Table of Contents
- 1 Top 27 Generator Brands
- 1.1 A-iPower
- 1.2 Atima
- 1.3 Briggs and Stratton
- 1.4 CAT
- 1.5 Champion
- 1.6 Dewalt
- 1.7 Duromax
- 1.8 Durostar
- 1.9 Energizer
- 1.10 Firman
- 1.11 Ford
- 1.12 Generac
- 1.13 Honda
- 1.14 Hyundai
- 1.15 Kohler
- 1.16 Lifan
- 1.17 Powerhorse
- 1.18 Powermate
- 1.19 Predator
- 1.20 Pulsar
- 1.21 Rainier
- 1.22 Ryobi
- 1.23 Sportsman
- 1.24 WEN
- 1.25 Westinghouse
- 1.26 Winco
- 1.27 Yamaha
A generator has a central position in the modern household. Besides offering portable power when working off the grid, a generator is a surefire way to stay plugged in during an outage.
Considering its critical role, it’s highly essential that you go for a reliable brand when choosing a generator for your home or business. This increases your chances of getting a quality product with a great warranty deal and dependable after-sale services.
However, there are over 50 generator manufacturers today. And while this gives you lots of options, it also makes narrowing down to one manufacturer a hurdle.
Don’t worry, though. Our review team has identified 27 of the best generator brands worth checking out. Note that we’ve arranged this list alphabetically, and not in a way to depict superiority.
A-iPower
A-iPower stands for American Innovation. This is a relatively fresh face in the generator business. Still, it’s quite recommendable if you want the right mix of affordability and quality.
A-iPower is an American brand with its headquarters in Ontario, California. However, similar to most other brands, A-iPower generators are made in China.
Generators from this brand generally fall into three categories; the SU, which is the original line, and the AP and SUA that make the most recent additions. It’s quite hard to tell one A-iPower generator from the other debit to their similar design. So, you’ll need to dig into the specs to ensure that you’re getting an engine that will meet your power needs.
Popular generators from A-iPower:
Atima
Atima brand is the brainchild of Cosmo Company, which is headquartered in Shanghai, China. This brand debuted in 2010 and currently deals with inverter generators only. There’s no doubt that this manufacturer knows what homeowners are looking for in a reliable and high-quality portable generator. For the 10 years that Atima brand has been in existence, it has paved a niche for its comparatively affordable inverter generators.
The brand is unique with that it employs Yamaha engines in some of their generators, including the AY2000i and AY3000i inverter generator series. Also, almost all Atima generators come with a 2-year warranty coupled with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Popular generators from Atima:
Briggs and Stratton
Briggs and Stratton is synonymous with outdoor power engines. This Fortune 1000 company was founded way back in 1908, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Briggs and Stratton is popular for its engines that are common in pressure washers, lawnmowers, go-karts, and generators. Today, this company is still headquartered in Wisconsin, but the offices are in Wauwatosa.
In the USA, Briggs and Stratton has manufacturing facilities in Missouri, Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, and New York. It also has additional facilities in Canada, Brazil, Australia, Mexico, China, and the Netherlands.
Overall, most homeowners will go with Briggs and Stratton due to its undeniable experience in the world of engines. Put in other words, quality is a guarantee.
Popular generators from Briggs and Stratton:
CAT
Caterpillar is one of the most successful companies around the globe. This iconic company was founded in 1925, and it’s headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. It also has 500+ manufacturing and servicing plants in around 180 countries around the world.
Considering its success in manufacturing heavy machineries, such as earthmovers and trucks, it’s not surprising that Caterpillar is one of the best generator brands in the world too.
This manufacturer has everything from portable 1800-watt inverter generators to standby household and commercial generators. These generators don’t come cheap. But if you’re planning to spend a fortune on a quality generator, it’s hard to go with Caterpillar.
Popular generators from CAT:
Champion
Champion Power Equipment is another name that you’ll see a lot among other top-rated generator brands. Champion generator brand was started in 2003 in Santa Fe Springs, California. It’s relatively a new player compared to Caterpillar and Briggs and Stratton. However, this is one of the most reputable generator manufacturers in the market today.
Champion generators are designed right here in the USA, but they are manufactured in China. As such, they come at half the price of their high-end competitors but offer similar performance. We should mention, however, that Champion tends to compromise longevity for affordability.
Popular generators from Champion:
Dewalt
Dewalt is synonymous with job sites. The headquarters of Dewalt are in Baltimore, Maryland. It has several manufacturing facilities in the USA, including New Britain, Hampstead, Greenfield, Shelbyville, and Jackson.
Perhaps you know Dewalt for its power tools and hand tools. This manufacturer has also expanded its catalogue to equipment, and it’s doing very well with its portable generators. This is not strange for a company that makes tools and equipment for hard tasks.
Popular generators from DeWalt:
Duromax
Duromax generators are made by a company called Duromax Power Equipment that is headquartered in Ontario, California. Important to mention is that Duromax manufactures and assembles its generators in the USA. So, quality is assured.
Duromax is known as the leader in the department of dual fuel generators. Most of its generators will run on either gasoline or propane. What’s even more interesting is that these generators tend to offer incredibly long runtimes on either fuel. Moreover, Duromax generators have an unmistakable wheel and frame assembly that make them perfect for use in rugged areas.
To mention but a few, the Duromax XP12000EH is highly recommendable for home backup. If you want a generator to run tools and equipment at a worksite, the Duromax XP4850EH is worth checking out.
Popular generators from Duromax:
Durostar
Durostar is another brand of Duromax Power Equipment. Actually, you’ll realize that Duromax and Durostar share one parent website. So, what’s the difference between Duromax and Durostar? First, all Durostar generators are 50-state and can be sold and used in all states, including California. On the other hand, Duromax has both 50-state and 49-state engines.
Another difference between Durostar and Duromax is that the former is slightly cheaper. But generators in this subdivision also have a relatively lower starting and running wattage. All in all, Durostar generators are good quality and durable too.
Popular generators from DuroStar:
Energizer
Energizer is a brand that we know too well for their batteries. However, Energizer also boasts an incredible foothold in the portable generator niche. Their generators are offered by Midland Power Inc, a Canadian company that also sells generators under the Hyundai brand. The Energizer portable generators come in all types, from inverters to open frame. And unlike most people’s perception, most of these generators are much cheaper compared to other high-end brands, such as Yamaha and Honda.
Popular generators from Energizer:
Firman
Firman generators are made by Firman Power Equipment, a subsidiary of Sinomach- one of the biggest China-based manufacturers of infrastructure, construction, and agricultural equipment. Firman generators are highly recommendable for homeowners and business people on a budget. But that does not mean that they are of poor quality. Actually, Sinomach says that it has been making generators for other popular brands, including Kohler and Ridgid. Although we can’t compare this brand to others, for instance, Honda, we feel that it’s in the same class as other reputable brands, such as Generac, Champion, and Durostar.
Popular generators from Firman:
Ford
Founded in 1903, Ford is famous for its Ford Motor Company. However, this American company has other products under its name, including water pumps, pressure washers, and portable generators. It is important to note that although these generators are marketed under Ford’s trademark, they are manufactured by Pulsar, Inc.
These two manufacturers have combined efforts to make generators that are Ford-tough yet affordable. Almost all Ford generators have an Automatic Voltage Regulation (AVR), easy recoil start, and a dual voltage switch. Importantly, Ford promises to pre-test its generators before shipping to ensure their reliability right off the bat. They also have excellent after-sale services and tons of positive reviews.
Popular generators from Ford:
Generac
Generac is a brand of Generac Holdings, another Fortune 1000 company. Generac Inc. was founded in 1959 by Robern Kern. This manufacturer started by producing generators for Sears under the Craftsman brand. Generac started making its brand of residential, commercial, and industrial power backup generators in the 1980s. In 1989, it unveiled the first-ever gas-powered automatic residential standby generator.
Today, Generac is among the leading portable generator manufacturers. They also have business standby generators, industrial powerhouses, and mobile generators. Generac generator engines are designed and made by Generac at their facilities in Wisconsin. This should give you peace of mind if you’re worried about the origin and overall quality of the generator.
Popular generators from Generac:
Honda
Honda is always up there in most lists of the best portable generator brands. This brand belongs to Honda Motor Company, Ltd- a Japanese manufacturer with global recognition when it comes to automobiles, motor vehicles, motorbikes, and generators.
In the world of generators, Honda is known to make some of the best fuel efficiency engines. These generators provide smooth, clean, and safe power for all purposes, from emergencies to outdoor recreational needs.
For a company with immense experience in engines, it’s not surprising that Honda generators are among the quietest in the market. Their EU2000i model is one of the most popular inverter generators today.
Popular generators from Honda:
Hyundai
Similar to Honda and Ford, Hyundai started as a motor company before branching to other products. Hyundai, officially known as Hyundai Motor Company, is a South Korean company with its headquarters in Seoul. This multinational automotive manufacturer was started in 1967. Currently, it has a footprint in over 193 countries around the globe.
Hyundai boasts a wide range of generators designed to suit pretty much any application. Whether you’re looking for a pure sine wave inverter generator for camping or a powerful model for power backup at your business premises, Hyundai has a generator for your needs.
Popular generators from Hyundai:
Kohler
Kohler Company is one of the oldest companies with close to 150 years under its belt. Founded in 1873 by John Michael Kohler and based in Wisconsin, Kohler is mainly known for its plumbing fixtures, sinks, faucets, and bathtubs. Today, Kohler has expanded its operations into manufacturing other products, including cabinetry, furniture, engines, and generators.
So, are Kohler generators good? In our opinion, yes. Kohler is a well-established manufacturer and distributor of power backup solutions with outlets almost all over the world. Current Kohler generator reviews paint an impressive picture of this brand’s reliability, especially in terms of durability.
Popular generators from Kohler:
Lifan
Lifan generators are made by Lifan Power USA, a relatively new company based in Arizona. The company offers a range of products, including engines, batteries, water pumps, pressure washers, and of course, generators – of which inverters, portable generators and standby home generators.
All Lifan generators are manufactured in China, and thus, their prices are considerably lower than other more popular brands.
Popular generators from Lifan:
Powerhorse
Powerhorse generator brand may not be as famous as others in these top generator brand reviews. Actually, you won’t find a lot of info about it. However, its products have enormous followership that makes it impossible not to mention them on this list.
To begin with, Powerhorse generators are made and distributed by Northern Tool+ Equipment. This company was founded in 1981 by Donald L. Kotula, and it’s located in Burnsville, Minnesota.
Powerhorse makes generators for all applications. But, of course, you’ll want to choose the size that best meets your purpose. These generators come in all sizes ranging from 2500w to 4000w, 7000w, 9000w, 11000, and 13000w.
Popular generators from Powerhorse:
Powermate
Powermate was initially a division of Coleman, an American company based in Illinois, Chicago. However, it has since been sold to another European company called Pramac. Right off the bat, Powermate does not make its generators. Instead, it sources out its components from different world-class manufacturers, including Honda, Yamaha, Subaru, and Mitsubishi- and this is its key selling point.
The mere fact that Powermate generators are a product of several giants coming together is an excellent reason to invest in them. These generators come in all sizes from 1000w to 6000w and for various applications, including home power backup to recreational and jobsite power solutions.
One thing that you’ll realize is that Powermate does not quote prices on its website. This is a way of supporting its distributors. So it’s up to you to shop around for the best deals.
Popular generators from Powermate:
Predator
Predator generators are manufactured by Harbor Freight Tools, which goal is to provide great quality tools at the lowest prices. As proof of quality, Predator generators are often compared to Honda. Although Honda always gets the Excellent mark, Predator is never far off, and it’s mostly marked Very Good. This is despite Predator generators coming at over half the price of their alternatives from Honda. For the record, the Predator 3500 watt inverter generator is often recommended as an affordable alternative to the Honda EU2200i, which comes at twice the price.
Popular generators from Predator:
Pulsar
Pulsar generator brand is owned by Pulsar Products, which is headquartered in Ontario, California. But its engines are made by Ducar Power Company, which is based in Chongqing, China. Pulsar is one of the fastest-growing generator manufacturers and has been around for over 100 years.
Similar to Predator above, Pulsar generators compete favorably with Honda engines only that Pulsar is much more cost-efficient.
Besides generators, Pulsar carries a wide range of portable and handheld products ranging from air compressors to lawnmowers and pressure washers. Narrowing down to its generator department, Pulsar has it all from 1Kw to 10Kw generators ranging from gasoline-only to tri-fuel models.
Popular generators from Pulsar:
Rainier
Rainier is another generator company that you won’t find a lot of information about online. But its generators are receiving good press out there. At the moment, Rainier operates as an Amazon store. That’s why everything on its main website will redirect you to another page on Amazon.
Rainier’s generator catalogue presently consists of inverter and traditional generators. This brand currently focuses on outdoor recreational and portable household power backup. Again, depending on your budget and needs, you’ll get a generator of any size from 1800w to 12000w.
Popular generators from Rainier:
Ryobi
Ryobi generators are provided by Ryobi Limited. This is a Japan-based manufacturer with its headquarters in Fuchu, Hiroshima.
Alongside generators, Ryobi also makes power tools, woodworking tools, metalworking tools, inflators and compressors, and batteries.
Ryobi makes its generators in China. This is one way of ensuring that you enjoy the best innovations without breaking the bank. Sure enough, Ryobi is among a few other manufacturers with Bluetooth-compatible generators.
Popular generators from Ryobi:
Sportsman
Sportsman is a brand of Buffalo Corp., known for their affordable products. Sportsman generators come in all types that you can think of. For your delicate electronics and outdoor power needs, the Sportsman inverter line may be an excellent place to start your search. If you’re after optimum versatility, Sportsman has both dual-fuel and tri-fuel generators.
Popular generators from Sportsman:
WEN
WEN Products is the brainchild of Nick Anton, and it was founded in 1951 in Elgin, Illinois. WEN rose to popularity when it helped in merging tools and electricity (powering up the power tools). Similar to Ryobi, WEN’s product lineup consists of a bevy of power tools, snow throwers, compressors, and generators, among other things.
With a characteristic black and orange (sometimes yellow) theme, WEN generators come in all flavors and prices. For emergency power backup at home, this American brand has generators ranging from 3000w to 13000w. For outdoor usage, you’ll have a few options from 1000w open-flame generator to a 3800-watt super quiet inverter.
Popular generators from WEN:
Westinghouse
We can’t talk of the best generator brands without including Westinghouse. This brand has been in the generator business for over 130 years, and it has all the good reasons to be your go-to generator.
Westinghouse is named after its founder, George Westinghouse, and it’s based in Cranberry Township in Pennsylvania. A brand of Westinghouse Electric Company, Westinghouse takes pride in designing and making its engines, so you can be assured that quality is well taken care of here.
To make things easy for you, Westinghouse names its generators in progressively higher power output. Again, it has all sorts of generators, including open-frame, inverter technology, and dual fuel designs.
Popular generators from Westinghouse:
Winco
Winco is regarded as one of the pioneers of portable power. This company was started by 2 brothers Gerhard and John Albers who developed a wind-powered generator for a 6v storage battery. In around eight years, this business had grown and manufacturing had to be moved from Cherokee to Sioux City of Iowa.
Fast forward, Winco developed its first line of portable generators in 1990 and sold them under the Dyna brand name. Besides portable generators, Winco also has all sorts of household and commercial generator types, including standby and multi-fuel.
Although Winco has its line of engines, some of its generators are fitted with engines from other companies, including Honda and Briggs and Stratton. So, remember to dig around if this combination interests you.
Popular generators from Winco:
Yamaha
There’s no better way to wrap up these top generator brands reviews than with the leading manufacturer of portable generators today. Do you really need any introduction to Yamaha? Yamaha is a brand of Yamaha Corporation, a multinational conglomerate with its headquarters in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.
This company was founded in 1887, but it was not until 1973 that it started designing and manufacturing generators. A couple of decades down the line, Yamaha is one of the biggest names in the world of portable generators.
Yamaha generators are known to pack some serious power. Whether you’re after an inverter generator for camping and tailgating, or the big guns that are meant for job sites. Yamaha generators also lead the pack in terms of low-noise output. But what’s so interesting is that Yamaha aims at offering high-end power technologies and safety technologies without trying to bust your budget.
Popular generators from Yamaha:
