6 Reasons Why You Need a Portable Power Generator

Perhaps you think these machines aren't worth the money, but they boast tons of uses you might not have considered.

Updated January 11, 2023

BY:
JULIE RAMHOLD

Senior Staff Writer/Consumer Analyst

When it comes to the question of what machine everyone and every home needs, you might not expect the answer to be a portable power generator. But there are more portable generator uses than many realize, and the odds are good that you'd find value in having one. You may end up needing a generator, and having it and not needing it is always better than needing it and not having it — especially when an emergency arises.

Read on for six reasons why you need a portable generator and the different ways it can help. Plus, we go over four things to consider before you buy one.

6 Reasons to Get a Portable Power Generator

Emergencies

Perhaps the No. 1 reason for keeping a portable generator on hand is because emergencies happen. This goes beyond natural disasters — more on those in a bit — and is more about unexpected power outages. Most households may be fine without power for a short amount of time, but that's not the case for everyone.

Of course, having a portable generator to provide power in an emergency can mean something as simple as preventing food spoilage, which saves you money. But a much bigger reason for buying one is that it can literally be lifesaving. If someone in your household relies on an electric medical device — like an oxygen machine — having a portable generator is an absolute necessity. If the house loses power, those devices must be able to continue working. And a portable generator can ensure they do, even if it's only temporarily while another solution is devised.

Disaster Preparedness

The other big reason you should have a portable generator in your equipment lineup? Disaster preparedness, of course. No matter where you live, odds are you need to be concerned about natural disasters of some kind, whether it's hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, or snowstorms. While you might not have to worry about them year-round, these severe weather situations do arise. And owning a portable generator is invaluable if they do. (If you're ready to buy, you can read about the best generator brands here.)

A natural disaster can render your home literally powerless for a short amount of time, or even several days. During that time, any perishable foods you have are likely to spoil, not to mention you could find yourself dealing with extreme temperatures, as well. Having a portable generator that can power your home at least partially in these cases can mean more comfortable living conditions. It can also save you money in the long run, as you won't have to toss out an entire fridge's worth of food.

Camping

For many consumers, going camping means "roughing it" and living the simple life — cooking meals and making coffee over the fire, fishing and hiking for fun, reading physical books, and spending nights in sleeping bags under the stars. They may opt for a tent if the weather has the potential to turn rainy.

However, sometimes when you get away from it all, you don't want to literally get away from it all. In those cases, it's good to have a portable generator for camping. This doesn't mean you have to be on your laptop or playing video games while camping, but it does mean you have the ability to charge your smartphone in case of emergencies. And if you need to run a medical device while camping, a portable generator is the way to do it.

Tailgating

Sports fans love a good game day party, but sometimes those gatherings take place in stadium parking lots away from power sources. You might not need power for a charcoal grill, but maybe you need electricity for other parts of your tailgate setup. Maybe you need to charge your phone, for instance, or you want to watch the game on TV while tailgating. That's when a portable generator becomes a tailgating must-have.

You can use portable generators to power TVs, pressure cookers, fans, and other items during tailgates.

Even if you aren't planning to watch the game, a portable generator can be helpful for an epic tailgating event. You can use it to power pressure cookers for killer game day snacks that are best cooked hot and fresh. Or you can use it for an electric cooler to keep all your drinks at the perfect temperature.

Tailgating long into the night? Power up some lights to keep the party going. And don't forget about things like fans! If the weather is particularly hot, you'll want that breeze to keep you and your friends cool. If you'd really like to step it up, some suggest going as far as using your portable generator to power ice cream machines, margarita makers, and speaker systems.

Outdoor Events

Similar to tailgating, outdoor events — both big and small — can benefit from having a portable generator behind the scenes. Whether it's a backyard wedding, movie night, pool party, or just a friendly barbecue, the experience can be more comfortable thanks to a portable generator. Plus, you don't have to worry about navigating tangles of extension cords!

For instance, a portable generator can power twinkly lights for a backyard wedding, or an outdoor projector for a double-feature movie night. As for pool parties or barbecues? Even if you prefer gas or charcoal grills for these events, that doesn't mean you won't find uses for a portable generator and small kitchen appliances, like blenders, pressure cookers, or slow cookers.

Working From Home

If you work from home or run your own business from your house, losing power can cause serious disruptions. In those cases, a portable power generator for the home can be the difference between losing money and time, and carrying on as normal. These machines go beyond powering your laptop and can ensure your router stays connected, as well, so you can stay online and in contact with clients and employees. Additionally, a generator helps prevent the loss of any of your important work due to circumstances beyond your control. That peace of mind is worth the cost of a portable generator, hands down.

What to Ask Before Buying a Portable Power Generator

You'll want to consider a few things before purchasing a portable generator. As these aren't the cheapest devices, it's important to make sure you choose the best portable power generator for you from the start, to make the setup process smoother and prevent issues when you have to use it.

What Features Do You Need?

Shopping for portable generators can be overwhelming because there's such a variety to choose from, plus they come with different bells and whistles. How do you know which generator is best for your situation? How do you know what features will be useful and what may be overkill?

Portable generators can often handle up to 8,500 watts of power.

For example, one of the most important features the generator should have is carbon monoxide (CO) shutdown to lower the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. (As a general rule, never use portable generators indoors or even in partially enclosed spaces because of the carbon monoxide danger.) Overload protection and low-oil warnings are also worthwhile features to consider. They make using the product safer and prevent costly damage in the long run.

But not all features are about protection. Some portable generators have helpful quality-of-life elements, as well. For example, the highly rated brand of maXpeedingrods generators includes features like a dual-fuel design as well as inverter technology to support sensitive devices; this means you shouldn't have to worry about accidentally frying important equipment with your generator. They also tend to feature an ECO Mode, which is designed to ensure fuel efficiency and reduce noise, so your generator disturbs you less than other models would. Plus, the LED digital control center offers a scrolling display of accumulated running time and single running time, so you can track your usage and ensure you have enough fuel.

Your portable generator also needs to be, well, portable, and easily so if possible. For example, one of the best features of the maXpeedingrods MXR3500S model is its "suitcase" design — that is, it has a compact shape and suitcase-style handle for easier carrying. This makes the generator ideal for powering home appliances as well as for camping applications, plus plenty of other uses in between.

What Do You Want to Power?

Deciding what all you want to power with your portable generator will go a long way when you're figuring out how much wattage you'll need. It's helpful to make a list of all the appliances you plan to hook up to the machine and what their wattages are. Then, go higher than what you think you'll need, just in case.

For instance, according to Consumer Reports, a large portable generator can handle up to 8,500 watts. That equates to powering items like a refrigerator, laptop, five to 10 lights, a smartphone charger, a home security system, and select air conditioners. Obviously, your needs will vary based on what you want to power — you can add things like sump pumps, well pumps, and gas-powered furnaces to your list, as well as other large appliances.

How Often Do You Lose Power?

In addition to figuring out what all you'd need to hook up to your portable generator, you'll need to think about how often you lose power. Some areas are more susceptible to outages, and even those that aren't might have outages that last for prolonged periods of time. The good news is that if you experience frequent power outages or occasionally lose electricity, a portable generator is a solid bet to cover your bases. If you rarely lose power, though, a portable generator might be overkill.

What's Your Budget?

Obviously, you should consider your budget when trying to decide on the best portable power generator for you. Portable generator costs can cover a pretty wide range — at the time of this writing, we saw prices on portable generators as low as $149. On the other end of the scale, you can find prices around $3,000, but be sure to check the specs before you shell out that kind of cash. The model you're looking at could have more power than you need, and you may be able to spend less by shopping for a lower-wattage unit.

If you're shopping other types of generators, you can generally expect standbys to cost anywhere from $800 to $20,000, and for whole-house generators to set you back anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000.

Ready to shop? Check out the top generator deals on our site now!