Portable vs Standby Generator: Which One Is Right for You?

Whether you’re looking to power an off-grid adventure or provide energy security for your home, there’s a generator that’s right for you.

Up until recently, traditional portable and standby fossil fuel generators were the only option for off-grid electricity.

But thanks to inverters, dual fuel, and solar generators, you’ve got more choice than ever before.

What’s best suited for your needs?

A portable or a standby generator?

Is there an option that provides the best of both worlds?

Find out below. 

Portable Generator: Definition, Pros and Cons

What Is a Portable Generator?

A portable generator supplies electricity for use in off-grid locations and as a backup power solution for essential appliances during a blackout.

Unlike fossil fuel standby generators, a portable generator is easy to move and provides electricity pretty much anywhere you’d like to go. 

Traditional portable generators burn fossil fuel — typically gasoline or propane — to produce electricity. 

Recent innovations like inverter and dual fuel generators burn less fuel more efficiently, but they still share many of the disadvantages of traditional portable generators.

On the other hand, portable power stations like EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 offer multiple recharging options, including AC (household) electricity, propane, gasoline, and solar panels. 

Pros

• Easy to transport to wherever you need power
• Options include portable power stations that can generate electricity from fossil fuel and solar power
• Can operate close to your home (or inside if it’s a solar generator) 

Cons

• AC output may be insufficient to operate high-wattage appliances
• Traditional portable generators require frequent refilling and access to fuel
• Portable fossil fuel generators require routine maintenance
• Inefficient under light to medium loads 

Standby Generator: Definition, Pros and Cons

What Is a Standby Generator?

The term “standby generator” typically refers to a large, fossil fuel-powered whole home backup generator with a fixed installation.

Common in rural communities where on-grid power is prone to failure or unavailable altogether, traditional standby generators typically run on diesel, natural gas, or propane. 

For many years, homeowners had no options other than fossil fuel for whole-home backup and standby generators. 

However, recent advances in LiFePO4 battery technology allow for greater storage capacity and AC output, making solutions like EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra a superior alternative for many households.

EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra Charging Inputs

Charging Method	Maximum Input (1 x Inverter)	Maximum Input (2 x Inverter)	Maximum Input (3 x Inverter)
Solar Charging	5600W	11200W	16800W
AC Input (Wall Socket)	3000W	6000W	9000W
AC Input Smart Home Panel 2 (Wired)	7200W	14400W	21600W
AC Input EV Pile (Wired)	7200W	14400W	21600W
Fossil Fuel Generator (Cable)	7200W	14400W	21600W
EcoFlow Smart Generator (Dual Fuel)	1800W	3600W	5400W
Multicharge	8800W	17600W	26400W

EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra offers multiple charging options — including gas, propane, and solar panels.

Conventional standby generators must be installed at least 20 feet (6m) from the house.

Depending on size, weight, and surface, installing a standby generator may also require you to construct a concrete pad on your property to support the unit. 

Permits and inspections may be required by law or building codes at your location.

By contrast, EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra can operate inside your home. 

It’s lightweight and small enough to be considered portable but offers enough AC output and storage to power your entire home. 

Thanks to its modular design, EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra is expandable from 5kWh of electricity storage up to 90kWh — enough to keep your home running for up to a month off-grid.

Its maximum AC output of 21kW is about 3x what it takes to run the average 4-bedroom home. With a maximum solar charge capacity of 16.8kW with 3 inverters and 42 x EcoFlow 400W Rigid Solar Panels, you can generate enough clean, renewable electricity to run your home indefinitely without needing to be tied to the grid.

If you only need to run essential appliances during a blackout, a smaller EcoFlow DELTA series solar generator may be sufficient.

Pros

• Sufficient AC output to run a whole house during a blackout
• Doesn’t require frequent refilling
• Instant switchover during a power outage
• Battery-based standby generators like EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra offer multiple recharging methods and can be operated indoors

Cons

• Routine maintenance required*
• Ongoing fuel costs*
• Heavy construction may be required for the installation*
• Permits and an inspection are likely required* 
• Must be installed outdoors at a minimum of 20 feet distance from the house* 
• Noisy*
• Emits toxic fumes and greenhouse gases*

*Does not apply to a standby generator recharged with solar or AC power

What Is the Difference Between a Portable Generator and a Standby Generator?

The difference between a traditional portable generator and a standby generator largely comes down to size.

By definition, a portable generator should be easy to move from place to place. Standby generators are designed for permanent installation.

Neither option is inherently superior — it really depends on your use case. 

If you’re looking to supply electricity on the road or for a workshed, a portable generator is your best bet. 

However, before you purchase an old-school fossil fuel portable generator, check out an innovative option like the EcoFlow DELTA 2 solar generator. 

With a 220W bifacial portable solar panel and up to 2200W of AC output, EcoFlow offers more power than a 1500W portable generator, and there are no ongoing fuel costs.

Plus, you can expand the storage capacity up to 3kWh and power up to 90% of high-wattage home appliances for hours on end.

If you’re looking for a standby generator, EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra is a much more flexible solution than fossil-fuel-only models at a competitive price. 

The days of having no option but to purchase a fossil fuel portable or standby generator are over.

So, portable or standby? 

Here are the essential factors to consider before making a purchase decision.

AC Output

Add up the starting and running watts of everything you want to run simultaneously. 

Starting watts — also known as surge power — is the amount of electricity you need to start a device. Fossil fuel generators typically only offer additional surge power of +10%, whereas EcoFlow’s portable power stations provide double their running watts thanks to proprietary X-Boost technology.

There’s no point in buying a generator if it won’t start or operate your devices and appliances.

Carefully calculate the minimum AC output you need and exceed it by at least 10%. 

Storage Capacity

Now that you know what you can run, think about how long you need to run it.

With a fossil fuel generator, you can operate appliances indefinitely as long as you don’t run out of gas.

With a solar generator or portable power station, you can keep everything running as long as your AC output doesn’t exceed your solar input and your storage.

Maintenance

Are you down with routine maintenance?

If so, a traditional portable or standby generator is a viable option.

However, if you don’t carefully maintain a fossil fuel generator according to the manufacturer’s instructions, it might let you down when you need it most.

Portable power stations require no routine maintenance. You can keep a PPS plugged into AC power and/or solar panels until you need it.

Portability 

Do you need your generator to move around with you?

Or are you happy with a fixed installation that can keep your house running in an emergency?

Traditional portable generators are best for task-specific applications. Need power for your shed? A fossil fuel genny could be a viable option.

If you need a whole home standby generator, portability is not an option with fossil fuel. 

On the other hand, EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra is portable and operates indoors. Why not have the best of both worlds?

Fuel Source 

Traditional portable and standby generators are dependent on a finite resource. As long as gasoline, diesel, natural gas, or propane is available, they’ll keep running.

However, you’ll need to constantly refuel, which leaves you subject to price instability and service interruptions.

On the other hand, solar generators rely on an inexhaustible fuel source: the sun.

Installation

The primary advantage of portable generators is that they’re easy to transport. 

As a general rule, the more compact the generator, the less output and storage capacity it offers. 

This is particularly true of fossil fuel generators, which require either a utility connection for natural gas or a storage container for gas, propane, or diesel.

Traditional generators MUST be kept outdoors, and fossil fuels are heavy. The more storage capacity you need, the larger the storage tank and generator needs to be.

Standby generators typically require a concrete pad as a foundation to ensure stability and stability. Depending on the size of your property, this can be a significant hindrance. 

All natural gas and most fossil fuel generators also require inspection and permitting.

Contrast that with a portable power station like EcoFlow DELTA Pro, which is plug-and-play, quiet, and safe enough to operate in your bedroom. 

Carefully consider the lifestyle impacts of a standby or portable generator before making a purchase decision.

Budget

Last but certainly not least is how much money you can spend.

Traditional standby and portable generators may cost less upfront, but the long-term return on investment tends to be minimal.

With a solar generator, any money you save on fuel or electricity bills after your solar payback period is over is money earned. 

Not only that, standby generators like EcoFlow DELTA Pro Ultra are eligible for the 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit — officially known as the Residential Clean Energy Credit — as well as many other government incentives.

Coupled with no-to-low financing options when you purchase directly from the manufacturer, you can achieve solar payback — and energy independence — in less time than ever.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

The days of having to choose between a conventional portable or standby gas generator are over.

Thanks to EcoFlow’s DELTA series of portable power stations, you can have it both ways.

If you just need off-grid electricity for clean energy on the go, the RIVER 2 series offers portability and power at a reasonable price.

No matter what your use case, EcoFlow has a solar or hybrid inverter generator solution for you.