Contents
1. Find the wattage of your items
2. Calculate the total wattage needed
3. Find the best generator for your needs
The hardest part about buying a generator is working out what size wattage generator you’ll need. It can be a little overwhelming to understand some of the technical jargon. We are here to simplify the process for you!
The size charts below, combined with our simple method of calculating a portable generator wattage, will help you purchase the most suitable generator for your needs.
Saving you time and money!
Simply follow the 3 steps below before you make any purchase.
1. Find the wattage
Select all the appliances you would like to run from a portable generator at any one time.
| Appliances | Running Watts | Start Up Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Clock Radio | 3 W | 5 W |
| Phone Charger | 3 W | 5 W |
| Google Nest | 5 W | 5 W |
| Tablet Computer | 10 W | 15 W |
| 32 In LED TV | 20 W | 60 W |
| Air Purifier | 25 W | 30 W |
| Humidifier | 35 W | 40 W |
| Cooling Fan | 40 W | 60 W |
| Freezer | 40 W | 60 W |
| PS4 or Xbox | 50 W | 120 W |
| Lightbulb 60 W | 60 W | 60 W |
| Water Dispenser | 100 W | 100 W |
| Refrigerator | 150 W | 300 W |
| American Style Refrigerator | 200 W | 500 W |
| Garden Strimmer | 300 W | 500 W |
| Submersible Water Pump | 350 W | 500 W |
| Music Stereo | 400 W | 400 W |
| Vacuum Cleaner | 400 W | 1000 W |
| Toaster | 700 W | 1900 W |
| Electric Drill | 800 W | 1100 W |
| Coffee Maker | 800 W | 1000 W |
| Washing Machine | 800 W | 800 W |
| Lawn Mower | 1000 W | 1500 W |
| Air Fryer | 1400 W | 1400 W |
| Air Compressor | 1500 W | 4800 W |
| Oven | 2000 W | 2000 W |
| Home Air Conditioner | 1200 W | 4000 W |
| RV Air Conditioner | 1300 W | 4500 W |
| Belt Sander | 1400 W | 2400 W |
| Hairdryer | 1400 W | 1400 W |
| Hammer Drill | 1700 W | 1600 W |
| Air Compressor – 1 HP | 1600 W | 4800 W |
| Welding Rig | 2500 W | 3000 W |
2. Do the math
Once you have found all the appliances you want to run from one generator, you’ll need to add up the total running watts from your selected items. Then select the highest Start-Up wattage and add this to the total.
This will give you the total generator wattage you’ll need to purchase.
| Example | Running Wattage | Start-Up Wattage |
|---|---|---|
| Cooling Fan | 40 W | 60 W |
| Oven | 2000 W | 2000 W |
| Washing Machine | 800 W | 800 W |
| TOTAL | 2840 W | 2000 W |
| Generator Needed = | 4840 Watt Generator |
As you can see from the example above the total running Wattage is 2840 Watts. However, you will need to account for the start-up wattage which is 2000 Watts. Therefore you’ll need to purchase a portable generator that is 4840 Watts or bigger.
3. Select a suitable Generator
The generators below have been selected from our buyer’s guides. We have included the links below.
These generators are selected for their wattage and power outputs. Once you have worked out the total wattage needed using our formula above, you can simply click on the best-sized generator below.
Best 1000 Watt Generators
Click here to see a selection of 1000 Watt portable generators on Amazon that will suit your needs best.
Best 2000 Watt Generators
Click here to see a selection of 2000 Watt generators on Amazon which will suit your needs best.
Best 3000 Watt Generators
Click here to see a selection of 3000 Watt generators on Amazon that will suit your needs best.
Best Portable Generators 4000 Watts or bigger!
Here is a selection of the biggest and best portable generators 4000 watts or bigger. These bad boys will be able to cope with most of your power needs for Power outages at home, welding and are perfect for RV and Campers.
