Porter-Cable BSI550-W 5,500 Watt Generator with 10 HP Engine

Product Review

As an engineer, I'm obsessed with numbers and choosing a generator presents the excellent opportunity to play with them. I won't bother you with a lot of technical details, but this is the generator I chose right after 4 months of deep, deep researching. Very first criteria: my needs. I wanted to power a 3 bedroom residence with a finished basement through the harsh winters in Maine. Here are the devices I setup as an absolute necessity to power up throughout an emergency: 1) Water nicely pump, 2) Furnace blower, three) Basement Sump Pump, and 4) Refrigerator. Here are the "good-to-haves": 5) lights within the kitchen and primary living room, 6) pellet stove, 7) oven range. And, lastly, just the "nice-to-haves": 8) Television, 9) microwave oven, 10) laptop or computer. And here's what gets excluded: all of the 2nd floor inside the property, garage door opener, bedroom lights, almost everything else not listed above. (More...)

Coleman Powermate 5,500 Watt 11 HP Portable Generator PMA525500

Product Review

I truly purchased 1 of these generators shortly following Katrina hit the gulf in prep for a natural disaster with an extended power outage. I've not had 1 but where it lasted long enough to require it, but my brother ~10 miles away had 1 for a full week in Dec 2006 (and luckily had a generator). In Dec 2007 yet another county in my state had power out for a full week due to a primary transmission tower coming down, so those points have shown me no one is invincible to power outages. The hardware shops rapidly ran out of generators each and every time a crisis came, so if you're smart you will not wait for the crisis to come ahead of contemplating obtaining prepared. (More Detail...)

DuroStar DS7200 6,000 Watt Diesel Powered Portable Generator With Wireless Remote Electric Start

Product Review

As long as you're mechanically inclined, or, know somebody who is, this unit is not a bad choice at all. I've run one tank of fuel through it so far and besides the starter solenoid wire coming off (on the very first run, but by no means considering that) along with the injector line needing tightening (it was weeping fuel just a bit) so far so good. This unit *WILL* smoke on startup, it has no pre-heat at all, so white smoke and stumbling/missing is completely typical until the combustion chamber gets up to temperature. It's also going to throw off black smoke when restarted if it really is warmed up as it comes up to speed, and might give a chuff of black smoke on severe load adjustments. Once more all this is normal for a tiny diesel, and also the white smoke starts are completely normal for a cold diesel without any pre-heat assistance. With no a pre-heat I also wouldn't anticipate this unit to start if the outside air temp is below freezing. The lack of a pre-heat (glow plug or otherwise) will be the only large minus, the generator head itself also just isn't quite top quality, another small irritation is the lack of a operating hours meter. There *IS* a constant draw on the battery from the stupid remote start off program. You'd be advised to rip that out/disable it if you are unable or unwilling to put the unit on a battery maintainer. (Review More...)

Black Max 5,250 /6,560 - Watt Portable Generator

Product Review

I bought this to run a 180a portable mig welder at a time when some calamity was going on within the midwest and there were no generators to be found locally. 5kw will be the minimum you'd want for this circumstance, and if i had it to complete again, i'd get a 6kw with electric starter. The Subaru engine was the cause i purchased this particular model, i wanted no portion of chinese knockoff honda copies. It has worked fine and starts readily, i do not however have sufficient hours on it to comment on durability, but i'd rather have purchased 1 locally, and i'd rather have a metal gas tank. You can't constantly get what you would like, but if you are patient.... (Read More...)

Honeywell HW5500E 6,875 Watt 11 HP 337cc OHV Portable Gas Powered Home Generator With Electric Start

Product Review

1 of my very best buys ever. I replaced a manual begin generator of the same size. It was delivered to my garage with free of charge shipping. I was able to assemble the unit with small help. The 1 challenge was connecting the battery (it looked like nobody had tested the Directions). Filled with gas and oil and started on very first try. Electrician changed the 220 plug for connection to Transfer Switch. Voltage regulation seems to be quite great. Battery is holding charge, but I will add Battery Tender. I is going to be in a position to test unit on a standard schedule, as a result of the ease of starting. (More...)

Generac 5943 GP7500E 9,375 Watt Generator with Electric Start

Product Review

Ordered this soon after 4 power outages this summer, not to mention the outage last winter that was 3 days in 10-15 degrees F. Overall this unit is impressive for the price per watt. I was hoping that this generator was produced in Wisconsin however it just isn't. Rather it truly is made in China. That being stated there are top quality items that come out of China, you just need to locate them. Assembling the unit only took about 20 minutes. (More Detail...)

All Power America APG3009 6,000 Watt 13 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator

Product Review

I don't know why but NW Wisconsin for some reason had alot of power issues in 2010. Looked at gen sets and bought this one. This thing is great. I installed a transfer switch and built an location outside the home for this unit to sit in. In 10 months I've employed it about five instances. It's performance was excellent. Oh Oh.....winter is here. Last week the temp was down to -0 and we lost power. The unit wouldn't start, the pull cord would not engage. I utilised a propane heater (Mr. Heater) to warm it up, and 10 minutes later it was up and operating. Summer time it's flawless but when the temp drops down this unit demands to be in a warm place (for starting) or heat it up as I did. (Review More...)