Briggs launches quieter, powerful portable generator
It can run essential home appliances
Fueled by the demand for a quieter, more powerful portable generator, Briggs & Stratton Corp. on Tuesday launched a compact unit that it says produces 60% less sound and can run essential home appliances during a power outage.
The new Quiet Power generator was several years in development, Briggs said, and is two or three times more powerful than many portable units.
Wauwatosa-based Briggs, the world’s largest manufacturer of small gasoline engines, said the new unit produces up to 6,500 watts of power, which is enough to run a refrigerator, furnace fan, sump pump, lights and some small appliances at the same time.
The new generator fills a gap in the marketplace between less powerful portable units and built-in standby generators capable of powering an entire home.
“It’s definitely intended to run the standard essentials during a short-term power outage,” said Dan Roche, director of marketing for the portable power division at Briggs.
That could include a basement sump pump, during a spring storm, and a chest freezer.
“And if you are a coffee guy like me, you would plug in that coffeemaker,” Roche said.
The new generator runs up to 14 hours on a tank of gasoline, at 25% power capacity.
Briggs said ideas for the new unit came from studies showing consumers wanted portable generators that were quieter, more powerful, more fuel efficient and less bulky.
“It’s 60% quieter than a typical generator,” Roche said, and it’s 45% more compact and 30% lighter than a standard unit.
The new generator has wheels to help move it around, which is probably good because, at 128 pounds, it’s not easily picked up and carried.
There’s a trade-off between additional power and portability.
“You definitely need another person to pull this out of a tailgate,” Roche said.
An inverter-style generator, the new unit can run almost any type of household electrical device. It has four GFCI 120V-20A outlets and one 120V-240V locking outlet. It also has two USB ports for charging cellphones and other electronics.
It’s safe to use for power-sensitive devices like tablets and laptops, according to Briggs.
The company didn’t include Bluetooth technology, available on another Briggs generator, that allows the user to monitor the fuel gauge, remaining run time and percentage of power consumed, via a mobile phone app.
At $1,499, the Q6500 is not cheap. Briggs says it will be available, starting in June, at Home Depot stores.
Home power backup units represent the largest portion of the portable generator market, according to Briggs.
“We created a residential backup power source that drew upon the convenience and fuel efficiency (which) inverter generators have brought to camping and tailgating events, but also increased the power output and value,” Roche said.