Home generators provide power when the utility cannot. Most fall into two classes—home portable generator or automatic home standby generator. Choose the right generator for your home & family.
Automatic Home Standby Generator
The automatic home standby generator runs on either natural gas or propane. Most can produce more power on propane versus natural gas, but a few have the same rating. As the name indicates, they are fully automatic and turn on whenever the power shuts off, restoring power within a few seconds. When the utility restores power, the power source transfers back to the utility and the generator shuts down.
| Pros | Cons |
| Fully automatic. Works even when you're not home | Initial cost is higher than a portable of the same capacity. |
| Doesn't require frequent refueling. Never for Natural Gas. Days or weeks for propane | Requires professional installation. |
| Utility grade power. |
Portable Generator
The traditional portable generator runs on gasoline. Dual Fuel models add Propane as a fuel, and Tri-Fuel generators can use Gasoline, Propane, or Natural Gas. Gasoline provides the most power, but costs more than either propane or natural gas. A generator using natural gas will produce less power than a generator running on propane, which makes less power than gasoline.
Almost any generator can provide some power for necessities during an outage. If the main purpose of a portable is home backup, choose one with specific features that enable to do the job better.
| Feature | Reason |
| 5000 Running Watts or More | Your furnace, refrigerator, and sump pump will total almost 2400 watts or more. Anything less than 5000 will leave you wishing for more power. |
| 120/240 Volts | With 120/240, the generator can connect to a transfer switch for safe and efficient connections to your home's electrical system. |
| Run times of 8 hours or more | To avoid frequent refueling and trips to the gas station. |
| Maintenance interval => 50 Hours | Changing the oil once or twice every day is inconvenient which leads to avoidance and eventual engine failure. 50 hours is about every 2 days. |
| THD <= 6% | The distortion of the power signal is damaging to some electronics and appliances including some motors. Although not necessarily a requirement, be aware that some appliances won't run on power with a THD < 6%. |
| Idle control | Slow the generator to idle saving fuel and making less noise during periods of no power use. |
| Dual Fuel or Tri-Fuel | With Dual Fuel and a large tank, generator run times can stretch into days. Natural gas is a virtual endless supply. Generators run for weeks without refueling, but still require daily oil checks and on-time maintenance. |
| Electric Start / Remote Start | No more repeatedly yanking a recoil start cord on a cold day. Electric start gets you running fast. Remote Start allows you to turn the generator on and off from inside your home. |
Read the generator specifications before you purchase. Verify the generator running watts and starting watts, sometimes called max watts or surge watts.
The right portable generator doesn't necessarily have every feature listed. If you only want to run your fridge and a few lights, then a smaller generator will do the job. If you want run a permanently wired appliance like a furnace or central air conditioner, choose a larger generator with 120/240 volts that connects to a transfer switch.
Be sure to see our sizing guides and power calculator to choose the right generator. Find Portable Home Generators or select the generator TYPE (Portable or Standby) in the BLUE Filter Menu> at the top (mobile) or left side(desktop).
Home Generator Options
Inverter Generators : Low THD, Low Noise, Fuel Efficient.
Dual Fuel : Runs on Propane or Gasoline
Tri-Fuel : Runs on Natural Gas, Propane, or Gasoline
Remote Start: Start and Stop Your Generator from Inside Your House
Electric Start : No More Pull Cords. Push the Starter and the Generator Starts.
-
Model #: XP13000EH
DuroMax 10500 Watt / Max 13000 Watt Portable Generator Dual Fuel Hybrid Electric Start | XP13000EH
Norwall's Low Price
$1,499.00
-
Model #: 7291
Generac 7291 26kW Generator Switch Smart Grid Ready with 200-Amp Automatic Transfer | 7291
Norwall's Low Price
$7,097.00
-
Model #: 7043
22kW Generac Guardian Home Standby Generator with 200A SE Rated ATS | 7043
Norwall's Low Price
$6,247.00
-
Model #: 40803
Norwall's Low Price
$7,270.00
-
Model #: 100837
Champion 14kW aXis Home Standby Generator with 200 Amp Whole House Automatic Transfer Switch | 100837
Norwall's Low Price
$4,499.00
-
Model #: 7210
Generac 24kW Generator with 200-Amp SE Rated Automatic Transfer Switch | 7210
Norwall's Low Price
$6,497.00
-
Model #: RS20ACE
Cummins 20kW Home Standby Generator Quiet Connect with 200-Amp SE-Rated ATS for Extreme Cold to -40° F | RS20ACE
Norwall's Low Price
$6,229.00
-
Model #: RS20AC-A
Cummins 20kW Home Standby Generator Quiet Connect RS20AC with 200-Amp SE-Rated ATS
Norwall's Low Price
$5,994.00
-
Model #: 100836
Champion 14kW aXis Home Standby Generator with 150 Amp Whole House Automatic Transfer Switch | 100836
Norwall's Low Price
$4,499.00
-
Model #: 100177
Champion 8.5kW Home Standby Generator with 50 Amp 8 Space Load Center Nema 3R Automatic Transfer Switch | 100177
Norwall's Low Price
$2,999.00
-
Model #: 7225
Generac 14kW Whole House Generator with 200-Amp Automatic Transfer Switch | 7225
Norwall's Low Price
$4,877.00
-
Model #: 7228
Generac 18kW Whole House Generator with 200-Amp Automatic Transfer Switch | 7228
Norwall's Low Price
$5,737.00
-
Model #: XP13000EH
DuroMax 10500 Watt / Max 13000 Watt Portable Generator Dual Fuel Hybrid Electric Start | XP13000EH
Norwall's Low Price
$1,499.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 7291
Generac 7291 26kW Generator Switch Smart Grid Ready with 200-Amp Automatic Transfer | 7291
Norwall's Low Price
$7,097.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 7043
22kW Generac Guardian Home Standby Generator with 200A SE Rated ATS | 7043
Norwall's Low Price
$6,247.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 40803
Norwall's Low Price
$7,270.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 100837
Champion 14kW aXis Home Standby Generator with 200 Amp Whole House Automatic Transfer Switch | 100837
Norwall's Low Price
$4,499.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 7210
Generac 24kW Generator with 200-Amp SE Rated Automatic Transfer Switch | 7210
Norwall's Low Price
$6,497.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: RS20ACE
Cummins 20kW Home Standby Generator Quiet Connect with 200-Amp SE-Rated ATS for Extreme Cold to -40° F | RS20ACE
Norwall's Low Price
$6,229.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: RS20AC-A
Cummins 20kW Home Standby Generator Quiet Connect RS20AC with 200-Amp SE-Rated ATS
Norwall's Low Price
$5,994.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 100836
Champion 14kW aXis Home Standby Generator with 150 Amp Whole House Automatic Transfer Switch | 100836
Norwall's Low Price
$4,499.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 100177
Champion 8.5kW Home Standby Generator with 50 Amp 8 Space Load Center Nema 3R Automatic Transfer Switch | 100177
Norwall's Low Price
$2,999.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 7225
Generac 14kW Whole House Generator with 200-Amp Automatic Transfer Switch | 7225
Norwall's Low Price
$4,877.00
View Details Add to Cart
-
Model #: 7228
Generac 18kW Whole House Generator with 200-Amp Automatic Transfer Switch | 7228
Norwall's Low Price
$5,737.00
View Details Add to Cart
Home generators provide power when the utility cannot. Most fall into two classes—home portable generator or automatic home standby generator. Choose the right generator for your home & family.
Automatic Home Standby Generator
The automatic home standby generator runs on either natural gas or propane. Most can produce more power on propane versus natural gas, but a few have the same rating. As the name indicates, they are fully automatic and turn on whenever the power shuts off, restoring power within a few seconds. When the utility restores power, the power source transfers back to the utility and the generator shuts down.
| Pros | Cons |
| Fully automatic. Works even when you're not home | Initial cost is higher than a portable of the same capacity. |
| Doesn't require frequent refueling. Never for Natural Gas. Days or weeks for propane | Requires professional installation. |
| Utility grade power. |
Portable Generator
The traditional portable generator runs on gasoline. Dual Fuel models add Propane as a fuel, and Tri-Fuel generators can use Gasoline, Propane, or Natural Gas. Gasoline provides the most power, but costs more than either propane or natural gas. A generator using natural gas will produce less power than a generator running on propane, which makes less power than gasoline.
Almost any generator can provide some power for necessities during an outage. If the main purpose of a portable is home backup, choose one with specific features that enable to do the job better.
| Feature | Reason |
| 5000 Running Watts or More | Your furnace, refrigerator, and sump pump will total almost 2400 watts or more. Anything less than 5000 will leave you wishing for more power. |
| 120/240 Volts | With 120/240, the generator can connect to a transfer switch for safe and efficient connections to your home's electrical system. |
| Run times of 8 hours or more | To avoid frequent refueling and trips to the gas station. |
| Maintenance interval => 50 Hours | Changing the oil once or twice every day is inconvenient which leads to avoidance and eventual engine failure. 50 hours is about every 2 days. |
| THD <= 6% | The distortion of the power signal is damaging to some electronics and appliances including some motors. Although not necessarily a requirement, be aware that some appliances won't run on power with a THD < 6%. |
| Idle control | Slow the generator to idle saving fuel and making less noise during periods of no power use. |
| Dual Fuel or Tri-Fuel | With Dual Fuel and a large tank, generator run times can stretch into days. Natural gas is a virtual endless supply. Generators run for weeks without refueling, but still require daily oil checks and on-time maintenance. |
| Electric Start / Remote Start | No more repeatedly yanking a recoil start cord on a cold day. Electric start gets you running fast. Remote Start allows you to turn the generator on and off from inside your home. |
Read the generator specifications before you purchase. Verify the generator running watts and starting watts, sometimes called max watts or surge watts.
The right portable generator doesn't necessarily have every feature listed. If you only want to run your fridge and a few lights, then a smaller generator will do the job. If you want run a permanently wired appliance like a furnace or central air conditioner, choose a larger generator with 120/240 volts that connects to a transfer switch.
Be sure to see our sizing guides and power calculator to choose the right generator. Find Portable Home Generators or select the generator TYPE (Portable or Standby) in the BLUE Filter Menu> at the top (mobile) or left side(desktop).
Home Generator Options
Inverter Generators : Low THD, Low Noise, Fuel Efficient.
Dual Fuel : Runs on Propane or Gasoline
Tri-Fuel : Runs on Natural Gas, Propane, or Gasoline
Remote Start: Start and Stop Your Generator from Inside Your House
Electric Start : No More Pull Cords. Push the Starter and the Generator Starts.
