Discover the best large portable generators so you can reliably power a lot without all the technical issues of bad models.
Best large portable generators top picks
After considering more than 72 large portable generators, here are my top picks:
- Westinghouse wGen9500 – Best large portable non-inverter generator (12500 peak watts)
- Champion 201067 9000 – Best large portable inverter generator (9000 peak watts)
- Honda EU7000iS – Quietest large portable generator (7000 peak watts, inverter)
- Westinghouse wGen9500DF – Best large portable non-inverter dual fuel generator (12500 peak watts)
- DuroMax XP9000iH – Best large portable dual fuel inverter generator (9000 peak watts)
Keep in mind that it is possible that large portable generators lower on the list fit your preferences and needs better.
Additionally, I focused on really big models for the non-inverters. The list of the best portable generators for home use is better for smaller power needs.
How we selected our top picks
As you can expect, I looked at the biggest portable generators in the categories above.
To get the list of the top picks from all the options that remained, I also looked at some of the following details:
- Run time, fuel efficiency, outlets, noise levels, etc.
- User reviews
- Anecdotal reviews from experts
- Price
- Brand trustability and reputation
- The performance categories below
If a pick seems interesting click it to see the online prices.
| Brand Model | Power Capacity | Run Time | Quiet Operation | THD | Reliability Reputation | Fuel Efficiency | Ease Of Use | Portability | Price Category | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westinghouse wGen9500 | 9 | 7 | 5 | <23% | 9 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 6 | $ | Check Price |
| Champion 201067 9000 | 8 | 6.5 | 5.5 | <3% | 9.5 | 7.5 | 8 | 7 | $$ | Check Price |
| Honda EU7000iS | 6.5 | 8 | 10 | <3% | 8.5 | 7.5 | 9 | 5 | $$$$$$ | Check Price |
| Westinghouse wGen9500DF | 9 | 7 | 5 | <23% | 9 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 6 | $$ | Check Price |
| DuroMax XP9000iH | 8 | 9 | 6 | <3% | 7 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 5.5 | $$$$ | Check Price |
*Compared to similar generators and sometimes based on customer input
5 Best large portable generators in-depth reviews
People who know more or less what type of large portable generator they want could make a decision with the list of top picks and the performance table.
That being said, you will likely also find it easier to choose the best model for your situation after checking out the in-depth reviews of the options.
1. Westinghouse wGen9500 – Best large portable non-inverter generator
Our top pick for the best large portable non-inverter generator is the Westinghouse wGen9500 with 12500 peak watts and 9500 running watts.
If you want even larger portable generators, two other solid options are the Westinghouse wGen12000 (15000 peak watts) and Powerhorse 27000 (27000 peak watts).
One thing to keep in mind about these non-inverter generators is that you will need your own way to “clean up” the power to run sensitive electronics.
Additionally, there are still a few exceptional cases where customers have shipping or technical issues with the Westinghouse wGen9500.
Pros
- Westinghouse WGen9500 offers 12500 starting watts, 9500 running watts, 50 amps, and 240 volts
- Noise levels of 74 dBA
- Run time of 12 hours at 25% load
- Weight of 208 lb (94.4 kg)
- Has electric and remote start
- Four GFCI outlets
- Version with CO sensor available too
- Relatively positive customer reviews
- 3 years limited residential and 1 year limited commercial warranties
- A lot of customers
- Relatively budget-friendly
Cons
- THD of less than 23% is not suited for sensitive electronics
- A few very exceptional cases of initial shipping and technical issues
That being said, the Westinghouse wGen9500 still gets the title of best big portable generator for a reason.
One of the things that positively stands out is the reliability all the positive customer reviews imply.
Bigger generators are often not the best in this area.
At the same time, the price of the Westinghouse WGen9500 is still relatively budget-friendly.
In combination with the convenient operation thanks to the electric and remote start, this portable generator can definitely be the right choice.
| Brand Model | Power Capacity | Run Time | Quiet Operation | THD | Reliability Reputation | Fuel Efficiency | Ease Of Use | Portability | Price Category | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westinghouse wGen9500 | 9 | 7 | 5 | <23% | 9 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 6 | $ | Check Price |
2. Champion 201067 9000 – Best large portable inverter generator)
If you want to run electronics like a microwave, many refrigerators, and many AC systems and don’t want to deal with cleaning up the power yourself, the Champion 201067 9000 can be the best choice.
With 9000 peak watts, you may notice that good large inverter generators tend to offer less power than non-inverter models.
That being said, the Champion 201067 9000 will still be strong enough for many situations.
Additionally, something that positively stands out is how budget-friendly this big portable generator is for an inverter.
Pros
- Champion 201067 offers 9000 starting watts, 7250 running watts, 50 amps, and 240 volts
- Noise levels of 72 dBA
- Run time of 10.5 hours at 25% load
- Less than 3% THD
- Electric start
- CO sensor
- Four GFCI outlets
- Weight of 152.2 lb (69 kg)
- Very positive customer reviews
- 3 years limited residential and 270 days limited commercial warranties
- A lot of customers
Cons
- Run time is not the most impressive
At the same time, cheap does not necessarily mean bad.
From the positivity of the customer reviews, it looks like the Champion 201067 9000 is the most reliable option on this list.
Additionally, this portable generator still has features like an electric start that make operating the machine more convenient.
One thing to keep in mind is that the 10.5-hour run time at 25% load of the Champion 201067 9000 is not the most impressive.
That being said, with the watt amounts available, this should still be enough to run certain AC systems and/or refrigerators/freezers overnight.
| Brand Model | Power Capacity | Run Time | Quiet Operation | THD | Reliability Reputation | Fuel Efficiency | Ease Of Use | Portability | Price Category | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion 201067 9000 | 8 | 6.5 | 5.5 | <3% | 9.5 | 7.5 | 8 | 7 | $$ | Check Price |
3. Honda EU7000iS – Quietest large portable generator
A typical downside of large portable generators, even the quality models, is that they are relatively loud.
These high noise levels can be annoying for your ears and neighbors which is an issue if you want to run something like an air conditioner overnight.
That being said, there are also quiet larger portable generators like the Honda EU7000iS that should offer no issues in this area.
With noise levels of 52 to 58 dBA at 25% to 100% load (typically measured 23 feet away), the Honda EU7000iS is quieter than a regular conversation.
The nice run time of 16 hours at 25% load should also be enough to power many types of devices through the night.
Pros
- Honda EU7000iS offers 7000 starting watts, 5500 running watts, 30 amps, and 240 volts
- Parallel capability
- Quietest large portable generator with noise levels of 52 to 58 dBA (25% to 100% load)
- Nice run time of 16 hours at 25% load
- Should be less than 3% THD
- Electric start
- Honda generator brand reputation
- Remote operation through Honda My Generator app
- Four GFCI outlets
- CO sensor
- Weight of 263.2 lb (119.4 kg)
- Relatively positive customer reviews
- 3 years limited residential and 12 months limited commercial warranties
Cons
- Expensive compared to other large portable generators
- A few exceptional cases of technical difficulties
You do want to know that this quiet operation comes at a price.
Even though it is one of the weaker large portable generators on the list, the Honda EU7000iS is typically the most expensive option by a margin.
Part of this comes from the inverter technology that allows you to power sensitive electronics safely.
However, even considering this and other quality features like the BlueTooth compatibility, the Honda EU7000iS is a pricey option.
Whether or not this inverter generator is worth the investment depends a lot on your budget and how much you value the low noise levels.
| Brand Model | Power Capacity | Run Time | Quiet Operation | THD | Reliability Reputation | Fuel Efficiency | Ease Of Use | Portability | Price Category | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda EU7000iS | 6.5 | 8 | 10 | <3% | 8.5 | 7.5 | 9 | 5 | $$$$$$ | Check Price |
4. Westinghouse wGen9500DF – Best large portable non-inverter dual fuel generator
It may not come as a surprise that the Westinghouse wGen9500DF which is the dual fuel version of the top pick is also the best large portable generator in this category.
However, the decision was a lot closer with solid and more budget-friendly options like the Pulsar G12KBN and the WEN DF1200X.
That being said, the Westinghouse wGen9500DF ultimately gets the top spot thanks to the positivity of the high amount of customers.
You could even consider the Westinghouse wGen9500TFC tri fuel generator too if you like the idea of being able to run on natural gas.
Pros
- Westinghouse WGen9500DF offers 12500 starting watts, 9500 running watts, 50 amps, and 240 volts (gasoline)
- Noise levels of 74 dBA
- Run time of 12 hours at 25% load
- Weight of 211 lb (95.7 kg)
- Has electric and remote start
- Four GFCI outlets
- Version with CO sensor available too
- Relatively positive customer reviews
- 3 years limited residential and 1 year limited commercial warranties
- A lot of customers
- Relatively budget-friendly
Cons
- THD of less than 23% is not suited for sensitive electronics
- A few exceptional cases of initial shipping and technical issues
On top of the benefits already mentioned in the section of the regular version, the dual fuel feature allows you to run on propane too.
Since propane typically stores longer than gasoline, this fuel type requires less attention to stay prepared for power outages.
The propane compatibility and reliability also make the Westinghouse WGen9500DF a relatively good option for off-grid living.
Additionally, the 50 amp outlet makes the Westinghouse WGen9500DF helpful for getting a lot of backup power into your home (if you follow the right safety guidelines).
| Brand Model | Power Capacity | Run Time | Quiet Operation | THD | Reliability Reputation | Fuel Efficiency | Ease Of Use | Portability | Price Category | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westinghouse wGen9500DF | 9 | 7 | 5 | <23% | 9 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 6 | $$ | Check Price |
5. DuroMax XP9000iH – Best large portable dual fuel inverter generator
If you like the idea of being able to use propane as fuel but want to make running sensitive electronics more convenient, the DuroMax XP9000iH can be the right choice.
At the same time, you do want to keep a few things about this large portable dual fuel inverter generator in mind.
First of all, there are a decent amount of cases where customers have technical issues with the DuroMax XP9000iH.
Some of these include not getting the rated watts which can be a big downside if you are interested in a big portable generator.
Pros
- DuroMax XP9000iH offers 9000 starting watts, 7600 running watts, 30 amps, and 240 volts (gasoline)
- Parallel capability
- Dual fuel so can run on propane (LPG) too
- Noise levels of 68 dB
- Good run time of 20 hours at 25% load
- Good gasoline fuel efficiency
- Less than 5% THD
- Electric and remote start
- Four GFCI outlets
- CO sensor
- Weight of 237 lb (107.5 kg)
- 3 years limited residential and 1 year limited commercial warranties
- A lot of customers
Cons
- Does not have a 50 amp outlet
- Some cases of early technical issues
- A few cases where the generator does not offer the running watts mentioned
Additionally, the DuroMax XP9000iH does not have a 50 amp outlet.
This limits how many watts you can get through one outlet and in turn, makes the generator less optimal for home backup power.
That being said, there are not that many good alternatives to the DuroMax XP9000iH in the large dual fuel inverter generator category.
There are also still many people who are happy with their DuroMax XP9000iH and its long run time, remote start, and nice gasoline fuel efficiency.
| Brand Model | Power Capacity | Run Time | Quiet Operation | THD | Reliability Reputation | Fuel Efficiency | Ease Of Use | Portability | Price Category | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DuroMax XP9000iH | 8 | 9 | 6 | <3% | 7 | 9.5 | 8.5 | 5.5 | $$$$ | Check Price |
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What is the best large portable generator?
You could still be unsure about what the best portable generator would be for you.
In a situation like that, our top pick, the Westinghouse wGen9500 is often the best large portable generator if you don’t need an inverter.
On the other hand, you likely want to go for the Champion 201067 9000 instead to run sensitive electronics.
