When winter storms knock out the power, they rarely give much warning — and suddenly, everyday essentials like heat, lights, and phone chargers feel anything but optional. The best portable generators ...

All I want is this to be done before I pass away,” Kathy Gordon, 69, said. “I’m tired of being put on the back burner.” ...

Both provide electricity during an outage—the choice comes down to convenience, price, and powerA portable generator (left) is much less expensive than a permanently installed whole-house model ...