POWER ARRANGERS

WHEN YOU WANNA BE STARTIN' SOMETHING

- GLENN HANSEN

Generators are becoming must-have tools for homeowners, whether for emergency backup or portable electricity. While shopping, you'll see a growing category of power packs that are versatile, affordable and easy to use. But they're not all the same, and finding the right one will require you to answer a few questions.

What can they do? Where will you use one? What will you plug in? How much should you spend? We looked at a few options and tested one on a job site to help you choose the right generator for your needs.

GENERATOR OR POWER STATION?

They all get called "generators," but that's not accurate. A generator uses a gas or diesel engine to make electricity. And noise. More power means more noise-that's fine on a work site but less so when you're camping or at home.

Then you have power inverter-sportable tools that convert direct current (DC) from lithium-ion batteries into alternating current (AC). You recharge these tools-they don't generate power, they store it-by plugging them into a wall outlet, a solar panel or even your truck's DC outlet. The recharge time can be hours.

TESTED

We took a GoalZero Yeti 1500X power station on a two-week backyard build. We had access to one wall outlet on the site, but with many battery chargers, a plug-in table saw and miter saw, our lighting equipment, plus cell phones and laptops, that single outlet couldn't do it all. Throughout the build we would plug in the Goal Zero at night to recharge, then unplug it during the day so it could be our power source for battery chargers, tools and phones. Charging cell phones is a nice convenience, especially with the USB outlets, but it's not much of a test of this unit's power.