A standby install runs $12-18K all in
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Our Briggs & Stratton verdict
Buy Briggs & Stratton if warranty math drives the decision: 7 years of parts, labor and dealer travel standard beats Generac's effective two years of full coverage, and dealer-installed DX units stretch it to 10. The hardware undercuts the leader too, $7,195 for the 26kW flagship against Generac's $7,019 26kW with far shorter coverage, and $4,460 opens the line at 13kW. The tradeoff is the bench: the certified dealer network is a fraction of Generac's, and a 7-year warranty is only worth what the nearest servicer can deliver in a storm week. Skip it if the dealer locator shows nothing within an hour of your house. The 2020 Chapter 11 is history, but you are betting on KPS-owned Briggs staying committed to standby for the machine's 15-year life.
The current PowerProtect line spans 13kW to 26kW: $4,460 for the 13kW (040746), $6,017 for the PowerProtect+ 18kW, $6,406 for the 22kW and $7,195 for the 26kW flagship machine-only at Norwall. Transfer switch bundles run $5,418 for the 13kW with a 200A ATS up to $9,287 for the 26kW with dual 200A switches. The old 10kW entry at roughly $3,300 is gone from the current lineup, so the 13kW is now the cheapest way in. As with any standby, the machine is not the project: expect the $8,000 to $16,000 installed range Generac publishes for the category once gas work, pad, wiring and permits land on the invoice. Briggs runs periodic 10-year warranty promotions through dealers, and dealer-exclusive DX units carry the 10-year term as standard.
The installed project, with the pad, gas line, transfer switch, and permits, typically runs $12,000 to $18,000. See the real-cost guide.
norwall.com · Verified July 2026
Before you buy Briggs & Stratton
The fastest buyer pages to read next if this brand is on your shortlist.
The real cost of a whole-house generator
Machine, pad, gas line, transfer switch, permits. The number your quote should match.
Best home standby generators
The whole-house shortlist, with the tradeoffs each brand page leaves out.
Generac vs Kohler
The two standby names most buyers end up between, head to head.
What size generator do I need?
Running watts, starting surges, and why the well pump usually decides.
From Briggs & Stratton
Official product and lifestyle imagery from the brand.
Images courtesy of Briggs & Stratton.
Strengths & considerations
What it does well
- +7-year parts, labor and travel warranty standard, longest of the big four
- +Lowest verified entry price among PowerProtect sizes at $4,460 for the 13kW
- +In-house Vanguard commercial engines
Where it falls short
Sourced, not our opinion. This is the part the brand's own page leaves off.
Filed for bankruptcy protection in July 2020 and was sold to KPS Capital Partners for about $550 million. The company is operating and investing today, but the episode is recent history when you are buying a 15-year machine.
Source: SEC 8-K filings; Wikipedia
The 7-year parts, labor and travel standard is a recent upgrade, the 10-year deal is exclusive to dealer-installed PowerProtect+ DX units, and units bought before the change carry shorter terms.
Source: Briggs & Stratton warranty pages; Norwall warranty promo coverage
Before you buy: confirm these
These are Briggs & Stratton's own documented terms and open questions, not our test results. Get the specifics in writing on the quote before you order.
- ?The 10-year warranty requires a dealer-installed PowerProtect+ DX unit; buy the same size online and you get the 7-year standard term instead.
- ?Check the dealer locator before you fall for the warranty: the certified service network is a fraction of Generac's, and warranty labor only helps if someone actually covers your zip code.
- ?The current PowerProtect line starts at 13kW; if you are quoted a 10kW at around $3,300 you are looking at discontinued old stock with older warranty terms.
- ?Get the transfer switch model in writing; quotes mix 200A and dual-200A switches with $1,000 to $2,000 swings, and verify gas meter capacity for the 22kW and 26kW sizes.
Buyers who want the deepest dealer bench or instant parts availability in a storm week; Generac wins that fight.
Alternatives to compare
Generac
mid rangeBuy Generac if you want the machine every electrician knows and the only brand where three local dealers will bid against each other on your install. The Guardian line is the market default for a reason: $4,799 for a 14kW before install, parts everywhere, resale and installer familiarity unmatched. The warranty is the weak spot: full parts-and-labor coverage runs two years, year three is parts only, and years four and five cover little beyond the engine short block and alternator, so a controller failure in year four is your bill. Skip it if the complaint file and storm-week service queues worry you more than a thinner dealer bench would. Kohler and Briggs both write better fine print; nobody matches the network.
Machine $4,189 - $9,319
Kohler
premiumBuy Kohler if you plan to own the house long enough for enclosure quality and warranty fine print to matter more than the badge every installer quotes first. You pay a premium at street prices, $7,949 to $8,399 for the 26RCA that Kohler lists at $7,445 MSRP, and you get aluminum enclosures, commercial engine heritage, a 56 dB low-speed weekly self-test and dealer travel covered to 200 miles against Generac's 100. The catch is the bench: in many regions one Kohler dealer serves territory six Generac dealers fight over, and your outage repair waits on that one schedule. Skip it if the nearest certified dealer is more than an hour away. And confirm whether your quote includes the transfer switch, because the 14RCA and 20RCA price it separately.
Machine $3,834 - $8,399
Cummins
premiumCummins is the quiet, engineering-first pick of the standby class: 65 dB or lower enclosures, a diesel-giant pedigree, and its own MSRPs undercut what most people assume premium costs, with the 13kW at $3,957 and the 20kW at $5,438 before ATS and install. The catch is the ownership experience after year two, when labor and travel coverage ends while parts run five years, and Kohler and Briggs cover labor longer. Residential dealer coverage is also thinner than Generac's, so the brand is only as good as the servicer in your zip code. Buy it if a Cummins residential dealer is nearby and quiet operation matters; look elsewhere if you want the longest covered-labor window or need more than 20kW without jumping to liquid-cooled money.
Machine $3,699 - $6,000
Comparing a few brands?
Tell us your outage pattern and budget. We'll tell you whether Briggs & Stratton or one of these fits you better, and check your quote so you don't overpay.
Key models
Support & warranty
PowerProtect standby units carry a 7-year warranty covering parts, labor and dealer travel, the longest standard coverage among the big standby names, and dealer-installed PowerProtect+ DX units carry 10 years. The catch is execution: the certified service network is much smaller than Generac's, so confirm who would actually perform warranty work near you before the warranty length settles the decision.
7 years parts, labor and travel standard (standby), the longest standard coverage of the big four; 10 years on dealer-installed PowerProtect+ DX units.
Dealer and installer footprint is a fraction of Generac's; the 7-year warranty is only as good as the nearest certified servicer, so check the dealer locator before you commit.
FAQ
Is Briggs & Stratton worth it in 2026?
Buy Briggs & Stratton if warranty math drives the decision: 7 years of parts, labor and dealer travel standard beats Generac's effective two years of full coverage, and dealer-installed DX units stretch it to 10. The hardware undercuts the leader too, $7,195 for the 26kW flagship against Generac's $7,019 26kW with far shorter coverage, and $4,460 opens the line at 13kW. The tradeoff is the bench: the certified dealer network is a fraction of Generac's, and a 7-year warranty is only worth what the nearest servicer can deliver in a storm week. Skip it if the dealer locator shows nothing within an hour of your house. The 2020 Chapter 11 is history, but you are betting on KPS-owned Briggs staying committed to standby for the machine's 15-year life.
How much does a Briggs & Stratton generator cost?
Briggs & Stratton machines run from about $4,460 up to about $9,287 based on current pricing on norwall.com as of July 2026. The current PowerProtect line spans 13kW to 26kW: $4,460 for the 13kW (040746), $6,017 for the PowerProtect+ 18kW, $6,406 for the 22kW and $7,195 for the 26kW flagship machine-only at Norwall. Transfer switch bundles run $5,418 for the 13kW with a 200A ATS up to $9,287 for the 26kW with dual 200A switches. The old 10kW entry at roughly $3,300 is gone from the current lineup, so the 13kW is now the cheapest way in. As with any standby, the machine is not the project: expect the $8,000 to $16,000 installed range Generac publishes for the category once gas work, pad, wiring and permits land on the invoice. Briggs runs periodic 10-year warranty promotions through dealers, and dealer-exclusive DX units carry the 10-year term as standard.
What fuel does a Briggs & Stratton generator run on?
Natural gas or propane
Does a Briggs & Stratton generator need a transfer switch?
Sold generator-only or bundled with a 100A 16-circuit or 200A whole-house ATS depending on package; confirm which switch your quote includes.
What is Briggs & Stratton's warranty?
PowerProtect standby units carry a 7-year warranty covering parts, labor and dealer travel, the longest standard coverage among the big standby names, and dealer-installed PowerProtect+ DX units carry 10 years. The catch is execution: the certified service network is much smaller than Generac's, so confirm who would actually perform warranty work near you before the warranty length settles the decision.
Who is Briggs & Stratton best for?
The value-focused standby buyer who wants the longest standard warranty of the big names and does not need the biggest badge on the block.
Who should skip Briggs & Stratton?
Buyers who want the deepest dealer bench or instant parts availability in a storm week; Generac wins that fight.
What brands should you compare against Briggs & Stratton?
Most buyers should compare Briggs & Stratton with Generac, Kohler and Cummins before deciding. Quote at least two brands in the same lane. The installed price and the local service coverage decide more than the badge does.
Sources (6) · Verified Jul 12, 2026
We earn nothing from the “Visit” links on this page. Prices are public ranges and change often; confirm current pricing on the brand's site.
Methodology
Brand verdicts are based on buyer fit, lane and fuel logic, real machine and installed pricing, warranty terms, service network reach, and the recall and complaint record. A strong reply from a manufacturer can improve factual clarity, but it does not improve placement.
If dealer coverage is thin, the warranty fine print is ugly, or the complaint file is long, we say that plainly instead of hiding it behind marketing copy.
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