Best Portable Inverter Generators - Top Picks, Reviews & Complete Buying Guide

by Scott Miller Updated on May. 7, 2019

Whether you need an inverter generator or not depends on your needs for portable power wherever you go.

The characteristics and advantages that inverter generator users emphasize are the freedom of movement, reduced noise and flexibility.

These are only just a few of the many things that an inverter generator offers and this reliable source of power might be a good tool in each person’s household.

Being that the limitation on power is unacceptable nowadays, you can choose among some of the best inverter generator for your needs that are reviewed in the following lines.

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Top Rated Portable Inverter Generators

Model	Rating	Buy Now
Honda EU2000i	2.5	Check Price
WEN 56200i	4.4	Check Price
Champion Power Equipment 75531i	4.3	Check Price
Westinghouse WH2200iXLT	4.4	Check Price
Briggs & Stratton 30651 P2200 PowerSmart	4.0	Check Price

* Ratings are based on Editor's own opinion.

5 Best Portable Inverter Generators Reviewed

#1. Honda EU2000i

Top Pick

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The first one on the list of the best inverter generators is the Honda EU2000i.

It is the portable inverter generator which is more expensive than others, but its long lasting and frequent performance justifies the high price.

The reason for higher prices is the fact that it is made of durable material and has a superior design, it is easier to maintain and it comes with a 3-year limited warranty.

Another advantage, in case something happens to it, is that it is supported by a network of nationwide service centers.

Furthermore, the EU2000i boasts fuel economy as it runs for 8.1 hours at 25 percent load and 3.4 hours at the rated load and the tankful is estimated to be 0.95 gallons.

Your cost per hour is estimated to range between $0.58 and $0.88.

Other advantages are that it is not a loud generator, it possesses overload and circuit protection.

There are one 12-Volt (8 A) DC receptacle and two 120-Volt (13.3 A) AC receptacles that go with it.

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Pros

Durability
Design
Fuel economy
Service and protection

Cons

Price

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#2. WEN 56200i

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People like to compare tools, so we will offer you the main similarities and differences between the two top ranked portable inverter generators.

The second best is the WEN 56200i which has equal run time per tankful and fuel capacity as Honda EU2000i.

However, the difference is the price, as the WEN 56200i costs half the price of the Honda EU2000i. The reason for this price difference is the fact that WEN sourced the design from another manufacturer, meaning that it did not invest time and money in the research and development.

So, the buyers of this generator get the same quality tool at half the price, but they will get only 2 years warranty of it.

When it comes to a long-term and frequent use, the Honda model should be your choice, but if you only use it a few times a year, the 56200i is the better and more affordable option.

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Pros

Price
Fuel economy
Great performances for that price

Cons

Purchase protection
Warranty period

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#3. Champion Power Equipment 75531i

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When we compare the EU2000i and 56200i with the 75531i, we can say that the main difference is the power.

Among all three of them, the 75531i provides a maximum wattage of 3100 Watts and a rated wattage of 2800 Watts which proves the fact that it can handle heavy loads, including refrigerators, dryers and coffee makers which is not possible with the two previously mentioned ones.

The 75531i can handle the high amount of power necessary for the activation of these appliances.

It has a built-in 30 A outlet, meaning that the generator can be connected to your RV without any adapters.

The disadvantages are that its weight is 83 pounds and that it is not easily carried, but the advantages surpass the weaknesses as it provides clean output supply, it does not produce too much noise and uses fuel efficiently.

The price is affordable and a 3-year warranty period is sufficient and reasonable.

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Pros

Capacity
Purchase protection

Cons

Noise
Not so popular brand

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#4. Westinghouse WH2200iXLT

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When you hear the brand name Honda and Yamaha you know that they are the leaders in inverter generator technology and that their prices are in line with their products.

However, there are not so famous brands that also produce quality inverter generators and one of them that you might consider buying is certainly the Westinghouse WH2000iXLT.

Its peak wattage is 2200 Watts and rated wattage is 1800 Watts, which means that it generates more power than the Honda and WEN models.

Furthermore, it has a better fuel economy and greater fuel capacity and the noise it produces is also under 60 dBA.

After all these positive characteristics, there come the negative ones.

Westpro Power Systems which produces this model is a new company which is owned by Fusheng Industrial Co. and it offers only a 2-year warranty.

So, the WH2000iXLT is for those who are on the budget and do not mind buying not so famous model of inverter generator.

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Pros

Capacity
Economical

Cons

New brand
Purchase protection

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#5. Briggs & Stratton 30651 P2200 PowerSmart

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While the Westinghouse WH2000iXLT is manufactured by a licensee and can be bought at the low cost, the Briggs & Stratton P2200 inverter generator which delivers 2200 starting Watts and 1700 running Watts is maybe a better option.

It runs for 8 hours at 25 percent load, produces noise that is less than 60 dBA loud and produces a clean sine-wave output.

The additional characteristics are that is has a variety of outlets – one DC, two AC, and one USB.

The drawback is related to its weight, which is 54 pounds, meaning that it is heavier than the above mentioned models.

Still, this model is designed for those who cannot afford buying a Honda EU2000i.

Briggs & Stratton offer 2-year limited warranty, as well.

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Pros

Capacity

Cons

Weight
Durability
Purchase protection

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Portable Inverter Generators: The Ultimate Buying Guide

In order to prevent spending too much on an inverter generator which is not worth that amount of money, it is advisable to take a look at the buying guide before purchasing it.

How is an inverter generator better than a regular one?

There are many reasons for choosing an inverter generator rather than a regular one:

Noise – Inverter generators produce noise which is less than 60 dBA loud.
Fuel Efficiency – Fuel consumption is better regulated in inverter generators than in regulate generators.
Clean Output – It is very important for sensitive devices, including laptops, tablets, mobile phones. A pure sine wave output is crucial as they cannot stand fluctuations.
Portability – The motor is lighter and more easily portable than a regular generator.

However, there are also some of the advantages that regular generators have and those are:

Cost – Regular generators are cheaper.
Power – Regular generators of the same price as inverter generators offer more power.
Run Time – Regular generators have larger fuel tanks, while inverter generators burn fuel more efficiently.

Which one will you chose is determined by how and where you are going to use it.

Is the inverter generator a good solution for a job site?

If you want to use it at your job site, it is advisable to choose a regular generator as you will get more power, better economy, and a longer run time.

As it will be used for power tools which are not sensitive, this should be your choice and you will have more benefits than with inverter generator.

Where can an inverter generator be used?

The first situation where you can use an inverter generator is when noise is a bigger problem than power. For example, at the party, the power is not so important as all you need is a 2000 Watt inverter generator, but you do not want a noisy one, louder than the music.

Furthermore, with those devices that are sensitive to electrical fluctuations, as well as when you need to carry it somewhere as the portability is their major advantage.

Inverter generators offer parallel capacity meaning that you can pair two units of the same kind and double the power output.

What are the factors that I should take into consideration when choosing the ideal one?

The first thing you need to take into consideration when buying an inverter generator is the power you need.

You will need to make a list of the devices you plan to connect to the generator and measure the wattage for each device.

Make sure to know the difference between the starting wattage and the running wattage as various machines require different wattages for functioning.

The best example is a refrigerator which requires around 700 W to run and 2200 W to start.

The total power demand will enable you to make a list of those generators that meet those requirements.

Also, look for the rated power of a machine, not the maximum power.

The run time is important, so you can avoid those with not so satisfying run time.

What you should pay attention to is the fuel efficiency.

You can calculate it if you divide the runtime on full load by the machine’s fuel tank capacity.

The result you get is the run time per gallon.

The warranty is the last aspect you should take into consideration.

The longer the warranty period, the greater are the chances that you will not have any problem with the machine.

Last, but not the least, pay attention to the possible incidents which can lead to the nullification of the warranty.

I think I got it. What are my options?

Doing your own research, before deciding which one to buy, is always suggested.

You should look for the inverter generator for your needs and the one you can afford.

If you do not have much time for the research, you can just take a quick look at our list of top five and chose one of them.

They are definitely the best that are on offer nowadays.

Conclusion

It is true that the quality of the machine is the one that dictates the price rather than performance does.

Quality means the period during which the machine delivers optimal and consistent performance, while performance relates to its power and fuel efficiency.

You have to decide between a budget-friendly model which might not last for long or a high-end model which will run long but you will need to spend more on it.

If you can wait, it is suggested to first save the money and buy a high-end brand.

With so many products to choose from, you should first list the pros and cons of each of them and then make the right choice.

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