Best Tailgating Generators: Our Top Five for 2021

If you truly want to be the life of your tailgating party, you are going to have to have one of the best tailgating generators that you can. Because the truth is this:

You can have the best tailgating grill.

You can have the best tailgating chairs.

You can have the best portable bars for tailgating.

You can have all the coolest tailgating accessories.

You can have the best-tasting recipes in the whole damn parking lot.

But none of that matters if you do not have an outstanding generator to power up all the other necessary equipment like televisions, radios, and charging cell phones.

Because of that, we want to present to you today our list of three best generators for tailgating.

Best Generators for Tailgating

#1. Briggs & Strattong P2200 Power Smart Series

Peak watts: 2,200
Engine: 111 cc OHV
Fuel tank size: 1 gallon
Runtime: 8 hours under a 25% load
Outlets: 2 120V, 1 12V-5A DC with USB adapter
Start: recoil
Noise level: 59 dB

The Briggs and Stratton P2200 gas-powered inverter generator tops our list of the best generators for tailgating for all kinds of different reasons. First and foremost, it has tons of power for its rather compact size.

The inverter technology produces clean and stable power, with a rating at 2200W and delivering at 1700W of power when it is running continuously. When it comes to tailgating, 1700W of power should be plenty to power multitudes of differing technology and devices.

#2. Honda EU2200i Portable Inverter Generator

Peak watts: 2,200
Engine: 121cc GXR120
Fuel tank size: .95 gallon
Runtime: 8.1 hours under a 25% load
Outlets: (2) 120V-20A GFCI & (1) 12V DC Battery outlet
Start: recoil
Noise level: 57 dB

The Honda EU2200i is an outstanding choice for your tailgating generator. Many of the metrics are better than the aforementioned Briggs and Straton. For instance, it has a slightly stronger engine, requires less fuel consumption, and even has a slightly better runtime under the same 25-percent load capacity. However, the reason this isn’t listed first, is because we love the fact that the Briggs and Straton model has USB connectivity.

If that option is not something that is important to you, then the Honda EU2200i could be an outstanding option for you. With a peak of 2,200 watts, there is no lack of power. And it is even slightly quieter than our first choice. And, for you tech-heads out there, the Honda EU2200i comes with Bluetooth capability allowing you to control the generator’s operation and monitor its performance directly from your smartphone.

#3. Westinghouse iGen2200 Portable Inverter Generator

Peak watts: 2,200
Engine: 79cc OHV
Fuel tank size: 1 gallon
Runtime: 12 hours under a 50% load
Outlets: (2) 120V & (2) USB style outlets
Start: recoil
Noise level: 52 dB

The Westinghouse iGen2200 Portable Inverter Generator is the perfect tailgating generator for those people on a budget. At nearly half the cost of our first two options, you may be surprised that you do not lose an insane amount of performance. In fact, the Westinghouse iGen2200 boasts the same peak wattage as the higher-price Briggs & Straton and Honda from above. However, the engine is significantly smaller at only 79cc.

However, if you do not plan on running major appliances (such as fridges, for example), then the less-powered, but way cheaper Westinghouse may be the perfect generator for you. As well, not only do you save money upfront on the price tag, but the Westinghouse iGen2200 is incredibly fuel-efficient, meaning you will save money on the cost of gas over the course of using it as it can run for over 12 hours on just one gallon of gas.

And, if you ever find that 79cc isn’t quite enough, you can run the Westinghouse iGen2200 in parallel with another generator for double the power. It is truly a system that can grow with your needs.

#4. Yamaha EF2400iSHC Gas-Powered Portable Inverter

Peak watts: 2,400
Engine: 171cc OHV
Fuel tank size: 1.6 gallon
Runtime: 11 hours under a 25% load
Outlets: (2) 120V GFCI outlets & (1) 12V DC Battery outlet
Start: recoil
Noise level: 60 dB

The Yamaha EF2400iSHC Gas-Powered Portable Inverter is an absolute workhorse which is why it finds its place on our list of best tailgating generators. Most portable generators are able to handle simple tailgating things: televisions, fans, cell phones, etc. But, once you start the process of hooking bigger appliances up, some of them start to falter. Not the Yamaha EF2400iSHC.

With a peak wattage of 2,400 and a 171cc engine, this portable generator is designed to throw anything and everything you can at it. We are talking about air conditioners, fridges, freezers, etc. Most 13,500 BTU air conditioners, convection ovens, and even the most over-powered and over-sized hair driers will not stand a chance at slowing this guy down. That said, with its 1.6-gallon fuel tank and an empty weight of 75 lbs, you may find yourself needing help to move this around once you fill it up.

And, as you can probably expect, it runs a bit louder than others on our list, especially when you start to max it out. But, if you are willing to weigh the pros and cons of your personal situation, the additional noise may be worth the extra power you get with the Yamaha.

#5. Champion Power Hybrid Dual Fuel Inverter Generator

Peak watts: 3,400
Engine: 192cc OHV
Fuel tank size: 1.6 gallon
Runtime: 7.5 hours under a 25% load (14.5 with 20lbs of propane)
Outlets: (2) 120V GFCI outlets, (1) 240V twist-lock, & (1) 12V DC Battery outlet
Start: recoil
Noise level: 59 dB

Much like the Yamaha above, it is very doubtful that you will be able to slow the Champion Power generator down. It is an absolute beast that is capable of powering if the most technology-ridden tailgating party you can throw. However, that is not the reason it rounds out our list.

It made it because it is a dual-fuel technology generator that can run on gasoline or propane. I know when I tailgate, I always have multiple containers of propane on me. This is why I love this generator for tailgating … no need to worry about gasoline when you know you will already have the propane on hand in order to fuel your generator.

Best Tailgating Generators: Wrapping It Up

We often get asked questions about some of the most important considerations when picking out the best generators for tailgating.

First and foremost, we like to take into consideration the noise level of each generator. We all know that tailgating is about being around other people, talking, and having a good time.

Obviously, a loud generator can disrupt this and become increasingly annoying. So, it is important to weight the amount of power you truly need because the more powerful a generator is, the noisier it becomes.

In other words: only purchase the amount of power you are going to need to limit the amount of noise at your tailgating party.

Second, we are often asked about how safe it is to operator a generator at a tailgating party.

The answer? Very safe. All generators have fail-safe switches and fuses. It is literally impossible to stress them to the point where it becomes dangerous. The only thing you really need to consider is proper ventilation. Because most generators consume gasoline to operate, they will output carbon monoxide (much like a car does). Just be sure to place the generator in an area where the carbon monoxide can easily escape away from the tailgating party.

And, lastly, remember this: generators do not have to be just for your tailgating party. Once you have one, you can easily power critical elements of your home during a power outage. In that sense, it is truly a two-birds-with-one-stone scenario.