Generator Comparison Tool: Specs, Prices and Running Cost

Choosing a generator from a spec sheet is hard because every brand states runtime, noise and watts under different conditions. This page puts sixteen real models in five types (portable, inverter, home standby, commercial diesel and battery power stations) side by side on the same footing, so you can see what each one gives you for its size, weight and price. Pick up to four models below and the table lines them up row by row.

Every figure comes from the manufacturer’s own page or manual wherever one was available, and each model lists its source and the date we checked it (2 November 2026). Where a maker does not publish a number, the table says Not stated instead of guessing. Prices are listed prices at that date, so treat them as estimates and confirm before you buy.

Compare generators side by side

Find a generator

Search by brand, model or keyword Type All typesPortableInverterHome standbyCommercial and industrialPower stations and solar generators Fuel Any fuelBattery (LiFePO4)DieselGasolineNatural gasPropane Rated output AnyUnder 2.5 kW2.5 to 4.5 kW4.5 to 10 kW10 kW and up Price AnyHas a published priceUnder $1,000$1,000 and up Intended use Any useHome backupEssential circuitsWhole-house powerRV and travel trailerCamping and outdoorsTailgatingConstruction and jobsiteWorkshop and businessHeavy dutyCommercialIndustrialEmergency backup Sort by Brand and modelOutput, high to lowOutput, low to highPrice, low to highWeight, light to heavy

Your fuel prices

Gasoline, $ per gallon Diesel, $ per gallon These are placeholders. Enter your local prices.

1. Choose up to four generators

2. Side-by-side comparison Show only differences Copy link to this comparison Clear selection

Highlighted cells mark the best value in that row among the generators you picked. Lower is better for price, weight and fuel per kWh. Higher is better for output, tank and battery size. A dash means the row does not apply to that type. On a phone, swipe the table sideways.

Specification	Champion201050 4000W Dual Fuel InverterInverter×	WestinghouseWGen3600DFPortable×	GeneracGP3500iO (7128)Inverter×
Price and ownership cost
Listed price (USD, estimate)	Not publishedChampion's product page does not state a price	$629.00Westinghouse MSRP	Not publishedNot on the spec sheet; availability varies by retailer
Price per rated watt (derived)	n/a	$0.17per watt, first fuel listed	n/a
Warranty	not stated on the page reviewed	3 years residential, 1 year commercial	3 years residential, 1 year commercial
Maintenance	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Oil capacity	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Power
Rated output by fuel	3,000 W gasoline 2,700 W propane	3,600 W gasoline 3,240 W propane	3,000 W gasoline
Starting or surge watts	4,000 W	4,650 W	3,500 W
Fuel types	Gasoline / Propane	Gasoline / Propane	Gasoline
Engine	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Displacement (cc)	149 cc	212 cc	212 cc
Runtime, fuel use and running cost
Fuel tank (gal)	1.54 gal	4 gal	2.37 gal
Runtime on a tank, as stated	10 h gasoline, 1/4 load 25 h propane, 1/4 load, 20 lb tank	14 h gasoline, 1/4 load 10.5 h gasoline, 1/2 load 16.5 h propane, 1/4 load, 20 lb tank 14 h propane, 1/2 load, 20 lb tank	8 h gasoline, 50% load
Fuel use, as stated	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Fuel per kWh (derived)	0.205 galgasoline at 25% load, from tank size and stated runtime	0.212 galgasoline at 50% load, from tank size and stated runtime	0.197 galgasoline at 50% load, from tank size and stated runtime
Fuel cost per kWh at your price (derived)
Fuel cost per hour at that load (derived)
Size and comfort
Weight (lb)	51.8 lb	120 lb	74.3 lb
Dimensions	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
Noise (as stated)	64 dBA at 23 ft	68 dBA	not stated
Starting method	Recoil	Electric, Remote, Recoil	Recoil
Features
Inverter output	Yes	No	Yes
Total harmonic distortion	Not stated	23% or less	Not stated
Automatic voltage regulation (AVR)	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated
CO sensor shutdown	Not stated	No	Not stated
Transfer switch ready	Not stated	No	Not stated
Parallel capable	Not stated	No	Yes
Outlets and connections	5-20R duplex, TT-30R (25 A), 12V DC	5-20R duplex, L5-30R, TT-30R	L5-30R (30 A), 20 A 120V duplex, 5V USB
Fit
Suited to	Camping and outdoors, RV and travel trailer, Essential circuits	Essential circuits, Construction and jobsite, Camping and outdoors	Camping and outdoors, RV and travel trailer, Essential circuits
Also worth knowing	Runs on gasoline or propane	Key fob start, 30A breaker	Economy mode, low-oil shutdown, parallel kit sold separately
Honest take
Advantages	Runs on gasoline or propane, with up to 25 hours on a 20 lb propane tank at 25% load 3,000 running watts on gasoline at 51.8 lb Inverter output suits laptops and other electronics	Lowest published price here at 629 USD MSRP Remote, electric and recoil start Runs on gasoline or propane, 14 hours at 25% load on gasoline 3,600 running watts for the money	8 hours stated at 50% load, a harder test than the 25% load most rivals quote Economy mode lowers engine speed to save fuel Parallel-ready with an optional kit
Drawbacks	Propane output drops to 2,700 running watts Recoil start only Small 1.54 gal gasoline tank	THD up to 23% is too high for sensitive electronics without a power conditioner 68 dBA is loud and the unit weighs 120 lb No CO sensor and not transfer-switch ready Westinghouse's own page shows two different propane runtime figures	Open-frame design is louder than enclosed units, and Generac does not publish a dB figure Recoil start only Spec sheet is older, so confirm the current model before buying
Source
Where the figures come from	Champion Power Equipment product pageRetrieved 2026-11-02	Westinghouse product pageRetrieved 2026-11-02	Generac spec sheet and owner's manual (model 7128)Retrieved 2026-11-02

How to read the derived rows. Price per watt divides the listed price by the first rated output shown. Fuel per kWh divides the stated fuel use at a load by the kilowatts produced at that load, or, for portable units without a stated rate, the tank size by the stated runtime. These are estimates, not measurements. Prices are manufacturer or retailer listings on the retrieval date shown for each model and change often. Confirm on the maker's page before you buy.

Which generator fits your use

Start with the load, not the brand. Add up the running watts of everything you want to power at once, then add the highest starting surge. Our generator load calculator does the sum for you, and the generator size calculator turns the total into a size. The picks below only use the figures in the comparison table.

Home backup

For whole-circuit backup you want a large conventional unit wired through a transfer switch. The Westinghouse WGen9500DF (9,500 running watts, listed as transfer switch ready, 14-50R outlet) and the DuroMax XP13000EH (10,500 running watts, 14-50R and L14-30R outlets) are the two in this comparison. If you only need a refrigerator, lights and a few circuits and noise matters, the Honda EU7000iS gives 5,500 rated watts at 58 dB, at the cost of 263.2 lb. Read how to connect a generator to a house and why a transfer switch matters before you wire anything.

Business and jobsite

Conventional engines handle tools well and cost less per watt. The WGen3600DF, WGen9500DF and XP13000EH all offer 30 A or 50 A outlets. Check the harmonic distortion row first: the WGen3600DF states up to 23% THD, which is fine for motors and lights but not for laptops, point-of-sale terminals or other sensitive electronics. For those, use an inverter model such as the Westinghouse iGen5000DF at 3% THD or less.

RV

Look for the 30 A outlet your RV cord needs. In this comparison the Champion 100809, the Champion 201050, the Westinghouse iGen5000DF and the Westinghouse WGen3600DF list a TT-30R outlet, and the Generac GP3500iO lists an L5-30R. Check your air conditioner’s starting watts against the peak rating, and see the RV dual fuel guide for more.

Camping

Weight and noise decide this one. The Honda EU2200i is the lightest here at 46.5 lb and runs 8.1 hours at 1/4 load. The Champion 100809 weighs 48.1 lb and offers 3,000 running watts. The Yamaha EF2200iS adds a CO sensor.

Heavy duty

The XP13000EH and the WGen9500DF are the heavy hitters, at 234 lb and 211 lb dry. Both run on gasoline or propane, so you can keep a long-storage fuel on hand. Expect about 74 dB from either.

Generator specification cards

Each card summarises one model, with advantages and drawbacks drawn from its specifications. Use Add to comparison to send it to the table above.

Portable and inverter generators

Home standby generators

Standby units are installed outside the home, wired to a transfer switch and run on natural gas or propane. They are rated in kilowatts and are bought and installed through a dealer, so makers rarely publish a price.

Commercial and industrial

Power stations (battery generators)

A power station stores energy in a battery and has no engine, fuel or exhaust. It suits short outages, camping and electronics, and it recharges from the wall, a car or solar panels.

Buying recommendations by budget and power

Only five of the sixteen models show a price on the pages we reviewed, so this budget guide covers those. The rest show Not published in the table. Check a retailer for current pricing on the Honda, Yamaha, Champion and Generac models.

Budget	Model with a listed price	What you get
Under $700	Westinghouse WGen3600DF, $629 MSRP	3,600 running watts, dual fuel, remote start. Conventional output, so not for sensitive electronics.
$700 to $1,000	Predator 3500 with CO Secure, $799.99 at Harbor Freight	3,000 running watts, inverter output, electric start and CO shutdown.
$1,000 to $1,300	Westinghouse iGen5000DF, $1,199; WGen9500DF, $1,249; DuroMax XP13000EH, $1,299	An inverter that runs two fuels, or a 9,500 to 10,500 watt unit for home backup.

By power need. Under 2,000 W suits camping and small devices (Honda EU2200i, Yamaha EF2200iS). About 3,000 to 3,900 W covers an RV or essential circuits (Champion, Generac, Predator, Westinghouse). From 5,500 W upward you are into home backup territory (Honda EU7000iS, WGen9500DF, XP13000EH). Our generator buying guide covers the choices in more depth.

Fuel efficiency and running cost

The table below converts each maker’s stated tank size and runtime into gasoline per kilowatt-hour. A lower number means more electricity from each gallon. Enter your local gasoline price in the tool above to see a cost per kWh and per hour for the models you select. For propane figures see each model’s runtime row.

Derived from stated fuel use (or tank size divided by stated runtime) and the kilowatts produced at that load. Makers state runtime at different loads and a generator is usually most efficient near half load, so treat this as a guide. Gasoline and diesel are not directly comparable by volume. Sources are listed with each model.

Maintenance is part of running cost. Plan on regular oil changes and good storage habits, covered in our oil change guide and how to store a generator. The generator cost calculator adds purchase price and yearly use to give a true cost per kWh.

Inverter or conventional?

Inverter generators in this comparison state 3% THD or less (where stated), weigh less for the same watts and run quieter, but cost more per watt. Conventional units like the WGen3600DF, WGen9500DF and XP13000EH give far more watts for the money and suit tools and home backup. Our guide inverter vs conventional generators goes through the trade-offs.

How we compare, and where the numbers come from

We read each manufacturer’s product page, manual or spec sheet and copied the figures as stated, with the date. Where we could not find a figure, the table says Not stated. Some manufacturers give different numbers on different pages, and a few retailers differ again. We used the manufacturer’s page. For example, one retailer listed the WGen3600DF at 109 lb, while Westinghouse’s own page lists 120 lb dry, which is what the table shows. The Westinghouse page for the iGen5000DF still sits at an address named for the earlier iGen4500DF.

The derived rows (price per running watt, gasoline per kWh, running cost) are our own arithmetic on those stated figures and are labelled as such. Models and prices change, so confirm on the maker’s page. Each model’s source link appears in its table column and card. Found a mistake? Tell us and we will check it against the source.

Frequently asked questions