The best generator

Honda EU2200i

"The quietest, lightest, and most powerful 2,200-watt generator we tested is easy to start, and the Bluetooth app makes monitoring its power output simple.

Buy from Lowe's

May be out of stock

$1,100 from Home Depot

May be out of stock

*At the time of publishing, the price was $1,100.

After we tested four generators in the 2,200-watt range, it was clear to us that the Honda EU2200i was the best. The Honda was the quietest, lightest, and most powerful generator we looked at—it even exceeded its listed capabilities and powered appliances and tools that caused the other generators to overload. Its distinguishing feature is its high-quality Honda engine, which is significantly larger than other generators we tested. Starting a gas engine can be frustrating, and that alone could keep someone from buying a generator, but the EU2200i was the only model we tested that started on the first pull of the cord every single time we used it. In addition, you can easily monitor the Honda’s power output through a Bluetooth-connected app, so during a storm you can manage (and maximize) the generator’s operation from the cozy confines of your home. This is a relatively new feature that not many generators have. Like all of our picks, the EU2200i also has an onboard carbon monoxide detector that shuts the generator down if a concentration of the deadly gas gets too high, which can happen if the generator is running in an enclosed area. (And that’s why you should never run one of these indoors or even in your garage with the doors open.)

Honda generators have an excellent reputation and recognition in the industry as the gold standard, but the hitch is that this quality comes at a cost. The EU2200i is typically priced over $1,000, about $400 more than other gas options. But if we were riding out a storm-related outage or powering a coffee maker on a camping trip, this is the machine we’d rely on."