Portable generators have many uses and choosing the right one depends largely on your intended uses for it. Most households, especially in more rural areas, should have one, just for emergencies. Depending on where you live, a variety of natural disasters could cause you to need a generator that's easily portable. Tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters can cause a home to lose power and require a generator in order to have any power at all.
A generator that is portable is a good choice for many types of recreation, including people who camp or stay in an RV when traveling. Without a portable generator, the choice of campsites can be more limited if you need power while camping. Additionally, for sports tailgating a generator can come in handy for powering tvs or radios.
Construction and repair companies also frequently need to choose a generator for their work. Power tools and auxiliary equipment need a power source, which a generator can provide. The type of machines that need to be run will govern the decisions in choosing a portable generator. The task of choosing a portable generator is best not left until the actual need arises, because you are then limited to what is immediately available.
Cost will surely be one of the largest factors in your selection process. The product you choose will have to fit within your budget first and foremost. However, hopefully your needs will dictate your budget. Depending on what you want to power with your generator, you may need to budget a bit more. For example, a generator that you use to power sensitive electronics will need to have inverter technology. Inverter technology keeps the current steady, no drops or surges that would damage your computer or other sensitive electronic equipment. Choose inverter technology for electronics operation.
Likewise, if you plan to run an entire household off your generator when and if an outage strikes then, to do a good job, you may want to choose a larger generator. If you are choosing a portable generator for travel and camping, then you want to choose one that is the most portable possible.
Look at the price when choosing a portable generator. Compare it with other models with the same features. Then look for repair options. If something goes wrong with the generator you purchase, where is the nearest repair facility? What kind of warranty does the manufacturer have?
When choosing a portable generator, you will consider several things. What will you use the generator for? Do you plan on powering sensitive electronics, household appliances, or jobsite tools? How much power do you need the generator to produce? Do you need the generator to just be movable around a main location, or do you need to be able to load it into a vehicle? Is the company reliable? How much will the portable generator cost? What kind of warranty does the portable generator have? Answering these questions and striking a good balance between the concerns above will get you on your way to choosing the right generator for you.
