Best 5 Electric Generators for Home: How to Choose

When there is a power cut due to a natural disaster hitting the area or a utility grid failure, an electric generator for the home sounds like a reliable solution. It can keep the refrigerator cool so the food items do not get spoiled and run an AC to cool the room. It's also a reliable charging solution that will keep medical equipment like CPAP machines running to ensure a comfortable and peaceful sleep. When the portable generator kicks in, you and your family can rest assured you're never left in the dark.  

But here's a thing: Electric generators come in various shapes and sizes. For example, portable generators are ideal for running a few lights and small appliances during a power outage. Solar generators are ideal for powering appliances with the free and renewable sun's energy. Jackery offers a wide range of solar generators that can power most household or outdoor appliances, such as refrigerators, TVs, lights, microwaves, CPAP machines, heaters, etc.

How Electric Generators Work?

An electric generator works by converting mechanical or chemical energy into electricity to power your home. Let's explain how an electric generator can produce electricity for your home in detail:

Step 1: An electric generator uses a fuel-powered engine or an external force, such as falling water or wind, to turn the onboard alternator.

Step 2: The rotating armature spins within the magnetic field to cause changes in the magnetic flux, which induces an EMF in the armature to generate an electric current.

Step 3: The generated current starts flowing through the copper wires to transfer switches and circuit breakers.

Step 4: The electricity from the electric generator can safely run through the home's electricity system to power appliances connected to the active currents.

On the other hand, Jackery Solar Generators use free solar energy to generate electricity. The foldable solar panels are placed under direct sunlight, where the monocrystalline silicon solar cells absorb the solar energy and create DC electricity. The pure sine wave inverter in the portable power station converts DC to AC electricity, which can then be supplied to home appliances such as refrigerators, ACs, heaters, lights, etc.

What are the Types of Electric Generators for Home?

Different types of electric generators work best for different needs. Portable electric generators are ideal for temporary power solutions, whereas small generators are best suited for smaller homes or less frequent use.

Portable Electric Generator for Home

Portable electric generators for homes are what they sound like: portable. They are small enough to be carried on a camping trip or even stored in a car for emergencies. While they do not produce enough electricity to power an entire home or construction site, they act as a temporary power solution for powering small to midsize appliances during outdoor trips.

Solar Electric Generator for Home

Solar electric generators for homes convert free and renewable sun energy into usable electricity. They do not produce toxic emissions or noise and are a great battery backup solution for eco-friendly shoppers. Large solar generators can also power the entire home and help homeowners reduce their reliance on the utility grid, which reduces (or eliminates) monthly electricity bills.

Small Electric Generator for Home

Small electric generators might be ideal if you have a small home or want a generator for less frequent use. As the name suggests, they are small in size and can be easily moved from one place to another. Having a small generator by your side ensures you don't even have to worry about traveling to remote locations where access to power might be a problem.

Backup Electric Generator for Home

With an increase in natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or tornadoes, there is a high chance of power outages. Backup electric generators for home are ideal if you want to prepare for emergencies or charge appliances whenever a power outage hits the area. They will charge your refrigerator to prevent food from spoiling or maintain a comfortable environment by powering heating or cooling devices.

How to Choose the Best Electric Generator for Your Home?

Before buying the biggest (or smallest) electric generator you find, it is essential to check some important factors such as power needs, space, and noise levels. Let's explain them briefly:

Power Needs

First, you need to figure out what you want to run with the electric generator at the same time when the electricity goes off. You should include essential items such as refrigerator, AC, lights, or cooking equipment. If you often work from home, you might also need to include appliances such as laptops, TVs, lamps, etc.

Once you've decided on the appliances, the next step is to create a list of them, along with their running and starting wattages. The total running wattages of those appliances will act as the electric generator's rated output. Add the total running wattages and the highest starting wattage together to calculate the generator's surge peak output.

Space 

Next, you need to check the space where you'll be using the electric generator. For example, if you are planning to use a generator in a small room or a car, it's better to look for a small electric generator. On the other hand, you may go ahead with a larger solar electric generator if space is not an issue.

Noise Levels

Some fuel-powered electric generators are loud, which can be noisy if you plan to use them at night. That's why it's better to choose solar-powered generators for homes that do not emit a lot of noise when working.

Jackery Solar Generators work by emitting around 30dB of noise, which is less than the refrigerator's hum. Hence, they work great even if you are using these solar-powered generators at night or in places where noise can be a major restriction.

Best 5 Home Electric Solar Generators 

Electric solar generators are one of the most efficient, eco-friendly, and reliable charging solutions for home appliances during power outages or when traveling to remote locations. Jackery is a renowned solar brand that manufactures foldable solar panels, solar generators, and portable power stations. Depending on different power needs and preferences, we will recommend the 5 best electric generators for homes.

Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus

The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus keeps the essentials running, such as your refrigerator, lights, devices, sleep apnea machine, etc., so your household stays as normal as possible while the grid sorts itself out. It's compact enough to store in a closet, simple enough to plug in and go, and powerful enough to handle the appliances that matter most. If one night's backup isn't enough, just add battery packs to stretch your coverage to three days or more. Charge it up before storm season hits, or recharge it with solar panels while the outage is still going.

Appliances Running Time

• Refrigerator (400W) = 2.5H
• TV (150W) = 6.2H
• Air Conditioner (1000W) = 1.0H
• Kettle (1000W) = 1.0H
• Mini Cooler (100W) = 8.8H

Who Should Buy This

If you want dependable short-term backup for your home essentials and you'd rather have something ready in the corner than scramble when the next outage hits, the Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus is your starting point.

Customer Review

Excellent quality, rapid delivery. Functional but slow solar charging. Less than 2 hours to charge with a household outlet. I bought 2 extra 1000 batteries for extended use. The purpose is to run the CPAP unit in an outage. Got approximately 3 days with all features, including heated tube and humidifier tank on the main unit Explorer 1000 Plus battery.

— Anonymous.

Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus

The Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus is built for households that can't afford to be off the grid, such as families with young kids, people who work from home, or anyone who depends on refrigerated medication or medical equipment. The moment the power drops, it switches over to backup power, keeping essentials running before you've even noticed the lights flicker. You can add battery packs as your needs grow, pair them with solar panels for continuous recharging, or connect two units together for even more output. However long the outage lasts, the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus has the flexibility to keep up.

Appliances Running Time

• Refrigerator (400W) = 4.0H
• TV (150W) = 10.0H
• Air Conditioner (1000W) = 1.6H
• Kettle (1000W) = 1.6H
• Mini Cooler (100W) = 14.2H

Who Should Buy This

If your household has medical equipment, a larger family to keep comfortable, or you simply need more than one night of coverage without worrying about rationing power, the Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus is the right choice.

Customer Review

Fantastic - easy to use and runs our cabin like a pro! I was expecting the 2000 Plus to work well, but the plug-and-play nature of the system, as well as the simple interface, exceeded my expectations!!!

— Robert C.

Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000

The Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000 can handle your refrigerator, router, fans, lights, and small appliances all at once, keeping the household functioning. It stores cleanly, charges fully, and holds that charge for up to a year, so it's ready when you need it. When an outage hits, it switches to battery power in the blink of an eye. Setup is straightforward, storage is easy, and when storm season rolls around, you won't be hunting for instructions.

Appliances Running Time

• Refrigerator (400W) = 6.2H
• TV (150W) = 15.2H
• Air Conditioner (1000W) = 2.6H
• Kettle (1000W) = 2.6H
• Mini Cooler (100W) = 21.4H

Who Should Buy This

If you want a no-fuss home backup that keeps most essential appliances running through a full-day outage, and you want it sitting ready without constant maintenance, the Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000 delivers exactly that.

Customer Review

I purchased the 3000, and it can run my refrigerator for 24+ hours. With the 500W Solar Panel, I can recharge quickly.

— Tracie.

Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3600 Plus

The Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3600 Plus is built for outages that don't end quickly. It powers the full range of what your home runs on, including the fridge, lights, and the bigger appliances that make a prolonged outage genuinely comfortable rather than just tolerable. And if one unit isn't enough, you can scale up the capacity with the battery packs and another unit to cover your household for weeks rather than days.

Appliances Running Time

• Refrigerator (400W) = 7.2H
• TV (150W) = 17.7H
• Air Conditioner (1000W) = 3.0H
• Kettle (1000W) = 3.0H
• Mini Cooler (100W) = 25.0H

Who Should Buy This

If you live somewhere with a history of extended outages, you have a larger home to keep powered, or you simply want backup coverage measured in weeks rather than hours, the Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3600 Plus is built to handle it.

Customer Review

I enjoy using my solar generator. We had lost power for a few hours, and I was able to get the lights back on and watch TV. So, I would recommend this product to anyone looking to invest in a solar generator.

— Rhonda F.

Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus

When the grid goes down for days, most backup solutions start showing their limits. The Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus is an expandable and essential home backup power solution that can power your home essentials, such as refrigerator, HVAC, water heater, washer, and oven. With the capacity to scale up to 60kWh, a single unit keeps your household running for over a day, and an expanded setup covers you for up to two weeks without a grid connection. The 0ms UPS means the switchover is genuinely instantaneous, ensuring your fish tank, home office setup, security system, and refrigerator never even register that the grid dropped. 

Appliances Running Time

• Refrigerator (400W) = 9.5H
• TV (150W) = 21.4H
• Air Conditioner (1000W) = 4.1H
• Kettle (1000W) = 4.1H
• Mini Cooler (100W) = 28.6H

Who Should Buy This

If you want essential home coverage that handles heavy appliances, lasts through extended outages, and switches on without you having to do anything, the Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus is the ideal solution.

Customer Review

We have been having many power outages due to heavy snows, fires, failing infrastructure, high winds, etc. I needed a simple solution to power a small number of electrical devices during an outage, including my well pump. The 5000 plus fit the bill well. Easy to set up, easy to use, portable, with lots of reserve power. Well done!

— Anonymous.

How to Install and Maintain Electric Generators for Home?

Proper installation of the generator is important to avoid fire, injury, and damage to the electrical equipment. It's important to ensure the generators last long and offer ultimate performance when charging appliances. Here are some of the usage, storage, and maintenance tips to provide optimal performance and longevity for the Jackery Solar Generators:

• Do not use the battery in extremely hot conditions, such as in a car on hot days or under direct sunlight, to avoid the risk of overheating and catching fire.
• Store the power station in a dry, cool place and keep it away from heat sources and fire.
• Avoid contact of battery and solar panels with corrosive substances while in storage.
• Operate and recharge the battery every three months to keep the power station active.
• Do not let the battery level drop below 20%.
• If the battery is stored for a long time (over three months), inspect it regularly and keep the battery levels at 50% of its rated capacity.
• Always use the original charger and related accessories to charge the portable power station.

FAQs

What size generator is needed to power a house?

A generator ranging between 5000W and 7000W would be enough to meet the power needs of a typical house. However, the exact generator size you need will depend on the total wattage of the appliances being charged simultaneously and their operating hours. Let's say you want a refrigerator (400W) and some lights (50W) with the help of the Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000. To calculate the working hours, you can use the Running Time Calculator available on the Jackery Buying Guide page. Choose the Jackery product from the dropdown and then enter the appliance wattage consumption to get an estimated runtime. In this case, the Jackery Solar Generator HomePower 3000 can run appliances (450W) for 6 hours.

What will a 2000-watt generator run in a house? 

A 2000-watt generator can charge various small appliances, such as cellphones, light bulbs, coffee makers, laptops, toasters, and even midsize refrigerators. You might also be able to run small air conditioners that consume less than 2000W of electricity per hour.

How big of a generator do I need for a 2000-square-foot house?

A 2000-square-foot house typically needs a generator rated at least 5500 watts to charge essential appliances. However, the exact size might vary depending on how many appliances you want to power and for how long.

What will a 3000-watt generator run in a house?

A 3000-watt generator can charge most household appliances, such as fridges, lights, phones, computers, TVs, window ACs, etc., though not simultaneously. It can also charge electrical cooking appliances like microwaves and toaster ovens.

Conclusion

The choice of the best electric generator for your home will depend on several factors, such as your home's size and power needs. The right-size solar generator will provide enough power for your essential appliances without the risk of overloading.

Jackery Solar Generators are powerful and portable battery generators that can power essential appliances during day-long power outages or outdoor adventures. You can assess your house's specific power needs and then choose the best solar generator.

Have you had any experiences choosing or using an electric home generator? Share your thoughts, ask any questions, or offer advice in the comment section below!