There’s nothing worse than being stranded in your house without power during stormy weather.
Suffering the wind and rain lashing against your house in complete darkness without any working mod cons can be a frustrating and frightening experience.
When it comes to having a backup power supply, a portable or standby generator can be a lifesaver in such situations.
They are power supplies that can be hooked up to your electrical system and ensure that your house will only be without power for a few minutes.
The most important thing for your generator to have is large wattage.
With a 10,000 watt generator, you’ll find yourself with plenty of power to keep every device in your home fully charged and usable during an emergency.
If you’re hosting a significant event such as a surprise 50th birthday, a wedding or a religious celebration, the last thing you’ll want is to ruin all that planning and money with a last-minute power outage.
A 10,000-watt generator, with portable wheels, can be quickly introduced and installed to save your bash from certain cancellation.
But where can you get one of these superlative electrical devices?
What features does a portable generator need to have for you to be able to rely on it for the long haul? How much can you be expected to spend on a 10,000-watt generator?
Well, those who experience power outages need not worry over their next power cut, because we’ve compiled a list of some of the best 10,000-watt generators currently on the market.
We’ve also written a buyer’s guide that will help you determine what features you’ll be needing from your generator, as well as a few frequently asked questions.
Best 10000 Watt Generators
OUR TOP PICK
Our first heavy-duty generator is one that has dual fuel capacities, coming in a 240-pound construction weight and a 3-year limited warranty, this is ideal if you want a backup generator that you can install in various points around your house.
It will give you a reliable and consistent power source for upwards of 8 hours - introducing DuroMax XP12000EH Dual Fuel Portable Generator.
The design of this generator is very durable, with a cast iron sleeve heavy metal frame, you can be sure that this model will bear up in all weathers.
The frame itself comes with a noise-canceling muffler and isolated motor mounts that reduce noise, which means you can set it up right next to your house without having to worry about it disturbing you or your neighbors.
The power output goes up to 12,000, with around 9,500 watts of continuous power.
If you decide to use propane on this model, then you can expect the power outage to go up to 11,400 watts.
The gas tank supports 8.3 gallons of fuel, giving you anywhere from 7 to 9 hours of power.
Pros:
- The power - with a maximum 12,000-watt output, you can certainly expect to have every appliance in your house up and running, although we would recommend keeping your general power output as low as possible to save your generator.
- The dual gasoline allows you to consider several fuel options. If you want the optimum fuel output, then you’ll want to use propane to crank your generator up to 11,000 watts.
- You can use two different start systems with this generator - electric and recoil. This gives you extra control over how you want your generator to operate.
- The runtime of this generator is very impressive - you can have over 9 hours of continuous power for your devices.
Cons:
- Despite the sound muffling qualities, this generator is still rather loud and you might want to house this unit away from your house.
EDITORS CHOICE
Our next generator is certified to meet the emission standards of several states, with a lighter weight of 230-pounds, you can easily cart this around your bachelor party or outdoor wedding to power a PA system or beer pumps.
You can power it on a single tank of gasoline, achieving 10,000 watts when run on a surge power and 8000 watts of rated power - introducing All power America 2000 Watt Portable Generator.
You can run this generator for over 11 hours on 50% capacity, making it a great choice for all-day events.
It has 7 power outlets, meaning you can adapt this to any number of home and outdoor lighting systems.
You can also use this as the main generator for your RV.
With two fold-down handles, this generator is very portable and can be wheeled from one end of your marquee to another if you want to keep it out of the wet.
The same applies if you need to store this generator in the basement due to a heavy storm.
Pros:
- The power on this generator is pretty hefty and will easily supply your appliances with the juice that they need. This will be particularly important when trying to operate essential devices in an emergency.
- The fuel system is a simple one-tank affair. It runs on gasoline, which will save you a lot of fuss when shopping for different brands of fuel.
- This generator is very portable, which also makes it very versatile. You can wheel it out at a wedding, a barbeque or a large birthday party. It will also come in handy during an emergency.
- The several power outlets make it a very adaptable unit to a lot of different power setups. You can also set up this generator in such a way that it kicks in as soon as your main power supply trips.
Cons:
- The wheels on this generator don’t always move in a straight line, which might make it more cumbersome when trying to negotiate it through the grass and tough weather.
BEST VALUE
Our next generator is a fuel-efficient, high-performance engine that can easily produce 10,000 watts of continuous power for your home or event.
It has 8,000 watts of running power, delivering 9 hours of continuous when operating at 50% load on a 7.5-gallon fuel tank - introducing Briggs & Stratton P2200 Power Generator.
This generator has an average output of 9,000 watts, making it the best generator to run multiple appliances at a time.
The fuel-saving elements of this generator will ensure that you’ll get a lot more wattage per gallon of fuel that you put in.
The most ingenious aspect of this generator is the wireless functions.
You can keep an eye on your generator’s temperature and output through the Bluetooth on your phone without having to move from the comfort of your sofa.
This will be appealing if you expect to be using your generator in torrential weather.
Pros:
- The longevity - this generator will last you most of the day, making it the perfect addition to any outdoor event with electrical equipment that needs the extra juice.
- With its wireless monitoring capabilities, you won’t have to go anywhere near your generator to make sure that it isn’t low on fuel or losing power for whatever reason.
- This generator is very lightweight and can be moved into any number of positions, which is great if you need to shield it from wet weather.
- The power - this machine will churn out 10,000 watts of energy easily. It is perfect if you have a large family and still want to prepare dinner during a power outage.
Cons:
- The price - because of the state-of-the-art facilities, this generator does come with a larger price tag. It should only be considered for purchase by people who need constant power.
RUNNER UP
Next up we have a generator that can churn out over 12000 watts at peak operation or 9500 watts with gasoline fuel.
It has a dual fuel capacity that makes it a great choice if you’re in an emergency and short on fuel sources.
It can run up to 12 hours, which makes it the most reliable generator on this list - introducing Pulsar G12KBN Portable Dual Fuel Generator.
The Pulsar can generate an average power of up to 10,000 watts, which makes it more than qualified to run most of the appliances and the lighting system in your house.
You can start this generator with either a pull start or an electric start, which gives you plenty of versatility in the handling.
You can fill this one up with propane or gasoline, so you can either stock up on one of these types or have a selection of both.
We would recommend purchasing the cheapest fuel and using that. This generator produces the most power when filled with propane.
Pros:
- The power and longevity - if you fill this up with 8 gallons of fuel, then you’ll get 12 hours of life out of it. This gives you more than enough time to alert the emergency services or wait out a passing storm.
- This panel on this generator has multiple power outlets, meaning you can adapt it to power your lighting system or charge your power tools or RV.
- The drop-down handle and never-flat wheels make it easy to transport even across the most uneven surfaces.
- The power-saving abilities - this generator has an automatic shut-down feature when it’s running low on fuel. It also has a voltage regulator that activates as soon as the generator is up and running.
Cons:
- Like a lot of other generators of this power, this unit can be quite noisy.
RUNNER UP
Our final generator is another one with a dual fuel function that enables you to switch between gasoline and propane for either increased power output or reduced fuel intake and costs.
You’ll sometimes need a generator that isn’t too expensive to run and allows you to tailor the wattage to your specifications - introducing WEN DF4775T Dual Fuel Portable Generator.
WEN generators are known for getting high reviews for their power supplying machines and this one is no different.
The fuel input is very versatile and allows you to tailor your machine to have a moderate level of power and fuel so you can save money and still give your home the necessary energy that it needs to function.
With a 6.6-gallon fuel tank, your tank will run up to 8.5 hours on 50% efficiency.
This gives you most of the working day to try and resolve your original power issues.
The control panel comes with many built-in safety features, including an overloading fail-safe that clicks the generator off when it starts to malfunction.
Pros:
- The average wattage on this device is 9,500 watts, with 7,500 watts, which is slightly lower than some of the generators that we’ve listed, but it will still be plenty of power for your household appliances.
- The generous fuel tank will keep your generator running for upwards of 8 hours.
- The price - this WEN generator is more affordable than most of the other brands available on the market along with a top-notch performance.
- The interface is very easy to use, with a digital LED counter and an automatic voltage regulator, which will guarantee that your generator will shut down before it overheats.
Cons:
- This is a very heavy unit that isn’t as portable as some of the other models on this list.
Best 10,000 Watt Generators Buying Guide
When it comes to buying a higher-powered generator, two of the things you’ll be needing to factor in is reliability and safety.
Operating at such high wattage, you’ll want a generator that regulates itself to reduce malfunctioning and be able to flawlessly power your house from anywhere between a few hours and half a day.
Here are a few things you’ll need to consider when picking up a 10,000-watt generator:
How Portable Is Your Unit?
You’ll want a generator that you can wheel from one powerpoint to the next. This will be useful if you’re needing to move a piece of equipment such as a PA system out of the rain.
You also won’t want a generator that is too heavy, as this will severely impede its portability. Make sure that it comes with smooth fold-away handles.
How Much Fuel Will Your Generator Hold?
As we have seen, the fuel tank will greatly affect the amount of power that you’ll be able to generate. The larger the fuel tank, the longer your generator will be able to run, depending on your output settings.
If you’re planning on using your generator for an office or a construction site, we recommend getting a generator with a larger tank and longer runtime.
How Noisy Is Your Generator?
As your generator will be stored close to your house as well as your neighbor's houses, then you’ll want a unit with a silent operation.
If you’re operating a generator on a construction site, noise pollution might not be an issue. However, if you live in a built-up residential area, your generator might be the source of a few complaints.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Appliances Will A 10,000 Watt Generator Run?
This type of household generator will certainly be able to run every single appliance in your house.
But often this means that your generator will run down a lot fast, so you might want to think about streamlining the use of your appliances to just the essentials.
The generator will be easily able to power your refrigerator, freezer, sump pump, fireplace, window AC and light system.
When it comes to getting through a long storm, these are the things you’ll find yourself relying on the most.
How Big Does Your Generator Need To Be?
To have a backup home generator, you’ll need no more than 10,000 watts. This will be more than enough power to run all the essential appliances in your home.
To ensure that it will be able to power everything in your home, make a list of all the electrical appliances you’ll be using and calculate their overall wattage.
You can use this final figure to calculate what strength of generator watt outage that you’ll require for your next portable power unit.
Our Final Say
When it comes to buying a portable generator, if you want something cheap that will deliver a decent enough level of power to your household, then you’ll need nothing more than 10,000 watts.
However, a lot of these generators can operate above this level on surge wattage, so make sure that you have one that can be altered for more or less power.
