The best generators for a power outage in Canada

For most Canadian houses the Generac GP8000E COsense (49ST/CSA) is the generator to start from: enough power for most homes’ furnace, fridge and sump pump, a CO shut-off, a 240 V outlet for a proper transfer switch, and the only portable here sold in a configuration Generac lists for Canada. If you only need a fridge and lights, the small Westinghouse iGen2200c inverter is the budget pick.

A portable generator keeps a house going through the kind of outage an ice storm or windstorm leaves behind, as long as it is the right size, it runs outdoors well away from the house, and it connects safely. Those three things decided this list more than wattage alone. Every model here shuts itself off when carbon monoxide builds up around it. We favoured a 120/240 V twist-lock outlet that can feed a transfer switch. See every portable and inverter generator we track.

If you are still choosing between a portable generator, a power station or a standby system, the power outages page compares all four set-ups and who installs each.

Start with what must run

Before you compare models, write down what has to keep working: usually the furnace blower, the fridge and freezer, the sump pump, a well pump if you have one, and a few lights and chargers. Add the running watts from each nameplate, then allow for the extra surge a motor needs to start. That total, not the biggest number on the box, tells you which size to buy. Our generator load worksheet walks through it line by line.

Then decide how the power gets into the house. Appliances with a plug can run from heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords plugged straight into the generator. Anything wired in, like a furnace or a well pump, needs a transfer switch or an approved interlock fitted by a licensed electrician. Interlock or transfer switch explains the difference, and the transfer switches we track are listed separately.

Our picks at a glance

1. 1
   Best overall

   Generac GP8000E Portable Generator with COsense

   8,000 W with COsense, L14-30R and a CSA version for Canada

   • 8,000 W running
   • Gasoline
   • CO shutoff
2. 2
   Best budget

   Westinghouse iGen2200c Inverter Generator with CO Sensor

   Light 1,800 W inverter with CO shutdown for the basics

   • 1,800 W running
   • Gasoline
   • CO shutoff
   US retailers

   Out of stock

   Check price at Westinghouse Outdoor Power (opens in a new tab)
3. 3
   Best inverter

   Champion 4500W Electric Start Dual Fuel Inverter with CO Shield

   Quiet dual-fuel inverter, CO Shield, stated PGMA G300-2018

   • 3,500 W running
   • Gasoline or propane
   • CO shutoff
4. 4
   Best dual fuel

   Westinghouse WGen9500DFc Dual Fuel Generator with CO Sensor

   9,500 W dual fuel with CO sensor, L14-30R and 14-50R

   • 9,500 W running
   • Gasoline or propane
   • CO shutoff
   US retailers

   Out of stock

   Check price at Westinghouse Outdoor Power (opens in a new tab)
5. 5
   Best tri-fuel

   DuroMax XP13000HXT Tri-Fuel Portable Generator with CO Alert

   10,500 W on gas plus natural gas hookup, CO Alert, 5-yr warranty

   • 10,500 W running
   • Gasoline, propane or natural gas
   • CO shutoff
   US retailers

   $1,499–$2,199at DuroMax · prices may have changedWhen this price was checkedPrice checked 3 Nov 2026, 21:09 UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on DuroMax at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

   Check price at DuroMax (opens in a new tab)More retailers for the DuroMax XP13000HXT Tri-Fuel Portable Generator with CO Alert

Side by side

Best overall

1. Generac GP8000E COsense (49ST/CSA)

Running watts

8,000 W

Starting watts

10,000 W

Fuel

Gasoline

CO shutoff

Yes

Largest outlet

120/240 V 30 A (L14-30R)

Weight

198 lb

The GP8000E in its 49ST/CSA configuration (model G0077151) is the one portable on this list that Generac sells in a version for Canada. Its 8,000 running and 10,000 starting watts are enough for most homes to run a furnace blower, fridge, freezer and sump pump together (check yours with the worksheet), and the 120/240 V L14-30R twist-lock is the outlet a transfer switch or inlet expects. COsense stops the engine when carbon monoxide builds up, electric start comes with a battery and a recoil backup, and Generac’s brochure gives about 10 hours at half load on the 7.9-gallon tank. The trade-offs: it runs on gasoline only, so fuel has to be stored and rotated; at 198 lb it is a wheel-it-out machine; and Generac publishes no noise figure for it.

Best budget

2. Westinghouse iGen2200c

Running watts

1,800 W

Starting watts

2,200 W

Fuel

Gasoline

CO shutoff

Yes

Largest outlet

120 V 20 A only

Runtime at 25% load

12 h

The iGen2200c is the smallest generator we would buy for an outage: 1,800 running and 2,200 starting watts from an inverter that Westinghouse rates at 52 dBA, with a CO sensor that shuts it down. At 47.4 lb you can carry it, and Westinghouse quotes up to 12 hours at a quarter load on its small tank. That is enough for a fridge, a few lights, a modem and phone chargers on cords. It is not enough for a furnace circuit, a well pump or anything on 240 V, and it has no 30 A outlet, so it cannot feed a home transfer switch. Two can run in parallel with Westinghouse’s cord. Westinghouse states no Canadian safety mark for it and we could not confirm a Canadian seller, so buyers in Canada should check the label before paying.

Where to buy

US retailers

Westinghouse Outdoor PowerPrice on the retailer’s site

Out of stock at this retailer

Check price at Westinghouse Outdoor Power (opens in a new tab)

Best inverter

3. Champion 201319 4500W dual fuel inverter

Running watts

3,500 W

Starting watts

4,500 W

Fuel

Gasoline or propane

CO shutoff

Yes

Largest outlet

120 V 30 A (TT-30R)

Runtime at 25% load

14 h

The Champion 201319 is the quiet middle ground: 3,500 running watts on gasoline or 3,150 on propane, 4,500 starting watts on either, at a stated 61 dB(A). Its CO Shield shuts the engine off when CO builds up, and it is the only portable here whose maker states it meets the ANSI/PGMA G300-2018 safety standard. Propane is the reason to choose it for outages: a cylinder doesn’t go stale like stored gasoline, and Champion quotes up to 21 hours at a quarter load on a 20 lb tank. Inverter output also suits furnaces with electronic controls, which some owners report run poorly on open-frame generators. The catch is 120 V only: its biggest outlet is a TT-30R, so it can’t run 240 V loads, and Champion’s manual calls for a listed transfer switch, fitted by a licensed electrician, for any connection to the house. Canadian sale and a Canadian mark are unconfirmed.

Best dual fuel

4. Westinghouse WGen9500DFc

Running watts

9,500 W

Starting watts

12,500 W

Fuel

Gasoline or propane

CO shutoff

Yes

Largest outlet

120/240 V 50 A (14-50R)

Runtime at 25% load

12 h

The WGen9500DFc is for bigger houses that want more of the house running and propane as the stored fuel. Westinghouse rates it at 9,500 running and 12,500 peak watts on gasoline, 8,500 and 11,200 on propane, with a CO sensor and low-oil shutdown. It has both an L14-30R and a 14-50R, so an electrician has options for the transfer switch, and a key fob starts it from inside the house. It is loud, at a stated 74 dBA, and heavy, at 227 lb shipping weight. The manual asks for no more than half load during the first five hours and rules out E15 and E85 fuel. As with the iGen2200c, Westinghouse states no Canadian safety mark and we could not confirm a Canadian seller of this exact model; it was also out of stock at the US store when we checked.

Where to buy

US retailers

Westinghouse Outdoor PowerPrice on the retailer’s site

Out of stock at this retailer

Check price at Westinghouse Outdoor Power (opens in a new tab)

Best tri-fuel

5. DuroMax XP13000HXT

Running watts

10,500 W

Starting watts

13,000 W

Fuel

Gasoline, propane or natural gas

CO shutoff

Yes

Largest outlet

120/240 V 50 A (14-50R)

Runtime at 25% load

17 h

The XP13000HXT is the most powerful generator here and the only one that can run on natural gas from a home line, which removes refuelling from a long ice-storm outage. DuroMax rates it at 10,500 running watts on gasoline, 10,000 on propane and 9,000 on natural gas, and includes a 15 ft gas hose. The gas connection still needs a licensed gas fitter, and DuroMax says the supply must deliver 6 to 9 inches of water column at the generator. Its CO Alert stops the engine and blocks a restart for five minutes, and DuroMax gives it a five-year warranty. It is a big machine, at 246 lb and a stated 74 dB, and it ships with a bonded neutral; DuroMax publishes steps for removing the bond, so ask your electrician whether your transfer switch setup needs that. It was on pre-order when prices were checked, and we found only US sellers.

Where to buy

US retailers

$1,499–$2,199at DuroMax · prices may have changedWhen this price was checkedPrice checked 3 Nov 2026, 21:09 UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on DuroMax at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

Check price at DuroMax (opens in a new tab)

Also at

• Global IndustrialCheck price (opens in a new tab)

How to choose a generator for a power outage

• Size it from your list. Fridge, lights and chargers fit a small inverter. Add a furnace blower and a sump pump and you are into mid-size territory. A well pump, or most of a house, needs a large 120/240 V unit. Do the sum in the load worksheet before you shop.
• Buy a CO shut-off. The CPSC advises choosing a generator that shuts off when carbon monoxide builds up. It is a backstop, not permission to run one near the house, and you still need CO alarms inside.
• Plan the connection. For a furnace or well pump you need a 120/240 V L14-30R (or 14-50R) outlet and a transfer switch or interlock fitted by a licensed electrician. Most places also need a permit or a notice to your utility, and rules differ by province: our hookup guide lists them.
• Think about fuel in an ice storm. Gas stations lose power too. Propane keeps; gasoline needs stabiliser and rotation, and Generac advises draining it for storage longer than 30 days. Natural gas removes refuelling but needs a gas fitter.
• Check the Canadian mark. Look for a CSA or cUL mark on the unit’s label. Of the five here, only the Generac is sold in a configuration its maker lists for Canada.

What each budget buys. These bands are rough and in US dollars; Canadian prices usually run higher. Under about $1,000 buys a small inverter for the fridge and lights, or a basic 8,000 W gasoline open-frame unit. About $1,000 to $2,500 buys large dual-fuel or tri-fuel units with 50 A outlets. Above that you are looking at a battery system or a home standby generator, which also needs professional installation.

Want no fuel and no fumes at all? A battery power station runs quietly but holds far less energy than a tank of fuel: see power station vs generator and the power stations we track.

How we chose these

1. Started from what matters in an outage: running and starting watts, CO shut-off, a 240 V outlet for a transfer switch, fuel, and a Canadian configuration.
2. Compared the makers’ published specs, manuals and warranties for the portable generators with CO shut-off we track, not marketing claims.
3. Checked the CPSC recall list, Health Canada, Get Prepared and CPSC safety guidance, and prices at the retailers that let us read their pages, with the date we checked.
4. Revisit the list when prices move, a recall is announced or a model is replaced.

What we don’t do: lab-test or run these generators. We have not measured noise or runtime ourselves; the figures are the makers’. Owner reviews for these exact CO shut-off models were too few to summarise yet.

Our full method

Generator questions

Will my furnace run on a generator?

Usually, if the generator is big enough and the furnace is connected properly. A hardwired furnace needs a transfer switch or interlock fitted by an electrician, not a cord. Some owners report that high-efficiency furnaces with electronic controls ran poorly on open-frame generators but fine on an inverter, so check your furnace maker’s guidance before you choose.

Can I plug my generator into a wall outlet if I turn off the main breaker?

No. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet, use a male-to-male cord or connect it to the panel yourself: it can energise the lines outside, kill a line worker and start a fire. Run cords to plugged-in appliances, or have a licensed electrician fit a transfer switch or interlock. Interlock vs transfer switch covers the provincial and US rules.

Is the Generac GP8000E recalled?

Some are. CPSC recall 26-407 covers GP8000E models G0077150, G0076754 and G0081540 in a serial range, sold May 2025 to February 2026, for carburetor fuel leaks; the fix is a free dealer repair. The 49ST/CSA model we recommend, G0077151, is not listed. Check the label on any unit you buy or own.

What do I do with the gasoline between outages?

Generac says fuel starts to degrade in about a month, so add stabiliser when you fill up, and drain the tank and run the carburetor dry before storing a generator for more than 30 days. A dual-fuel or tri-fuel model avoids the problem by running on propane or natural gas instead.