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If you often lose power where you live, whether it''s because of storms or other problems with the electrical grid, having a whole-house generator ensures that your appliances are available when you need them, even hardwired devices like your well pump, water heater, and air conditioning and heating systems.
Unlike a portable generator, these professionally installed units, also called home standby generators, pump out lots of electricity and kick on automatically when there''s an outage, letting you go about your business almost as if there isn''t a disruption on the power grid. About the size of a central air conditioning unit, they run on natural gas, which is an essentially limitless source of fuel, or a large propane tank, which doesn''t need to be refueled as often as a portable gas generator.
The largest models we test deliver at least 10,000 watts of electricity, enough to power everything in an average home. Smaller models provide at least 5,000 watts, enough to power key household appliances, electronics, and systems in your home. They will, for instance, keep your refrigerator, air conditioner, and well pump running.
There are other benefits to choosing a whole-house generator.
But there are downsides.
That depends on how often you lose power; how quickly your power company restores it; and, to a lesser degree, your tolerance for living without power. And, of course, your budget is a factor. If you lose power only occasionally, a portable generator is much less expensive.
If you decide to take the plunge for a whole-house generator, given your investment in installation, you''ll want a unit that performs well, which is where our ratings come in.
"A home standby generator is the single best tool available to use as a source of backup power," says Misha Kollontai, a test engineer who works in CR''s generator testing program. "But because of the costs, including installation, it''s also important to get a model that delivers steady, reliable power."
Our generator buying guide can help you select the style that''s right for you. Our generator ratings include portable and inverter models in addition to home standby generators. CR members can read on for reviews of the best home standby generators in our ratings.
Large whole-house generators have an output of 10,000 watts or more, which means enough power for all your appliances. On average, they run from 140 to 200 hours on a propane tank, a shorter duration than their smaller counterparts.
The best small whole-house generators in our ratings put out less than 10,000 watts of power but often run longer on propane than larger standby generators. Note that while smaller models are less expensive to purchase, the installation costs are comparable to a larger model, so your overall savings on the project might not be as large as you expect.
To test how a generator will perform when you need it most, our expert engineers take every model to our test facility and load them up with a variety of essentials you might want to power during an outage, such as a space heater, refrigerator, or window air conditioner.
Our testers make sure the generator can handle the load it promises, and also determine what happens when a sudden spike in voltage hits, such as when your fridge''s compressor kicks on when the generator is already close to capacity. The best models take that in stride, while lower-performing generators bog down or even stall. We also look at how efficiently a generator uses fuel and how long it runs on a tank of propane. Check out our generator buying guide for more details on our intensive testing program.
Batteries and generators both provide the same basic service but are considerably different devices. We'll sort through the pros and cons of each. Here's what you need to know to decide between the two.
Offering the full suite of Generac's gas powered generators and rechargeable backup batteries, Canter Power Systems has been providing back-up power options for 70 years and is now the largest full-service generator installer in the nation. These products or services have not been evaluated by CNET's editorial staff. If you get an estimate or make a purchase through this link, we may receive a commission.
Home battery backup systems, like the Tesla Powerwall or the LGES 10H and 16H Prime, store energy, which you can use to power your house during an outage. Batteries get that electricity from your home solar system or the electrical grid. As a result, they're much better for the environment than fuel-powered generators. They also might be better for your wallet.
Separately, if you have a time-of-use utility plan, you can use a battery backup system to save money on your electricity bill. Instead of paying high electricity rates during peak usage hours, you can use energy from your battery backup to power your home. In off-peak hours, you can use your electricity as normal -- but at a cheaper rate -- and recharge your battery when it costs less.
If you have solar panels, you'll be able to store any excess electricity generated by your solar panels. This stored electricity can be used to power your home during the nighttime and periods of panel inefficiency.
Virtual power plants, where you give up a bit of control over your battery's charge to your utility or another third party, are increasingly available. By giving up some access to the energy stored in your battery, you can earn a bit of money.
On the other hand, standby generators connect to your home's electrical panel and kick on automatically when the power goes out. Generators run on fuel to keep your electricity on during an outage -- typically natural gas, liquid propane or diesel. Other generators have a "dual fuel" feature, meaning that they can run on either natural gas or liquid propane.
Certain natural gas and propane generators can connect to your home's gas line or propane tank, so there's no need to refill them manually. Diesel generators, however, will need to be topped up in order to keep running.
These pieces of equipment perform the same basic job but come with different costs, maintenance requirements and performance.
In terms of cost, battery backups are the pricier option upfront. But generators need fuel to run, which means that you'll spend more over time to maintain a steady fuel supply.
With battery backups, you'll need to pay for the backup battery system upfront, as well as installation costs (each of which are in the thousands). Exact pricing will vary based on which battery model you choose and how many of them you need to power your home. However, it's common for an average-size home battery backup system to run between $10,000 and $20,000.
For generators, the upfront costs are slightly lower. On average, the price of purchasing and installing a standby generator can range from $7,000 to $15,000. However, remember that generators require fuel to run, which will increase your operating expenses. The specific costs will depend on a few factors, including the size of your generator, which type of fuel it uses and the amount of fuel used to run it.
Battery backups earn a slight edge in this category since they can be mounted to the wall or floor, whereas generator installations require a bit of additional work. Regardless, you'll need to hire a professional for either type of installation, both of which will require a full day of work and may cost several thousand dollars.
Some home batteries are more like oversized portable power stations, and require little more than having an electrician install a transfer switch or smart electrical panel.
Battery backups are the clear winner in this category. They're quiet, run independently, don't produce any emissions and don't require any ongoing maintenance.
On the other hand, generators can be quite noisy and disruptive when they're in use. They also emit exhaust or fumes, depending on which type of fuel they use to run -- which may irritate you or your neighbors.
As far as how long they can keep your home powered, standby generators easily outperform battery backups. As long as you have enough fuel, generators can run continuously for up to three weeks at a time (if necessary).
That's simply not the case with battery backups. Let's use the Tesla Powerwall as an example. It has 13.5 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity, which can provide power for a few hours on its own. You can get extra power out of them if they're part of a solar panel system or if you use multiple batteries in a single system.
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