The best generator for off grid living is most likely going to be solar unless you have a huge tank of magic gasoline that doesn't spoil. Since you live off the grid you probably don't want to make too many trips to town. Therefore you are going to want a generator that can be recharged by sunlight and isn't going to breakdown all the time!
This article is going to give you some of the top rated and best solar generators for off grid living.
Table of Contents
Solar Generator Vs. Gas Generator
The difference between a solar generator and a gas powered generator is simple. One runs on batteries and the other runs on some type of fuel, such as gasoline. The solar generator is usually just a battery pack that is connected to solar panels. The solar panels are what collects the suns rays and turns it into electricity, which is then stored in the battery pack.
Gas generators are great, but if you intend on living off the grid it can be difficult to store the fuel that is needed to run the generator. You may be thinking, why don't I just store up a bunch of gas and only use it when necessary.
The problem with this is that gas doesn't last forever. Gasoline can absorb water pretty easy, which makes it useless. Gasoline has a shelf life of about 3 to 6 months. You can use fuel stabilizers, but that only makes it last another year or so.
If you plan on living off the grid, you may just want to invest in the solar option. You don't have to worry about running out of the sun!
Top Solar Generators for off the Grid Living
Take a look at three of the top solar generators on the market today. We created a comparison table for the most popular models within the generator category. Keep in mind that solar generators on not solar unless they are connected to solar panels. Without them are are just portable battery packs.
You can use the generators at home, in the car, or off the grid. If you opt out of the solar panels they are still very useful. Many people keep them as a spare power source in case of emergency or blackouts. You would just have to recharge them when you get back to the grid or when the power comes back on. They are able to hold a charge up to a year, so you can have the peace of mind knowing you are secure in emergency scenarios.
Goal Zero Yeti Solar Generators
The Goal Zero Yeti solar generators makes some of the best generators and inverters on the market. They can power multiple devices at a time and even comes with wheels to haul it around (model 3000x). You will need to purchase some solar panels if you plan on using them off the grid though.
Take a look at the table below to see the comparison of the Yeti solar generators. You can get an idea of how long it will power different devices per wattage.
GOAL ZERO customer support phone number: 1-888-794-6250
Goal Zero Yeti Solar Generators |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Device | ||||
​Smart Phone (12Wh) | 253 Charges | 127 Charges | 42 Charges | 16 Charges |
​Tablet (30Wh) | 101 Charges | 51 Charges | 17 Charges | 6 Charges |
​Laptop (50W) | 61 Charges | 31 Charges | 10 Charges | 4 Charges |
​DSLR Camera (18W) | 169 Charges | 84 Charges | 28 Charges | 11 Charges |
​Goal Zero Lights (LAL 350) | 674 Hours | 337 Hours | 112 Hours | 42 Hours |
​Light Bulb (11W) | 276 Hours | 138 Hours | 46 Hours | 17 Hours |
​CPAP (65W) | 47 Hours | 24 Hours | 8 Hours | NA |
​TV (42" LED, 100W) | 30 Hours | 15 Hours | 5 Hours | NA |
​Pellet Grill (60W) | 51 Hours | 26 Hours | 9 Hours | NA |
​Fridge (1400Wh Per Day) | 55 Hours | 28 Hours | NA | NA |
Price | ​$3400 | $1950 | ​$650 | ​$300 |
Lion Energy Solar Generators
Lion Energy has four different solar generator options.. They make several other products as well. They even have options for industrial sized applications. Check out our Lion Energy Review page to see some of the best and worst solar generator reviews for Lion Energy. We also have a coupon to give you 15% off all Lion Energy products!
Look at the table below to see the comparison of the Lion Energy solar generators. Most people opt for the Lion Safari ME with the XP Expansion pack. Make sure you purchase some solar panels as well. You will need them to recharge the device if you don't have electricity at your off the grid cabin.
Lion Energy customer support phone number: (385) 375 - 8191
Lion Energy Solar Generators |  |  |  |  |
Device | ||||
LED Lamp (4W) | 230 Hours | 742 Hours | 90 Hours | 20 Hours |
Phone (5W) | 92 Charges | 297 Charges | 25 Charges | 18 Hours |
Fridge (36W) | 25 Hours | 82 Hours | 6 Hours (55W) | NA |
CPAP (40W) | 25 Hours | 74 Hours | NA | NA |
​Laptop (56W) | 17 Charges | 51 Charges | 8 Hours (45W) | 1 Hour (60W) |
LCD TV (75W) | 12 Hours | 40 Hours | 4.8 Hours | 1 Hour (75W) |
Price (without coupon) | ​$2350 *** | $3995 *** | $585 *** | $175 *** |
Generark Solar Generators
We included the Generark generators because they are of similar quality, but at a much lower price point. They are however a little less powerful. You can always opt to buy more battery packs, which will level the playing field.
If you are interested in their generators, it might benefit you to go to our Generark Solar Generator Review page. We give the best and worst consumer reviews so you can make the best decision. Check out the comparison table below to see the difference between each Generark solar generator package.
Generark Customer support phone number: 1 800 210 8665
Generark Solar Generator Packages |  |  |  |  |
Devices | ||||
​Family Size | 1-2 People | ​1-2 People | 2-4 People | 3-6 People |
Fridge (1000W) | 5-14 hours | 5-14 Hours | 10-28 Hours | 15-42 Hours |
Phone/Tablet | 100 Charges | 100 Charges | 200 Charges | 300 Charges |
Lamp | 1-7 Days | 1-7 Days | 2-14 Days | 3-21 Days |
​Wifi/Modem/Router | 5 days - 2 Weeks | 5 days - 2 Weeks | 10 Days - 2 Weeks | 2-6 Weeks |
Computer/TV | 8 Charges | 1-5 Days | 2-14 Days | 3-15 Days |
Cooking Appliance below 1000W | 1-7 Days | 1-7 Days | 2-14 Days | 3-21 Days |
​Power Tools | 1 day - 2 Weeks | 1 day - 2 Weeks | 2 Days - 2 Weeks | 3 Days - 3 Weeks |
Medical Devices | 1 Day-1 Week | 1 Day-1 Week | 2 Days - 2 Weeks | 3 Days - 3 Weeks |
Price | $999 | ​$1500 | ​$2794 | $4497 |
How to Choose the Best Generator
Choosing which solar generator to get can be a little stressful. You want the best one that will get the job done, but without breaking the bank. These generators are no small investment, so you want to make the best decision.
One of the best ways to know which solar generator to choose is by looking at what your needs are and then look at the generators potential. We went to the effort of giving you a table with several different price ranged generators that show their capabilities. Take a look at them and decide what devices you need and how long you will need them to run before recharging the unit.
Some of the generators don't come with solar panels so you will have to look at the price and output of the panels as well. Some of the customer reviews say they aren't happy with the charging time of the solar panels. This is most likely due to the panels being too small and/or not enough sun exposure.
At the end of the day everyone wants the best deal. We suggest checking out our comparison tables, customer reviews, and the price before making your decision. You can also contact the company directly to explain your needs and they can help to make sure you have everything that you need to live off the grid.
I included each companies customer support phone number, so jot it down or save this page when you are ready to make a decision.
Best Solar Generator for off Grid Living Comparison Table
Here you will see our three best picks. The Generark is a little less expensive and that's because it doesn't have the same power output. We included it in the comparison since it's at a similar level of quality, but at a different price point.
Top Solar Generator Comparison | | | |
Devices | |||
Lamp | 1-7 Days | 742 Hours (4W) | 276 Hours (11W) |
Phone | ~100 Charges | 297 Charges (5W) | 101 Charges (12W) |
Computer | 8 Charges | 51 Charges (56W) | 61 Charges (50W) |
Medical Devices | 2-7 Days | 74 Hours (40W) | 47 hours (65W) |
Wall Charge Time | ​7 Hours | 83 Minutes | 14 Hours |
Power Output | 1000 Watts | 2000 Watts | 2000 Watts |
Power Surge | 2000 Watts | 4000 Watts | 3500 Watts |
Weight | 23.37 lbs | 89.5 lbs (~45 each) | 69 lbs |
Warranty | 5 Years | ​1 Year | ​2 Years |
Price | $999 | $3995 *** | $3400 |
Note* If you use our Lion Energy coupon code: IO the 15% off price will be $3395.
Check out our surge protector for generators at our EMP Shield Review page.
Happy camping!
Do you have experience with these generators or have an opinion on another brand? Let us know in the comments!