For a power cut, buy an inverter generator of about 2 kW: it runs a fridge-freezer, lights, the router and a TV, gives clean enough power for phones and laptops, and is quieter than a site generator. The Hyundai HY2250SEi does that for £463.99, on pre-order when we checked; the Pramac P3000i, with a little more power, was in stock at £659. A generator only powers what's plugged into it: wiring one into the house is a job for an electrician.
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Running is what a generator can supply for hours; peak is a burst of a few seconds, for a fridge or a pump starting. Size by the running figure. Noise is as each maker measured it, at different distances and loads, so treat the figures as rough.
| Model | Running / peak | Sockets | Petrol an hour | Noise | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai HY2250SEi | 2,000 / 2,200 W | 2 UK | 0.70 litres at half load, about £1.21 | 61 dB at 7 m | £463.99 |
| Honda EU22i | 1,800 / 2,200 W | Not published | 1.03 litres at full load, about £1.78 | 71 dB at the operator's position | £1,095 |
| Champion 92001i-DF Mighty Atom (petrol and LPG) | 1,900 / 2,200 W | 1 | 0.69 litres at half load, about £1.19 | 58 dB at 7 m | £499.99 |
| Pramac P3000i | 2,300 / 2,500 W | 2 UK | 1.14 litres at three-quarter load, about £1.97 | 61 dB at 7 m | £659 |
| Hyundai HY3200SEi | 2,800 / 3,200 W | Not published | 1.05 litres at half load, about £1.81 | 54-59 dB at 7 m | £779.99 |
| Hyundai HY3800L-2 (open frame) | 2,800 / 3,200 W | 115 V and 230 V outlets; number not published | 1.10 litres at half load, about £1.90 | 65 dB at 7 m | £367 |
Cost per hour at the UK average of 172.78p a litre for the week of 2 November 2026, from the government's weekly figures: petrol prices this week. The Honda figure is its full tank over its rated run time. Fuel figures are the makers' own and don't always agree with their tank sizes and run times: Hyundai's HY2250SEi figures imply about 0.8 litres an hour.
An inverter generator's electronics smooth its output. Champion's UK page gives its petrol inverter "True Sine wave technology (<3% THD)", the measure of how distorted the supply is; Champion's own guidance puts its conventional generators at "about 12%-20% depending on load applied". Honda says inverter power is "ideal for powering the most sensitive electronic equipment". Most inverters here also have an eco mode that slows the engine at light loads, which Honda says saves fuel and noise. A conventional generator gives more watts for the money.
Most makers quote noise at 7 metres, but at a load they often don't state, and Honda quotes it at the operator's position. Champion explains that the sound power figure on the label (LWA) "is a different measurement of sound", so it can't be compared with a 7 m figure either.
Outside. National Grid says: "To stay safe, never use a portable generator or barbeque indoors during a power cut or planned interruption to your supply." The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland adds: "Do not use a generator indoors or in partially enclosed spaces- including homes, garages, and crawl spaces." National Grid, HSENI.
To run your boiler or fixed lights from it, see plugging into the house wiring.
In Great Britain, the Health and Safety Executive says: "You can store up to 30 litres of petrol at home or at non-workplace premises without informing your local Petroleum Enforcement Authority (PEA)." Its rules for portable containers set a maximum of "10 litres if made of plastic" and "20 litres if made of metal", and petrol mustn't be kept in living accommodation. Petrol in a car's tank doesn't count. Storing more than 30 litres and up to 275 litres needs written notice to the authority, and more than 275 litres a licence. HSE.
Northern Ireland's limits are lower: for a domestic garage or within six metres of a building, HSENI allows two metal containers of up to 10 litres, or two approved plastic ones of up to 5 litres, and says "Under no circumstances should the petrol containers be stored in the home itself." HSENI.
Petrol goes stale. Honda says fuel stabiliser "must be added when the gasoline is fresh" because it "will not reconstitute or reinvigorate stale gasoline", and Honda UK advises draining the fuel system if a machine is stored for a long time.
2,000 W running and 2,200 W peak, two UK sockets, electric start and a 6-litre tank that Hyundai says lasts 7.5 hours at half load. Enough for a fridge-freezer, lights, the router and a TV, not a kettle.
Pre-order only at Hyundai when we checked on 4 November.
2,300 W running and two UK sockets, for a little more headroom. Pramac's datasheet gives 3.5 hours from its 4-litre tank at three-quarter load, and 61 dB at 7 m. At 27 kg it's heavier than the 2 kW models.
1,800 W running, 2,200 W peak and about 21 kg. Honda's long-running small inverter, and the dearest here. Its Eco-throttle slows the engine to match the load, which Honda says saves fuel and noise.
Sold out at Honda when we checked on 4 November.
Sold out at HondaSearch AmazonWhat testers found (M3, Caravan Camping Sales)
Runs on petrol or bottled LPG. 1,900 W on petrol, 1,710 W on LPG, 17.9 kg, one socket. Champion's page gives both 2,000 and 2,500 starting watts.
Sold out at Bimson Power when we checked on 4 November.
Sold out at Bimson PowerSearch AmazonWhat testers found (M3)
2,800 W running, electric start with a remote key fob, wheels and a 7.8-litre tank. Hyundai gives its weight as both 35 kg and 39.6 kg.
Sold out at Hyundai when we checked on 4 November.
A conventional open-frame generator, not an inverter: 2,800 W running, the lowest price per running watt here, but louder (65 dB at 7 m) and 45.7 kg. Its voltage regulator holds the output within 3% of 230 V, but Hyundai gives no figure for how clean the power is.
Pre-order only at Hyundai when we checked on 4 November.
These are findings other testers have published, credited with links. Both tested the European or Australian versions, not the UK models.
A power station has no engine noise (though its fans can be heard), works indoors and needs no fuel, but runs out. A generator keeps going as long as you have petrol. For most cuts of a day or less, a power station is simpler: generator or power station? To size either, what size generator do you need?