Our digital Generator Advisor finds the right generator for your needs in 60 seconds.
Low purchase price – the best value for money of any generator technology
Starts instantly, even in the cold – proven 4-stroke engines, reliable recoil or electric start
Lighter than diesel – compact design with wheels and carry handles, ideal for mobile use
Fuel available everywhere – filling station, jerry can, spare canister – no problem
Versatile – for camping, building sites, the garden, the workshop and occasional backup power
Brand-independent advice – free and personal on +49 (0) 5423 477400 or 24/7 online
Petrol generators are the most economical and most widely used generator technology. With a 4-stroke petrol engine, straightforward starting and fuel that's available all over the world, they're the right choice for anyone looking for a flexible, portable power source for occasional or moderate use.
At Kipor.org you'll find petrol generators in every relevant power and equipment class – from compact 2 kW camping units and 5–7 kW machines for DIY, the workshop and the farmyard to powerful 10–15 kW professional generators for building sites and backup power.
In the industry, petrol generators are often sold as a one-size-fits-all solution. At Kipor.org we tell you the truth – and that saves you money, hassle and bad investments:
A petrol generator is the right choice if:
– You only use it occasionally (camping, DIY, short power cuts, a few hours a day on site).
– The purchase price matters more to you than the running costs.
– You need a light, portable unit you can move without a trailer.
– You're not powering any frequency-sensitive electronics (for that: an inverter).
A petrol generator is NOT the right choice if:
– You run the generator daily or continuously – diesel is far more economical for that.
– You want to power laptops, servers, heat pumps, modern heating controls or medical equipment – for these you need an inverter.
– You want to store the generator as a long-term backup power reserve – petrol only stays usable for around 6 months without a stabiliser; diesel keeps much longer.
– You want to run the generator continuously in a residential area – inverters are quieter for that.
We're happy to work out which technology suits your particular application in a short conversation – we'd rather sell you the right unit than the most expensive one.
Garden & DIY: hedge trimmer, garden shredder, drill, jigsaw, small air compressor – anywhere there's no socket in the garden or at the carport.
Building sites & trades: angle grinder, hammer drill, concrete mixer, submersible pump, site floodlights – the classic job for a portable petrol generator.
Camping & outdoors: caravan, motorhome, campsite, fishing trip – wherever there's no hook-up point. For particularly sensitive electronics (laptop, TV, CPAP), however, we recommend a petrol inverter generator.
Occasional backup power: a short power cut where you need to keep the fridge, lighting and heating controls running – petrol generators are the most economical solution here, as long as the appliances are conventional ones.
Events & functions: market stall, garden party, open-air event – with changing loads and a manageable running time.
Agriculture (secondary use): yard lighting, water pump, small tools – as a supplement to a fixed mains connection or a tractor.
Petrol generators are the cheapest to buy, ideal for occasional use, easy to transport and simple to operate. Weaknesses: higher fuel consumption than diesel, fuel doesn't store as well, and standard synchronous alternators aren't suitable for sensitive electronics.
Diesel generators last longer, use less fuel and – with a supply of heating oil – can be stored practically indefinitely. They're the most economical choice for continuous operation, high outputs from 6 kW upwards and stationary backup generators. Weaknesses: higher purchase price, heavier.
Inverter generators – both petrol and diesel inverters – produce a pure sine wave with stable voltage and frequency. They're the only safe choice for sensitive electronics. Weaknesses: more expensive than conventional AVR generators.
Our free Generator Advisor on the website helps you find the right technology for your application around the clock.
2–3 kW: Compact camping and garden units. Powers lighting, phone charging, smaller pumps and battery chargers. Easy to carry, often with recoil start.
3–5 kW: The best-selling class. Powers a hammer drill, small circular saw, concrete or mortar mixer, fan heater, refrigeration units and lighting systems. Usually with wheels and a carry handle.
5–7 kW: High-quality units for home and building site. Can power several tools at once or a small household circuit as backup power. Often with electric start and 230 V/400 V output.
7–10 kW: Semi-professional site and backup generators with three-phase output. Powers construction hoists, larger mixers, welders (with limitations) and smaller home installations.
10–15 kW: Professional generator sets for construction, industry and larger backup power systems. Usually with AVR control, electric start and three-phase output.
Continuous power vs. maximum power: Advertising often quotes the maximum power, which can only be sustained briefly. What matters for your sizing is the continuous power – the output the unit can deliver over a sustained period.
Starting current reserve: Many appliances (drills, circular saws, pumps, refrigeration units) draw 2 to 5 times their rated power when starting up. Size your generator generously to match.
Single-phase or three-phase (400 V)? A single-phase generator is enough for 230 V appliances only. For three-phase equipment or connection to a three-phase home installation, you need a generator with a 400 V output. If you want to run single-phase appliances on a three-phase unit, also check its unbalanced load capability.
Starting system: recoil start (inexpensive and reliable, but takes some effort on larger engines), electric start (push-button convenience), remote start (wireless remote control) or automatic start with ATS (for stationary backup power systems).
Tank size and runtime: Check the fuel consumption per hour and the tank capacity. Realistic runtimes for a 5 kW generator are between 6 and 12 hours per tank, depending on the load.
Noise level: Check the data sheet – figures are usually given in dB(A) at 7 m. Conventional petrol generators range from 70 to 95 dB(A); inverter models are considerably quieter.
Engine quality: Proven engine brands (Honda, Yanmar, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton) or high-quality in-house engines from well-known manufacturers last longer and have better spare parts availability than cheap no-name generators.
In our petrol generator range we stock FME, KIPOR, Hyundai, Champion, Genergy, DeWalt, ITC Power, Kompak, Eisemann, Ford, Black+Decker and other brands. We technically check every model and make sure it's suited to the European market.
For our own FME petrol inverter generators we rely on proven engines and technology that we've load-tested ourselves – for example the FME XG-SF 3300E (3.3 kW, just 21.4 kg, ideal for camping and motorhomes) or the FME XG-SF 4000ER (3.8 kW, with wireless remote control).
In the conventional AVR petrol segment we offer powerful models of more than 15 kW – including three-phase output and unbalanced load capability and, depending on the model, an ATS connection.
Add up the wattage of all the appliances you want to run at the same time, then allow an extra 20–30% reserve plus the starting currents of motor-driven equipment. For a typical backup power scenario in a detached house (fridge, lighting, router, heating pump), 3–5 kW is usually enough. For comprehensive home backup power with several appliances running at once, we recommend 7–10 kW.
That depends on tank size and load. A typical 5 kW generator with a 25-litre tank runs for around 8–12 hours at 50% load and 4–6 hours at full load. Larger models with a 50-litre tank last correspondingly longer. You'll always find the exact figures in the data sheet.
Without a stabiliser, around 3–6 months. After that, petrol starts to gum up and can cause starting problems and a dirty carburettor. If you're storing the generator as a backup power reserve, either run the tank dry or use a petrol stabiliser. For long-term backup power reserves, diesel generators have a clear advantage – heating oil with an additive stays usable for many years.
With normal use, very little: change the oil every 50–100 operating hours, clean the air filter regularly, and replace the fuel filter and spark plug every 200–300 hours. Even if you rarely use it, start the unit at least twice a year and let it run under load for a few minutes to keep the carburettor and lubrication in good condition.
You need to distinguish between two things here: power is often not a problem with modern heat pumps that have an inverter compressor (5–7 kW is usually enough). Frequency stability, however, is: modern heat pumps are electronically controlled and react sensitively to frequency fluctuations. That's why, for heat pump backup power, we explicitly recommend a diesel inverter generator with ATS rather than a conventional petrol AVR generator.
Conventional petrol AVR generators range from 70 to 95 dB(A) at 7 m, depending on size. That's comparable to anything from a busy road to a nearby pneumatic drill. Petrol inverter generators with variable engine speed are much quieter in eco mode at 55–65 dB(A) – roughly the level of a quiet room up to normal conversation.
No, never. Petrol generators produce carbon monoxide (CO) – an odourless, potentially fatal exhaust gas. Running one in enclosed spaces, garages, cellars or under canopies with poor ventilation puts lives at acute risk. Always set the unit up outdoors, well away from doors and windows. Indoor installation strictly requires a professionally installed exhaust system venting outdoors and a carbon monoxide shut-off as a safety backup.
kW (kilowatts) is the real, usable power that runs your appliances. kVA (kilovolt-amperes) is the apparent power – it also includes the reactive power caused by inductive loads (motors, transformers). Rule of thumb for generators: kW = kVA × 0.8. So a 10 kVA generator delivers about 8 kW of real power. When sizing, the kW figure is almost always what counts.
Single-phase (230 V) is enough for most household appliances, tools and simple electronics. You need three-phase (400 V) for powerful machinery (welders, large pumps, hoists) and to feed correctly into a three-phase home installation. Important: if you want to use a three-phase generator for single-phase loads (e.g. only 230 V appliances), check its unbalanced load capability – without it, only about a third of the total output is available per phase.
A conventional petrol generator (AVR) runs at a fixed engine speed and only regulates the voltage; it's cheaper and ideal for tools and simple appliances. A petrol inverter generator uses an electronic inverter stage to produce a clean sine wave with stable voltage and frequency – the only safe choice for sensitive electronics. Inverters are also quieter, more economical (variable speed) and more compact, but cost more to buy.
At full load, around 1.0–1.4 litres per hour. At half load (which is what you'll see most of the time in practice), consumption drops to 0.5–0.8 litres per hour. Inverter models with eco mode use considerably less again, because the engine adapts to the actual load.
With normal use and proper maintenance, life expectancy ranges from 1,000 to 5,000 operating hours depending on quality – which, with moderate use, means many years or even decades. High-quality branded engines (Honda, Yanmar, Kohler) and good maintenance extend the service life considerably. Diesel generators typically last longer – 10,000 to 30,000 hours is realistic.
Not sure whether a conventional petrol AVR generator, a petrol inverter or a diesel generator is right for your application? Our technical team will give you free, brand-independent advice on +49 (0) 5423 477400.
Outside our business hours, our free online Generator Advisor is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We deliver throughout the EU.
Conventional generators fluctuate. Inverters clean up the power digitally – your laptop and phone will thank you.
Enclosed housings and eco mode make them up to 30% quieter than conventional generators.
The engine only revs as high as it needs to. Need just 100 W? It simply ticks over at idle.
Safe for laptops & IT equipment
Quieter than a conversation
Order today, ready to ship tomorrow
Knetterhauser Straße 26