Use-case guide · 2026
'I want the whole house to just work' has two honest answers: an automatic standby generator (the complete solution, at a complete-solution price) or a big portable with a 50A connection (most of the capability at a third of the cost, with you as the starting mechanism). Here's how to choose between them.
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Running watts
10,000–24,000W depending on home size and AC
Starting surge
Central AC compressor start is the defining surge
Adding more appliances? Run your full load through the sizing calculator →
Whole home, 10-second automatic transfer, runs on the gas line indefinitely, monitored from your phone. Budget the install honestly ($10K+ all-in) and outages simply stop being events.
$6,875.10on Amazon
Price as of Sep 22, 10:38 PM ET — subject to change.
With load management it covers everything a typical home notices — including one AC — for thousands less installed. The best automatic-backup value for most houses.
~$5,399 typical price
Buy on Amazon
Paired with a 50A HomeLink transfer switch, it feeds your whole panel (you manage the big loads) for under $2,000 total — 80% of the standby experience at 20% of the price, if you're home to start it.
$999on Amazon
Price as of Sep 22, 10:38 PM ET — subject to change.
Hooked to your natural gas line via a plumber-installed quick-connect, it runs as long as the outage does — the standby generator's killer feature, minus the $10K install. Remote start from the porch; you still flip the transfer switch.
$1,499on Amazon
Price as of Sep 22, 10:38 PM ET — subject to change.
Standby if outages are frequent, multi-day, or happen when nobody's home — and the ~$10K+ installed budget works. Big portable + 50A transfer switch if you're usually home, outages are occasional, and $2,000 sounds better than $10,000.
Most homes with one 3–4 ton AC land at 14–24kW for run-everything capability, or 9,500–12,500W portable class with load management. A proper load calculation — not square footage guesses — should make the call.