The CO-shutoff exists. CPSC says most generators sold still don't have it.
Portable-generator carbon monoxide is associated with roughly 80 deaths a year, and CPSC's own modeling says machines built to UL 2201 would avert nearly all of them — while "compliance appears to be minimal." For every generator line we record whether a CO shutoff exists and who stands behind the claim: a third-party UL listing, a manufacturer-stated PGMA G300 citation, or marketing with no standard at all. We test nothing and give no safety advice — we index the record.
What each verdict means
A verdict describes who stands behind a CO-shutoff claim — not whether a generator is safe. No shutoff makes indoor or garage use safe; CPSC's placement guidance is the operative document, and a sensor is a backstop for mistakes, not permission.
Third-party certification with a public listing — shutoff plus reduced CO emissions. CPSC modeling: ~100% of deaths averted.
The maker names ANSI/PGMA G300 and its edition. Real and specific — but self-declared; PGMA runs no listing. (~87% in CPSC's modeling.)
A branded shutoff system with no named standard located. Better than nothing; checkable against nothing.
No system at all — per CPSC, still most units sold, and the machines behind the death toll.
Every generator line: claim vs the standard behind it
Showing … of … lines · sorted by strength of the backing · last reviewed 2026-07
| Generator line | CO system | The claim | Verdict | Source |
|---|
A verdict describes who stands behind a CO-shutoff claim — a UL listing, a manufacturer's named-standard citation, or nothing — not whether any generator is safe. We test nothing and give no safety advice; no shutoff makes enclosed-space use safe (CPSC: outdoors only, 20+ feet from the home, exhaust pointed away — why the sensor changes less than you'd think). CO systems ship on designated SKUs, not whole brands — check the model. Some product links are affiliate links — if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. Links appear only on rows with a named standard behind them, and they never change a verdict.
Why this table is different
Certified ≠ stated ≠ advertised
UL 2201 comes with a third-party listing you can look up. A G300 citation is the maker's own statement. A branded "CO-something" with neither is just a feature name. Three claim strengths, three tiers. The standards, compared →
The denominator is deadly
~80 deaths a year, 43% of all consumer-product CO deaths — and CPSC's finding that most units sold comply with neither standard. The gap between available technology and the shelf is the story. The record →
A shutoff is not permission
Every tier on this site can still kill in a garage. The sensor is a backstop for placement mistakes — CPSC's outdoor-placement guidance stays the operative document at every price point. What it changes →
CO shutoff, model by model
The question that should be on every listing, answered from the record.