Who are we? We are a Chris and Mike, ordinary folk who have several years of internet marketing experience, and our aim is to help buyers choose well when buying products online.

Here we focus on portable generators because they can play such an important role for people who suffer from power outages and other emergencies, as well as enhancing the experience of those enjoying outdoor recreational activities such as camping.

We also provide information about portable power station products here, though if you would like to see greater detail about different models, have a look at our sister site powerstationjungle.

Power stations are seen by many people as a practical alternative to portable generators in certain situations. Although they cannot compete with portable generators in terms of power, these devices are much lighter, are virtually silent, and don't emit potentially dangerous carbon monoxide. For these and other reasons they are a favorite of campers and trekkers, though many owners of portable generators also have a power station for use when they don't need the power of a portable generator.

We collect information on a wide selection of models, big and small, from major manufacturers. We aim to continue to  expand our selections over time by researching and providing reviews on some of the lesser known brands that appear to sell well.

But where we differ from others is that our reviews concentrate information in one place not only on the detailed specifications, but also summarize what owners have to say about their models.

While our consolidated reviews contain a lot of useful information, we need to keep in mind that some of the owner comments have been based on first, or at least, very early impressions.

In part, this is because some manufacturers offer encouragements/incentives, such as a free cover or a sweepstake participation, in return for new buyers submitting quick reviews. And it's also not uncommon for buyers to give positive comments while admitting they hadn't yet started the generator. Some, understandably, and optimistically hope they will never have to use it!

There is nothing new in companies offering encouragements to clients. All we are saying is that this may have influenced some overly positive comments. You decide.

In spite of the above, we think it's worth giving you a flavor of buyer comments along with factual information and data on individual generators. It's just a pity we were not able to identify more owner reviews of regular use over a longer period. Unfortunately, there aren't many of those around.

Once you've bought a generator, the inclusion of a long warranty may give you some assurance of help when trouble occurs. But, as you probably know, warranties are generally not that easy to understand, and the conditions imposed are open to interpretation by a manufacturer. Many of us don't bother to critically read every word and consider all the implications. And unfortunately that's where we can come unstuck when trouble happens.

We don't doubt that legal language is needed to protect companies from abuse. But it could be helpful if they  provided a preamble in plain English along the lines of "what we can do and what we can't do" before the start of the legal language.

We think this is especially relevant because we see examples of buyers frustratingly claiming a company's warranty is worthless. This is more often than not a result of restrictions. These include companies expecting customers to make repairs themselves on faulty units with parts they despatch. And this may be in spite of warnings that repairs have to be carried out by qualified technicians so as not to void the warranty.

Buyers can also be lumbered with expensive transport costs when returning a faulty unit for repair, even when it's a dud from the word go.

None of this encourages a long-term customer relationship, if that is indeed what a company is trying to achieve.

We have some additional information about portable generator warranties.

Take your time and don't be rushed into making a decision. But do plan ahead, especially if you live in an area subject to severe weather because when the power does go down you might just find your choice of a generator has all but disappeared.

Finally, for those unable to operate a portable generator there is an option of a portable power station. You can read more about these models here, and see a selection here.