Best Generator For food Truck and Food Trailer

There are key differences between food truck and food trailer. 

Food truck provides more space and mobility, and is more expensive than a food trailer. You can easily move food trucks throughout your city to make better profit. 

You need a license insurance to operate a food truck as it has an engine. You don’t need a separate license for the food trailer.

Food trailer costs significantly less than a food truck but it does not have an engine and so its mobility is not so easy. You need a separate vehicle for its transportation. Food trailers provide more flexibility in terms of size and design.  

Cooking all things, avoiding food from spoiling, making coffee for customers, chilling the cold drink in the refrigerator, and making fries in a fryer requires a continuous supply of power/energy. 

Question is how to get power for a food truck or food trailer as it’s a remote business and does not have access to the main utility supply. 

The first solution pops up in mind is the portable generator. The generator will either be powered by gasoline or propane.

You can also use solar power stations if plenty of solar light is available as they are very portable, provide cleaner energy, produce no noise, no fumes and are environmentally friendly.

Generators can be chosen based upon their wattage which depends upon the appliances you are using in the food trailer. 

We divided generators in three categories based on power requirement. In each category we also provide the option of a quiet generator because noise near a food truck may affect your business turnover. 

List Of Best Generators For food Truck and Food Trailer — Editor’s Top Choices

High Power Requirement (Bigger Size Food truck)

Westinghouse WGen9500 is the best generator for the food truck business if you have high rated equipment in your truck. 

It has 27.2L x 26.1W x 26.5H in. dimension which does not make much space in the truck. It weighs 208 pounds, has foam grip handles, and never-flat wheels that make it easy to load and unload the generator from the food truck/trailer. 

In loading and unloading from the food truck the generator is more likely to be damaged, but the hardened steel frame makes it very durable. 

In food trucks mostly devices are refrigerator, Microwave oven, Fryer, Ice cream maker, coffee maker, lights, and fans which can be easily powered with its heavy duty 457cc 4-Stroke OHV engine providing 12500 peak watts and 9500 rated watts.

It has almost all kinds of outlets which you may require at your food truck. It has four 120V/20A GFCI outlets, one 120/240V 30A twist lock outlet, one 240V 50A RV outlet, and two 5V USB ports, all of which are rubber covered. 

You can start it with a wireless key fob from distance, an electric push button, or manually recoil method. 

It can run for up to 12 hours with a 6.6 gallon gasoline tank, it has a fuel gauge that helps you to determine when refueling is necessary. 

In the food truck business, noise of generators also matters. This generator does not produce so much noise. It produces 74 dba sound. 

It has a TFT display containing real-time information about voltage, frequency, and the unit’s total runtime. 

For security of the generator it has a low oil shut-down function, voltage regulation, and overload protection are all included in this generator. 

The generator is CARB compliant, and EPA approved.

WGen9500 is a gasoline-powered portable generator, and WGen9500DF is a dual fuel generator with the same specification but with an extra option of propane fuel. 

If you have a propane cylinder in your truck and you want to run the generator with propane then it is best to buy WGen9500DF.

Champion 201004 is also another good option for the food truck business. The champion 201004 has low wattage, smaller gas tank than WGen9500, and also it lacks USB ports. 

Champion is a Chinese brand but has a very good consumer rating at amazon and across the web while westinghouse is a USA brand and it also has good consumer rating.

It has solid handles, never flat tires, 206 pounds that makes it easy to load and unload from a truck and its solid steel frame prevents it from damage during transportation.

You can start the generator from your truck with ease with the help of a wireless key nob, and you can also start with an electric and recoil method.   

All heavy duty electric necessary equipment in the truck can be powered with its powerful 420cc engine which produces 9275 starting watts and 7500 running watts.

It has all kinds of outlets such as 120V/20A common house outlets, one 120/240V 30A locking outlet, and one 120/240V 50A RV outlet but it lacks any dc ports. 

A 5.7 gallon full gasoline tank that allows it to run for eight hours at 50% load. It produces 74 dB of sound, almost the same as WGen9500. 

There are three mode meters that provide information about its hours of operation, voltage output, and frequency.

It is equipped with low oil shutdown technology and overload protection for safe operation. 

A generator shuts down automatically if oil level is low to protect it, and overload also shuts it down to protect connected devices.

The generator is CARB compliant and approved by the EPA.

It is also important to consider the noise around your food truck for better turnout. The two generators we discussed above are traditional ones that aren’t so quiet. 

We choose Champion Power Equipment 100520 for heavy duty use at your food truck but it produces very little noise due to inverter technology.

Inverter generators are the generators which are based on modern technology which provides better fuel efficiency, produce very little sound but they will cost you much upfront. 

You can also power sensitive equipment such as musical systems, LED television and  charge your phones without any fear due to its clean power on your truck. 

The foldable handles, never flat tires, its weight 155.4 pounds make it easy to carry and store in the food truck. 

The heavy duty 420cc engine has a starting power of 8750 watts and a running power of 7000 watts, allowing you to easily operate all heavy duty and sensitive electronics on your truck. 

You can start the generator with an electric start button, and with manual recoil. It can also be quickly started in cold weather due to cold start technology.  

The unit contains all the required outlets, including four 120V/20A common house outlets, one 120/240V 30A locking outlet, and one 12V DC outlet. 

It is a gasoline powered generator, and a 4.2 gallon tank provides a runtime of 5 hours at half load. 

It produces 72 decibel sound when it is running at full throttle. It lowers its sound depending upon the power drawn from the generator. 

In economy mode, the generator automatically adjusts its speed based on the attached devices resulting in less noise and better fuel efficiency.

The unit has a 4-mode meter that shows runtime, total runtime, voltage, and frequency. Indicators indicate output, overload, and low oil levels.

For safety it has low oil shut down automatically shuts down the unit to protect it from damage.

This generator meets CARB standards and is EPA-approved.

Medium Power Requirement (Medium Size Food Truck) 

If you don’t need much power for your food truck business. You can choose a medium size generator which can run all your basic equipment and one or two heavy equipment. 

The generator has all the necessary capabilities that are required for the food truck business. 

It can be easily stored, loaded and unloaded from the food truck with the help of its solid handles, never flat tires, and solid metal frame. 

The heavy 210cc engine can produce 4400 peak watts and 3500 running watts which can easily operate the air conditioner, freezer and all basic equipment.  

The generator has two starting methods: electric and manual recoil method. 

The generator is equipped with all outlets necessary for running appliances at the truck. It has two 120V/20A common household outlets and one 120V/240V 30A twist lock outlet. The automotive style outlet allows the external batteries to be charged with 12V DC.

The generator is operated on gasoline, and it gives 11.46 hours runtime at half load for a 3.96 gallon tank. 

The generator has a fuel gauge, voltmeter. Low oil shutoff is a safety feature that shuts down the generator when the oil level falls too low. 

The generator is carb compliant and epa approved. 

If you have a propane cylinder in your truck and your electric consumption is in the range of 5kw, then you should consider purchasing a champion 76533. 

It can run on gasoline and propane. It comes with all the characteristics needed for a remote food business. 

It has solid handles, never flat tires, and solid metal frame, and 122 pounds weight which makes it suitable for a food truck. 

The 224 OHV champion engine generates starting wattage of 4275 and a running wattage of 3240 on propane, 4750 starting watts and 3800 running watts gasoline. It can power lights, fans, freezers, air conditioners, and small gadgets simultaneously. 

It can be started with both electric and manual recoil start methods. Even in cold weather, this generator can easily start due to its cold start technology. 

It has almost all kinds of outlets necessary for running appliances at food trucks. It has a duplex 120V/20A household outlet, a twist lock 120V/30A outlet, and a 120V/30A RV outlet. 

A 20-pound lpg tank gives 10.5 hours of runtime, while a 3.4 gallon gasoline tank gives 9 hours of runtime at half load. 

It generates 68 db of noise at 23 feet, which is almost as loud as a vacuum cleaner. 

It has low oil shut-down technology, which works by shutting down the operation of a unit when low oil is detected. 

The second is the voltage guard, which prevents overloading and protects your appliances.

The unit comes with an integrated digital meter that displays useful information, such as the voltage the generator produces, the frequency of the current, and total runtime. 

The fuel selector option allows a user to easily switch from one fuel type to another. 

It complies with CARB and EPA requirements.

In the first category of the high power usage category, we discussed how important it is to keep noise to a minimum around your food truck for good turnout. 

It produces 52dBa of sound, which is almost as loud as normal conversation. That is why we also chose one medium-sized generator for your food truck business in this category.  

Westinghousr iGen4500 is an inverter generator that producr very little sound, better fuel efficiency and also very good for sensitive electronics such as television and mobile charging etc. 

It has telescopic handles, never flat tires, 94 pounds, and solid design makes it perfect for remote business like food trailers. 

This Generator can be started with manual recoil start, electric push start, and wireless key fob. 

It has all required outlets such as 120V/20A household outlets, one 120V/30A RV outlet, and two USB outlets rated 5V 2.1A and 1A. All outlets are covered. 

The gasoline powered 224cc OHV 4-stroke engine delivers 4500 peak watts and 3700 rated watts that can easily manage the medium power size requirements in your truck. 

You can run the generator upto 18 Hours on 3.4 gallon full tank, you can easily manage whole day business on single refuel. 

This generator has less than 3% THD which makes it perfect for sensitive equipment. 

The efficiency mode automatically adjusts engine speed based on demand, saving up to 30% to 50% compared to traditional generators and reducing noise. 

LED data centers display fuel level, power output, remaining runtime, voltage output, and total runtime on a rotating basis. 

It has indicators for low oil level, overload, and output ready. Two and more generators can be combined in parallel if more power is required for your daily tasks.

This generator has low oil shut down technology and it is CARB and EPA certified.

Basic Power Requirements 

If you have very basic power needs for your truck business, such as lighting, fans, television, and a mini freezer, then you should purchase a small inverter generator, which will save you money upfront and also provide long-term cost savings. 

We have three options for power requirements: one gasoline powered, one dual fuel powered by gasoline and propane, and one solar-powered portable power station.

The Generac GP2500i is an inverter-based technology generator that runs on gasoline, produces very little noise, and is very portable. 

It is very lightweight having weight of 59 pounds, built in handle, and solid handle makes it best for your truck business. 

It has a 98cc engine with a starting rating of 2500 watts and a running rating of 2200 watts, which is more than enough to run lights, fans, mini freezers, and even a small air conditioner. 

It is a very efficient and cost effective generator which gives 4.5 hours of runtime at half load, and 8 hours at 25% load on one gallon fuel tank. 

It is also a very quiet generator which produces 60 dBa of sound at full throttle. 

It has all necessary outlets for powering devices such as one USB 2.1A 5V outlet, two AC 120V 20A receptacles, and one DC 12V receptacle are included along with rubberized outlet covers. 

The generator has only one manual recoil start method. It has indicators for low oil levels, overloads, and if the machine is ready to use. 

Two generators can be combined in parallel to raise more power, and it is best for sensitive equipment due to pure sine wave current. 

This generator’s economy mode automatically adjusts the engine speed to offer best fuel efficiency and minimizes sound and emissions. 

In order to protect it from damage, the generator shuts off when it detects low oil levels. It complies with EPA and CARB regulations.

It is a dual fuel generator and can be a better option if you already have a propane cylinder in your truck for other stuff.

Propane makes generator operation cheaper than gasoline. It is also light weight with 53 pounds weight, solid handles, compact design, makes it perfect for food trucks. 

DuroMax 79cc OHV engine produces 2200 starting watts and 1800/1710 running watts which is more than enough to power basic equipment like light, fans, television, phone, laptop charging, and small size freezer. 

It has a manual recoil start method. It gives 19.08 hours of runtime on 20 lb propane, 6.78 hours on a 1.2 gallon gasoline tank at half load. 

A power panel included a variety of outlets such as two AC 120V/20A outlets, one 5V/1.5A outlet.

Economy mode reduces the speed of the engine according to the connected device to save fuel and reduce noise levels. It produces 60 dBa of sound at full throttle.

Low oil shutdown technology automatically shuts off the generator when it detects low oil levels. 

It has three light indicators, an output indicator, an overload indicator, and a low oil level indicator. 

Due to its parallel-ready capability, two generators can be connected for more power. 

Furthermore, duroMax’s MX2 technology ensures maximum power delivery through each outlet. 

The generator is EPA-certified and carb-compliant. 

Portable Power Station Option

When you run your food truck business along a route with plenty of sunlight, a solar power station can also be a viable choice. They can also be charged from truck 12V dc port, and also from wall socket.

Jackery Explorer 1000 is one of the best power stations for this purpose. It has a 1002Wh lithium battery. It has 22 pounds weight, carrying solid handles, and compact design makes it perfect for remote works.

0 to 80% can be reached in 5.5 hours on a wall outlet, 11.5 hours on a car outlet, and 6.5 hours on a 126W solar panel.

It provides a surge power of 2000 watts and the running power is 1000 watts which is basically more than enough to operate lights, fans, and a small size freezer.  

On its 1002 Wh lithium Ion battery, 100W of fan can run for approximately 10 hours.

It includes three 110V AC outlets, two USB-C ports, one USB-A quick charge, one simple USB-A, and one 12V DC outlet. The display indicates battery status, input and output wattage. 

There are several layers of protection, including overcurrent protection, short-current protection, overcharging protection, overvoltage protection, and thermal protection. 

Final Thoughts

Above we discussed the different options of generators for food business. We made three categories on the basis of power requirements at the food truck business. High rated devices, medium size devices, and for basic power requirements. Westinghouse Power Equipment WGen9500 is our first choice for that purpose because it can handle both high rated, and low rated power equipment.