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Family Handyman reviewer Paul Rankin tested the Anker Solix Smart Generator 5500 for just over a month using gasoline and propane, including a connection to an Anker Solix E10 home battery. He reported easy setup and app-based starting, with output reaching about 4.5 kW for battery charging; noise, system cost and untested natural-gas operation remain caveats.
Family Handyman reviewer Paul Rankin tested Anker’s Solix Smart Generator 5500 for just over a month at his Florida home, finding that it could deliver up to about 4.5 kW of DC power to a compatible Solix E10 battery system. The review describes straightforward setup and app-based operation, while noting noise and the high cost of the full home-backup system as trade-offs.
Rankin tested the generator on gasoline and propane, both as a standalone unit and connected to his E10 whole-home battery. He reported that initial setup took about 20 minutes, including connecting the startup battery and adding oil. He also tested the physical controls, remote starting through the Anker app, Eco and higher-output modes, and portability. The unit weighs 110 pounds.
The 224cc, four-stroke generator can run 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. For AC use, the review says it provides up to 3,600 rated watts across its NEMA TT-30R and NEMA 5-20R outlets. Rankin observed DC charging output of around 4.5 kW during testing.
In the tested home setup, the generator charged the E10 battery; the battery, rather than the generator directly, supplied the household’s electrical loads. Rankin said he had no starting problems, overloads, connection failures or app glitches during the month. His longest continuous test lasted about two hours, so the review does not establish performance over a prolonged outage.
How It Fits Into Home Backup
The review’s main finding is about the generator’s role in a solar-and-battery backup system. A compatible E10 can take DC power directly from the generator, avoiding the conversion from AC back to DC that Rankin says would otherwise be needed to charge the batteries. The battery then supplies the house while solar or the generator replenishes it.
That setup may help households keep charging storage when solar production is insufficient, including at night. But Rankin’s test does not show that this generator alone powers an entire home. The complete E10 equipment in his installation cost about $14,000, with roughly $4,500 more for professional installation, making the total system a much larger investment than the generator by itself.
A Florida Backup Power Test
Rankin said Florida’s hurricanes and severe storms led him to seek backup power that did not depend entirely on stored battery capacity or sunshine. His home already had rooftop solar and a Solix E10 system, which he used to evaluate the generator as an additional charging source.
The tested battery installation included two E10 power modules and three expansion modules. Electricians installed the system. Rankin tested gasoline and propane but did not test natural gas: connecting it to his home’s gas supply would require a professionally installed connection, which he said he planned to add later.
““The biggest surprise was how easy Anker made practically everything about using a gas-powered generator.””
— Paul Rankin, Family Handyman reviewer
Limits of the Month-Long Test
The review does not report a natural-gas test, a run lasting through an extended outage, or a measured noise level. Rankin’s longest continuous test was about two hours; results from that test cannot establish how the generator would perform over days of use or in every household setup. The source also does not provide a standalone generator price in the supplied material.
Rankin reported no operational or app problems during his testing, but that is his experience with one unit under the conditions described. The review does not establish reliability across other units, climates or longer operating periods.
Natural Gas Testing Planned
Rankin said he plans to add a professionally installed natural-gas connection and test the generator on that fuel in the future. The review provides no date for that work or for a follow-up report. Until then, the natural-gas performance figures are Anker’s stated specifications, not results from Rankin’s hands-on test.
Key Questions
What did the review test?
Paul Rankin tested the generator for just over a month at his Florida home, using gasoline and propane. He also tried manual and app-based starting and connected it to a Solix E10 battery system.
Can the generator power a home directly?
The review describes the generator charging an E10 battery, which then supplied the home’s electrical loads. Rankin’s test does not show the generator directly powering every appliance.
How much power does it provide?
Anker lists up to 4,500 watts of DC output on gasoline or propane, and 4,000 watts on natural gas. The review says AC output is rated at up to 3,600 watts. Rankin observed around 4.5 kW during DC charging.
Was natural-gas operation tested?
No. Rankin tested gasoline and propane. He said connecting natural gas at his home would require professional installation and that he planned to test it later.
What costs did the reviewer report?
Rankin reported that the battery equipment in his home setup cost about $14,000, with approximately $4,500 for professional installation. Those figures describe the battery system and installation, not a quoted standalone price for the generator.
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