• Generators rely on fuel like gasoline, propane, or natural gas, and their engines need regular maintenance, such as oil changes and air filter replacement.
• While they are a more eco-friendly solution you can use inside the home, power stations can’t create power; they run on batteries that must be recharged, which can take many hours.
• Power stations tend to be more expensive up front, but require less maintenance and don’t run on potentially expensive fuel.

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A power station is not a generator. This may be confusing if you’re new to the subject of portable power, but it’s not your fault. The word generator is sometimes used loosely to cover a wide range of different products that have the same goal: delivering off-grid electricity. But power stations and fuel-powered generators have very different approaches to that task, and it’s good to know about them before investing in either.

Simply put, generators create electricity in real-time using a fuel source (gasoline, propane, or natural gas); power stations can only deliver power from internal batteries that must be precharged using AC power or solar panels—they cannot create the power on their own. That distinction is key when you are considering how you plan to use portable power, whether that be for emergency power, off-grid electricity for job or campsites, or powering a recreational vehicle (RV).

Fuel-based Generators

Trevor Raab

Consumer-grade generators run on fuel and house an engine and an alternator that turn mechanical energy into alternating current (AC) electrical power, which is the same type of power your electric company delivers to your home. They can run on gasoline, propane, or natural gas, depending on how they are designed, and there are three basic types: standard, inverter, and standby. Standard generators offer basic functionality; inverter generators add an inverter that allows the generator to run more quietly and deliver cleaner power. Standby generators, meanwhile, are large, non-portable generators designed for automatic whole-home backup. They usually run on propane or natural gas, and in some less common cases, diesel fuel.

✅ Pros

The biggest advantage of any fuel-based generator is its ability to provide on-demand power. So long as you have enough fuel to replenish it, you can run a generator for as long as you need to, stopping only to refill the tank when it’s close to running dry (never refuel a running generator—that’s dangerous). If you’re using a generator powered by natural gas, you won’t need to refill it, making its operation nearly unlimited (though most manufacturers have recommended limits on how long it should run before giving it a break).

Generators are also very reliable. Provided they are well-maintained, a generator can last 10 years or more. Most are set upon wheels and have handles, making them portable. You can also select from a wide variety of sizes, depending on the amount of power you need, from small models that fit easily in the cab of your truck to a large model you can use to power several appliances for over 24 hours.

❌ Cons

Placement is one of the biggest and most inconvenient issues. Since the exhaust fumes of a generator contain carbon monoxide (which is lethal in enclosed spaces), it cannot run indoors and should be placed at least 20 feet from your home. If you’re using a generator to run appliances or run critical house circuits via a transfer switch during an emergency, you’ll need long extension cables. This can be particularly challenging if you are trying to use the generator during a storm or other severe weather event; you’ll need to make sure it’s also protected from the elements. Generators can also be very noisy; some municipalities even limit their use unless they operate under a certain decibel range.

Generators also require more maintenance compared to a power station. Engines not only require fuel, but also need oil to run, as well as air filters to keep them running efficiently. They also need to be occasionally wiped down or cleaned to remove any dirt or grease buildup that occurs from use or just being outside a lot. The large ones can also be quite heavy—over 200 pounds—making them portable in name only if that’s a weight you cannot move around yourself.

Power Stations

Anthony Carrick

These sophisticated battery banks can store electricity and deliver it as DC or AC electrical current. The batteries are typically lithium-ion or the more efficient lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), which is becoming the more common choice. Power stations can’t generate electricity; you have to precharge them using AC power or a connection to a solar panel array.

That connection to solar panels has led some to refer to power stations as “solar generators,” but that name can be a bit confusing. The electricity created from the sun’s rays has to be stored in the batteries (a process that can take hours) before it can be distributed by the outputs—it doesn’t happen directly. Some power stations will allow you to charge the batteries from solar panels while the power station is running, but the load demand will always greatly outpace the input charge of the panels, so you can never expect it to last much longer than normal using that configuration.

✅ Pros

One of the biggest draws of a power station is that it’s emission-free. This makes it more eco-friendly, and you can run it safely inside the home. With no engine, it also produces little to no noise, except the occasional internal fan turning on to keep it cool. And by pairing one with a solar panel array, you can truly go green by creating power without burning a fossil fuel, directly or indirectly.

Because every power station uses an inverter, the power is also stable and “clean,” making it ideal to safely power digital devices and smart appliances. Large models designed for whole-house backup are often expandable with additional batteries, allowing you to create very large backup systems, comparable to the power output of a standby generator, though some smaller models offer expandability, too. Power stations also sometimes offer innovative software that can help you conserve energy or recharge from the main grid only during lower-cost, non-peak hours.

❌ Cons

Like anything that runs on a battery, once a power station runs out of power, there’s no quick way to replenish it. Even the smallest stations can take up to an hour to fully recharge when plugged into AC power. Solar charging takes even longer. Depending on the capability of your solar panel and the input of the power station, it can take anywhere from 5 to 15 hours to soak up more juice from the sun’s rays. During an emergency, that could present a problem. If you’re trying to keep the lights on and the fridge running, you don’t have that kind of time to wait.

Watt per dollar, they are also generally more expensive than a comparable standard generator. For example, a 3,800-watt standard generator can cost around $600, while a power station with similar power output will run around $1,500 or more. Even an inverter generator, a category of fuel generator that tends to be more expensive, will run for less than $1,000 in that size range.

What to Consider

➥ Watts vs. Watt-hours

When comparing the power output specs of generators and power stations, manufacturers highlight very different sets of numbers.

Generators are primarily rated by their power output, represented by watts, a unit of power. There are two numbers you will see: running watts and starting watts. Running watts tell you how much power the generator can output consistently; starting watts are what it can surge to when devices like air conditioners, power tools, or pretty much anything with a motor start up and draw a higher burst of power before leveling off.

Power stations are often highlighted by their capacity, which is expressed as watt-hours, a measure of energy a device uses in one hour. You’ll see the max power output in watts, too, but capacity tends to take center stage. The total watt-hours indicate the maximum amount of power your station can deliver over time, but how much time depends on the amount of power being drawn. Higher-powered devices will drain the battery a lot faster than lower-powered ones.

A simple equation will give you an approximate idea of how it works: total watt-hours (of the generator) ÷ watts (of the device) = hours the generator can run. For example, if you had a power station with a 2,048-watt-hour capacity and wanted to run a 300-watt refrigerator, you theoretically could run it for just under 7 hours, so long as nothing else is plugged in. Keep in mind that the power draw of a device like a refrigerator fluctuates (it needs fewer watts when the compressor is not running), so the run time could be longer, but it gives you a rough illustration of how capacity works. Also, manufacturer specs are taken from perfect conditions; in the real world, you’ll likely see slightly less capacity from your power station.

➥ Fuel types

When considering the purchase of a fuel-based generator, you’ll find models that run on just gasoline, duel-fuel models that can run on gasoline or propane, or tri-fuel versions that can run on gasoline, propane, or natural gas. Propane and natural gas burn cleaner than gasoline, but deliver less power. For example, a tri-fuel generator may offer 9,500 running watts and 12,500 starting watts with gasoline, but only 8,500/11,200 with propane and 7,500/9,500 with natural gas. Depending on where you live, propane and natural gas may also be cheaper to use than gasoline.

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Generators We Recommend

Generac 9,500-Watt Tri-Fuel Generator

Now 6% Off

Westinghouse 12,500-Watt Dual-Fuel Generator

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Power Stations We Recommend

Bluetti Elite 200 V2

Now 53% Off

Jackery Explorer 300

Now 35% Off

Ecoflow Delta Pro 3 Portable Power Station

Now 38% Off

David is a Reviews Editor for Hearst’s Enthusiast Group, contributing to Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, Bicycling, Best Products, and Biography. He has over 25 years of experience writing about and reviewing consumer electronics, kitchen appliances, DIY products, outdoor gear, and more. He also spent years covering the ever-changing world of online retail. To relax, he loves experimenting with new recipes, tweaking his smart home setup, and spending time outdoors on his bike or camping.