Your Complete Guide to Finding the Best Black Friday Generator Deals

Black Friday is an excellent time to invest in a generator, securing peace of mind before winter storms or power outages strike. You’re looking for real price insights and a useful guide, and that’s exactly what you’ll find here. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to find the right generator at the best possible price during the year’s biggest sales event.

Understanding What Kind of Generator You Need

Before you even start looking at prices, it’s crucial to know what type of generator fits your needs. Choosing the wrong one is a waste of money, no matter how good the deal is. Generators generally fall into three main categories.

Portable Inverter Generators

These are the quiet, compact, and modern choice for powering sensitive electronics like laptops, TVs, and smartphones. They produce “clean” power without the voltage fluctuations of older models. They are also more fuel-efficient.

  • Best For: Camping, tailgating, RVs, and powering a few essential home items like a refrigerator and some lights.
  • Common Wattage: 1,600 to 4,500 watts.
  • Brands to Watch: Honda (the premium standard), Yamaha, Champion, Westinghouse, and WEN.

Portable Conventional Generators

These are the workhorses you often see at construction sites. They are powerful, rugged, and less expensive for the amount of power they produce compared to inverters. The trade-off is that they are much louder and not always ideal for sensitive electronics unless specified.

  • Best For: Home backup power for essentials (sump pump, well pump, furnace fan, refrigerator), power tools, and job sites.
  • Common Wattage: 3,500 to 12,000 watts.
  • Brands to Watch: Generac, DuroMax, Firman, Westinghouse, and Champion.

Home Standby Generators

These are permanent installations that automatically turn on when the power goes out, providing seamless electricity to your entire home. This is a major home improvement project that requires professional installation. Black Friday deals are less common for the units themselves but may appear for installation packages.

  • Best For: Powering an entire house automatically and for extended periods.
  • Common Wattage: 10,000 to 26,000 watts.
  • Brands to Watch: Generac, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton.

Black Friday Price Insights: What to Expect

This is the core of your search. A “good deal” is relative, so it’s important to know the typical price points and what kind of discounts are realistic. Retailers often inflate the “original” price to make a discount look bigger, so knowing the market is key.

General Discount Expectations: You can typically expect discounts ranging from 15% to 30% on popular generator models. Anything over 35% is a fantastic deal, but be sure it’s a reputable brand and not a low-quality “doorbuster” model.

Here’s a breakdown of what to look for in different price brackets:

Small Inverter Generators (2,000-watt range)

These are very popular, so competition is fierce.

  • Typical Price: \(500 - \)1,100
  • Good Black Friday Deal Price: \(400 - \)750
  • Specifics: Look for deals on the Champion 2500-Watt Dual Fuel Inverter or the WEN 56235i 2350-Watt Inverter. These models often see significant price drops at retailers like Amazon and Tractor Supply Co. Premium brands like Honda will have smaller discounts, but even $100 off a Honda EU2200i is a solid find.

Mid-Size Portable Generators (5,000 to 8,000-watt range)

This is the sweet spot for home backup power.

  • Typical Price: \(600 - \)1,200
  • Good Black Friday Deal Price: \(500 - \)900
  • Specifics: Keep an eye on the Westinghouse WGen7500DF (a popular dual fuel model) and the DuroMax XP5500EH. Home Depot and Lowe’s often feature these in their Black Friday ads. A price drop of \(200-\)300 on these models is a strong indicator of a good deal.

Large Portable Generators (10,000+ watts)

For those who need to power more of their home, including central air in some cases.

  • Typical Price: \(1,000 - \)2,500+
  • Good Black Friday Deal Price: \(850 - \)2,000
  • Specifics: Brands like Generac and Firman dominate this space. Look for deals that save you at least \(300-\)500. Because of their size and weight, check for deals that include free shipping, as that can be a significant hidden cost.

How to Calculate Your Power Needs

To avoid buying a generator that’s too small (or wastefully large), you need to calculate your wattage needs.

  1. List Your Essentials: Write down every appliance and device you absolutely must run during an outage (e.g., refrigerator, sump pump, a few lights, phone charger, furnace fan).
  2. Find Starting & Running Watts: Appliances with motors (like a fridge) need a lot more power to start up (starting watts) than they do to keep running (running watts). Your generator must be able to handle the highest starting watt demand. You can usually find this info on the appliance’s label.
  3. Do the Math:
    • Add up the running watts of everything you want to power simultaneously.
    • Identify the single item with the highest starting watts.
    • Add the total running watts to the single highest starting watts. This gives you the minimum wattage your generator needs. It’s always wise to add an extra 10-20% as a buffer.

Key Features That Add Real Value

Beyond wattage, certain features can make a huge difference in safety and convenience.

  • CO Sensor: This is a non-negotiable safety feature. Modern generators often include a carbon monoxide sensor that will automatically shut the unit off if CO levels become dangerously high. Look for models with “CO Shield” or “CO-Minder” technology.
  • Dual Fuel Capability: Many generators can run on both gasoline and propane. Propane is easier to store long-term and can be a lifesaver if gas stations are closed or out of fuel.
  • Electric Start: A push-button electric start saves you from wrestling with a pull-cord, which is a huge benefit in cold or stressful situations.
  • Transfer Switch Ready Outlet: If you plan to connect the generator to your home’s electrical panel (which requires a licensed electrician), you’ll need a 30A or 50A outlet (like a L14-30R or 14-50R).

Where to Hunt for the Best Deals

Start monitoring these retailers in early November, as many start their sales well before Thanksgiving Day.

  • Home Improvement Stores: Home Depot and Lowe’s are major players with a wide selection and often have exclusive deals on brands like Ryobi and Generac.
  • Online Retailers: Amazon often price-matches competitors and has a massive selection. Use a price tracker tool to see a product’s price history to verify the deal’s quality.
  • Farm & Fleet Stores: Places like Tractor Supply Co. and Northern Tool often carry rugged, powerful brands like Champion and DuroMax and have very competitive Black Friday pricing.
  • Direct from Manufacturer: Sometimes brands like Champion or Westinghouse will run sales directly on their own websites.

By preparing now, you’ll be ready to confidently spot the best deal on the perfect generator when Black Friday arrives.