Whether you’re partying it up for the first game of the season or braving the elements for your favorite team in the winter as it competes for a championship, nothing beats a good tailgate. But to elevate a tailgate event to the next level, it pays to have a good portable source of energy that can be used to power a grill, a TV or even a fridge. On the other hand, it’s hard to find a solid gas-powered generator that doesn’t generate a deafening noise when in operation — or choke the air with CO2.
We recommend PowerSmart’s 2500-Watt Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator as a solution to your power needs. And it’s not just for tailgating — this lightweight, portable and quiet generator is perfect for camping as well as gearing up for power outages or other home emergencies. And we’ve gotten plenty of use from it as an essential part of our pregame festivities!
PowerSmart 2500-Watt Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator, $389.90
First, the specifics: The PowerSmart is a 2,500-watt gas-powered generator that operates on a 4-strike 80cc engine. That’ll get you an 11-hour run time at 25% load — enough to last you an entire day at the stadium — and a wattage of 1,900 watts for continuous use, which is more than enough to power items such as TVs, fans, laptops and grills. It’s clean power, too, rated at less than 3% Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), which makes it suitable for electronic equipment like phones and tablets.
A single panel on the side of the PowerSmart generator has all the controls and inputs you need, including the choke, two AC outlets, one DC outlet (which is handy for mini-fridges that have a 12-volt plug) and two USB ports. At just about the size of a typical gas container and weighing 40 pounds (much lighter than typical generators in this power class), the PowerSmart is easy to carry and store in your trunk, and its polymer surface is built to withstand the usual bumps and jostles. To use the generator, just make sure you have enough oil, add gas, turn the choke switch on, give the pull cord a good tug and you’re in business.
The PowerSmart Portable Inverter Generator is our pick for multiple reasons. One feature we appreciate is its eco mode, which increases or decreases the engine speed to accommodate whatever you have plugged in and cuts down on noise and gas usage. Speaking of noise, even at full power this generator only produces around 56 decibels of noise, which is way quieter than most gas-powered generators we’ve come across. And if the generator runs low on oil, starts producing too much carbon dioxide or has a power overload, it shuts itself off automatically.
Add up all the above and you get an efficient, reliable portable generator that has served us well through numerous tailgates and other outdoor events in which we’ve run multiple appliances like TVs and standalone heaters. Expert reviewers give a thumbs-up to its performance, and Amazon users appreciate it for its value compared to more expensive models that provide similar output. In short, the PowerSmart Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator is a great foundation for a successful, power-fueled good time!
