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Family Handyman reviewer Paul Rankin tested the Anker Solix Smart Generator 5500 for just over a month at his Florida home, using gasoline and propane and connecting it to an Anker Solix E10 battery system. He reported easy setup and reliable operation during testing, while noting noise, the cost of the full backup system and the fact that he had not tested natural gas.
Family Handyman reviewer Paul Rankin reports that he tested the Anker Solix Smart Generator 5500 for just over a month at his Florida home, running it on gasoline and propane and connecting it to an Anker Solix E10 whole-home battery. The review describes straightforward setup and app-based starting, but its results cover only a limited test period and do not establish how the generator would perform during a prolonged outage.
The 224cc, four-stroke generator can run on gasoline, propane or natural gas. Anker rates its direct-current output at up to 4,500 watts on gasoline or propane and 4,000 watts on natural gas. Its conventional alternating-current output is rated at up to 3,600 watts across the three fuels, through a TT-30R outlet and a 5-20R outlet.
Rankin tested gasoline and propane, manual and app-based starting, Eco and higher-output modes, portability, noise and the connection to his home battery. He said setup took about 20 minutes, including connecting the startup battery and adding oil. Both the app and physical start button worked during his tests, and he did not report starting problems, overloads, connection failures or app glitches. His longest continuous run lasted about two hours.
With the E10 system connected, Rankin observed DC charging output of around 4.5 kilowatts, consistent with the generator’s advertised maximum. The generator charged the battery; it did not directly power every appliance in his home. The batteries supplied household loads while the generator replenished them. Rankin’s home also has rooftop solar, which can provide another charging source when sunlight is available.
How It Fits a Home Backup System
The review’s main finding is about the generator’s role in a combined battery and generator setup. A compatible E10 can accept the generator’s DC output directly, avoiding conversion from DC to AC and back to DC for charging, according to the report. That connection may appeal to owners already invested in Anker’s home-energy equipment who want another way to recharge batteries when solar production is low.
The arrangement also puts the generator’s capacity in perspective. Rankin’s home stayed powered by the battery system, while the generator charged it at up to roughly 4.5 kilowatts. That is different from the generator directly carrying all household loads. Readers considering backup power should distinguish between charging a battery and supplying a house, and check that the generator, battery, electrical installation and expected loads are compatible.
Cost is a substantial part of the reviewer’s experience. His battery equipment cost about $14,000, with professional installation adding approximately $4,500. Those are costs for his particular home setup, not the price of the generator alone or a quote for other households. Rankin also identified noise and the expense of building out the full Anker ecosystem as drawbacks.
What the Review Tested
Rankin undertook the test because hurricanes and severe storms in Florida can interrupt electricity for hours or days. His existing backup arrangement included rooftop solar, two E10 power modules and three battery expansion modules, as well as equipment to manage backup power. Electricians Arcenio Garcia of Firstline Electric & Energy and Oswin Fernandez of Future Electric Solutions installed the system, according to the report.
The review covers the generator both as a portable unit and as part of that established Anker setup. Rankin selected a fuel with the physical selector, then used the electric starter or the Anker app; the generator also has a manual pull start. He described moving the 110-pound unit as manageable, though that is his assessment from testing and does not remove the need to consider weight and handling for a particular user.
The generator’s fuel flexibility is part of its design, but the tested fuels were gasoline and propane. Although natural gas is listed as an option, Rankin had not tried it because a connection to his home gas supply would require professional installation. His observations are therefore a monthlong product test, not a report of performance during an actual extended power outage or a test of all three fuels.
““The entire process took me about 20 minutes.””
— Paul Rankin, Family Handyman reviewer
Limits of the Test Results
The review does not report testing through a real, extended household outage. Its longest continuous generator run was about two hours, so it does not establish long-duration reliability, fuel use over multiple days or how the system would perform as household demand changes during an emergency.
Natural-gas operation remains untested in Rankin’s review. He said connecting the generator to his home gas supply would require professional installation. The report also does not provide a sound measurement, detailed fuel-consumption figures, or a full comparison with competing generators. Its observations about noise and portability are the reviewer’s assessments.
The article excerpt supplied for this report does not give a generator purchase price or a complete list of specifications and drawbacks. Rankin’s stated battery and installation costs describe his own system. They should not be treated as the cost of buying this generator or as a typical installation estimate.
Natural Gas Test Still Pending
Rankin said he plans to add a professionally installed natural-gas connection and test the generator on that fuel. That would extend the review’s findings to its third listed fuel, though the article does not give a schedule for the work. Until then, the hands-on results described cover gasoline and propane only.
For readers weighing the system, the next practical step is to compare the generator’s rated AC and DC outputs with the loads and battery equipment they intend to use, then account for installation and equipment costs. The review documents one household’s experience; it does not confirm performance for other homes, during a multi-day outage or under every operating condition.
Key Questions
Which fuels did the reviewer test?
Paul Rankin tested the generator on gasoline and propane. He had not tested natural gas when the review was written.
Did the generator directly power the reviewer’s whole home?
No. In the described tests, it charged the Anker Solix E10 battery system, which supplied the home’s electrical loads.
How much power does the generator provide?
Anker rates its conventional AC output at up to 3,600 watts. Its direct DC output is rated at up to 4,500 watts on gasoline or propane and 4,000 watts on natural gas.
What did the reviewer identify as drawbacks?
Rankin cited noise and the considerable cost of building out the full Anker home-backup system. His battery equipment and professional installation together cost about $18,500 in his setup; that figure is not the generator’s price.
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