How Not To Shop For A Portable Generator

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“Name the season’s first hurricane Zelda and fool Mother Nature into calling it a year.” ~Robert Brault

Personally, I wouldn’t dream of shopping for a portable generator until the wind has been blowing 80 miles an hour for at least a day. That way, if I’m lucky, there’ll only be one generator left and I won’t be forced into making a life or death decision.

Nothing makes me more anxious than standing around at the big box store with a bunch of seasoned DIY guys looking at generators and trying to fit in. I usually try to cover up my embarrassing lack of knowledge with insightful remarks like “She’s a beauty” or “Look, this one has wheels!”

Even if I end up with a piece of crap, which I will, I’m still a hero because my wife will be bragging to our neighbors that I got the very last one. Just about then my neighbor Bob will come over and notice that I can rest my right hand on my knee without bending over. “Been trying to start your generator again, eh Buddy?”

Sure it sounds silly, but this is how half of us shop for a portable generator. The other half do their research first, and then go out and buy a cheap piece of crap on purpose.

The problem with preparing for a natural disaster is not Mother Nature, but human nature. Nobody wants to spend a dime on anything these days unless it’s absolutely necessary; and who can blame them? But the difference between planning ahead or not often means the difference between thriving or merely surviving.

The next time the lights go out, have more fun with a Generac portable generator .