Champion 4,000-Watt Electric-Start Tri-fuel RV-Ready Portable Generator with CO Shield: The little brother to the 8,125-watt model only runs at 68dBA, which makes it significantly quieter.

For context, the largest generator we recommend — the Champion 201175 7000 Watt Electric Start Dual Fuel Inverter Generator — offers 1,500 more running watts, and it’s about $1,800, so it ...

It starts up easily, and Lowes customers have made it the retailer's 7th-best selling generator. The Craftsman Performance 7,500-Watt Single Fuel Portable Generator is available at Lowes for $800.