TL;DR
A Family Handyman reviewer tested the Anker Solix Smart Generator 5500 for just over a month at a Florida home, using gasoline and propane and connecting it to a Solix E10 battery system. The reviewer reported easy setup and app-based starting, but noted noise and the high cost of the full backup setup. Natural-gas operation and longer runs remain untested.
A Family Handyman reviewer tested Anker’s Solix Smart Generator 5500 for just over a month at a Florida home, running it on gasoline and propane and connecting it to an Anker Solix E10 home battery. The report describes straightforward setup and app controls, while noting that the generator can support a home through the battery system; it does not establish that the generator alone can power every household load.
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The 224cc, four-stroke generator runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas. Anker lists up to 4,500 watts of DC output on gasoline or propane and 4,000 watts on natural gas. Its conventional AC output is rated up to 3,600 watts across the three fuels, through a TT-30R and a 5-20R outlet. The reviewer tested gasoline and propane, but not natural gas.
In the tested setup, the generator supplied DC power to the E10 battery, which then powered the house. The reviewer said output reached about 4.5 kilowatts while charging. That figure describes power going into the battery system, not a measurement of the generator directly serving every home appliance. The reviewer’s longest continuous run lasted about two hours.
First-use preparation took about 20 minutes, according to the report, including connecting the startup battery and adding oil. The reviewer said starting worked through both the generator’s controls and the Anker app, with a pull-start available as a backup. No starting problems, overloads, connection failures or app glitches occurred during the reported month of use. The account also flags noise and the cost of assembling the full Anker backup system as drawbacks.
How the Battery Changes Backup Use
The review’s main finding concerns how the generator works with a compatible home battery. The generator can charge the E10 through a direct DC connection, while the battery supplies household loads. In the reviewer’s tests, that arrangement let the system direct available power to the home and charge the battery at the same time.
That setup may interest homeowners seeking another charging source when rooftop solar is insufficient, including after dark. But the report is an account of one installation and test period, not a guarantee of performance in every home or during a prolonged outage. Buyers also need to distinguish the generator’s price from the cost of the wider system: the reviewer said the battery equipment cost about $14,000, with installation adding roughly $4,500.
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The Florida Home Test Setup
The reviewer lives in Florida, where hurricanes and severe storms can cause outages lasting hours or days. The home already had rooftop solar and an Anker Solix E10 system before the generator test. The E10 setup included two power modules, three battery expansion modules and equipment for managing home backup power.
Electricians Arcenio Garcia of Firstline Electric & Energy and Oswin Fernandez of Future Electric Solutions installed the battery equipment, according to the report. The reviewer tested the generator both on its own and connected to the E10, focusing on starting, fuel switching, operating modes, portability, noise and charging output. The reviewer described the 110-pound unit as manageable to move, but the report does not provide a comparative portability test.
““Setup took around 20 minutes, the app controls are excellent, moving the 110-pound unit is surprisingly manageable.””
— Paul Rankin, writing for Family Handyman
Natural Gas and Longer Runs Untested
The review does not report a natural-gas test. The reviewer said using that fuel requires a professionally installed connection to the home’s gas supply, which was not yet in place. The longest continuous test described lasted about two hours, so the report does not show how the generator performs over a full night or a multi-day outage.
The account also does not give a controlled measurement of operating noise, fuel consumption across conditions or performance with a range of household loads. Results from one Florida home and one E10 configuration may not match other installations. The report describes the tested equipment and costs, but does not establish the total cost for every buyer.
A Planned Natural Gas Test
The reviewer said a professionally installed natural-gas connection is planned, which would allow testing of the generator’s third fuel option. No date or results were provided. Further testing would be needed to assess longer continuous operation and fuel use during extended backup periods.
Readers considering a similar setup can compare the generator’s rated outputs with their own power needs and account for the separate costs of compatible batteries, installation and other system equipment. The review’s results describe one tested configuration, rather than a whole-home performance guarantee.
Key Questions
Which fuels did the reviewer test?
The reviewer tested gasoline and propane. Natural gas was not tested because the home did not yet have the required professionally installed connection.
Did the generator directly power the reviewer’s whole house?
In the reported E10 setup, the generator charged the battery system, and the batteries supplied the home’s loads. The review does not say the generator directly powered every appliance.
What output did the review report?
The reviewer saw about 4.5 kilowatts of DC charging output during testing. Anker lists up to 4,500 watts of DC output on gasoline or propane and 4,000 watts on natural gas.
How long was the longest test run?
The reviewer reported a longest continuous test of about two hours. The article does not report a longer-duration outage test.
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