Portable Generator shopping tip

[ken cierp]

With the last power outage -- I came to the conclusion that a pull cord manual start generator is not the best idea, it always starts but at times requires "persuasion."

Blah blah blah --- anyway I bought an electric start model -- currently a really good deal through Amazon, thought I should share. $400 delivered!!

[Shawn Hoover]

Thanks! I've been dragging me feet on a backup generator purchase for months. I was looking at $600-800 units with more wattage but no battery. After doing the math on emergency wattage needs again, this is a no-brainer. 10+ dB quieter than anything at the home stores, too.

Full disclosure: I tried to use my brain for a little bit when Amazon showed the other DuroMax line that supposedly has automatic idle control for $100 more, but for emergency use only that seems like unnecessary complication (multiple reviewers say it doesn't work, anyway).

[ken cierp]

It does have a rather huge muffler -- makes about half the noise as our old one, which has one of those lawn mower mufflers.

[peter havriluk]

Generators - - - the big nuisance of them is that the cheapies hammer away and drive anybody within a quarter mile nuts with their racket. I've just returned home from spending 10 days tent camping in Wisconsin surrounded by generator-equipped campers/trailers. They're getting quieter, and not just Honda equipment, which I think has been the gold standard for quiet operation. A neighbor 50 feet away ran a pair on non-Honda generators all night long and I never heard them.