Portable Generators, Decoded
Generator Decoded exists to fix two specific confusions the marketing never explains: generators are sold on peak/surge watts, not the running watts that actually limit what you can power all day — and published noise (dB) ratings are measured at wildly inconsistent, often unstated distances, making side-by-side comparisons meaningless. We don't publish prices or star ratings, every pick names an honest drawback, and every fact is sourced.
Every generator's box says "10,000 Starting Watts!" in huge type and buries the running-watt number in the fine print — because a fridge, well pump, or window AC needs 2-4x its steady draw just to switch on. Our Startup Watt Index puts real running-vs-starting numbers next to the appliances people actually try to power. And when it comes to noise, our Generator Noise Normalization Index normalizes every dB(A) claim we could verify to one common 23 ft distance — and flags the models where no test distance is published at all, which is most of them.
Portable Inverter Generators
Clean sine-wave power for electronics, with the noise spec that's actually verifiable — and the ones where it isn't.
6 picks →
Dual-Fuel Generators
Gasoline or propane, sized to start a fridge plus one more motor load — check the propane de-rate before you buy.
3 picks →
Home Backup / High-Output
Enough continuous wattage for a transfer switch and several circuits — always installed by a licensed electrician.
3 picks →
The claims worth decoding first
How we work
We're a research-based site: we compile manufacturer specifications, published generator-sizing references, and documented engineering methods (like the LRA formula for AC compressors and the inverse-square law for sound) rather than physically load-testing every generator ourselves. We explain tradeoffs plainly, always name a downside, and never claim to have tested a unit we haven't. Read our full methodology →