TINY HOUSE GENERATOR: THE ULTIMATE 2023 BUYING GUIDE
One of the most important needs to consider when you own a tiny house or if you are planning to transition to one is the power source. If you’ve probably done any research then you know that one of the best options is getting a tiny house generator.
Tiny house generators are compact, portable, and can meet all your off-grid power needs at an affordable cost. It can be powered either by gas or propane, giving you a bit of flexibility in terms of the source of fuel.
It is also very convenient and easy to use and maintain, offering more flexibility than solar panels and solar generators in the winter months.
Opting for a tiny house generator is certainly one of the best decisions you can make for your off-grid living adventure.
All you have to do is make sure you buy the best one for your tiny house. In doing so, you can enjoy a stable power source all season that meets your estimated wattage.
In this article, we give you all the information you require to make an informed decision. We take it a step further even, sorting through the incredible number of portable generators and picking the top five according to predetermined cost, quality, and portability constraints.
Let us explore some of the important considerations surrounding tiny house generators before we explore our top choices.
What Size Generator Do I Need for a Tiny House?
The easiest way to do this is to call an electrician for an energy audit of your tiny house with all your appliances already in place. If you would rather do this yourself, you need to evaluate your recent electricity utility bill to get a broad picture of the current electricity consumed in your house.
Once this is determined, subtract the appliances you would no longer need and add any new appliances you plan to use to get the total.
On average, you will need anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 watts to power a tiny house.
If you live in a tiny house and want to power an additional shed, two tiny houses, two trailer houses, or run electricity to some high-power tools off the grid, then you will need a tiny house generator with an estimated output of 10,000 to 12,000 watts.
A high-wattage gas-powered generator offers the possibility to live off-grid without cutting yourself off from using some modern appliances. You can keep the lights on in your tiny house and still have enough power for other activities.
If the sound they produce is your biggest issue, then you can use a soundproof shed to reduce the noise pollution or purchase a tiny house generator that produces 60 dB and lower for your tiny house.
Now that you understand the right size to pick for your tiny house generator, let us get right into our best picks for all off-grid living conditions in 2022.
Best Tiny House Generator: Our Top 5 Picks
1. DuroMax XP12000EH Generator-12000 Watt Gas or Propane Powered
DuroMax XP12000EH Generator is a good choice to power your needs. It holds up to 12,000 watts of power and about 9,500 running watts. It’s a dual fuel capable generator of handling heavy loads appliances.
It can run fluidly on either gasoline or propane, allowing you to make a choice on which to use.
This generator has a 2 volts receptacle: maximum power can be distributed from the two volts and they can also be used simultaneously. It has an engine type of four strokes.
This Duromax is ideal for your tiny house: it is compact and easy to use.
Pros
- Does a great job powering all your basic daily appliances
- Easy to start up
- Easy to move around because of its sturdy tires
- Dual fuel generator that runs on either gasoline or propane
Cons
- Generator can be quite difficult to maintain
- Metallic frame will rust after several years of usage
2. DuroStar DS10000E Gas Powered Portable Generator
DuroStar DS10000E is all you need for powering your tiny house. It is the perfect power source as it serves efficiently during an outage of electricity. This generator is quite affordable and its durability is impressive.
Like other DuroStar generators, they provide you the power you need, professional support, and maintenance when in need.
The engine type is a 4-cyle air-cooled spark-Ignition and it is designed with a large tank to hold about 8.3 gallons of gasoline.
It comes with an idle down feature that helps when no or low load is required. The idle switch helps in reducing noise and gasoline consumption when the generator is running with little or no loads.
The DuroStar DS10000E can handle all the heavy electronics appliances in your tiny house. However, the proper connections of those electronics are key in helping the generator and the electronic appliances last quite well.
The generator permits the dissipation of maximum power from each of the 120volts receptacles. Although heavy and big, the study tires it has gives it the ability to be moved, though it may still be a challenge.
Pros
- Startup process experience is smooth and easy
- Runs up to 10 hours without refilling when being operated at half its load capacity
- Engine is approved and usable in all states
Cons
- Not the most portable and it’s quite heavy
- Sound isn’t loud but it can be disturbing after several hours
3. All Power America APGG10000C 10000 Watt Portable Generator
All Power America APGG10000C is a very powerful generator for your tiny house. It has a tough build and its anti-corrosion coating makes the metallic frame last even longer. It has a gasoline tank capacity of 8 gallons.
The power of the generator is very ideal for your tiny house as this can output power rated at 10,000 watts, 8,500 watts, and 7,500 watts. Its engine type and capacity are 15 HP 420cc OHV air-cooled engine and it is EPA Certified. This generator can also run up to 9-hours on half load.
The All-power America APGG10000C is a great generator overall, with an easy set up.
Pros
- Push-start ignition system makes it easy to power on
- Wheel is tough which makes it moveable
- Ideal for your tiny house as it dissipates power for all you need
Cons
- Operation is noisy
4. Pulsar G12KBN-SG Heavy Duty Portable Dual Fuel Generator
This list won’t be complete without the Pulsar G12KBN-SG Generator in it. It features a durable build and is easy to set up.
This generator is a powerful dual fuel generator and is one of the best dual-fuel generators you can get for your tiny home.
In further detail, it has a 4-stroke engine type, 457cc engine, and outputs 9,500 watts when fueled by gasoline or 8,550 running watts on LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).
It also features six outlets, four of which are regular for your home, then a twist and lock, and finally, a 120v/240/ 50A makes it just right for dissipating power to your tiny house appliances.
Pros
- Easy to set up for usage
- Works efficiently on both gasoline and LPG
- Dissipate enough power for your tiny house
- Easy to move and weighs less than other generators featured in this article
Cons
- Generator may produce a loud sound
5. Champion Power Equipment 100111 15,000/12,000-Watt Portable Generator
Champion Power Equipment 100111 is a powerful generator with a great design and a sturdy build. It’s a great choice for durability, power, and easy set up and start up.
This generator is beautifully designed even though it’s a big one for your tiny house, weighing about 330 pounds.
The power it dissipates is about 12,000 watts and the engine is a 4-stroke V-twin type with a noise level of 78 dBA from 23 feet.
The electric start makes it easier to start up and its life hook is designed for easy maneuverability.
This generator also features an intelli-gauge which notifies you and keeps you on track of the voltage and run-time so you can easily detect the power output. This makes maintenance easy and fast.
Pros
- Intelli-gauge makes it easy for maintenance and upkeep
- Easy to set up and start up
- Durable, powerful, and greatly designed
- Runs efficiently for nine hours after filling the gasoline tank
Cons
- Heavy and big for a tiny house
- Noisy during operation
Ultimate Buying Tips for Your Tiny House Generator
In addition to our top five best picks, we have outlined the following buying tips to ensure that you are picking the right portable generator for your needs.
Buy One with an Electric Start
The beauty of an electric start is that you can easily start the engine at the push of a button. This can come in handy when in the middle of the night or when you need electricity backup in an emergency. It’s not a make-or-break feature in tiny house generators but one that is worth considering.
Consider Standby Hours on a Full Gas/Propane Tank
You should pay a lot of attention to this feature, so you don’t end up overpaying for a portable generator that guzzles up your fuel source. What you need is something that efficiently maximizes the fuel to give you up to 7 to 15 hours of run time on a full tank, depending on the tank size. Ideally, a 4-gallon tank should run for at least 15 or more hours on a full tank.
Alternative Fuel Capacity
Flexibility is always a welcome choice when living off-grid in a tiny house. Tiny house generators with alternative fuel capacity, will come in handy when you cant get your hands on one of the fuel sources, either gas or propane.
Automatic Carbon Monoxide Shutoff
This safety feature helps to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. It is an inbuilt feature that automatically shuts the portable generator off when the CO levels are critically high. This feature is a must-have on any modern tiny house generator.
Buy One with Multiple Electrical Outlets
This feature is increasingly useful outdoors and off-grid. With multiple electrical outlets, you can spread the load to different units, like sheds, additional tiny houses, and more. With multiple outlets, you can also easily share the load more effectively. With this in mind, you should buy one with four or more outlets.
When you decide to pick up your tiny house generator, make sure you go through the buying tips we have highlighted here. The other features like low-oil shutoff and fuel gauge or indicators are increasingly common in today’s generators, so you shouldn’t have any problem there.
Conclusion
If you want to buy the best tiny house generator, then the information above is all you need to make the right choice.
Tiny house generators are convenient, portable, compact, and can meet all your off-grid power needs even in extremely cold climates. You no longer have a reason to second guess your buying decision.
Make sure you go through our additional tips to make the best possible choice that would fit your needs.
For more useful buying guides for other tiny house living, check out our other guides and similar articles.
