Best Portable Generators?

[Cecil S.]

help me out here. just lights?

just how long will it run your house? seriously.

Depending on lighting load if the KW of generator is higher you can run till the fuel runs out.

 

[loinhunter]

When asking for recommendations you can't rely on experience on any from units 10 years or older. EVERYTHING now is cheaper! I replaced my Maytag washer and dryer that was over thirty yeas old, my water heater is still in use was bought from Hechingers in 1998, going on 23 years old! Now you are lucky to get 6 years from each.

Home gas furnace , Sears unit bought at local store. 1988. Local power company offers a gas furnace warrranty. $30 yr. Inducer motor last year went out - no charge. Metering unit this year was wonky, no charge. But, other than that, no problems in 35 years.Parts are getting hard to find now. But, yeah, they were built to last back then.

 

[loinhunter]

And the CEO's that took our manufacturing base overseas and south of the border were and are compensated with million$$$$$$

So right! Here’s a Halloween scary thought. Think about our country’s lack of small arms /ammunition production capabilities. I wonder just how many rifling machines exist on our shores now. If the merde hits the fan, your neighbors will be lining up at the door of your gun safe! Oops, derail, sorry!

 

[k80skeet]

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.

Just buy the Honda and you will never have to wish you had. They are more expensive but worth every penny. I bought (3) of them 10 years ago for $800 shipped and they run just like new and quiet. You get just what you pay for. They run forever and always start and always run.

 

[rockhound78]

My Ryobi is pretty quiet. Bought it brand new from a pawn shop for $400

 

[MSS]

I bought this recently for $899.

Westinghouse 4500 Peak Watt Recoil Start, Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator with CO Sensor.​

I will let you folks know how it runs. I really wanted a Honda but just way too expensive at $2500 to not try this first. I plan to run it a whole bit and return if it craps out in the Walmart 30 day return Window. Then I will buy once cry once on the Honda.

A whopping 8 hours on it and no issues so far.

 

[MSS]

I also bought the Predator 9500 inverter with a 25% off coupon from Harbor Freight. I was shocked they let me use it!
I have now replaced my main and overnight generators with inverters. They served me well and will be backups.
There were things my 12 year old gene would not run like my microwave and my UPS with electronics on it. All run well with the inverters. The predator has 6.4 hours on it and while it was a b1tch to unload from my truck, it is a really well made generator. I measured it at 63db with a free iPhone app at about 12 yards. I figure if I can get to 30 hours on both then they should be fine to rely on.

 

[Mudcat]

A whopping 8 hours on it and no issues so far.

got one as well, with only a few hours on it, but runs great so far. like the dual fuel set up and the remote start

 

[Lee Whitsel]

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.

A guy at Mount Rainer in Washington told me make the box also, but he said line the inside with old scrap shag carpet and it will reduce the noise even more....

 

[FNSafari]

I have a 1972 Honda generator that still runs like a dream.
I also have an eu2000i Honda.
Lastly I have a chi-com clone Honda 1000 unit I bought only because they had it marked down to $124 on clearance.
I might need a generator once a year.
I keep no gas in any of them. I drain the tanks and drain the carburetors after every use. I use only ethanol free premium. I don’t deviate from any of this, ever.
there is absolutely no comparison whatsoever in operation or build quality.

Quality:
Will it run 24/7 for a week during hurricane season? How much $ meat is in your deep freeze?
How much is my 40-hr old, 10 yr old Honda worth? Well it’s mint and I could probably get back the $800 it cost. New they’re $1150 now.
And when it comes to quality, the quality of even the pull cord or fuel tank or on off switch matters. It’s not usually connecting rods that leave you stranded with a cheap generator.

Operation:
Don’t have to fiddle with a Honda. They are considerably quieter than a cheap inverter unit. Also, how much do you care about the stuff you plug into your generator? The ability of your generator to quickly respond to continuously varying loads and the quality of those pesky sine waves and Hz matters.

If you just can’t swing a Honda, Echo power equipment recently came out with inverter generators. They are priced VERY aggressively, come from a quality Japanese brand, have a warranty and a great nationwide parts network.

if nothing else, buy what suits you, always run no ethanol premium, always drain the carb and tank, and store it properly.

Best of luck with all your adventures.

I run 100 LL in all my small engines IMO superior to ethanol free premium. Much more stable and cleaner.

 

[LVLAaron]

I run 100 LL in all my small engines IMO superior to ethanol free premium. Much more stable and cleaner.

Smells good too.