Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Best small generator today

I've heard the small Honda is great, but I'd like opinions. My parents have a big Generac for long term if the family needs it. But I only need one for portable work or maybe to run a freezer in a short power outage

For those uses, go to Harbor Freight.

I have a $250 Sportsman 1000 that I bought to use on multi-day camping/boating trips to charge my boat batteries. It is surprisingly capable of running power tools, hedge trimmers, and even running the freezer. Amazing little machine.

Have an older Honda - gets run a lot in the fall. I couldn't look elsewhere should I want another. I'd always wonder if it was as good as the honda, if it lasts as long as the honda etc. Just get the honda and not wonder would be my plan.

Buy once..cry once! Get a Honda 2200i

Several models of WEN portable inverter generators have fuel shut-off so you don't have to leave fuel to go bad and gum-up the carb between uses, which in my opinion is a BIG plus...

https://wenproducts.com/collections/inverter-generators

I guess best can mean many things,

Honda, and lately Yamaha are the standard when discussion best. Lots of 2200 Hondas out there and for good reason


But if I only needed one for emergencies and wasn't going to use it but a few hours each year, I'd be hard pressed to spend the extra for either.

Inverter style all the way.

Exactly. That's why I suggested Harbor Freight. They may be Chinese, but they get very good reviews.

What’s the advantage of the inverter style?

We have been through two longer runs without power, where we used a smallish generator, two days during a hurricane and nine days in a winter storm.

We have a Yamaha 7,500 watt. It ran flawlessly. The fuel tank required refilling every six to seven hours hours in the winter storm with a full load of electric heaters and frig and freezer for two houses. Thankfully, I had plenty of fuel stored for it and plenty of heavy gauge cords and splitters.

For household needs, have more watts available than you think you need and buy based on reliability. The fuel tank needs refilling, and won’t fill itself in the middle of the night and you need to sleep. So consider run time between fill ups.

One neighbor had a Troy Bilt, which failed due to a crack in a fuel cutoff valve. Another neighbor had the Harbor Freight store brand with a rope crank, which would not start in the freezing temps.

The Yamaha has an electric starter and rope backup.

Make sure to have plenty of fuel and add stabilizer. Now I found an alcohol free gas station and am storing that.

For a house, buy more power and more fuel than you think you need. We were running electric heaters to keep pipes from freezing for nine days.

Now I have a 20,000 watt natural gas Kohler unit on order. Some natural gas lines froze during the winter storm. So keeping the Yamaha ready too.

I've got a Honda 2000 that's probably 15 years old. It's an amazing little piece of engineering.

That said, the gap between high end and the rest has shrunk a lot. A friend of mine brought his little generator over a couple weeks ago. I think it was a Champion? Anyway, I was really impressed. Just as quiet as my Honda with 500 more watts.

It is typical of the 'Fire that if a member asks for a good wheelbarrow to help in the garden and there'll be at least one reply that insists he needs a six-ton dump truck.

He asked for two very different uses, portable and household use, and he also asked for "best," not cheapest.

Having been through depending on it for household supply, giving some feedback from experience.

Why would you knowingly purchase something from, and promote other people to buy something from China? Do you have any doubt that China is trying to destroy our country?

Not even willing to say one thing bad about Honda generators but their price is a gulp . Couple of years a go I bought a GP 3300 Generac 3300watt steady and 3750 surge got it home and install wheels and feet put the oil in and gas.flipped on the switch, hit the choke and petcock on position. Started on the first pull. It isn't as quiet as a honda or other inverter gens but it was $369+ tax out the door not 1200. Price? I don't know how to evaluated the extra. It's my portable for my rv. Early last week I ordered a dual fuel gas/lp Westinghouse 9500/12500 on gas or 8500/11200 watts on lp from Sam's for 999.99+ tax delivered. They called to confirm delivery but I just drove to the trucking warehouse and picked it up.10minutes to install feet and wheels as well as oil and gas. Turned on the petcock,, the cold start choke and pushed the electric start button boom it"running. Also has a remote and recoil start it came with the lp hose and battery recharger. Coupled with the power companies auto shut off for my commercial feed when it goes down, the 9500 will run my house.. the switch and outlet plus install runs 900 bucks but what is your peace of mind worth? Pay the 1200 for a EU 2200i Honda but the same money will buy one to power your house. Something to consider...mb

I recently bought a pair of champion 2500 dual fuel gennys. I think they're $599.00 @ Walmart. I wanted the dual fuel for use when there isn't any non-ethanol gas available. They weigh 39lbs and put out 1850watts continuous on gas and about 1750 on propane. Wife can put 'em in the truck by herself if needed. They start 1st pull and are as quiet as the Honda. Can parallel em for 3700watts if/as needed. So far I've been very happy with them.

Wen has been mentioned

Recently bought two......2000 watt & the 3800 watt

Easy set up.....one pull start....quiet...Longevity ? Dunno

Also have a Yamaha 2800I thats 16+ YO....great machine !

Look at the link shown....the Wen 3800I is marked down to $600

Buy direct from Wen....no tax/fast free shipping


https://wenproducts.com/collections...le-inverter-generator-with-fuel-shut-off

Thank you all! I think this is important for most people these days. Our country is being taken over by communists and money in the bank is losing value fast. I want to use my money now. Hell, next year the same stuff we need may cost 100 percent more.

I bought guns a year ago I could sell for a 200% profit now. But the bank just takes my money.

The OP wrote, "But I only need one for portable work or maybe to run a freezer in a short power outage." That means he is not looking for a full-house, long duration power supply. Neither of his needs requires much over 1000 watts of power. Yes, a bit more is better so the unit does not run at max throttle all the time. Nor does he need the highest quality brand available.

I replied with what I thought met his needs and his request: a lower to mid-range inverter machine from Harbor Freight.

cv540, if we looked through your stuff, we wouldn't find a single item that's made in China?

I'm thinking the least $$ Predator inverter from Hobo Freight is still more than this 2000 watt Wen (40#)

https://wenproducts.com/collections.../wen-2000-watt-inverter-generator-56200i