The quietest generators for home backup
On paper the Honda EU2200i is the quietest portable here, at 48 dB(A) at a quarter load. If you need enough starting watts for the fridge and the rest of the essentials, the Honda EU7000iS is the quietest that qualifies. Among standby units, the Generac 14 kW has the lowest running figure measured at 23 feet. Read the conditions next to every number, though: the makers don't measure the same way.
Published , by Alex Rowan
We haven't measured any of these ourselves. Every decibel figure is the maker's, shown with the load and distance the maker gives, and every price shows the store and the day we checked it. Links to the makers' and other stores pay us nothing. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, so we may get a commission when you buy through an Amazon link. How we work.
Our picks
Quietest portable on paper
Honda EU2200i
$1,199Maker's list price, Oct 26, 2026
- At 1/4 load
- 48 dB(A)
- At rated load
- 57 dB(A)
- Power
- 1,800 W running, 2,200 W starting
- Weight
- 47.4 lb
Honda's 48 dB(A) at a quarter load is the lowest figure any maker here publishes, and it's still only 57 dB(A) at its full rating. Honda doesn't say how far away it measured, so the number can't be set against the 23 ft figures further down.
With 2,200 W starting watts it can't start a fridge with the rest of the essentials already running, so it suits a short list of loads. Two can run in parallel with Honda's kit.
Quietest that starts the essentials
Honda EU7000iS
$4,899Maker's list price, Oct 27, 2026
- At 1/4 load
- 52 dB(A)
- At rated load
- 58 dB(A)
- Power
- 5,500 W running, 7,000 W starting
- Voltage
- 120 V and 240 V
Of the portables with enough starting watts for the runtime calculator's essentials list (3,776 W at peak), this one has the lowest published figures: 52 dB(A) at a quarter load and 58 dB(A) at full output, on Honda's scale. It also has 240 V for a transfer switch.
It costs $4,899 and weighs 263.2 lb. The cheaper models that start the essentials list come next in the table, but their makers measure differently.
Quiet on a budget, measured at 23 ft
Champion 201319
$999Norwall price, Oct 27, 2026
- Noise
- 61 dB(A) at 23 ft
- Power
- 3,500 W running, 4,500 W starting
- Fuel
- Gasoline or propane
- CO shut-off
- Yes
Champion says its 61 dB(A) is measured from 23 feet, the distance the standby makers use, though it doesn't give the load. It starts the essentials list, runs on gasoline or propane, and costs a fraction of the EU7000iS.
Quietest home standby generator
Generac 14 kW (7258)
$5,255Model 7323, with a 200 A automatic transfer switch. Ferguson price, Oct 26, 2026
- Normal load
- 65 dB(A) at 23 ft
- Weekly test
- 55 dB(A) at 23 ft
- Output
- 14 kW propane, 14 kW natural gas
Generac's spec sheet puts it at 65 dB(A) at 23 ft under normal load, the lowest running figure of the standby units measured at that distance. During its weekly self-test it runs at low speed and Generac gives 55 dB(A), the same as its 22 and 26 kW models.
KOHLER measures at full speed instead, so its figures run higher: 69 dB(A) for the 14RCA. Champion lists 62 dB(A) for its 14 kW kit, a lower number, but it doesn't say from how far.
For the quietest backup of all, skip the engine. A battery power station has only cooling fans: EcoFlow rates the DELTA 3 Plus at 30 dB under 600 W. It runs until the battery is empty, so it suits outages of hours rather than days. See the power station picks.
Portable generators, quietest first
| Model | Type | Lowest figure | Highest figure | Distance given | Running watts | Starts the essentials | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda EU2200i (opens in a new tab) | Inverter | 48 dB(A) 1/4 load | 57 dB(A) rated load | No | 1,800 W | No | $1,199 Maker's list price, Oct 26, 2026 |
| Honda EU7000iS (opens in a new tab) | Inverter | 52 dB(A) 1/4 load | 58 dB(A) rated load | No | 5,500 W | Yes | $4,899 Maker's list price, Oct 27, 2026 |
| Westinghouse iGen2800c (opens in a new tab) | Inverter | 52 dB(A) lowest level, distance not stated | Not published | No | 2,200 W | No | $549 Westinghouse price, Oct 27, 2026, listed as out of stock |
| Westinghouse iGen2800DFc (opens in a new tab) | Inverter | 52 dB(A) lowest level, distance not stated | Not published | No | 2,200 W | No | $599 Westinghouse price, Oct 27, 2026, listed as out of stock |
| Honda EU3200i (opens in a new tab) | Inverter | 54 dB(A) 1/4 load | 58 dB(A) rated load | No | 2,600 W | No | $2,799 Maker's list price, Oct 27, 2026 |
| Westinghouse iGen5000DFc EFI (opens in a new tab) | Inverter | 61 dB(A) lowest level, distance not stated | Not published | No | 3,900 W | Yes | $1,399 Westinghouse price, Oct 27, 2026, listed as out of stock |
| Champion 201319 (opens in a new tab) | Inverter | 61 dB(A) 23 ft, load not stated | Not published | 23 ft | 3,500 W | Yes | $999 Norwall price, Oct 27, 2026 |
| Westinghouse WGen3600DFv (opens in a new tab) | Conventional | 68 dB(A) lowest operating level | Not published | No | 3,600 W | Yes | $499 Westinghouse price, Oct 27, 2026, listed as out of stock |
| Westinghouse WGen5300 (opens in a new tab) | Conventional | 68 dB(A) lowest operating level | Not published | No | 5,300 W | Yes | $729 Westinghouse price, Oct 27, 2026, listed as out of stock |
| Westinghouse WGen9500DFc (opens in a new tab) | Conventional | 74 dB(A) lowest operating level | Not published | No | 9,500 W | Yes | $1,399 Westinghouse price, Oct 27, 2026, listed as out of stock |
Figures are the makers' own. Honda gives one at a quarter load and one at the rated load. Westinghouse gives only the lowest level it reaches, and Champion one figure at 23 ft. "Starts the essentials" means the starting watts cover the 3,776 W peak of the runtime calculator's starting list. The Westinghouse iGen4000c and iGen4000DFc are left out because Westinghouse doesn't publish a noise figure for them.
Home standby generators
| Model | Running | Weekly test | Output on propane | Price with transfer switch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generac 14 kW (7258) (opens in a new tab) | 65 dB(A) normal load, 23 ft | 55 dB(A) low-speed exercise, 23 ft | 14 kW | $5,255 Model 7323, with a 200 A automatic transfer switch. Ferguson price, Oct 26, 2026 |
| Generac 22 kW (7260) (opens in a new tab) | 67 dB(A) normal load, 23 ft | 55 dB(A) low-speed exercise, 23 ft | 22 kW | $6,506 Model 7325, with a 200 A automatic transfer switch. Ferguson price, Oct 26, 2026 |
| Generac 26 kW (7327) (opens in a new tab) | 67 dB(A) normal load, 23 ft | 55 dB(A) low-speed exercise, 23 ft | 26 kW | $7,253 Model 7328, with a 200 A automatic transfer switch. Ferguson price, Oct 26, 2026 |
| KOHLER 14RCA (opens in a new tab) | 69 dB(A) full speed, 23 ft | 63 dB(A) weekly exercise, 23 ft | 14 kW | $6,066 Model 14RCAL, with an automatic transfer switch. Maker's list price, Oct 26, 2026 |
| KOHLER 20RCA (opens in a new tab) | 70 dB(A) full speed, 23 ft | 66 dB(A) weekly exercise, 23 ft | 20 kW | $6,984 Model 20RCAL, with an automatic transfer switch. Maker's list price, Oct 26, 2026 |
| KOHLER 26RCA (opens in a new tab) | 67 dB(A) full speed, 23 ft | 56 dB(A) exercise, 23 ft | 26 kW | $8,515 Model 26RCAL, with an automatic transfer switch. Maker's list price, Oct 26, 2026 |
| Champion 14 kW aXis (100837) (opens in a new tab) | 62 dB(A) running, distance not stated | Not published | 14 kW | $4,999 Model 100837, with a 200 A aXis automatic transfer switch. Norwall price, Oct 27, 2026 |
Generac and KOHLER both measure at 23 ft (7 m). Generac's running figure is at normal load and KOHLER's is at full speed, so they aren't the same test. The KOHLER 26RCA's 67 dB(A) at full speed equals the Generac 22 kW's figure at normal load. Champion gives one figure without a distance.
How to read a decibel rating
Check the distance and the load
Sound fades as you move away, so a figure taken at 23 feet will be lower than one taken closer for the same machine. Load matters too: Honda's EU2200i goes from 48 dB(A) at a quarter load to 57 dB(A) at full output. A single figure without a distance or load, like most of Westinghouse's, is the quietest the maker could get it to run. When two brands are a few decibels apart, the gap may come from how they measured.
Inverters are the quiet ones
An inverter generator lets its engine slow down when the load is light. Every inverter in the table has a lowest figure under every conventional model's. The Westinghouse WGen9500DFc, a conventional open-frame model, starts at 74 dB(A). The inverter vs conventional comparison covers the rest of the trade-off.
Don't buy more generator than you need
Every generator gets louder as the load rises, and the lowest figure here comes from a small inverter at a quarter load. If you only need the fridge, the router and some lights, a small inverter may be all you need. Add up what you need in the runtime calculator before you pay for watts you won't use.
Placement
Distance helps with noise and with safety. The CPSC says to run a portable generator outside, at least 20 feet from the house, with the exhaust pointed away from windows and doors. Don't build a box around it to muffle it: Champion's manual warns not to let anything block the cooling slots, and trapped exhaust is a carbon monoxide risk. For storms, see the rain guide.
A standby generator sits where the installation manual and local code allow. The weekly self-test runs whether the power is out or not, so its figure is worth comparing too. Check local noise rules or HOA limits before you pick a spot.