Walmart's 5 Portable Camping Generators Reviewers Rave About

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Walmart sells a plethora of gear that can level up your next camping trip, from portable camping stoves to yurt-style glamping tents with built-in lights. But many modern camping accessories need some kind of power, and you can't always count on having an electrical hookup convenient to your campsite. A portable generator is often the solution to this problem — and, as luck would have it, you can get those from Walmart, too.

Portable generators come in a range of sizes, styles, and capacities. Choosing the right one really comes down to your electricity needs and the type of camping you tend to do. If you just need to charge your phone and power a few lights or a fan, you'll likely only need around 800 watts or less. Buying a lighter, more portable generator will provide that in the most convenient package. On the other hand, if you're living a full-time RV or van life for months at a stretch, a more powerful model with at least 1,500 to 2,000 running watts will let you run multiple appliances, including things like air-conditioners or space heaters, so you can stay comfortable on the road. We've compiled a list of five generators that cover the full power spectrum, based on high online ratings and recommendations from real customers.

With a perfect five-star rating from Walmart customers, this Konner & Sohnen generator is at the top of the stack from a review standpoint. Buyers especially praise its straightforward setup and how easy it is to start and use. Other reviewers were impressed by its quiet operation, with reviewer George Evans noting, "The sound-dampening housing really works. It's not silent, of course, but it's definitely lower than the open-frame models my buddies have." It gets similar praise on Amazon, where it has an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 140 reviewers who describe it as "compact, versatile, and practical" and say they're "really impressed by its performance and quality," noting that it's ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.

The KS 2000iHS has a dual-fuel system that can run on propane or gasoline. One Amazon reviewer did note that it runs a bit better using gas, especially when you're using ECO Mode, though they also said it started smoothly with both fuel types. That ECO Mode option is a great feature for camping, lowering fuel consumption by as much as 50% so you can power more with less gas. It's also relatively lightweight at just under 42 pounds with a top-mounted handle for easy carrying. Since it generates pure sine wave power, it can be used to run electronics like laptops, and also produces enough power (1,800 running watts) to run appliances like mini-fridges, camping stoves, or portable heaters. While it's available from multiple online retailers, Walmart offers the best value. As of this writing, it sells for $449 through Walmart's website, $200 less than the $649 you'll pay on the Konner & Sohnen online store.

Walmart sells a lot of supplies for camping on the cheap, like its budget-friendly 12-person camping tent for family adventures. You can add the Westinghouse WGen3600 to that list of Walmart's helpful camping accessories that won't drain your bank account. It has a suggested retail price of $529 but sells for just $349 on Walmart.com, making it an affordable way to power your next outdoor adventure.

The WGen3600 produces 3,600 running watts and has a 4-gallon fuel tank that gives it a run time of up to 14 hours. It also lets you plug in more stuff than many portable generators, with a TT-30R outlet for campers or RVs and an L5-30R outlet for heavy-duty equipment in addition to two standard AC outlets. The flip side of that power is that it's on the heavier side, weighing 105 pounds with an empty tank. Its frame has built-in wheels and a handle that make it easier to move around, but if you have any kind of hike to reach your campsite, you might want to go with a lighter generator.

As far as reviews go, It has an average 4.8-star rating from over 4,800 Walmart customers, who note its excellent value and report it's very easy to use. The aptly named reviewer HappyCamper3 wrote, "Easy start up, clear instructions, very quiet for a generator with this much power. Good size for camping or emergency use." It gets similar praise from Lowes customers, who give it an overall 4.7-star rating. Reviewer Ramfan did report an issue with the included frame, with one wheel axle that was too short, but the generator itself started on the first attempt, something other reviewers noted along with the unit's dependability and quiet operation.

Power-to-weight ratio is an important factor for camping generators. You want a unit that produces enough power for your tools or devices but is compact enough that it won't be a struggle to get it to your campsite. The Senix GN4QL-L1 hits the sweet spot, producing 900 running watts with a pre-fuel weight just under 25 pounds. While that's still on the heavier side for treks like Vermont's Long Trail, the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America, it's one of the lightest gas-powered generators you're likely to find. It's affordable, too, selling for $379.99 on Walmart.com when this article was written.

This Senix generator has two AC outlets as well as a USB output and a 12-volt DC port. It's ideal for charging electronics or powering small appliances like mini-fridges or coffee makers, and it has a pure sine wave inverter so it's safe for sensitive devices. It has an overall 4.9-star rating on Walmart, with no reviews lower than four stars (as of this writing), which is a good indication of its consistency. Reviewer Colby Wittwer even tested it at high altitude and it functioned well between 5,000 and 7,000 feet with some slight instability in the engine speed, though they called it a "great little generator" overall, saying, "It starts easy and is fairly quiet. Power output is good and runs a decent time on a tank of fuel."

If you're escaping the city noise at a quiet campground like Putnam Pond in the Adirondacks, you don't want engine noise from your generator to ruin it. With this ultra-quiet Efurden portable generator, you don't need to sacrifice power output for unobtrusive operation. It produces 4,000 watts of running power, which is enough to run electric drills or similar power tools, and can keep a full-sized refrigerator going for 10 hours. Even at full capacity, it only produces about 66 decibels of noise, which is around the same level as a typical office environment or normal conversation. It gets consistent five-star ratings on Walmart, and written reviews praise its quiet operation. Similarly, the 170 reviews on the Efurden product page are all five stars, too, and reviewer Neumann Baker wrote, "The noise level is so low that I sometimes have to check if it's still running. It's perfect for camping sites where noise restrictions are in place."

As you might imagine for that high power output, the 4800-watt version of this Efurden generator is on the hefty side. It weighs 88 pounds pre-fuel so while it does have a built-in handle and wheels, it's best for drive-up campsites. If you don't need quite that much power, Efurden also sells a smaller 2500-watt version that's about half the price and only weighs 39 pounds. On the Walmart website, the 4800-watt version usually sells for $899.99 (though it was on sale for $529.99 at the time of writing, so you might be able to find it cheaper if your timing's right). Both versions have five output ports (DC, USB, type-C, and two AC outlets) and an eco mode to conserve fuel when you don't need tons of power.

If you're planning an extended, fully off-grid stay in a spot like Washington's scenic and sparsely populated Okanogan County, or a cross-country road trip to visit America's best lesser-known RV destinations, a more souped-up, heavy-duty generator can be a smart investment. The Westinghouse WGen20000TFc generates up to 20,000 running watts and can run for up to 13 hours on a full tank at 25% load. As a tri-fuel model, it can run on gasoline, propane, or natural gas, and can power more things simultaneously than most generators, with four AC outlets along with 14-50R, L5-30R, and L14-30R ports. Add in handy features like the option of push-button or remote starts and it's easy to see why it's such a popular choice, with an average 4.8-star rating on Walmart from almost 30,000 reviewers. It gets similarly high praise on sites like Home Depot, where it averages 4.7 stars and 95% of customers would recommend it. Several customers mention they bought it for RVs or campers, though many also say it's strong enough to power an entire house.

From a portability standpoint, the wheeled frame keeps this generator fairly mobile for its size, but it is large — over 550 pounds and more than 40 inches tall. It's also the most expensive option on the list, selling for $3,899 from Walmart at the time of writing. But for long-term RV users who want reliable access to power wherever they roam, this Westinghouse generator is highly recommended.

To narrow down our list, we looked at the portable generators available at Walmart that have an average customer rating of 4.8 stars or higher (note that the Walmart website may factor in reviews from other websites in its average customer rating). The next step was to check other online listings like Home Depot, Lowes, Amazon, and the manufacturers' websites to verify that the generators received similarly high ratings across retailers where they're sold.

Once we had this short list of generators with consistently high ratings, the next step was to identify the ones best suited for camping. This meant considering factors like durability, longevity, and suitability for outdoor use, as well as weight, size, and overall mobility. Safety is also important in any camping gear, so we looked for generators with features like overload protection, voltage regulation, and CO2 sensors. Finally, we considered the functionality and versatility of the generators, looking at factors like the fuel options and number and variety of outlets. Taking all of these factors together, we identified the best generators across a range of power levels and price points to finalize this list.