Best Inverter Generators - Generator Decision

Discover the best inverter generators so you can run your sensitive electronics with a lower risk of expensive replacement costs.

Before investing in an inverter generator, you may also want to learn more about them from the articles right here:

8 Pros & Cons Of Inverter Generators

Table of Contents

Inverter generator buying guide

Our lists of top picks typically do a good job of this but you may want to put in the extra effort and investigate all the inverter generators on the market yourself with the steps in this buying guide.

Power level

It is likely no surprise to you that the main goal of inverter generators is producing low THD power.

However, what you do need to keep in mind is that different electrical devices have varying power needs.

This can mean you need an inverter generator with certain running watts, peak watts, volt, and amp capacities.

To figure out what size generator you need in each of these different power areas, you will have to check the requirements of your device setup.

Fuel types

Inverter generators often come in gasoline-only form but you can also consider dual fuel models and even one tri fuel option.

Being able to run on propane (and natural gas) too can be helpful for certain situations and locations.

For example, propane typically stores longer than gasoline.

In turn, keeping your inverter generator fuel stores “fresh” becomes easier and more convenient with a dual fuel model.

This can be useful for purposes like home backup power and off-grid living.

Reliability

Portable inverter generators are reasonable investments you want to be able to rely on. Especially for purposes like backup power.

Bad generator brands of course don’t mention their suboptimal reliability in the description.

Even the experience of a few of your friends does not tell the entire story. Trends in technical issues sometimes only show up at bigger customer volumes.

Because of this, you mostly want to conclude generator reliability from the overall positivity of customer reviews and what the negative ones mention.

Noise levels

In the process of generating power from fuel, you will inevitably get at least some noise from your inverter generator.

Even though this is a relatively quiet generator category.

At the same time, different brands and models in the same power category can still vary a lot in terms of noise levels.

(RV) Campings and neighborhoods often have at least some noise limit.

When figuring out what inverter generator the best is for your situation, you may need to take these noise limits into account.

Additionally, running in a quiet way simply allows you to enjoy your tailgating party, camping trip, or DIY session without the annoyance of a loud inverter generator.

Price

In many cases having an inverter generator that suits your needs in a reliable way is priority number one.

At the same time, the investment you have to make will likely matter at some point.

Sometimes you can even just get the same or more value from a more budget-friendly inverter generator.

Run time

How long your inverter generator can run on a tank of gasoline or propane is relevant.

Since generators tend to do well in this area, this detail is somewhat lower in the buying guide.

At the same time, it is worth noting that there are still inverter generators with relatively short run times.

These will require you to refuel the machine more often and potentially at night to keep things going.

How important this area is for you will depend on what you plan to use the inverter generator for and to what extent you dislike refueling sessions.

Extra features

When all the other areas are as you want them inverter generator features like electric start, remote start, CO sensors, performance tracking, etc. can be nice, convenient, and helpful.

If these details are important enough for you, you can consider investing just a bit more in an inverter generator that has them.

At the same time, it is worth noting that these tend to be the bonus features.

Many people will be able to get a good experience from inverter generators that don’t have them.

FAQ

Where can I buy an inverter generator?

With how popular inverter generators are, you can typically buy at least a few of them at online and local retailers.