Household Generators are exactly what you need in emergency situations when you need to power up your appliances and devices.
It is a very practical equipment that has been used as a backup electrical source for decades.
However, the buzzing noise coming out of these machines is so irritating it can drive anyone crazy. Not everyone, including your neighbors, would be able to tolerate this.
With the development of technology throughout the years, silent generators have started existing.
These generators offer features similar to regular generators but are more quiet and will allow you to create normal conversations.
But even if we have the knowledge that such generators exist, choosing the right and the best one can be a challenge.
Besides noise levels performance, durability, safety features, size, and affordability really matters So to help save you and your family, we have done our research and gathered the 5 best silent generators recommended to power up your home.
At A Glance: Best Silent Generator Comparison And Recommendations
before we go in depth review, here Are The Sneak peek of the 5 Best Silent Generators For Home
- 1. Best Battery-Powered: NrgGo 400 Portable Power Station Battery
- 2. Best Smart Generator: Ryobi 2300W Bluetooth Digital Inverter Generator RYI2300BTA
- 3. Most Quiet High-Quality Inverter Generator: WEN 56200i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator
- 4. High-Quality Generator That Doesn’t Break The Bank: Pulsar G2319N Inverter Generator
- 5. Best Value: Briggs & Stratton P2200 PowerSmart Series Inverter Generator
Best Silent Generator | Image | Price |
|---|---|---|
1: NrgGo 400 Portable Power Station Battery A battery-powered portable generator that makes no noise at all. It’s like you’re carrying your own electrical outlet. |   | |
2: Ryobi Bluetooth Super Quiet RYI2300BTA A super-quiet gasoline-powered generator that has a noise level between 57 dBA (at 25% load) to 67.9 dBA (at 100% load). |   | |
3: WEN 56200i Super Quiet Equipped with a 79.7 cc 4-stroke OHV engine that is extremely quiet and has a |   | |
4: Pulsar G2319N Portable Quiet Inverter Generator It comes with a Quiet Inverter Technology producing only a noise level of 59 dBA if you’re 10 feet away. |   | |
5: Briggs & Stratton PowerSmart Series Inverter Generator It features a Quiet Power Technology that produces a noise level of 59 dbA even when you’re close to it. |   |
Detail Guide of 5 best Silent Generators in 2021
Below are best silent generators available for your smooth hearing. Many features and attributes available for you, Now select your product with the help of this guide.
1. Best Battery-Powered: nrgGo 400 Portable Power Station Battery
The nrgGo 400 is a battery-powered portable generator. This is the reason why it makes no noise at all.
It’s almost like you’re carrying your own emergency electrical outlet with you anytime and anywhere you want.
You can use this generator to power your loved ones medical devices without stressing them out with the noise so they can rest very well.
The nrgGo 400 comes with a fixed carry handle and only weighs 12.5 lbs making it easy to carry for when you go to parks or any areas without any electrical outlet.
The Ultra-Fast 60W USB-C PD ports will allow you to charge up your gadgets quickly without any worries.
It also comes with 2 AC Outlets with 300W inverter that will power anything up to 300W continuous output with a 1200W surge.
You also won’t have to worry about safety as it comes with the highest quality of battery cells. It provides protection against overheating, short circuit, and over current.
The battery countdown timer display also provides great convenience in knowing how much time to empty or full-charge.
This also depends on how much power is going in or out of the equipment.
The best part is, it is at a right range of price. So, if you’re looking for an ultra-quiet battery powered generator that won’t take up a lot of space, this generator is for you.
2. Best Smart Generator: Ryobi 2300W Bluetooth Digital Inverter Generator RYI2300BTA
The Ryobi RYI2300BTA Digital Inverter Generator is a super-quiet gasoline-powered generator that has a noise level between 57 dBA (at 25% load) to 67.9 dBA (at 100% load). That is almost the sound of a normal conversation.
It comes with two 120 V 20A outlets and two 2.1 A outlets that you can use to power up your laptops and smartphones.
The starting up process is easy with its recoil system setup. It even comes with mode presets to off/store, run/restart, and cold start. No guesswork needed!
In terms of power, this generator pushes 2300 starting watts and 1800 running watts with its 80cc OHV 4-Cycle Engine.
This will allow you to power up most of your applications and electronic devices.
The great thing about this generator is the fact that it is parallel capable. So, if you feel that 1800 watts is underpowered, hook up a second one to increase the power.
With a 1.2 gallons of fuel capacity and auto-idle technology, this generator can run up to 10.3 hours at 25% load.
This is even a little more than its competitors and gives you an ample amount of time between refueling.
There’s an onboard LCD display that will show you details about the running time, fuel level, and load level.
But if an LCD display is not enough, this generator has a Bluetooth feature that will directly connect to your phone.
Through an app, you will be able to easily view its power consumption, fuel level, and the remaining run time without the need of standing up from your seat to take a look at the LCD display.
You can easily transfer it from one place to another as it comes with a trolley handle and two rear wheels.
If you’re a fan of smart technology and the convenience it brings, then this generator is perfect for you. It is quiet, easy to use, easy to maintain, and offers you convenience.
3. Most Quiet High-Quality Inverter Generator: WEN 56200i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator
The WEN 56200i Portable Inverter Generator is equipped with a 79.7 cc 4-stroke OHV engine.
This engine is extremely quiet and has a noise level of 51 dBA at 25% load capacity and 55 dBA at 75% load capacity. That’s almost the sound of a normal conversation.
Starting the generator is fairly easy with its recoil system. All you need is to release the pressure from the gas tank, turn the knob from off-choke, and then start pulling the string from the side until the engine starts. After about 30 seconds, you can turn the knob from choke-run.
The good thing about this generator is that it comes with an ECO mode function.
By turning this on, fuel consumption automatically adjusts based on the power output of the plugged devices.
It also has an Automatic Shutdown function in cases when fuel runs too low. This will avoid internal damages due to running on low oil and fuel levels.
It replicates pure sine waves which makes it ideal to use in charging up your electronic devices such as laptops, cellphones, tablets, and computers.
The panel also features two 3-prong receptacles, one 12V receptacle, and a 5V USB port. This makes it versatile and a perfect company for camping, tailgating, and serving as a back-up power.
This generator produces clean energy of 1600 watts rates to 2000 watts surge without any voltage instabilities.
And if that power is not enough, you can connect a second generator to increase it because of its parallel capability.
It has a fuel capacity of 1 gallon that can run up to 4 hours at 100% load and around 6 hours at a 50% load.
It also features an Idle Control Switch that will automatically adjust the engine speed.
This generator is quiet, easy to use, lightweight, and perfect for outdoor and indoor use.
If you’re looking for a generator that can compete with the high-end price but comes at a more affordable price tag, this one's for you.
4. High-Quality Generator that doesn’t break the Bank: Pulsar G2319N Inverter Generator
The Pulsar G2319N Inverter Generator is a gas powered generator that offers a very silent operation.
With the Quiet Inverter Technology, it has a noise level of only 59 dBA if you’re 10 feet away. It won’t cover up the fun conversations with your family.
It features an easy start-up recoil system. Its 47 lb weight, sturdiness, and very compact design makes this generator easy to carry around and transport to any place. Going camping? That would no longer be a problem.
It has a power of 1800 watts running and 2300 watts at surge. With the sine wave technology, it offers a pure and safe electrical power for sensitive devices such as your laptops, cellular phones, and other mobile devices.
Featuring two 120V 13A AC outlets, one 12V DC outlet, and one 5V USB outlet, you can easily charge many devices at the same time as long as it doesn’t exceed the overall wattage the machine can carry.
However, if you really think the power is not enough, you’ll love that this generator is parallel-capable.
You can conveniently connect a second generator to increase the power and charge up more devices.
It has a fuel capacity of 1.18 gallons that provides 6 hours full operation at 50% load. That’s a fairly amount of time before you would need to refuel.
This is also complete with all the other necessary features. It has an automatic low-oil shut-off system that would prevent this generator from getting damaged easily.
It also has an automatic voltage regulator that adjusts the fuel consumption depending on the device it’s powering up.
As you see, the Pulsar G2319N is a high-quality inverter generator that competes well with other generators in the market. The best part however is that it comes at a reasonable price.
5. Best Value: Briggs & Stratton P2200 PowerSmart Series Inverter Generator
The Pulsar G2319N Inverter Generator is a gas powered generator that offers a very silent operation.
With the Quiet Inverter Technology, it has a noise level of only 59 dBA if you’re 10 feet away. It won’t cover up the fun conversations with your family.
It features an easy start-up recoil system. Its 47 lb weight, sturdiness, and very compact design makes this generator easy to carry around and transport to any place. Going camping? That would no longer be a problem.
It has a power of 1800 watts running and 2300 watts at surge. With the sine wave technology, it offers a pure and safe electrical power for sensitive devices such as your laptops, cellular phones, and other mobile devices.
Featuring two 120V 13A AC outlets, one 12V DC outlet, and one 5V USB outlet, you can easily charge many devices at the same time as long as it doesn’t exceed the overall wattage the machine can carry.
However, if you really think the power is not enough, you’ll love that this generator is parallel-capable.
You can conveniently connect a second generator to increase the power and charge up more devices.
It has a fuel capacity of 1.18 gallons that provides 6 hours full operation at 50% load. That’s a fairly amount of time before you would need to refuel.
This is also complete with all the other necessary features. It has an automatic low-oil shut-off system that would prevent this generator from getting damaged easily.
It also has an automatic voltage regulator that adjusts the fuel consumption depending on the device it’s powering up.
As you see, the Pulsar G2319N is a high-quality inverter generator that competes well with other generators in the market. The best part however is that it comes at a reasonable price.
Factors to consider when purchasing a Silent Generator
We don’t want you to go out there and buy the first generator you see. So here are a few things that you would need to consider that would directly influence your buying decision.
Noise Level
Let’s start with the noise level since we’re looking for a silent generator. The noise level is determined by decibels and the lower the decibel means it is quieter.
If you want to relax at home or at your camping trip while having a generator turned on, then you should aim for a decibel level that is won’t exceed 70 dBA.
A decibel level that is at 51 dBA - 59 dBA will blend well in the background and won’t disturb family conversations.
You can also opt for the battery-powered generators as they don’t emit any noise. It will almost be like you’re carrying your own electrical outlet for your personal use.
Needed Wattage
The power wattage that a generator can run varies from one to another.
You can check the wattage of your appliances and compute how much you need in case of a power outage. This will narrow down your choices based only on that.
Another thing that you should consider is if it has a parallel capability. If it comes with this feature then that’s already good news. All you need is a second generator and you can increase the power.
Gas-Efficiency
Most generators are powered with gas. If you’re buying this type of generator then you need to make sure it doesn’t eat up much gas.
Ideally, you’ll be looking at generators that can provide 10 hours of constant power in a full tank.
Having a gas efficient generator will not only give you convenience since you won’t have to refuel frequently, but it will also save you a lot of money in the long run.
Weight or Portability
If you’re planning to bring you generators to camping trips, then we suggest you opt for lightweight generators.
They will be easier to carry for easy transport anywhere you want. You can also look for generators that come with wheels and a telescopic handle so you can easily roll them like a suitcase. Pretty convenient.
Inverter Generator Technology
Inverter Generators are generally quieter than the regular ones. This is because most inverter generators are designed to be made portable thus they come with a smaller engine. And the smaller the engine, the lesser noise it would create.
Another benefit of opting for inverter generators is they can charge up sensitive devices such as laptops and mobile devices.
Features
Think about the features you want as well as this can vary from one generator to another. Here are some features that are nice-to-have:
- LCD display → With an LCD display, you can easily and conveniently monitor fuel consumption, remaining time, and so on. This will let you know if you need to refuel, change the oil, and more.
- Automatic shutdown function → The machine will automatically shut down if it detects that it’s already low on fuel. This will prevent the generator from getting internal damages.
- ECO Mode function → This function usually comes in several names depending on the company or brand. However, the main use is to automatically adjust the equipment’s fuel consumption based on its power output.
FAQ
How many watts generator is needed to run a house?
It depends on your appliances and your usage. At best, you can opt for a 1,200 watts generator to power up most, if not all, of your needed appliances and devices?
What are inverter generators?
First of all, inverter generators are generally quieter than regular generators. Not to mention that they release cleaner energy too.
They also tend to be smaller and can be transported easily anywhere you want. Really great company during camping trips.
Are battery-powered generators better than inverter generators?
They are better in some ways. First of all, battery-powered generators are ultra-silent. You won’t hear a single sound come from them.
They can also be used inside your homes as it won’t generate noise and is really safe.
If you have a patient at home with a medical device that needs to be plugged up at all times, battery-powered generators can be used to power them up. And since they don’t emit noise, the patient would be able to rest well.
What noise level should I consider silent?
It generally depends on what you can tolerate. However, the most ideal noise level would be at about 49 dbA to 70 dBA.
This noise level easily blends on the background and will allow you to create normal conversations with family.
How often should I refuel and oil change?
It depends on your consumption. The more efficient your generator is, the lesser refuelling you would need to do.
If you don’t also use it for high-powered devices, then the fuel would stay longer too.
Can generators run under the rain?
It depends if it is waterproof or not. It’s best to check the manual regarding this information.
Conclusion
With the existence of silent generators, we no longer have to sacrifice a peaceful and relaxing environment for convenience.
Choosing the right one would highly depend on you. Try to assess each factor that you should consider as it will help narrow down your choices.
No need to fear electrical outages anymore, because with a silent generator in your hands, you can continue having a normal day.
Jessica is a Acoustical Engineer, currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. After graduating from her degree in Master of Engineering degree in Acoustics from Solent University in 2014, Jessica worked for a few companies before She will be blogging about her past and current experiences in the studio and sharing her journey as she pursues her career goals. She enjoy the balance of work inside and out of the office, solving practical problems on a daily basis as every project is different and requires a different solution, the variety of work (sound insulation testing, background noise survey, mechanical plant commissioning, external plant assessment, plant room breakout assessments) and the mix of independent and team work.
