quiet" at around 50 decibels at full output. It is also easy for one person to carry. (A wheel kit is optional.) For extra power, two units can be daisy chained together.
11. EHam.net	Reviews of Emergency Power Products Contributors to Eham.net As of Feb. 2008		EHam.net, a website for Ham radio enthusiasts, invites readers to post reviews for a wide variety of products, including portable generators. Only a few models receive enough reviews to make the average ratings carry much weight, but the list is worth checking. Quite a few power-conditioning products are also reviewed and rated here, and a forum thread discusses the Honda EU6500i.
12. ReviewCentre.com	Standby Generators As of Feb. 2008		Even though this set of owner-written reviews on a UK website is titled "standby generators," the actual reviews include portable generators. It's a convenient site to browse, since the list of generators shows not only each model's average rating, but the number of reviews on which it's based. Quite a few models, and most brands, are also available in the United States, but only a few generators have accumulated more than a handful of reviews. The Honda EU2000i is an exception, with not only lots of reviews but also good tips on how to use it.
13. Northerntool.com	Portable Generators Contributors to Northern Tool and Equipment As of Feb. 2008		Northern Tool and Equipment manufacturers the NorthStar brand, but also sells portable generators by other brands -- nearly 60 models in all. Most reviews and retailers list portable generators by rated wattage, but this site describes them first by maximum (or surge) wattage. The owner-written ratings and reviews have a nice added feature; the site averages the yes or no answers to whether or not each reviewer would recommend the model to a friend. Reviews are written by a nice mix of contractors and homeowners, often based on a year of use. Several portable generators have been rated by six or more owners, but most models have accumulated only a few reviews. The site also offers an extensive buyer’s guide for portable generators.
14. Epinions	Generator Reviews Contributors to Epinions As of Feb. 2008		Epinions seems to have cleaned out its stash of owner-written reviews, starting fresh. You can sometimes run across the archived reviews for one portable generator by searching for the model at Google, but not at Epinions itself. For example, over a dozen owners reviewed the Coleman Powermate Pro-Gen 5000 portable generator earlier, giving it mixed reviews. The main complaint is that the electricity isn't suitable for electronics. The 5550-watt Troy-Bilt 0919 gets much better reviews, but has been replaced by the Troy-Bilt 30245. The Honda EU3000i, on the other hand, is not only current, but also gets top ratings based on nine reviews.
15. Lowes.com	Generator Reviews Contributors to Lowes.com As of Feb. 2008		Lowes invites owners to rate portable generators, but at the time of this report, seems to have started fresh, with only a few models showing ratings. Earlier, the portable generators sold here had uniformly high ratings, which didn't help narrow the choice either. It's interesting that we found lower ratings for standby generators than for portable models. The site might still be worth checking since products sold here usually accumulate ratings rapidly.
16. Walmart.com	Generators Contributors to WalMart.com As of Feb. 2008		Wal-Mart sells a few relatively inexpensive portable generators. The list of generators is convenient to browse since it shows the average rating of any model that's accumulated at least one owner-written review. However, at the time of this report, only a few have accumulated even one or two reviews -- too few to give the average ratings much credibility.

Portable Generators Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Portable Generators Ratings Comments on Reviews

17. GalTech.com	Best Generators Editors of Galttech.com As of Feb. 2008		This buyer's guide has a brief review section, but the information seems to be gathered from other sources without listing the references. Editors recommend Honda EU and EX series generators for quiet performance, but don't say how the Honda EN economy series differs. The review recommends the Duropower DP3500 portable generator as an especially inexpensive budget model, and Generac and NorthStar brands for higher wattage -- but again, without any documentation.