Generator size by appliance / refrigerator
What size generator runs a refrigerator
Refrigerator/freezer: 700 W running plus 2,200 W more for a few seconds as it starts, so a generator needs at least 2,900 W of starting capacity to run it on its own. The smallest of the six portables this site covers that can do it is the Honda EU3000iS (2,800 W running, 3,000 W max).
A refrigerator is the load most people start with, and it is a motor load: the compressor cycles on and off all day, and every start draws a surge. That is why the tables give it a starting figure three times its running figure, even though it uses little power once running.
Champion's flyer prints a lower running figure (400 W) than Generac and EWEB (700 W) but the same 2,200 W surge, so the starting requirement barely moves. The surge, not the running load, decides how small a generator can be.
The nameplate inside the door or on the back lists volts and amps; volts times amps gives the running watts for your model.
The figures and where they come from
| Device | Source | Running W | Additional starting W | Starting need alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator/freezer | Generac GP brochure (2023) | 700 | 2,200 | 2,900 |
| Refrigerator/freezer | EWEB (2019) | 700 | 2,200 | 2,900 |
| Refrigerator/freezer | Champion flyer (2021) | 400 | 2,200 | 2,600 |
Highlighted rows are the figures the calculator uses. Every table here prints additional starting watts: the surge on top of running watts.
Which portables can run it
| Generator | Running / peak W | Alone | With fridge, 6 LED bulbs, 2 chargers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda EU2200i | 1,800 / 2,200 | No | No |
| Honda EU3000iS | 2,800 / 3,000 | Yes | No |
| Westinghouse iGen5000 | 3,900 / 5,000 | Yes | Yes |
| Honda EU7000iS | 5,500 / 7,000 | Yes | Yes |
| Champion 201040 | 7,500 / 9,375 | Yes | Yes |
| Westinghouse WGen9500DF | 9,500 / 12,500 | Yes | Yes |
A generator fits when its running rating covers every running watt and its peak (or "max") rating covers the running total plus the single biggest starting surge. Adding the basics — a refrigerator (700 W running, 2,200 W to start), six 15 W LED bulbs and two phone chargers — raises the running load to 1,530 W and the starting need to 3,730 W. The smallest portable here that covers that is the Westinghouse iGen5000.
On a standby generator
A home standby unit is rated in kilowatts and has no overload capacity: Generac's rating definition says "No overload capability is available for this rating." Using Generac's own formula — sum of running watts plus the highest single starting burst — the refrigerator with the basics needs 3.7 kW. The smallest Guardian model that covers it on natural gas is the 10 kW, rated 9 kW on natural gas and 10 kW on propane, which leaves 5.3 kW of starting room for everything else. Whole-home lists are on the standby generator pages.
Before running anything, read the carbon monoxide distance rules and how a transfer switch keeps power off the utility lines. Other appliances: sump pump · well pump · furnace · window AC · central air · heat pump · space heater · water heater · washing machine · garage door opener · CPAP · oxygen concentrator.