Spending time outdoors, such as camping trips, is something that we all need from time to time, if only to get away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday life, even for just a little while.
However, there are certain things most of us cannot do without that requires power. A portable camping generator can provide us just what we need to indulge a few creature comforts when we are outdoors.
Generators nowadays are no longer reserved just for emergencies. Besides camping and other outdoor situations, they can also be used in home-on-wheels scenarios.
Camping Generator
In this article...
Come with us as we review 5 of the top camping generators available today.
Top 5 Best Camping Generator
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240, 240Wh Backup Lithium Battery, 110V/200W Pure Sine Wave AC Outlet, Solar Generator (Solar Panel Not Included) for Outdoors Camping Travel Hunting Emergency | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
 | WEN 56203i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator w/Fuel Shut Off, CARB Compliant, Ultra Lightweight | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
Top | WEN 56200i 2000-Watt Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator, CARB Compliant | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
 | A-iPower SUA2000iV 2000 Watt Portable Inverter Generator Gas Powered, Small with Super Quiet Operation for Home, RV, or Emergency | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon | |
 | WAWUI Portable Power Station, Solar Generator with Solar Panel & Flashlights for Home Emergency Backup Power, Camping Lights with Battery, USB DC Outlets, for Travelling Fishing Hunting (42Wh) | PrimeEligible | Buy on Amazon |
Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240
- Included in the Best Portable Power Station for use in the outdoors by Digital Trends.
- MULTIFUNCTIONAL OUTPUTS: Jackery Explorer 240 is equipped with a 240 watt-hour (16.8Ah, 14.4V) lithium-ion battery pack. It features 1* AC outlet (110V 200W 400W Peak), 2* USB-A ports and 1* DC car port to power many equipments such as phone, laptop, light, fan, mini cooler and so on with pure sine wave inverter.
- ENTRY-LEVEL EXPLORER 240 FOR OUTDOOR SCENES: Jackery Portable power station with solid handle, easy to carry and easy to operate wherever you go. A solid portable power can power your iPhone, laptop and camping light up, when you enjoying weekend camping or working from home.
- GREEN SOLAR GENERATOR:Jackery Explorer 240 with built-in MPPT controller that can get the maximum recharging efficiency can easily get recharged with the efficient solar panel, Solar Saga 60W (sold separately) to provide eco-friendly clean power.There are other flexible recharging ways with wall outlet, car outlet and generator.
- WHAT YOU GET: You will receive 1* Jackery Entry-level Explorer 240 (240Wh Portable Power Station), 1*AC adapter, 1* car charger cable, 1* user guide,2 year customer service.For a better customer experience, we will optimize the product from time to time.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240 is a perfect entry-level backup power supply for outdoor and home use.
It measures 5.19” x 9.05” x 7.67”, and weighs 3.1 kgs.
Its 240-watt-hour lithium battery provides a 200-wattage output that allows you to power your lights, phone, laptop, tablet, and drone.
It is equipped with a pure sine wave AC with 110V, 200W, 400W peak, 2 USB-A ports, and a 12V DC carport.
It features an LCD screen smart display that shows input and output power and battery charge level.
Probably the Explorer’s best feature is its 3-way recharging. You can recharge it using the 60W Solar Saga solar panel that charges it from 0 to 80% in 5 ½ hours, via a wall outlet from 0 to 80% in 5 ½ hours, or by your car outlet from 0 to 80% in 5 hours.
The amazing features plus its reasonable price makes this generator a great investment. The only drawback is that the solar panel does not come with this package, you have to buy it separately.
Many users, however, were more than happy to add the solar panel to their purchase of the Explorer 240 as it gave them an eco-friendly way of charging their generator.
WEN 56203i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator
- Ultralight body weighs in at a mere 39 pounds for easy transport and storage
- Extremely quiet operation comparable to the sound of a normal conversation according to the US Department of Health and Human Services
- Produces 2000 surge watts and 1700 rated watts of clean power for safe charging of sensitive electronics (phones, tablets, televisions, computers, etc.)
- Fuel shutoff maximizes the generator’s lifespan by using up the remaining fuel in the carburetor before shutting down
- Includes two three-prong 120V receptacles, one 12V DC receptacle, two 5V USB ports, and a two-year warranty
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The WEN 56203i Super Quiet 2000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator is an excellent generator for both residential and outdoor use if you want peace and quiet.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, its operating noise is similar to the sounds generated during a normal conversation.
Although, just because it is quiet doesn’t mean it is not powerful. The 79cc 4-stroke OHV engine operates at an amazingly quiet 51 decibels but provides 2000 surge watts and 1700 rated watts of clean safe power to charge your sensitive electronics such as phones, laptops, tablets, televisions, and more.
It measures 7.3″ x 11.5″ x 17.7″, and weighs a mere 39 lbs., ultra-lightweight, and compact for extreme portability and easy storage.
Its 1-gallon tank provides over 7 hours of power at half-load.
It boasts of a fuel shutoff feature that can extend the lifespan of the generator by using up any remaining fuel before closing itself down. This feature prevents blockages in any part of the generator thus requiring little maintenance.
It also has an eco-mode feature that enables the motor to adjust fuel consumption automatically to prevent unnecessary fuel usage and save you money.
WEN 56200i 2000-Watt Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator
- Dimensions: 18 x 11 x 18 | Weight: 48 lbs
- Noise Level: 53 dB operation
- EPA III and CARB Compliant 79.7 cc 4-stroke OHV engine produces 2000 surge watts and 1600 rated watts
- Great for campgrounds, construction sites, tailgates and power outages
- Produces clean power to safely operate and prevent damage to sensitive electronics such as phones, tablets, televisions and computers
- Includes two three-prong 120V receptacles, one 12V DC receptacle and one 5V USB port
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The WEN 56200i 2000-Watt Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator is a bigger and heavier version of the WEN 56203i.
It measures 18” x 11” x 18”, and weighs 48 lbs. It also operates at a higher 53 decibels of noise level.
Although bigger and heavier than the WEN 56203i, it is still designed to be as compact and lightweight compared to other brands of the same price. The carrying handle makes it easy to transport wherever you go.
It also features a 79.7 cc 4-stroke OHV engine that provides 2000 surge watts and 1600 rated watts of clean, non-invasive power to sensitive equipment such as phones, tablets computers, televisions, and more.
Its EPA III and CARB-compliant engine is designed to reduce total harmonic distortion to under 0.3% at no load and under 1.2% at full load for safe and efficient power generation.
Its 1-gallon fuel tank produces 9.4 hours of power at a quarter load.
This package included are 2 three-prong 120V receptacles, a 5V USB port, and a 12V DC receptacle.
WEN backs this inverter generator with a 2-year warranty, a network of skilled service technicians across the USA, and a friendly customer service helpline.
A-iPower SUA2000iV 2000 Watt Portable Inverter Generator
- Produces 2,000 starting watts with 1,600 running watts of clean and safe power for sensitive electronics such as phones, televisions, laptops, and other electronics
- Complete with A-iPower’s “Low idle” technology for an extended run time of 4 hours at 100% load and 7 hours at 50% load
- Equipped with a low oil alert light and low oil automatic shutdown, helping keep your generator performing year after year
- Powerful 79cc OHV 4-Stroke engine provides an abundant power supply yet runs at a super quiet operation of only 52 decibels
- Light weight and compact at only 48 pounds, making your tailgate or camping experience as smooth as possible
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The A-iPower SUA2000iV 2000 Watt Portable Inverter Generator is an ideal choice for camping, RVing. Tailgating, and a host of other outdoor activities.
It measures 22” x 13” x 20”, and weighs 46 lbs. It has a 4-stroke 79-cc engine that can produce 2000 watts of starting power and 1600 watts of running power that is safe for sensitive electronics such as phones, computers, laptops, tablets, and the like.
Its noise level is at a mere 58 decibels, providing quiet and pure sine wave power from its inverter technology. It has a built-in fuel gauge so you can check when fuel is low.
It has a 1.1-gallon fuel tank that provides 4 hours of power on full load or 7 hours on half load. A-iPower has equipped this generator with its Low Idle technology which adjusts fuel consumption to give you up to 9 hours of power at half load.
The SUA2000iV is designed with parallel capability. Using parallel cables, 2 generators can be joined together to give you double the power. No need to buy an expensive parallel kit, although parallel cables do not come with this package and need to be bought separately.
WAWUI Portable Power Station
- ✹Portable Solar Power Bank-perfect emergency power backup✹Solar Powered Generator, perfect emergency power backup for home, travel, camping. Small Basic Solar Generator Kit, rechargeable & replaceable battery solar generator system, storage solar generator power to battery with solar panel and supply power to LED light and mobile phone.
- ✹Meet Continuous Lighting Needs✹The Generator With its own lights of 2 levels and 3 extra bright white LED bulbs, ideal to bring you lightness with low power consumption, more durable to use, constant current IC driver, good stability, brightness always maintained above 100LM.
- ✹Multiple-occasions Used Portable Solar Lighting System✹Portable solar powered generator, widely applicable to camping, hiking, fishing, expedition, hunting, outdoor activities and home as emergency power supply. Small basic generator kit, comes with a handle, easy to carry; the most suitable for a variety of outdoor leisure, field work.
- ✹Integrated packing Portable Energy Storage Lighting✹Mini size Energy station, with solar panel, battery and light bulbs, convenient to carry, Compact design, easy installation. Anti-dust, DC& USB output, safe and reliable. Integrated packing, easy transportation.
- ✹Worry-Free Solar Electric Generator✹ This solar power generator is reliable, Using LiFePO4 battery, the life span is more than 12 yearsbattery. We offer 60-Day FULL REFUND service and 12-Month Product Service. ☛JUST BUY WITH CONFIDENC
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The WAWUI Portable Power Station is a solar-powered generator with solar panels and flashlights that is excellent for home emergencies, camping, fishing, traveling, hunting, and more.
It measures 6.3” x 4.2” x 6.9”, and weighs 3.69 pounds. Its integrated design makes it compact and lightweight for easy transport and storage.
It is equipped with a 42watt-hour LiFePO4 battery that has a lifespan of over 12 years.
You can recharge this generator by its blue crystal solar panel, or through a USB charging cable for either a car or wall charger. Unfortunately, the car charger port is not included in the package. The solar panel measures 6.9” x 7.7” with a 5V/5W configuration.
What’s amazing with this unit is the built-in lamp that can provide lighting for more than 16 hours at level 1 or equal to 1 6W LED light while providing lighting for more than 32 hours at level 2 or equal to 1 12W LED light.
There’s more! It also has 3 external lamps equipped with 3 6W LED Bulbs that can run independently. If using 1 bulb, it can work for 20 hours, if 2 bulbs, 10 hours, and if 3 bulbs, 7 hours.
Things to Remember When Buying A Camping Generator
Several factors need to be considered when you want to buy a portable generator. The length of use, portability, ease of use, and your budget are major considerations.
One important issue we think merits thorough research is the fuel source. Gasoline, diesel, or propane generators are some of the most common and most affordable.
Battery-powered generators are more expensive, but many of them can be recharged via solar energy, making them more eco-friendly and more advantageous in the long run.
