Rebecca Thornton, Senior editor
Most of my job is saying no. No to a generator that would only be here because of a weekend price drop, no to a wattage figure the owner's manual quietly contradicts, no to a ranking nobody has reopened since the prices changed. What's left is the shortlist.
The routine never changes. I pull the spec sheet and the manual for the exact model, then read owner reviews with both open. If a listing leads with peak watts, I go and find the running watts, the propane figures and the outlet panel. If owners keep describing the same headache (a pull cord that fights back on cold mornings, a fuel gauge that sits on full until it suddenly doesn't), it goes into my notes and later into the ranking.
Sizing is where I get opinionated. A written load list beats a guess, and a well pump or a furnace blower changes the answer more than people expect. I write the guides on starting versus running watts, sizing for home backup, running a whole house, generators versus battery stations and the outage plan, and I edit everything Gordon and Alicia write.
None of us runs these generators for the site, and I'd rather say so up front. We read, we compare, and we keep the lists current.
Areas of expertise
- Starting vs running watts
- Sizing from a written load list
- Backing up a whole house
- Generator or battery power station
- Keeping the rankings current
How I work
- I begin with what has to run during an outage, what has to start, and for how long, and only then look at the wattage.
- Running watts, starting watts and outlets are checked against the spec sheet and the owner's manual of the exact model, on gasoline and on propane.
- Owner reviews get read in bulk; a complaint counts when it keeps coming back, not when it is the loudest.
- When a price moves or a model changes, the rankings get reopened and updated.
Articles by Rebecca Thornton
Written
Buying GuidesStarting Watts vs Running Watts: Reading Generator Ratings Correctly
Starting (peak) watts and running (rated) watts describe different demands. Learn to read both numbers before sizing a portable generator.
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Buying GuidesSizing a Portable Generator for Home Backup, Load by Load
Add up the running watts of the circuits you actually need, find your largest motor-start delta, and size a portable generator with honest margin.
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Buying GuidesPortable Generator vs Battery Power Station: Two Different Tools
Power station vs generator: a battery runs silently indoors for hours, a fuel generator outdoors for days. Which fits your outage, and when to own both.
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PreparednessBuild a Home Outage Power Plan Around a Portable Generator
Turn a portable generator into a working outage plan: load list, fuel stock, placement, cords, rehearsal and household roles, step by step.
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Buying GuidesWhat Size Generator Do You Need to Run a House?
What size generator runs a house? Add running watts, add the largest starting surge, then choose essentials or whole-house. Generac and owner’s.
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Buying GuidesDual Fuel vs Gasoline-Only Generators: Is Dual Fuel Worth It?
Is a dual fuel generator worth it? How it works, what propane costs you in watts, why it stores better than gasoline, and when gas-only still wins.
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SafetyTransfer Switches Explained: How Generators Power Circuits Safely
What a transfer switch does, why it must be installed by a licensed electrician, and why backfeeding a home through an outlet is never acceptable.
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OwnershipGenerator Maintenance Schedule: Keep a Portable Generator Starting
Generator maintenance made simple: oil before every use, a monthly run under load, battery care, fuel rotation and a pre-season check, per your manual.
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SafetyStoring Generator Fuel Safely: Gasoline and Propane at Home
How to store gasoline and propane for a portable generator: approved containers, rotation, placement away from living spaces, per official guidance.
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SafetyGenerator Carbon Monoxide Safety: Placement Rules That Matter
Portable generators run outdoors only, far from doors, windows and vents. CO shutoff sensors, home alarms and placement rules per CPSC guidance.
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Buying GuidesQuiet Inverter Generators: What Buys the Silence
Why inverter generators run quieter, how to read dB(A) claims in listings, and what dual fuel adds, with the quietest models we rate ranked.
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SafetyGenerator Interlock Kit vs Transfer Switch: Which One Fits Your House?
Interlock kit vs transfer switch for a portable generator: how each one stops backfeed, which circuits you get, and why both need a licensed electrician.
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OwnershipHow Long Can a Generator Run Continuously?
How long can a portable generator run continuously? Runtime per tank, load, refueling and oil intervals, from Generac, Honda and DuroMax owner's manuals.
Read the guideHow we compare and rate the generators is explained on How we rate. The rest of the team: Our editors.