What I Wish I Knew Before Buying My First Generator
When we bought our first generator, I thought it’d be plug and play. Turns out, there’s a lot more to it than pouring in some gas and flipping a switch. If I had known what I know now, we’d have saved money, avoided a few power hiccups, and bought a better fit for our actual needs.
Wattage Isn’t Everything
More watts doesn’t always mean better.
You need to figure out what you’re actually running—fridge, freezer, lights, well pump—and buy a generator that covers those loads without going way overboard.
Some Things Can’t Plug Straight In
A lot of appliances need clean sine wave power to run properly.
If you’re using a cheaper generator, it might not be “safe” for sensitive electronics like laptops or newer fridges. We didn’t realize this until one of ours started glitching.
Transfer Switches Make Life Easier
Backfeeding through an extension cord is dangerous and illegal in a lot of places.
Installing a transfer switch makes flipping over to backup power safer, cleaner, and faster. It’s worth hiring an electrician.
Fuel Storage Is a Whole Thing
Generators burn through gas faster than you’d think.
We had to learn how to safely store and rotate fuel, especially during hot months. And don’t forget stabilizer if you’re storing it more than a month or two.
Maintenance Matters
Letting your generator sit for months without running it is a recipe for trouble.
Now we run ours every few weeks and change the oil regularly. It’s not hard, but it does take a little discipline.
It’s Louder Than You Think
Our first generator sounded like a lawnmower on steroids.
If it’s going near your house or your animals, consider a quieter model or building a sound-dampening box for it.
Solar Generators Have Limits
We tried a solar backup setup too—and while it’s fine for lights and charging phones, it won’t run your well pump or fridge.
Know what you’re getting into if you go that route.
Don’t Skip the Manual Start Practice
Electric start is nice until the battery dies.
I make sure we know how to pull-start it cold, because when the lights go out, you don’t want to be guessing.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
