Owning a reliable backup power source has become one of those necessities you don’t really think about until you need it — and then you’re incredibly grateful it’s there.
That’s exactly how we feel about our Craftsman 2200 Portable Inverter Generator, the gas-powered portable generator that has kept our townhouse running through more than one unexpected outage. With another storm expected for the weekend, this is what to buy.
My husband practically lives at The Home Depot, always checking aisles and chatting with associates about tools and DIY gear, but when it comes to this generator, he’s all about it (as am I, as it powers our fridge on so I can grab my prized Chobani creamer).
We’ve relied on it so consistently — from storms that knock the grid out to those sporadic utility hiccups — that having another unit arriving this weekend feels like putting a spare key in the drawer: smart, reassuring and totally ready for whatever comes next.
Even though some advice about generator sizing suggests that larger homes often require thousands of watts to power every circuit simultaneously, larger portable or standby systems typically start around 7,500 watts and upwards for broader home coverage.
For our modest three-bedroom townhouse, however, this smaller Craftsman generator has delivered a surprisingly powerful performance for the essentials we most often need during an outage. It produces enough output to run our refrigerator, lights, charging stations and other smaller appliances without missing a beat. That’s a testament to its design and practicality; it’s a “smaller yet mighty” unit that punches above its weight for everyday emergency use.
This Craftsman model is especially great because it doesn’t feel like a burden to keep ready in the garage. The gasoline engine is easy to start and maintain, and on a full tank it gives us hours of run time, long enough to keep us comfortable until the power returns. Because it’s an inverter-style generator, it provides clean power that’s safe for sensitive electronics — which is a big deal when you’re trying to keep phones, laptops and medical equipment charged without risking damage.
That quiet, steady run and clean output are features we notice every time we fire it up, and they’ve made all the difference whenever we’ve needed it.
It’s also worth noting that interest in generators has spiked recently, with “generators on sale near me” topping the list of trending “sale near me” searches in the past week — according to Google Trends — showing just how many people are thinking about backup power these days.
At the same time, searches like “does propane expire” have been trending on “does… expire” queries, reflecting common questions about fuel storage and preparedness among homeowners. Those trends underscore that more folks are weighing their options for keeping power flowing and caring for their equipment responsibly.
Overall, our Craftsman portable generator has been a great value for the size and capability we need. It’s compact enough to handle easily yet robust enough to keep our household running during outages — and now, with a second one on the way, we’re feeling even more prepared.
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