Hey Guys and Gals! Not entirely sure if this is the right area to be posting this thread but I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations when it comes to purchasing a portable generator for recreational use? After a little research I think I am in the market for something in the 2000-3000 watt range. Honda and Yamaha seem to be the industry standard but are there any cheaper options that are comparable in performance? Also I have decided that I want an inverter generator as opposed to a conventional generator as I plan on using it with sensitive electronics and also want it to be as quiet as possible. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks folks!

JoeJ

Hey Joe!

As far as purchasing a generator is concerned, there are two main factors to consider. The first is how much power you will require and the second is noise emissions.

POWER:  You seem to know your power requirements so all I will recommend here is keeping in mind the difference between running/sustained watts and starting/surge watts. Every generator will come with a rating for each. ie 2000/1600 - the higher number is the surge/starting watts and are for surges in usage such as when an electric motor kicks on. The running watts on the other hand are able to be sustained for a much longer duration and are a better indicator of what the generator is actually capable of producing. 

NOISE: No one wants their campsite to sound like a construction zone. If you are looking for quiet portable power you are definitely right to be looking for an INVERTER generator (as opposed to a conventional generator). You are right that inverters produce a "cleaner" power source that is suitable for sensitive electronics such as laptops and smartphones. The inverting process produces a smoother sine wave that will not damage the microprocessors within these electronics.

Many people swear by Honda's and Yamaha's and they are the industry leaders when it comes to inverter generators BUT there are many alternative companies (ie Champion, WEN, Briggs and Stratton) putting forth very competitive products at a lesser price that merit consideration when shopping around for a generator- I particularly like the http://www.quietpowergenerators.com/2017/03/10/briggs-stratton-30545-quiet-portable-generator/ - Briggs and Stratton P3000 30545 .

I found this website to be extremely helpful when deciding which generator best suits your needs (specifically for recreational use- they do not have as much info on standby home generators);

http://www.quietpowergenerators.com/ - http://www.quietpowergenerators.com/

The "inverters vs generators" page is very insightful and arms you with the knowledge necessary to make an educated purchase. They also have detailed reviews of the latest and best selling inverter generators on the market.

I hope this helps! Happy camping and all the best,

Dave