Generator size by appliance / washing machine
What size generator runs a washing machine
Washing machine: 1,150 W running plus 2,300 W more for a few seconds as it starts, so a generator needs at least 3,450 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 Westinghouse iGen5000 (3,900 W running, 5,000 W peak).
Generac lists a washing machine at 1,150 W running and 2,300 W additional starting; Champion lists 500 W and 1,200 W. Both treat it as a motor load with a starting surge.
An electric clothes dryer is a separate 240-volt load and is not in the three tables used here.
Running the wash when the refrigerator and sump pump are idle keeps the surges from stacking.
The figures and where they come from
| Device | Source | Running W | Additional starting W | Starting need alone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washing machine | Generac GP brochure (2023) | 1,150 | 2,300 | 3,450 |
| Washing machine | Champion flyer (2021) | 500 | 1,200 | 1,700 |
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 | No | 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 1,980 W and the starting need to 4,280 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 washing machine with the basics needs 4.3 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 4.7 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: refrigerator · sump pump · well pump · furnace · window AC · central air · heat pump · space heater · water heater · garage door opener · CPAP · oxygen concentrator.