Texas retiree balks at $10,000 generator as commenters point to options under $1,000

A rural Texas couple got sticker shock after seeing a $10,000 backup generator, which made them question whether they even needed one with a hotel nearby. 

Reddit commenters, however, suggested a whole-home generator may be overkill.

Here's what to know

The poster's wife wanted a generator, but the retiree husband only saw spoiled groceries as the main risk of an outage. The couple lived in a small home in a rural lakeside area with an accessible hotel, according to the post on Reddit's r/Generator community.

"Why spend 10k on a generator," the original poster asked.

They planned to stay warm with a propane fireplace, and a hotel could provide relief from the heat, while ice could help preserve groceries.

One commenter suggested, "You don't need a whole house generator," and added, "FWIW, I have a 1K generator. Its enough to power my fridge a TV and my cable modem/router and charge our phones."

Another commenter suggested a WEN DF6800 and an extension cord for under $900, while another recommended adding a roughly $300 inverter generator to power a refrigerator and lights.

More background

The discussion pointed out that spoiled food was not the only potential consequence of a power outage. One commenter asked whether the backup heat could protect the plumbing from freezing and whether the home used an electric well pump.

One rural resident said their $999 generator, purchased in 2012, kept the home powered but rattled the house and used a lot of gasoline. The commenter later purchased a Honda EU7000iS for about $4,000. During a weeklong regionwide outage, they said thanks to their preparation, they were able to keep doing laundry and other household basics.

As one commenter put it: "Being prepared when you live rural is just a way of life."

How often outages occur and how long they last also matter when weighing the purchase price.

What can be done?

Deciding what electricity is needed was one starting point. One commenter advised calculating wattage requirements before selecting a generator. Another suggested focusing on keeping the refrigerator running and electronics charged.

A commenter with a 1,000-watt generator said it powered their refrigerator, television, modem/router, and phone charging, using roughly a gallon of gasoline over eight hours. If buying again, they would choose a 2,000-watt inverter model costing about $500.

Battery backup was another possibility. One commenter was considering EcoFlow or Bluetti power banks paired with a large solar array because their existing generator was loud, and fuel goes bad.

Another recommended having an electrician install an inlet and interlock for a portable generator as an alternative to an automatic standby system.

One commenter suggested the poster look at smaller alternatives than an all-or-nothing decision based on a $10k generator:

"Maybe compromise and spend a few hundred on a small portable generator that will power your fridge and charge electronics."

Where can I learn more?

Other homeowners have wrestled with how much to spend on backup power. Their stories cover the choice between portable and whole-home systems, installation costs, and service support.

• A dealer's $19,500 generator pitch prompted owners to suggest a smaller, cheaper setup instead.

• After pool pipes burst, a homeowner weighed portable and whole-home generators priced thousands apart.

• A homeowner said generator installation tripled costs, but dreaded hauling out a portable unit.

• After four powerless days in Florida, a homeowner faced a $15,000 generator price.

• A shopper comparing Generac and Briggs learned that service could outweigh warranty when choosing backup power.

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