Aurora 5,000W Tri-Fuel Portable Generator

The Aurora 5K switches between gasoline, propane and natural gas with one dial, putting out 4,000 running watts (5,000 peak). Electric start and carbon monoxide auto-shutdown make it a solid pick for power outages, cabins and campsites.

When an ice storm drops the lines in January, or the cabin sits at the end of a long gravel road, you want backup power and fuel you can actually find. The Aurora 5K Tri-Fuel Generator puts out 4,000 running watts, with 5,000 watts on tap at peak, so essentials such as a fridge, a window air conditioner, lighting, power tools and everyday electronics are within reach. Total up the wattage of what you plan to plug in, and you will know where you stand. Named for the northern lights, it is made to shine when the nights get long.

In a long outage, fuel is often the hard part. A selector dial moves the Aurora 5K between gasoline, propane and natural gas, so you can burn whichever one is easiest to come by. Fill the 5 gal (18.9 L) gas tank and it can run up to 14 hours at half load; hook up a 20 lb (9.1 kg) propane tank, the same size many of us keep for the grill, and expect up to 10.5 hours. Power comes from a 224cc OHV four-stroke, air-cooled engine with a cold-start design to help it fire up on frosty mornings.

Glance at the digital display to check live voltage and frequency, how long the current session has run and the engine's lifetime hours, which is handy for planning oil changes. Protection comes in layers: the engine shuts itself off if oil runs low, a built-in sensor stops the generator when carbon monoxide builds to an unsafe level, and circuit breakers guard every outlet against overloads. None of that replaces common sense, so always run it outside, well clear of doors, windows and vents.

Hooking up is simple. The TT-30R outlet takes your travel trailer's plug at the campground or out on the back forty, and the L5-30R locking outlet can feed a home transfer switch so essential circuits stay live through an outage; have a licensed electrician install the switch. A push-button electric starter, with its battery in the box, spares you the tug-of-war, and a recoil cord stands by as a backup. Every unit carries our 3-year limited warranty and ships free anywhere in the US.