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A Family Handyman reviewer tested Anker’s Solix Smart Generator 5500 for just over a month, using gasoline and propane and pairing it with a Solix E10 home battery. The generator delivered up to about 4.5 kW of DC charging power in testing, but the reviewer did not test natural gas, and the full battery setup added substantial cost.
Family Handyman reviewer Paul Rankin reports that Anker’s Solix Smart Generator 5500 was easy to set up and operate during just over a month of testing with gasoline and propane at his Florida home. The review describes the generator’s direct connection to an Anker Solix E10 battery as its main advantage for extended outages, while flagging noise and the cost of the complete backup system.
Rankin tested the 224cc tri-fuel generator on its own and connected to an E10 whole-home battery. Anker says the unit can run on gasoline, propane or natural gas. Its AC outlets provide up to 3,600 rated watts, while DC output reaches up to 4,500 watts on gasoline or propane and 4,000 watts on natural gas, according to the review.
In the E10 configuration, the generator sent power directly to the battery system rather than converting it to AC and back to DC. Rankin observed output of around 4.5 kW during DC charging, close to Anker’s stated maximum. The batteries, rather than the generator directly, supplied the home’s electrical loads during that test.
Rankin says initial setup took about 20 minutes, including connecting the startup battery and adding oil. He started the unit with its electric starter and through the Anker app, and says both worked during testing. A manual pull start is also available. His longest continuous test lasted about two hours; he reported no starting problems, overloads, connection failures or app glitches during the month.
How the E10 Pairing Supports Outages
The review’s central finding is about how the generator can fit into a home battery and solar setup. During an outage, the E10 batteries power Rankin’s home, rooftop solar can recharge them in sunny conditions, and the generator can add charging power when solar output is insufficient, including at night. Direct DC charging is the feature that distinguishes this use case in the report.
The setup also comes with a significant cost caveat. Rankin says his battery equipment cost about $14,000, with professional installation adding roughly $4,500. Those figures cover his E10 system, not the generator price, which the supplied source material does not state. The reviewer also identifies noise as a drawback.
What the Monthlong Test Covered
The review is based on testing at Rankin’s Florida home, where hurricanes and severe storms can cause outages lasting hours or days. His house already had rooftop solar and an Anker Solix E10 system with two power modules and three battery expansion modules. Electricians installed that home backup equipment.
Rankin tested gasoline and propane, manual and app-based starting, operating modes, portability, noise, controls and battery integration. He did not test natural gas: connecting the generator to the home’s gas supply would require a professionally installed connection, which he said he planned to add later. His findings are one reviewer’s experience, not a long-duration outage test.
“The biggest surprise was how easy Anker made practically everything about using a gas-powered generator.”
— Paul Rankin, Family Handyman reviewer
What the Tests Do Not Establish
The review does not report a natural-gas test, a multi-day outage, or how long the generator can run under sustained household charging demand. Rankin’s longest continuous run was about two hours. The supplied material also does not give the generator’s purchase price, fuel consumption, runtime per tank or measured noise level.
Rankin describes support for his whole house through the E10 system, but the distinction matters: the generator charged the batteries, and the batteries supplied the home’s loads. The results do not show that the generator alone directly powered every appliance or that the same performance would apply to homes with different loads or equipment.
Natural Gas Testing Is Still Planned
Rankin said he planned to add a professionally installed connection to his home’s gas supply and test the generator on natural gas. That would address a fuel mode not covered in the review. The source material does not give a schedule for that work or promise a follow-up report. Readers weighing the system will also need to compare the generator’s price and fuel use with their own backup-power requirements.
Key Questions
What fuels can the Anker Solix Smart Generator 5500 use?
Anker’s generator is designed to use gasoline, propane or natural gas. Rankin tested gasoline and propane, but not natural gas.
Did the generator power the reviewer’s whole house directly?
No. In the reported E10 test, the generator charged the battery system, and the batteries supplied the home’s electrical loads.
How much power did it provide during testing?
Rankin observed DC charging output of around 4.5 kW. The review lists up to 3,600 rated watts through the AC outlets and states that DC output varies by fuel.
How much did the reviewer’s full backup system cost?
Rankin says the E10 battery equipment cost about $14,000, with professional installation adding roughly $4,500. Those figures do not include a generator price in the supplied source material.
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