How to Choose the Best Generator for Your Home
How to Choose the Best Generator
There are many things that can ruin your day. While you can handle almost everything that comes your way, a power outage is something that can be detrimental in so many ways. The fact that power outages can happen at any time and for any reason, is not very helpful either. That’s why every family needs a generator in their home.
After all, you never know when a storm will make your power disappear for an hour or two days. Sometimes an accident at a construction site causes damage to the wires that will take hours to repair. Then you have all those hot and humid summer days, or holidays, where the excessive demand for electricity causes brownouts.
It’s not fun.
Whenever a power outage occurs, you are most likely lost, because it is difficult to do anything without electricity. You can’t use your laptop to access the internet. In fact, your internet may be down because you have no energy. You won’t be able to watch television, turn on a light, or even turn on the heat or air conditioning. While that can make life unbearable enough, you also need to face all the spoiled food in your refrigerator and freezer if the power is out for too long.
Power and Reliability
A Champion generator will allow you to get power to the most important areas of your home. If you think about it, having a generator is like fast power that is portable. In just a few minutes, you can have a generator set up in your yard and sending power to your house. So when an outage occurs, you do not face horrendous damages or loss.
The items that get hooked up to generators the most are furnaces, air conditioning units, sump pumps, refrigerators, freezers, and lights.
How to Choose?
The size of the Champion generator that you purchase will be dependent on what you plan on plugging into it. A few lights, a radio, a coffee pot, and one or two appliances can be plugged in to a 3500 watts generator. If you want to run multiple items at once, including numerous appliances or an air conditioner, you will need a generator that provides at least 5000 watts. In fact, a generator with 9000 watts is preferable.
TIP: Use this calculator to decide which generator is the right one for you.
The generators mentioned above are portable ones. They will sit outside your home and will run on gasoline or propane. These are nice for those occasional power outages, as long as you keep fuel on hand to keep them running until the power goes back on.
How Do They Work?
The rule of thumb you should always have in mind is location. It is a must to operate a generator outdoors and away from open windows or doors. All engines give off carbon monoxide and you don’t want that anywhere in your home, believe me. So for utmost safety, ALWAYS use the generator outside.
The only downside to the portable generators is that you would need to go outside to turn it on and plug everything into it every time that you need it. To me, that really isn’t a downside considering the alternative of having no access to electricity.
If you are the type of person that doesn’t want to do all that work all the time, you may want to consider one of Champion’s standby generators. These generators begin at 8500 watts, but you can get one that will cover your entire house.
A standby generator will turn on immediately when the power goes out, so you never need to worry about being home when it happens. This type of generator can be hooked up to a home’s gas line. You never need to worry about purchasing fuel to keep it running either.
Versatile
No matter how many power outages you have in a year, you will benefit from owning a Champion generator. After all, it only takes one outage to flood your basement, freeze your pipes, spoil your food, or ruin your date night in.
The best part is that you only need one end of a power cord connected to the generator. It brings power to appliances inside the house. You can run multiple extension cords to different appliances from a single supply cord.
Peace of Mind
We live in a place that has 4 seasons and we see outages on the hottest day of summer, a thunderstorm in the spring, and even on a cold day in winter. Sometimes, it can be on any random day with no good rhyme or reason.
Champion generators are reasonably priced and available at numerous retailers across Canada, so there is no reason why you need to suffer through a power outage at any time in the future. They start at $500 to $1,300 depending on the product.
Be Prepared
As a parent, it’s always good to be prepared and to have that peace of mind.
It’s invaluable and you can’t put a price tag on keeping your family warm or cool and protecting the investments in your home. Honestly, every family should have a generator and be prepared for any storm!
For more information, visit Champion Generators and to see which one would work best for you.
How do you protect your home?
Let me know, til then–cheers m’deres!
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Note: This post is sponsored by Champion generators. All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.
Nancy Polanco is a freelance journalist, lifestyle content creator, and editor of Whispered Inspirations. She is a proud Mom to Gabby and Michaela and partner and best friend to Darasak. Having worked as part of a health care team for almost a decade, Nancy is happy to be back to her passion. She is a contributor to the Huffington Post, TODAY’s Parents, and an Oprah Magazine Brand Ambassador.
I think the price range is my favorite feature. It’s very reasonable for a product that provides peace of mind and is so useful!
Me too!
Our craziest power outage was for two-three days over Christmas-we were scared we would not have power for Christmas day. Luckily power came back on early Christmas morning.
OMG!! Now that is nuts, did you guys stay warm?
I love how its portable. It would be awesome for here in NL during the storms.
Thanks!
The feature that I like the most about the Champion Generator is that you only need one end of a power cord connected to the generator. It brings power to appliances inside the house. You can run multiple extension cords to different appliances from a single supply cord.
I completely agree!
We don’t own a generator but we should look into getting one. We sometimes lose power during winter storms. It would be great to not have to worry about having no heat and food spoiling when the power does go out.
We have several power outages here in the bush. A generator would be a smart investment. I like the fact that you can run multiple extension cords to different appliances from a single supply cord.
I would be using this generator as a gift to my dad. He lives in a somewhat remote area and loses power often during our wind and snow storms, so this would make his life so much easier!
I can remember when I was young not having power all day during Winter storms.This would be great for when we have an outage !
Good to know. We’ve been wanting a generator to have on hand just in case. I’ll keep this in mind because I have no idea where to start.
Hope this helps!
We have a generator that is hard wired into the house. Automatically comes on if power goes off
We could really use a generator. I live in Newfoundland and our power system is not at all dependable.
Our last black out was an almost nightmare. I can’t breathe at night without my bipap due to my disability. Prepared to stay up all night in my wheelchair, my dad was outside talking to the neighbor. With a couple of extension cords, I was able to hook up to my neighbor’s trailer.
I never thought I needed a generator but power outages do happen every once in a while. It is important to have power and this generator looks great for emergencies.
I agree!
I like that this generator can be hooked up to a home’s gas line. It’s great that you don’t need to worry about fuel.
My power outage story happened when I was a lot younger than I am now. With one adult and five children the hydro went out during a winter storm. Not knowing when the hydro would come back on we needed alternatives to cooking. Back then we never had a car to drive where there was hydro still on or grab something to eat and stay warm. We ended up using our old charcoal barbecue. The big wide round type. The lunch and dinner meals were ok and a little exciting as it was all barbecued. Something we didn’t do a lot of during the warmer months. The worst was trying to cook cream of wheat cereal on the barbecue. It tasted awful. We stuck with cold cereal on those mornings. It’s kind of funny looking at the pictures we took back then. It was not normal to see someone standing out in winter in a winter coat barbecuing some food back then.
Thanks for sharing your story, now those are some memories.
I like that it turns on as soon as the power goes out
We had an ice storm a couple years ago that left us without power for a couple of days. During this time, we had planned an open house to celebrate my youngest brother’s marriage. We didn’t know how we would host with no hydro and then our phones went dead so we couldn’t even call family to cancel the event! My older brother came to the rescue and let us borrow his generator for the event so at least we had heat and water. It turned out to be an occasion to remember!
OMG, now that is memorable!
Oh wow! that’s not too bad of a price! I love that!
I would use a Champion generator with our travel trailer for when we’re not at power sites.
We have been considering purchasing a new generator for a couple of Winters now. A really bad winter storm hit the year we first moved here and knocked out power for days. We had a small generator and it helped keep things comfortable but it’s time for a new one. Awesome giveaway!
Hope you find one you like!
Our power tends to go out a lot in storms so this would be helpful. I like how it runs or propane or gasoline. I don’t always have gasoline on hand but do the bbq propane tank.
We have had to use a Generator twice in our homes and both times we was lucky enough to borrow them. But I think it would be nice to have one on hand for emergencies Your tips will help me when we go shopping..
What I like best about the Champion Generator is that it’s ready anytime the power goes out – it turns on immediately when the power goes out and it can be be hooked up to a home’s gas line so it always has gas..
After the blackout on the Eastern seaboard in 2003, I tried to get a generator for the apartment form Costco, but this one seems even better! I may have to invest in one, after all, I am stocked up with food, now I need power!
Yes, now you need power!
I remember the blackout in 2003 – It was the craziest drive trying to get from work in Markham home to Aurora when all the lights were out EVERYWHERE!! I also remember all of the neighbours outside and just sitting and talking because there was no power everywhere!
This would have been great for that!
I would use the generator at the lake – being so isolated it’s nice to have that safety backup
My favorite feature is that it’s portable.
I like how many different sizes of generations Champion has to suit individual needs. It’s great how easy they are to use & able to run a variety of appliances from one single supply cord.
We’ve been looking at getting a generator for our home. I have nightmares of a storm that came through our area a few years ago and knocked off the electricity for ten days.
OMG, 10 days is scary.
I had a pipe burst in the basement a few years ago during a terrible ice storm. Not fun at all.
This generator looks like it would be a great idea for a backup power source. Thanks for sharing this. Your post would be helpful for choosing a generator that can get the job done when needed.
No problem!
I like that I can run multiple extensions cords to my appliances during a power outage. This will ensure that all essential appliances (refrigerator, sump pump, water filter system) and devices keeps running.
I would use the generator as a back up plan or emergency plan for my house. We have nothing, and I am always worried about not having something to help in an emergency.
this would be great during storms when we lose power, last winter this would have been great when my furnace died and this would have helped run space heaters to keep my pipes from freezing, my breakers could only hold so much without blowing
These are great tips. I love this generator. We purchased one several years ago. However, I love the features that are included with this one.
With all the natural disasters happening more and more it seems, a generator is a great investment.
I agree!
I would use a generator to be able to power things during a power outage such as my fridge, freezer, and laptop, and tv
I like that is turns on automatically if the power goes out which is ideal with homes with sump pumps and you are not home when it ceases to work. Multiple outlets is a bonus.
Once during a winter storm the power got knocked out for a few days. We used a car battery to power one or two objects such as a TV and internet modem. A Champion generator would be able to provide more power, and wouldn’t be as messy as the car battery and adapters were.
We would use a generator at the Cottage!
I love that it is portable and that you can run multiple extension cords to different appliances from a single supply cord.
This is a great idea. I’m sure the east coast with those hurricanes use a lot of generators, but just last night in Colorado, a whole section of city in Aurora was out of power for unexplained reasons. So its true, it can happen anytime, anywhere.
It really can!
We live in an apartment building which already has a generator. But I see how important it is to have s good one if you are living in a house.
Yes, so important!
We’ve never owned a generator before, but living in FL and dealing with hurricanes, it’s something that we will definitely need to invest in. Thanks for the recommendation!
My pleasure!
I love our generator we haven’t had to use it yet, but its amazing to have and know that if we need it – its in the garage and ready for us!
Honestly, I love the price point! We live in a ferry dependant area in BC and if there’s a major storm, we may be without power for a few days, and we can’t afford a $3000 generator for something that maybe happens once a year!
Yes, I think it is very fairly priced and they have one to suit every budget.
I would use this at my cabin where the power goes out all the time!
I would use a generator to boil the kettle when the power goes out.
ON sunday, of this week the power went out again in my town. I’ve been here for 14yrs and longer and it goes out on a reg basis….This summer it went out at least ONCE A WEEK (I work late and it was going off after 7pm every week, so I ended up sitting at work waiting til the power came on so I could finish my job and go home) This time it was off for just over an hour. Everyone in town was posting to the fb group wanting to know if it was just their block. This was also the first time the water went off at the transfer station…
Wow! That is often. Is there a reason?
Worst power outage we had was in 2014, dubbed “snowtember.” We had a huge unexpected dump of snow in mid september, and our power in our community was off for about 12 hours. It wasn’t much, really, and temperatures were not cold so there were no worries there, but with 3 kids who were 4, 5 and 7 at the time it seemed like it was the end of the world.
That is still enough time to be out of power.
man I could have used a generator a few years ago we were without power for 3 days after a huge snow storm – I love that you can plug extension cords into this generator to help with indoors appliances
That is a long time to be without power!
this generator would be handy at the cabin
I love the fact that a standby generator will turn on immediately when the power goes out.
I like that it can run on either gasoline or propane, giving you flexibility and making this generator that much more long lasting in times of need.
That looks like a really nice generator. This is something I need to look in to getting as well. Such a great giveaway for those in the area too.
I like that Champion generators come in a variety of sizes, so you can choose depending on what you need it for.
Our building was once out of power for three days, while our friends across the street never had their power cut.
I like that they run of gasoline or propane, very convenient.
My craziest storm story happened a long time ago when I attended a local college in the next city. The snow was so bad that I couldn’t get home and I ended up sleeping in a chair in the student lounge. I still remember how uncomfortable that was! In the morning, I found my neighbour and even though the roads were not totally cleared he got us home safely! 🙂
Wow, that is nuts!
With frequent power outages, a generator is a must. Your post is very useful in understanding what to look for in investing in a generator. Though we have a common generator for our apartment complex, this information is really of use to us.
Wow, how convenient is that! It does look like it is super easy to use. I would love to have one. Thanks for sharing!
I would love a generator for those weather related disasters or emergencies where the power goes out for days.
I would use the generator when the hydro goes out and because I live in a rural area our hydro seems to go out more than in the city.
This would be perfect for use at the cabin if the power went out !
we have had a couple of lengthy power outages due to wind storms where this would have come in handy.
this sounds so good and does so many things. I like that it also can be hooked up to a gas line which is useful when its outside. In rain snow or other weather conditions it can be used and not having to go outside is great. sure would like one of these. also could use at the cottage or home. Can handle a lot of power and cords also.
I like that you can get some that run on propane or gas
I would use it if we had a power outage for more than a day.
My craziest power outage story isn’t that crazy. Snow storm hit and all lights lost. Our family played Scrabble by candlelight to pass the night.
Sounds like a relaxing night!
And memorable since it’s rare for us to play together as a family.
I like how portable it is
I like that the generator is portable and that you can run multiple extension cords to different appliances from a single supply cord.
A generator would be a safe way to secure the home, like in times where there is bad weather. Thanks!
The only need one end of a power cord connected to the generator.
One of the features I like is that you can use gasoline or propane because we have both on hand because of our vehicles so it’s all about convenience
We have been getting the craziest weather these past few years this would be great to own!
Power outages really scare me because I’m dependant on medical equipement! Once we went to a hotel due to this but luckily power came back on that evening.
I’d use a generator to keep our freezer cold during a power outage.
I like that you can plug in up to 2 appliances into it
we went to my mother’s house one thanksgiving and ended up staying 5 days without power!
This generator looks so awesome and would be so useful in our home for power outages, and also great to take camping!
One winter we had power out for like a full night, needed to get to the gym but garage wouldn’t work so we had to open it manually. Candle lit dinner tht was cold
I would use the generator to back up our fridge to prevent our food from spoiling if there’s a power outage.
I would use the generator wen the power goes out here with a bad snowstorm!!! Thanks!
I like that it will bring us peace of mind, if we happen to have a horrible long lasting power outage
One of the features I like is that you can use it in different places like your home or RV or my parents would use it at the cottage.
We’ve been wanting a generator for sometime time,maybe this Fall we will!
the craziest storm I have ever been in was Black friday tornado in Edmonton in 1987 think we were without power for 2 wks
I would use the generator as a back up plan for when the power goes out. It has happened multiple times before and this would have come in handy. Would be smart to own one!
We would use it when we go camping!
The feature that I like the most about the Champion Generator is that you only need one end of a power cord connected to the generator
I like that it starts up as soon as the power cuts out. No worries on how to get it going during an outage.
I would use a generator at the cabin!
I would love to use this generator when we camp at non powered sites.
I would use this generator seems like our power goes out quite often and I worry that my fridge or freezer things will spoil
Champion Generators have a reduced noise level which I really appreciate.
Another feature I like is that the generator provides up to 9 hours of run time on gasoline or 10.5 hours on propane
This would be an awesome gift for my husband. We get some nasty wind storms in BC that knock out our power.. 4 kids and no electricity is scary 😉
I think everyone should have a generator.
The price point is one of my favourite features. That’s a small price to pay when you consider the peace of mind that it provides. It’s great to have a reliable backup power source during stormy weather.
I have “survived” three major ice storms – one in Toronto where cars were abandoned all along the Don Valley Parkway as I managed to get home (in my Ford Focus), the big one in Montreal and one a couple of years ago in Moncton. The power was out for several days in each case which was challenging.
OMG, those are memorable ones for sure.
A feature that’s great for living in Canada is Champion’s Cold Start Technology ensures a quick start in cold weather.
This would be perfect for a backup!
Would love to have this as a back up when the hydro goes out so I can keep the fridge and freezer going.
A few years ago we had power out for 5 days. We used a generator to keep our freezer working and to watch a TV show that I just couldn’t stand to miss! Power came on a couple hours before we were to pick up my visiting parents from the airport – just enough time to vacuum and run the dishwasher!
LOL! Right on time!
we have power outages sometimes, so this would be perfect to use then!
I would use a generator mostly at my mother’s house which is in the country and often goes without power at least 4 different times throughout the winter.
our power seems to go out when its cold out and this generator would help keep us warm
A feature I like is that the generator provides up to 9 hours of run time on gasoline or 10.5 hours on propane.
I would love to have one in my home incase we need it,it’s so important !
this would also be great to take camping
I have thought about investing in a generator. It sure would give me peace of mind.
I like that the generators are portable.
I think use the generator to backup our fridge during a power outage.
we lived through the famous ice storm in Montreal, years ago now, my mother was out of electricity for almost a week. She and my sister arrived at my place where there had not been an interruption. They showered and then the power went off.
A feature I like is that the noise level of 68 dBA from 23 feet, which is about as loud as a vacuum
I would use the generator as a safety back up for the lake!
I would use the generator to make coffee. The storm isn’t so bad when you have coffee.
With our crazy Newfoundland Winters,this could be so useful!
I love that it is portable. So it will be very transport when it is emergency (not only at our house, if it is at in-laws etc.)
be great to have a generator when the power goes out, as sometimes its quiet a few hours before its back on and it seems to happen in cold weather
Thank you for the giveaway!
We are definitely at risk of power outages where we live as we get our fair share of snow and icy, blustery weather. A generator would be great to have on hand for these times.
I think it’s great that there’s plenty of outlets are available, with a 120V 30A RV (TT-30R), a 120V 30A locking outlet (L5-30R) and two 120V 20A household outlets.
I would use it to make hot coffee when the power is off.
I like the fact that this generator doesn’t cost an arm and a leg!
I love how portable it is. That would be important to our family. Thanks! 🙂
We had a power outage one time that lasted for the better part of a week and it was frightening. Thankfully we had a fireplace in our home because it was in the winter. My favorite thing about the generator is the fact that you can run multiple extensions cords to any appliances during a power outage.That would be a real blessing!
Oh my goodness, yes, it would have helped so much!!
I remember a good few storms , the big one a good few years back it was out for days ! There was another when my neighbours tree fell on my house , but the worst was the winter we lost power , it was so cold in the house , we all sat in one room to try to stay warm ! It was awful ! This would be amazing to have !
OMG, I am so sorry you went through that. So scary.
We have power outages from time to time and a generator would really come in handy.
One year it was very cold outside and we lost power. We had tons of blankets and played charades by candle light.
A feature that I like is Volt Guard built-in surge protector which prevents overloads and keeps your equipment safe.
I like that it has multiple outlets on it.
This would be perfect for our unpredictable winters here in NL
This would be great for camping in the Yukon! Most of the campsites here do not have power, so you need a generator if you want to have power for your trailer. I would definitely use it as a backup for rainy/cloudy days when our solar panels aren’t getting enough sun.
That would be perfect!
this would be great to have when the power is out I worry about food spoiling
I would use it when the power goes off around here. Last time, we had no warning and it was off for 11 hours. That is a really long time. I would also love it when we go camping.
I like the standby generator that turns on immediately when the power goes out. I’ll have less worries this way.
a generator would be wonderful for my mother’s house as it is a little remote and when power goes out it is not the first serviced.
I like that they are are reasonably priced and available at numerous retailers across Canada,
I like that you can run numerous extension cords to this generator.
We don’t own a generator and our power will go out once or twice a month some time for 2 hours. The worst time was when we had to bail the water out of our sum pump . It was no fun.
I like that You can run multiple extension cords to different appliances from a single supply cord.
I would use a generator to back up the fridge during an outage.
A feature that I like is, it has a 3-year limited warranty and FREE lifetime technical support.
I would use the generator while camping. We have a travel trailer and most of the places we camp do not have power hook ups. Most of our power comes from solar energy, but when there’s no sun, we can lose power. Having a generator for back up would be nice.
That would be great!
great features nice that you can plug in 3 appliances into the generator
I really like that you can run multiple extension cords to different items from one supply cord.
This would be such a saving grace during an outage. I can see this being extremely useful. Thanks!
This is great! I was apart of the great Toronto power outage of 2003. At the time I had a newborn and a 14 month old at home both on milk and formula, The power in our neighbourhood was out for approx. 10 days. Trying to find milk that was kept cold was literally a daily fight. A couple of times I went down to our neighbourhood hospital and purchased milk at the cafeteria as the hospital had generators and was able to keep it cold. what a time!
i would use this generator for our house and I am sure it would be used for at least 2 power outages a year.
I like that this type of generator can be hooked up to a home’s gas line.
We had a couple years ago an October Snow storm and were without power for a whole week. Stores were out of generators and we needed something. This would be a big help when we do have storms. We need one so much.
Another feature that’s great is their Champion Support and our nationwide network of service centers
I like that it is portable and I can put it where I want.
this would be great during storms where we lose power as I worry about food spoiling in the fridge or freezer
We love playing board games when the power is out this would be perfect !
i love that it is portable and that you can plug stuff into it
The feature I like the most about the Champion Generator is that only one power cord is required.
A generator is such a useful product.
I like the idea of that the standby generator will turn on immediately when the power goes out.
It’s portable
i like that its not very loud
would be great for any power outages
We just bought a Champion Generator to make us a bit more comfortable during winter power outages. It’s great to be able to .plug in the lights and coffeepot.
I remember the fun we would playing hide-n-seek when the power was out and Mom would get mad because she would say,sit down and play a game because someone’s going to get hurt…..
I would use the generator when the hydro goes out
Do you work at Champion Debbie?
The longest power outage we had was in the summer of 2003. We were out of power for several days.
The worst I have experienced was a power outage for the whole day, in the wintertime..it was so cold, I was fully dressed with my jacket on, and covered in layers and layers of blankets…..
We really take for granted what electricity really means to us….a generator would be great for every household…
Thanks for the chance to win this.
My worst power outage I was in was when the power went out throughout Ontario and the east coast back around 10 years ago
The Toronto Blackout was the craziest power outage I ever experienced. I lived on the 17th floor of a high-rise at the time.
I love how its portable,we could use at home and the cabin,
thanks for the giveaway this would be great to have during a power outage
The old adage “You don’t know what you got till it’s gone” – happened October 2017. Winter in Edmonton, intermittent snow with sharp brutal icy wind. To reflect makes me shiver to the thought. Husband and I were at work and our son in school. Days end….Returning to our castle. I arrived first. House was dark and cold – hmm yes bills paid on time, couldn’t be that. Upon entering – turned on the lights – NO – turned up the thermostat – NO – Hmmm *yikes* cellphone battery low – can’t charge. Grrr. So off to closest location – Sobey’s – *Buzz* – power outage in Rosslyn area – hmmm – looks like buns and BBQ chicken for supper. No lights/No heat/NO TV/No stove: So time to improvise – Flashlights on an propped on table, quick trip to garage for firewood – thank goodness we had heat now….Guys arrived home – ate, played cards late in the evening and retreating to our respective sleeping bags. Funny thing: was one of the best evenings we ever had as a family.
Oh my goodness!!! What a story and I love how it turned out to be a great night for your family.
One of the features I like most about the Champion Generator is Cold Start Technology.
I would use a generator to protect the food in my fridge and freezer. You never know how long the power could stay out. 🙂
My worst storm was when we had a severe ice storm 22 years ago and the hydro was out all over Ontario
this would be great to have for camping or when we have an power outages
I like that the standby generator can be hooked up to my home’s gas line so I’d never need to worry about purchasing fuel to keep it running.
My favourite feature of the Champion generator is the price point! It’s affordable for most families. 🙂
I like that you can run multiple extension cords
Once only half my house had a power failure, even the hydro company thought it was weird.
When I was a child we would lose power often I never remember being cold but I remember the fun we would have!
This generator would be so useful for power outages and extended camping trips! It looks high quality and would be put to good use in our household!! Thank you for the awesome giveaway 😀
I like that the generator provides up to 9 hours of run time on gasoline or 10.5 hours on propane.
I would use the generator to backup our fridge during blackouts so our food won’t spoil.