Best Portable Generators?

[Chiquita]

Besides Honda generators what other brands have you had success with?

Portable units and it will be used for camping purposes only.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I see folks having good luck from the chicom copy of the honda from harbor freight- predator. Just a tad bit louder but works good

 

[Chiquita]

I see folks having good luck from the chicom copy of the honda from harbor freight- predator. Just a tad bit louder but works good

Thank you. I have read that as well.

 

[Big_Daddy]

I see folks having good luck from the chicom copy of the honda from harbor freight- predator. Just a tad bit louder but works good

I hate to agree with Dusty on this one but a few of my friends are using them and they seem to perform very well. Another bonus is that you can buy 3 Predators for the price of one Honda.

 

[Naildriver_2007]

I bought a Craftsman 2500 watt inverter generator at Lowes and it has worked flawlessly at the job site running 8-10 hours a day and very quiet.

 

[ebb]

Yamaha

 

[john 800]

The china ones from harbor freight run better than hondas in sub zero weather according to some guys I know that ice fish but I cant imagine the quality is there long term.
I have heard good things about the ones made by Yamaha also

 

[CaptainMal]

You want an inverter generator. A regular generator is way too loud for reasonable camping/RV use.

The predator works well and is way more reasonable than the Honda. There are others at the same price point. I had a Columbia for 10 years but it badly weathered and gave me issues. So far my Predator is perfect now for a couple years.

 

[DngBat7]

I have the harbor freight predator 3500. It is shockingly quiet. Parents have the predator 2000, which can be lifted with one hand. Also very quiet.

 

[Topstrap]

I have an older Kubota A1400 watt which usually fires on first pull even after sitting for a year and is really quiet.

Topstrap

 

[klamathsteel]

Generac.

 

[Chiquita]

I have the harbor freight predator 3500. It is shockingly quiet. Parents have the predator 2000, which can be lifted with one hand. Also very quiet.

Is the 3500 unit manageable by one person?

 

[Chiquita]

It seems like all of these units are all the same inside just with a different look on the outside.

 

[DngBat7]

Rolling around, yes. It’s a small square. About 2x2x2 ish. To lift, two people could do it. Go to your local harbor freight and check it out. Usually on display. They are popular with the 5 wheel camper crowd because of how quite and portable.

 

[Ol Thumper]

I’ve tried the ones from Harbor Freight as well as several other cheaper ones like the Dewalt and Champions and they work ok for a while but they don’t last and when they do break down and you need parts you can’t get them. I currently have 12 generators and I went back to all Honda’s for the parts issue I always ran Into. My suggestion is find a used Honda if your looking to save money and roll on. It will be running 20 years from now and you can get parts if you need them. I know this isnt what you asked about but that’s my recommendation,

 

[Old Navy]

Haven't had a fifth wheel for years now but I kept may my Honda twin 2000s. They are super quiet especially on the econo mode. I usually just ran one but on a few occasions I paralleled them to run the A/C. They were the best game in town when I bought them. I have heard the Harbor freight ones are a good value. I would suggest you go over the the RV. net web site to see if they are still a good buy. If I were buying another I would look for a remote start/stop model.

 

[muleman69]

Besides Honda generators what other brands have you had success with?

Portable units and it will be used for camping purposes only.

Thanks for youre input.

Have to ask ,why not a Honda? I have run mine since the 90's with no problems what so ever. All I have done is change oil ,not even a new plug as yet. One Elk hunt in New Mexico we were camped at 9000 feet and temps dipped below 0 and Honda fired right up. I did have to put 10 wt. oil in though.

 

[Herzo]

I have a Briggs & Stratton that works well, no idea who made it though

 

[Sniper338]

Generac is best. The more you pay the better they get. The portable GT8000E is what Im looking at getting.

Lots depends on what you need to run too. A 2000 watt generator isnt going to run a lot of things.

8000 and up will run any size RV, duel AC units etc...

I had a built in generac in a 44ft toy hauler rv i had once upon a time, it was a beast.

My dad has one out in the pasture thats 20+ years old, still running a water well.

 

[Sniper338]

The quiet honda ones are expensive but good too. Noise is a factor when camping. We used to make a ply wood box to put over the generator with one side open facing away from us. Knocked down the noise alot.