Buying guides, comparisons, how-to guides, maintenance and troubleshooting for engine-powered equipment.
The yearly routine that keeps small gasoline engines starting: oil, air filter, spark plug, fuel care and storage, with intervals and step-by-step instructions.
Pump gasoline starts to degrade within a month. How long it really lasts in a can, a tank or an engine, how stabilizers help,…
What to buy first, what to buy well, and what to skip until you need it: a three-phase plan for a home garage that…
A plain-language tour of what happens inside a portable generator, from the engine to the outlets, and why inverter models produce cleaner power.
Typical fuel consumption for portable generators from 2,000 to 12,000 watts, how to work it out from a spec sheet, and practical ways to…
The three safe ways to power a house from a portable generator: extension cords, a manual transfer switch, or an interlock kit with an…
The handful of rules that prevent nearly every generator death and injury: where to run it, how to handle fuel and cords, and what…
Stale fuel is the main reason stored generators refuse to start. Here is how to put a generator away for a month or a…
A practical checklist for before, during and after a power outage: generator readiness, fuel, food safety, heat, communication and the mistakes that cause injuries.
Inverter generators are quieter, lighter and cleaner. Conventional generators give more watts for the money. Here is how they differ and which fits each…
Standby generators start themselves and run the whole house; portables cost a fraction as much but need you to set them up. A clear…
Diesel generators run longer on less fuel and are built for heavy duty; gasoline generators are cheaper, lighter and easier to find. Which suits…
Spark versus compression, torque versus revs, fuel economy versus price. How gasoline and diesel engines differ in practice and which one belongs in which…
