016 known options · 3 fully checked
Essential loads
Smaller selected-circuit and managed systems
Current market guide
Home standby generators
Essential and whole-home loads, motor starts, natural gas and propane ratings, fuel delivery, air and liquid cooling, automatic transfer, load management, placement, sound, permits, commissioning, monitoring and local service
Your place in the market
Start with the questions that remove bad fits
Build a measured essential-load and motor-start plan before choosing kilowatts
01
Before the shortlist
The first four answers do most of the work
A useful ranking starts only after the constraints specific to this market are clear.
- 01
Which circuits are essential, which can shed, and what are the running and starting loads of every motor?
- 02
Will the site use natural gas or propane, and can the meter, regulator, pipe or tank supply full-load demand?
- 03
Where can the generator, transfer equipment and fuel route meet local clearance, sound, flood and service requirements?
- 04
Which dealer will commission, maintain and answer during a regional outage, and what parts does it stock?
02
Market education
Read only as far as you need
The path changes with your research stage. Each guide is built around a decision that removes part of the market.
01Start here
Loads, starts and fuel
Running power, motor starts and the installed fuel decide useful size
02comparingAir cooled or liquid cooled
Output, duty, sound, price and maintenance separate the equipment classes
03comparingCompare complete installer proposals
Generator, switch, gas, electrical, site, permits, monitoring and service belong on one scope
03
Buying paths
The shortlist covers different ways to own the product
A useful market view needs a credible answer for each common budget, setup, and ownership pattern. These are the paths represented in the current desk.
025 known options · 4 fully checked
Mid-size managed home
Seventeen to 20kW-class systems
0310 known options · 7 fully checked
Large air cooled
Twenty-two to 28kW-class managed whole-home systems
0414 known options · 14 fully checked
Natural gas output
Systems compared on the fuel most homes will actually use
054 known options · 1 fully checked
Liquid cooled
Higher-duty and larger-load residential systems
0611 known options · 9 fully checked
Connected monitoring
Cellular, Wi-Fi and remote diagnostic platforms
0710 known options · 10 fully checked
Motor starting
Air conditioning, pumps and compressors with staged starts
0815 known options · 15 fully checked
Dealer service
Installed equipment whose local repair network is part of the product
04
Current coverage
The products with a full market view
These pages connect current facts, alternatives, source history and a stated conclusion. The wider market follows below.
ProductPositionCurrent stateDepth
Generac
Guardian 14kW Cellular
Guardian 14kW CellularAbout $5,199 current generator referenceThe mainstream managed-load entry
Current essential-load air-cooled standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Generac
Guardian 18kW Cellular
Guardian 18kW Cellular$6,769 current listed referenceThe moderate-load Guardian
Current mid-size air-cooled standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Generac
Guardian 22kW Cellular
Guardian 22kW Cellular$6,309 current generator referenceThe common large Guardian tier
Current 22kW-class air-cooled standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Generac
Guardian 24kW Cellular
Guardian 24kW Cellular$6,729 current generator referenceThe incremental Guardian step
Current 24kW air-cooled standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Generac
Guardian 26kW Cellular
Guardian 26kW Cellular$7,159 current generator referenceThe established high-output air-cooled option
Current largest Guardian air-cooled classcurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Generac
28kW Cellular
28kW Cellular$8,159 current MSRPThe new high-output Generac branch
Current electronically managed 28kW standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page KOHLER Home Energy
14RCA
14RCA$4,997 current MSRPThe premium compact dealer option
Current compact KOHLER standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page KOHLER Home Energy
20RCA
20RCA$5,813 current MSRPThe balanced KOHLER home tier
Current mid-size KOHLER standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page KOHLER Home Energy
26RCA
26RCA$7,445 current MSRPThe premium air-cooled service choice
Current high-output KOHLER air-cooled standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page KOHLER Home Energy
30RCLA
30RCLA$20,399 current MSRPThe bridge to liquid-cooled duty
Current liquid-cooled 30kW home generatorcurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Cummins
QuietConnect RS13A
QuietConnect RS13AFrom $3,957 current MSRP referenceThe quiet compact alternative
Current compact QuietConnect standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Cummins
QuietConnect RS17A
QuietConnect RS17AAbout $4,800 current equipment referenceThe quiet midsize alternative
Current mid-size QuietConnect standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Cummins
QuietConnect RS20A
QuietConnect RS20AFrom $5,438 current MSRP referenceThe large quiet Cummins option
Current largest air-cooled QuietConnect home modelcurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Briggs & Stratton
PowerProtect 22kW
PowerProtect 22kWAbout $5,874 current MSRP basisThe natural-gas value reference
Current full-natural-gas-output 22kW standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page Briggs & Stratton
PowerProtect 26kW
PowerProtect 26kWAbout $6,999 current equipment referenceThe high-output Briggs alternative
Current high-starting-power 26kW standbycurrent
9 sources8 current facts
Open page 05
Wider market
25 products in the working index
Known models remain searchable while the deeper work is underway. They do not receive a recommendation until price, support, ownership and direct comparisons are checked.
ProductMarket positionCurrent stateResearch
Generac
Guardian 10kW
Guardian 10kWSmall selected-circuit GuardianThe compact Guardian entry for limited essential circuits
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record Briggs & Stratton
PowerProtect 13kW
PowerProtect 13kWCompact front-exhaust standbyA small-footprint Briggs option for constrained placement
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record Briggs & Stratton
PowerProtect 18kW
PowerProtect 18kWMid-size Briggs standbyAn 18kW value branch below the 22kW system
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record Briggs & Stratton
PowerProtect DX 22kW
PowerProtect DX 22kWDealer-control 22kW Briggs packageA DX configuration with expanded control and dealer features
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record Briggs & Stratton
PowerProtect DX 26kW
PowerProtect DX 26kWDealer-control 26kW Briggs packageThe high-output PowerProtect DX configuration
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record Cummins
QuietConnect RS25
QuietConnect RS25Larger QuietConnect standbyA 25kW bridge above Cummins' air-cooled residential trio
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record KOHLER Home Energy
38RCLC
38RCLCLiquid-cooled large-home generatorA higher-output KOHLER liquid-cooled residential platform
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record KOHLER Home Energy
48RCLC
48RCLCLarge liquid-cooled residential generatorA 48kW-class KOHLER for unusually large residential loads
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record Champion
aXis 14kW
aXis 14kWAlternative essential-load standbyA smaller Champion automatic home-backup package
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record Champion
aXis 22kW
aXis 22kWAlternative managed whole-home standbyA 22kW-class Champion package with a distinct dealer and switch ecosystem
currentOfficial source checked Aug 15
Market recordFull comparison in progress
Open record 06
Market language
The terms a useful comparison should define
- Standby rating
- Output available for emergency utility outages under the manufacturer's operating and maintenance limits
- Automatic transfer switch
- Listed equipment that disconnects utility power and connects selected circuits or service to the generator
- Load management
- Controls that delay or shed lower-priority loads so motors and total demand stay within generator capacity
- Air cooled
- An engine cooled directly by moving air, common in residential systems but different in duty and service from liquid cooling
Have a model or link already?