Kohler logo

Kohler Generators

Best power quality in class — THD below 3%, quietest enclosures, the healthcare and mission-critical default

10–4000 kW111 modelsdiesel, natural-gas, lpg

Why buyers choose Kohler

  • Best power quality — total harmonic distortion below 3% (industry typical is 5-8%), critical for sensitive electronics
  • Quietest enclosures — industry-leading noise attenuation across the standby lineup
  • Healthcare default — specified by more hospital systems than any other brand for NFPA 110 compliance
  • Decision-Maker 6000 controller — advanced paralleling and load management built in
  • 34% better 10-year TCO than sticker price suggests when factoring maintenance and reliability

Who Kohler is for

Hospitals, data centers, noise-sensitive commercial sites, facilities with sensitive electronics, and buyers who prioritize power quality and total cost of ownership over purchase price.

What to consider before specifying Kohler

  • 10-15% price premium over comparable Generac units
  • Rehlko rebrand (Platinum Equity acquisition, Sept 2024) causing buyer confusion and parts catalog transition
  • Mobile monitoring capabilities lag behind Generac Mobile Link

Kohler generators are the power quality benchmark in the standby generator market. With total harmonic distortion consistently below 3% — against an industry norm of 5-8% — Kohler is the default specification for hospitals, surgical centers, and data centers where clean power is not optional. The company's enclosures are also the quietest in the industry at comparable power ratings, which matters for installations near occupied spaces, residential property lines, or noise-sensitive commercial tenants.

The honest limitation is cost and ecosystem lock-in. Kohler units price similarly to Caterpillar and above Cummins and Generac by 10-15%. The Decision-Maker 6000 controller, while powerful, is proprietary — replacement modules, programming, and integration work must go through Kohler-certified channels. Buyers who prefer open-architecture controls (like the Basler DGC-2020 found in Blue Star units) should weigh that dependency carefully. Kohler's dealer network, while strong, is also smaller than CAT's roughly 200 US locations or Generac's 10,000-plus installer base.

The September 2024 acquisition by Platinum Equity and subsequent rebrand to Rehlko has created some market uncertainty, but the engineering and manufacturing operations are unchanged. Generators branded Kohler and those emerging under the Rehlko name are mechanically identical products from the same facilities with the same warranty backing. For specifiers, the rebrand is a corporate event, not a technical one — the sub-3% THD and quiet enclosures that earned Kohler its healthcare-default status remain intact.

Frequently asked questions

What is THD and why does Kohler's sub-3% rating matter?
Total harmonic distortion (THD) measures how much the generator's output deviates from a pure sine wave. Kohler's alternators consistently produce THD below 3%, while most competitors fall in the 5-8% range. Lower THD means cleaner power for MRI machines, UPS systems, and precision electronics — equipment that can malfunction or sustain damage from distorted waveforms.
What is the Rehlko rebrand?
In September 2024, Platinum Equity acquired Kohler's power division and announced a rebrand to Rehlko. The product engineering, manufacturing, and dealer network remain unchanged. Generators sold under the Kohler name and those sold under Rehlko are mechanically identical — the rebrand is corporate, not technical.
What is the Decision-Maker 6000 controller?
The Decision-Maker 6000 is Kohler's proprietary generator controller, offering automatic transfer switching, paralleling, and remote monitoring in a single integrated platform. It simplifies multi-unit installations but locks facilities into the Kohler ecosystem for replacement parts and programming — a consideration for buyers who prefer open-architecture controls.

Key specs at a glance

Power range
10–4000 kW standby
Fuel types
diesel, lpg, natural-gas, dual-fuel-ng-lpg
Engine OEMs
John Deere, General Motors, Yanmar, Mitsubishi, Kohler, PSI, Doosan, Detroit Diesel/MTU, PSI/Doosan, Volvo, Siemens
Alternator OEMs
Kohler
Phase options
1-phase, 3-phase
Models in library
111

When to Specify Kohler

Kohler Product Families

kohler

KD Series (Industrial Diesel)

Kohler-engineered megawatt-class diesel gensets from 900 to 4000 kW for mission-critical facilities.

900–4000 kW

Data CenterHealthcareindustrial-heavyCommercialGovernmentmission-critical
View specs →

kohler

REOZ Series (Diesel Industrial Large)

Kohler REOZ large industrial diesel gensets from 515 to 2500 kW with Mitsubishi, MTU, and Volvo engines.

515–2500 kW

Data CenterHealthcareindustrial-heavyGovernmentmission-criticalCommercial
View specs →

kohler

REOZ Series (Diesel Commercial Standby)

Kohler's diesel commercial standby series — 10 to 510 kW, John Deere and Kohler engines, built for life-safety loads.

10–510 kW

GovernmentCommercialHealthcareeducationretail-largeindustrial-lightData Centermission-critical
View specs →

kohler

Industrial Gaseous

The Kohler 500REZK — a 500 kW Siemens-powered natural gas generator for large commercial and industrial standby.

500 kW

CommercialHealthcareindustrial-light
View specs →

kohler

REZX Series (Industrial Gaseous)

Kohler REZX enclosed gaseous gensets from 190 to 500 kW — LPG, natural gas, or dual-fuel with Doosan power.

190–500 kW

CommercialHealthcareeducationretail-largeindustrial-lightlarge-commercialhospitalData Center
View specs →

kohler

RZX Series (Industrial Gaseous)

Kohler RZX open-frame LPG gensets from 190 to 400 kW — skid-mounted for indoor mechanical room installation.

190–400 kW

CommercialHealthcareeducationretail-largeindustrial-light
View specs →

kohler

KG Series (Industrial Gaseous)

Kohler KG Series: 40–200 kW gaseous gensets with Kohler-built engines for commercial and light industrial standby.

40–200 kW

industrial-lighthotelmulti-familycold-storagemedium-commercialhospital-non-criticaldata-closetlarge-commercial
View specs →

kohler

REOZ Series (Diesel Mobile Trailer)

Kohler REOZT4 trailer generators: 30–150 kW EPA Tier 4 Final diesel, built for temporary and emergency deployment.

30–150 kW

CommercialHealthcareeducationretail-largeGovernmentindustrial-light
View specs →

kohler

RZG Series (Industrial Gaseous)

Kohler RZG Series: 100–150 kW LPG generators with GM and PSI engines in enclosed and open-frame configurations.

100–150 kW

CommercialHealthcareeducationretail-largeindustrial-light
View specs →

kohler

RCL Series (Residential Liquid-Cooled)

Kohler RCL Series: 24–60 kW liquid-cooled residential standby — quieter, longer-lived, and larger than air-cooled.

24–60 kW

home-officewhole-house-premiumcompoundmulti-structureresidential-mediumwhole-house
View specs →

kohler

CCL Series (Residential/Light Commercial Gaseous)

Kohler CCL Series: 25–36 kW liquid-cooled gaseous standby for residential and small commercial applications.

25–36 kW

Residentialcommercial-small
View specs →

kohler

RCA Series (Residential Air-Cooled)

Kohler RCA Series: 14–26 kW air-cooled residential standby — entry-point whole-house backup on natural gas or LP.

14–26 kW

whole-houseresidential-smallwhole-house-basicessential-circuitsresidential-mediumessential-circuits-large
View specs →

Compare with Other Brands

Kohler Units For Sale59

View all →
Used

N/A

Contact for Pricing

Santa Clarita, CA

Surplus

N/A

Contact for Pricing

Santa Clarita, CA

Used

N/A

Contact for Pricing

Santa Clarita, CA

Application Engineering

Not sure if Kohler is right for your project?

Our engineers spec across 14 brands and 600+ models — diesel, gaseous, portable, and prime power — with no single-brand obligation.

Need help with Kohler?

Our application engineers help size, spec, and source backup power for commercial, industrial, and mission-critical sites.