For $10,000 and up, you can ride out power outages with an automatic, whole-house electrical backup system. But for most homeowners these days, an investment of $300 to $400 is more realistic.
That’s enough for a standby battery that can run a few lights for a few hours, or a small portable generator that can run a TV, laptop and several lights — for days, with periodic refueling.
Because most blackouts are short-lived, the premise is to save 10 grand and get by with the basics. The two gas-fueled generators here are portable, and provide 1,000 and 3,000 watts, respectively.
Even 1,000 watts can power several appliances, like this group listed with average wattage consumption, even running at the same time: TV (175), cable box (25), computer (250; laptops use much less), four 75-watt lamps, plus a window fan (200) in summer, or an electric blanket (175) in winter. Overnight, you might plug in the fridge instead. A 20-cubic-foot, frost-free refrigerator-freezer needs about 800 watts of power.
Many Web sites list average power requirements, as do the generator manuals. To be sure, check ratings on your appliances or owner’s manuals. Remember, gas-fueled generators use oil and fuel like a car, produce the same potentially lethal exhaust and must only be run outside the house.
Black & Decker Electromate 400
This compact unit charges on household current, then provides short-term power from its battery. The 400 watts will run a 75-watt light for 21/2 hours, or the equivalent 20-watt compact fluorescent for 10 hours. It can power small AC and DC appliances, and has circuit breakers that shut down the charger if problems are detected. The unit also has enough power (and sets of cables) to jump-start a car and inflate tires.
Specs: 25 pounds; about $110; details at blackanddecker.com
Honeywell HW1000i Inverter Generator
This 1,000-watt portable is the kind of machine consumers appreciate, aside from its practicality, because it won’t let you screw up. Not enough oil? A warning light pops on, and if you don’t do anything about it the generator stops before it’s damaged. Run faulty extension cords or plug in too many appliances? You get an overload warning light, and then built-in circuit breakers cut the power. It’s well designed, sleek, rugged and compact (small enough to take tailgating or camping), and easy to move from storage to a charging location. It sets up quickly, even the first time, from a clear set of instructions in the owner’s manual. The pull-start is smooth and the power supply steady, though I ran a sample incorrectly on purpose to see its failsafe systems kick in. It comes with maintenance tools and a handy oil filler, and at half load runs 5 hours without refill.
Specs: 30 pounds; about $330; details at honeywellgenerators.com
Homelite 3000 Watt Portable Generator
This is as big as small generators get — and still a good price for a 4-gallon fuel tank, one 30-amp and two 20-amp outlets, and 3000 watts to power a long list of lights and appliances. To control flooding it can handle a half-horsepower sump pump (about 2,150 watts). To control temperature it can power two large window-unit air conditioners (about 1,000 watts each). The simple display panel shows voltage, run time and a low-lubricant alert that triggers an automatic shutdown. The unit isn’t wrapped in a sleek plastic case. Its beefy parts are surrounded in a roll cage with two wheels and pull handle, included as a kit with the generator to make it portable. The kit was easy to assemble, and the unit easy to start and run — at half load for 12 hours without refill.
Specs: 120 pounds; $349 (at homedepot.com); details at homelite.com
