Best RV Generator Review and Guide

Best RV Generator Reviews & Guide with Top 5 Picks in 2024

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Last Updated on March 31, 2024 by Jessica Lauren Vine

Choosing the best RV generator doesn’t have to be a headache—like when we bought ours.

We were brand new to RVing and didn’t understand watts, whether we wanted propane, gas, and what the other options meant, so we couldn’t find the best RV generator for our needs.

If you don’t want to read everything and want to go straight to our personal favorite and what we use, this Champion 3400-watt inverter generator is the one that we used.

RV Idiots' Top Pick
Champion 3400-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator with Electric Start

This generator saved us from burning due to lack of air conditioning or not being able to cook quite a few times. Works great.

Pros:
  • Nice run time
  • Dual-fuel
  • Great brand name
  • Lightweight enough for the watts
  • Parallel capable
Cons:
  • Not totally budget-friendly
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We are going to share some of what we learned when making our purchase, as well as what we’ve learned since owning our best RV generator pick. I really think it’s the best RV generator for the money.

How to Choose the Best RV Generator

If you’re like we were, you probably see a lot of options that look good, but you’re not sure what you’re looking at. You’re probably asking questions like:

  • How many watts do I need?
  • Which brand is the most reliable?
  • Which generator is the easiest to use?
  • Is the generator going to be loud and annoy my neighbors?

We got it because we had all the same questions. One thing that can help is using this generator wattage calculator to narrow things down.

The bigger your RV, the more watts you’re going to need in most cases. This is because you’ll run more things because you have more space and more appliances.

A 50 amp RV will take more to run than a 30 amp, and if you want to run the A/C, microwave, and other appliances, you really need some juice. And this means the best RV generator will be different depending on your setup.

At the absolute minimum, if you want to be comfortable and at least able to run your A/C and a few other small things, you need no less than 2,800 running watts in our experience. We did end up buying a 3,100 running watts RV generator—because we like to be safe.

The best RV generator is one that is in your budget, has enough power to run what you need, and a generator that will last for the long haul. And that’s how we chose the 5 top generators for RVers below.

What Are the Advantages of Dual Fuel Generators?

The reason we chose to go with an RV generator that is dual fuel is because of the longer run time and additional power. Another bonus is that you don’t put out as much money when you use them since propane is less expensive. If you camp in the cold—which we avoid now—they are also easier to get going.

Things to Look for In RV Generators

When you’re looking for the best RV generator for your needs, some of the things you should look for are:

  • Inverter generator
  • Enough watts for what you need
  • Quiet run

These are the most important things in our experience. Don’t overcomplicate the process, or you’ll end up going out on your next trip without a generator.

A Word of Caution

Keep in mind that some of the best RV generators are pretty heavy. If you have a bad back or can’t lift a super heavy generator, make sure you have a way to easily get it to where you store it to where you want it.

If you put it under your RV or in the back of your truck, you might want to get a ramp that will make it easier for you to move it around.

What Is the Best RV Generator?

We’ve put our favorite at the top of as you’re reading through for the best RV generator, but all of these generators are good, depending on your needs. Read through the pros and cons and see which one is best for you.

The biggest perk for us when we were just starting out was that this Champion was super easy to figure out. And it is bright yellow, so it’s easy to spot—which is good, so you don’t back up over it.

We never had any problem with it, and one of the first times we went out with it was in Florida around April. It was burning up, but we were able to keep the AC running when we needed to be inside. On gasoline, you can get around 7.5 hours of run time, but we got a little more because we used propane.

This generator was quite an investment, but we feel like it’s been worth it for us. We never had to worry about our neighbors getting annoyed because it was too loud, and the dual-fuel made it so we could use our propane and easily switch it out.

The electric start makes it easy to start, and that means no string-pulling. One push vs. three or more times pulling to try to get it to start—win.

Another plus is that it is easy to store since it’s not very large. It packs a lot of punch for its size. And let’s not forget the handle and wheels that make it easy to roll it around.

Champion Power Equipment 100307
  • 4375/3500-Watt
  • Dual Fuel
  • RV-Ready Portable Generator
Pros:
  • Plenty of power to run multiple RV appliances
  • Dual fuel
  • Not too heavy, weighing in at 104.9 lbs
Cons:
  • Potential frame weld problems
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Another great generator for RV from Champion, this model is like the big brother of the one we have. It’s a little louder and a little heavy, but it’s still a solid choice.

If you’re running it off gasoline, it has a 3.4-gallon gas tank. If you’re using gas, you can get up to 9 hours of run time, but if you use propane like we do, you can get up to 10.5 hours.

One of the things many people that use this say is that they wish it had wheels. The good news is that it has a wheel kit that you can purchase and fix it right up.

One customer that was searching for the best RV generator did note that they don’t like the electric start option because it’s unable to pull-start when using gas without the battery in it or if the generator button is turned off. Most people won’t worry about that too much, and it’s the same with ours above, but again—not too important in our case.

Another thing to check as soon as you get it is to make sure the frame welds are all good. Most people don’t have a problem, but some noticed it and were able to return it for another one without problems.

A-iPower SUA2000iV
$449.00
  • 2000 Watt Portable Inverter Generator
  • Gas Powered
Pros:
  • Lightweight at less than 50 lbs
  • Ability to run for an extended time because of low idle technology
  • Compact
Cons:
  • Not able to run a large load
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09/17/2024 02:24 am GMT

If you don’t need a lot of juice when you’re in search of the best RV generator, this could be a good option for you. At 1,600 running watts, it still gives a good amount of power, but this isn’t for those of you that want to run a fifth wheel in the wilderness.

You can charge your phones, laptops, and other electronics with good clean power using this portable, lightweight option, but it’s not going to do any heavy lifting. If you’re staying in a pop-up camper or a teardrop, or even a van, this might be a good option for you.

If you’re worried about lugging something around that’s too heavy, then this is a good option since it’s less than 50 lbs.

Westinghouse iGen4500
$1,019.00
  • Portable Inverter Generator
  • 3700 Rated & 4500 Peak Watts
  • Gas Powered
  • Electric Start,
  • CARB Compliant
Pros:
  • Can run anything you want for hours on end
  • Up to 18-hour runtime
  • Display makes it easy to use and monitor
  • Only 93 pounds
  • Easy to start with a remote button
Cons:
  • One of the largest price tags for RV generators
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03/31/2024 03:49 am GMT

Here’s another big one for you all that need a lot of power and want to run a lot of appliances.

If you want the best RV generator that will pretty much run whatever you need, then this one is a good pick. The 3.4-gallon gas tank allows you to get around 18 hours of runtime—which is very good.

It even has a rotating digital display that shows you all of the important things like how much longer it will run, the fuel level, and more which gives it some brownie points toward being the best RV generator. It’s very quiet, so you might even forget it’s outside.

And if you need to start it but don’t want to go outside, you can use the remote start. It’s a nice unit, but it comes with a hefty price tag.

Generac 7129 GP3000i Inverter Generator
  • 36.3 lbs
  • Quiet and neighbor-friendly
Pros:
  • Lightweight
  • PowerRush technology
  • Easy to use
  • Parallel capable
Cons:
  • Does not come with an RV adapter
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This generator is another economical option as you’re looking for the best RV generator, but you will lose a little power. The good news is that it isn’t that much. You can still run a lot on this generator with its powerRUSH technology.

This technology allows you to do more with less power, and that means you don’t have to have a huge unit, but you can still run a lot off this RV generator.

You’ll also find it’s very quiet as well as lightweight at only 59.5 pounds. The USB outlets are also a nice touch if you have it out at a campsite and need to charge up your phones or tablets.

With the Truepower technology, you can plug in your pricey gadgets without worrying about a power spike costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars for a replacement, so while this might not be our pick for the best RV generator—it’s a good one.

Best RV Generator Reviews & Guide – Our Choice

RV Idiots' Top Pick
Champion 3400-Watt Dual Fuel RV Ready Portable Inverter Generator with Electric Start

This generator saved us from burning due to lack of air conditioning or not being able to cook quite a few times. Works great.

Pros:
  • Nice run time
  • Dual-fuel
  • Great brand name
  • Lightweight enough for the watts
  • Parallel capable
Cons:
  • Not totally budget-friendly
Check Price on Amazon Read Our Review
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

The value we get for the price is great, and it’s never given us a problem. Ease of use and dependability are important for us, and it’s given us that.

Champion is well-known and respected and stands behind their products, and that was important for us when we were trying to find the best RV generator for our rig.

Of the five products above, the Champion was—well—the champion.

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