Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I've only taken this thing tent camping once (in Oct 2007), but it did work to my expectations. Make no mistake, it is NOTHING FANCY. But considering you could buy about SEVEN of these puppies for the same price as ONE Honda EU1000i, I thought I would give it a shot. So far, I'm pleased.
My least favorite thing about it is that you've got to pre-mix the oil into the gasoline, like you do with some lawnmowers. The special "two-stroke" oil comes in a little bottle, and you pour a small amount (read directions) into the gasoline canister before filling the generator's tank with the mixture. The oil itself is not expensive, but they don't sell it just anywhere; you gotta go to a decent hardware store (i.e. I couldn't find it at Target, but I did find it at Lowe's). So far, this is the only real drawback I experienced; and frankly, it's not that bad.
The unit weighs about 40 lbs. That puts it in the lightest class of generator that I could find. There may be a couple out there that are slightly lighter - but not by more than a few pounds.
Starting up the unit requires about five steps done in order. For some people, 5 steps is about 3 or 4 steps too many, so if you're not mechanically inclined, I'd keep the instructions handy (page 9) until its operation becomes second nature to you. Again, it's really not that bad.
We ran it for about 1.5 tanks of gas, occasionally stopping and restarting when we left the camp site for a bit. Usually, it started on about the 3rd pull. One time it got fussy and I had to pull it about 7-8 times, but that was just one of the starts.
As for the noise, it's not too bad either. It's just slightly louder than the EU1000i, and you could buy a truckload of earplugs with the $650 you'll save. Of course, instead of earplugs, I just bought one of those orange utility extension cords and placed the generator off to the side of my camp site (about 20 feet away). The noise was barely noticable, and certainly didn't hinder a normal conversation.
In short, this is a decent product for the amazingly cheap price tag, and it opened up so many new options for our campsite. If it craps out on me, I'll be sure to update my review to let y'all know!
UPDATE #1 (May 2008): Sad to report that this item was stolen from my toolshed. While I was pretty ticked off about it, I've got to laugh just a little. If I had I bought the much more expensive model (which I almost did), I'd be in tears right now. As it is, I just decided to buy another one of these. That, and to put a better lock on my shed.
UPDATE #2: Received my new "replacement" generator, and... it was defective. A sizable dent in the casing that houses the spindle, which prevents the spindle from moving (thereby preventing the unit from staeting). I guess this is the risk of buying the less expensive model. My recommendation to you: make a full visual inspection of your new unit BEFORE you fill 'er up with gas. You cannot ship a generator that has already been fueled - even if you empty the tank.
UPDATE #3 (June 2008): Why did Amazon raise the price of this item?? When I bought it, it was about $115, and it looks like they pushed it up to $145 - no small increase. My original review was titled "Decent product for the price," but now that I've experienced a did, AND they price went up, I've changed the title to what you now see above. I should also note that there are 2 other generators for sale on Amazon in the same weight class which used to be slightly more expensive than this one, but which are now slightly cheaper. I don't remember the brand, but they look almost like this one, except one is green and the other is yellow. Do a search for "camping generators" and all three come up.
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Blue Max GEN 1250 1250-Watt 2 HP 2-Cycle Gas-Powered GeneratorCONSTRUCTION LINE 1250 WATT GENERATORLIGHT-WEIGHT GASOLINE GENERATOR FOR PORTABLE POWER! * This Contractor Line® 2 Horsepower 1250 Watt generator is one of the most reliable portable gasoline generators available. * We've never had any warranty claims or reports from any customers having any trouble starting or using it. * This model has been sold for many years, and has proven to be one of the most reliable and long lasting generators they carry. * This Contractor line® generator is great for construction, camping, boating, emergencies and anywhere else portable power is needed. * This lightweight generator will power tools, games, lights, refrigerators, and TV's and anything that is rated 1250 watts or less. * It is quiet (60 decibels)and EPA approved * 1 gallon gasoline capacity * Features: o Engine: 2.0HP OHV/ 2 stroke o Rated watts: 800 @ 75% capacity o Surge watts: 1,250 o Peak Power: 1250W o Rated Power: 800W o Run Time: 6 Hours at 1/2 Load o Receptacles (qty.): 2 o Noise level (dB): 74.5 o Fuel Type: Gasoline o Fuel Capacity (gal.): 1 o Start Type: Recoil o Displacement: 63ml o DC Output: 12 volts, 8 amps o No load speed: 3,000rpm o EPA approved o 115v Receptacle o Single Phase o 60 Dbls
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