Over the years, I’ve tested a lot of different generators – big, small, gas-powered, propane-powered…you name it.
Some of those generators were terrible. Others were just fine. A select few have really impressed me.
In fact, there’s only two generators that I’ve held onto and still use on my overlanding and camping trips.
The first is the Generac iq3500, a beast of a generator that puts out 3500 watts of power. When I need a lot of power, it’s a good option. But it isn’t my choice for the best generator of 2021.
Instead, the title of the best generator of 2021 falls to the ALP 1000-Watt propane generator. Let me share with you why this generator tops the list.
The Best Feature of the ALP 1000-Watt Propane Generator: Its Size
I’ve been using this generator for a year now, and while there are many features that I really like (which I enumerate below), the greatest asset of this generator is that it’s small, lightweight, and portable.
At just 28 pounds, this is a generator that I can easily pick up, move around, pack in my trailer, unpack, and so forth. It doesn’t require a handcart to move or a buddy to help bear the weight of carrying it. When you’re camping or overlanding, having a power source that you can move quickly and easily is an enormous benefit.
It’s sized right, too – at 18” x 9.5” x 15” it fits nicely into my trailer’s storage compartment without taking up a ton of precious cargo space.
The portability factor means that I can get reliable power whenever and wherever I need it. Many other generators offer great power (like my Generac), but that power comes at the cost of a lack of portability.
For example, my Generac weighs nearly 110 pounds. It simply isn’t a practical option for most of my camping and overlanding trips. I’ll take the small-yet-mighty ALP any day!
The Best Generator of 2021 Gives Me All the Power I Need
I know what you’re thinking – 1000 watts isn’t enough! But in my experience, a 1000-watt generator is plenty of power for most people and most overlanding and camping experiences.
Now, I will say that if you have a 40-foot fifth wheel and you have a dozen devices to power, a 1000-watt generator isn’t going to hack it. But I don’t have a giant fifth wheel; I have a Turtleback Expedition Series trailer, and the 1000-watt ALP generator (which has 850 watts of running power) gives me all the juice I need for my trailer’s electrical systems.
But you can run two of these generators in parallel, doubling the running power to 1,700 watts. So, when my family comes camping with me and we have more things that need power, having a dual-generator setup is the perfect solution.
And since these generators are so small and lightweight, I can bring two of them along and still have a smaller footprint and a lighter load than if I brought my one Generac generator.
So, if you have an overlanding setup that doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of power needs, one of these generators will suit you just fine, and two of them will give you the added power you might only occasionally need.
The Best Generator of 2021 is Also Super Quiet
I’m sure you’ve had an experience or two in which you’re at a campground enjoying the sounds of nature, only to have those relaxing sounds drowned out by a big and loud generator nearby. While I’m all about having creature comforts when I’m camping and overlanding, I also don’t want to be that guy that disturbs everyone with his ear-piercing generator.
Here again is yet another reason why the ALP 1000-Watt propane generator is my pick for the best of 2021 – it’s quiet!
With 52 dBA ultra-quiet operation, you can run the generator and still have a conversation with someone while standing right next to it.
Now, obviously it isn’t silent, so it does make some noise. But compared to many of the generators I’ve tested over the years, this one is the quietest of the bunch. That quiet operation is worth its weight in gold when you’re trying to be respectful of other campers in the area.
This Generator Has Built-In Versatility
I’ve already spoken about one of the best versatile features of this generator – the ability to run them in parallel. But the versatility certainly doesn’t stop there…
You can run this generator on a small 1-pound propane tank or if you need longer running time you can use a 20-pound propane tank. With the smaller tank, you’re looking at about three hours of runtime – plenty to charge up your electronics, run the water pump to do the dishes, and so forth. And with a 20-pound tank, you can get up to 60 hours of runtime – more than enough for running a heater all night long on a multi-day cold weather camping trip.
Likewise, this generator offers you a versatile array of charging options. You get dual 120V AC outlets, two USB ports, and a DC 12V port to meet virtually any power needs you might have.
And, as explained earlier, since this generator is so easy to transport, you get the flexibility of using it in a wide range of situations – take it camping, use it for tailgating, or even use it to power critical items in your home (like the refrigerator) during a power outage.
Add “Easy to Use” to the List
Years ago, I bought a cheap generator because it offered a lot of power at an unbelievable price.
Well, as most “too good to be true” situations end up, it was a terrible investment on my part. The generator was incredibly difficult to use. Even worse, it seldom actually worked.
So, the fact that the ALP 1000-Watt propane generator is so easy to use is another reason why it’s the best generator of 2021. It takes just five steps to set up and get this generator started, and when you go to start it, it fires up each and every time. That’s the kind of reliability you want when you’re off-grid!
At the end of the day, we want our overlanding gear to have certain qualities. We want it to be reliable and durable, we want it to be intuitive to use, we want it to be portable, and we want good value for the money.
The ALP 1000-Watt propane generator ticks all of these boxes. It is simply one of the best items I have in my overlanding kit – and I’m confident you will find it to be equally valuable for your overlanding setup as well!