Briggs & Stratton Generators
4 models from $7,500 to $20,000 installed
Last updated: March 2026
Briggs & Stratton is the value play with a twist: their NGMax technology delivers 13% more power on natural gas than competitors at the same size. Add the longest non-Champion warranty (6–7 years) and competitive pricing, and B&S is a serious option. The elephant in the room: they filed for bankruptcy in 2020. The company was acquired by KPS Capital Partners, shed $900 million in debt, and relaunched. The generators are still being built. Based on owner reviews, customer service remains an area where buyers have reported issues.
The Company
Founded 1908, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Acquired by KPS Capital Partners (PE) in September 2020 post-bankruptcy for ~$550 million. Revenue ~$1.4 billion.
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Which Briggs & Stratton Is Right for You?
PowerProtect 13kW
$7,500–$11,000 installed
Small homes, tight installation sites. Lightest standby generator on the market at 315 lbs.
PowerProtect 18kW
$10,000–$15,000 installed
2,000–2,500 sq ft on natural gas. NGMax: full 18kW output on both fuels.
PowerProtect 22kW
$12,000–$16,000 installed
2,500–3,500 sq ft on natural gas. Best value per kW: 22kW on both fuels via NGMax.
PowerProtect 26kW
$14,000–$20,000 installed
Large homes with heavy motor loads. 65.5 kVA motor starting: highest in residential.
Warranty
6 years on the 13kW, 7 years on the 18/22/26kW. All comprehensive: parts, labor, and travel at no additional cost. Longest standard warranty after Champion.
Monitoring
InfoHub requires a paid subscription: $9.99/month or $99.99/year. Transitioning to newer EnergyTrak platform. B&S is the only major brand that charges for monitoring.
Pros & Cons
The B&S case
- ✓NGMax: full rated power on natural gas. The 18kW and 22kW produce identical output on both fuels.
- ✓6–7 year comprehensive warranty: 1–2 years longer than Generac, Kohler, and Cummins.
- ✓Lowest cost per kW at 22kW ($274/kW).
- ✓Vanguard commercial-grade engines.
- ✓26kW has 65.5 kVA motor starting: 68% more than competitors.
The concerns
- ✗Customer service: owners have reported difficulty reaching support and denied warranty claims (rated 1.4/5 on PissedConsumer — lowest among the brands we compared).
- ✗Filed Chapter 11 in 2020; now PE-owned (KPS Capital Partners). Some buyers have expressed long-term stability concerns.
- ✗Paid monitoring ($100/yr) when three competitors include it free.
- ✗68–69 dB noise on most models: among the loudest.
- ✗Weekly test run failures reported by some owners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Briggs & Stratton still in business?▾
What is NGMax technology?▾
Briggs & Stratton vs Generac: which is better?▾
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Sources & Citations
| Claim / Statistic | Source |
|---|---|
| Briggs & Stratton owner reviews (1.4/5) | pissedconsumer.com(accessed 2025-03) |
| Briggs & Stratton Chapter 11 filing (2020) | reuters.com(accessed 2025-03) |
| PissedConsumer generator brand reviews | pissedconsumer.com(accessed 2025-03) |
| ConsumerAffairs generator reviews | consumeraffairs.com(accessed 2025-03) |
| U.S. Energy Information Administration (fuel costs) | eia.gov(accessed 2025-03) |
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