PORTABLE GENERATOR REVIEWS
Over the years we've sold countless portable inverter generators to campers, caravaners and motorhome enthusiasts all over the country. With each of our customers, we endeavor to get feedback on their experience using their new generator on their trips. This helps us to ensure we have happy customers (and happy campers!), as well as provide advice to new customers. It also allows us to pass on useful information to our manufacturers regarding suggested product improvements and the like.
Along with our data from in-house stringent testing of all our generator products, we've compiled reviews for some of the top selling recreational generators. Below we share with you ratings and feedback from our customers along with views from our generator experts here at My Generator:
1. Yamaha EF2000iS: Rating 4.9/5
What Customers Say: "Needed the quietest possible generator and I reckon this is it. Lightweight and I get plenty of run out of a full tank. My brother has the connecting cables to join up and get double output when we're on the road. A real winner - cheers, Rob." Robert Divenuto, Munno Para SA
My Generator Says: The best camping generator on the market: lightest, quietest and most fuel efficient in its class. In terms of the weight efficiency at 80 watts for every kilogram, it beats all the other 2000 watt inverter models available. We also like the fuel shut-off knob separate from the power switch, enabling you to drain the residual fuel in the carburetor. Many other brands (including Honda) don't have this feature.
2. Yamaha EF2400iS: Rating 4.9/5
What Customers Say: "Runs everything: Freezer, 37 inch TV, two lamps, fan and refrigerator at the same time...check. 1600 watt space heater....check. I plugged the fridge and freezer in separately to avoid startup amps at the same time. The high capacity feature seems to allow the engine time to speed up before the increased power draw hits it. My old generator would drop RPM till it caught up, which made me worry. Quieter than my last unit too. Happy to recommend" Tom Grantham, Hervey Bay Qld
My Generator Says: The most popular generator for caravans as many caravan A/C units require more than 2000 watts at start-up. Remarkably quiet (around 54dBA) for a generator that produces 2400 watts at peak and 2000 watts continuously. It's not just us who rate this generator highly, recently Caravan & Motorhome on Tour Magazine rated it the number 1 unit in a comparison test including 13 different portable generators across six brands.
3. Cromtech Outback 2400W: Rating 4.5/5
What Customers Say: "Bought this generator as a back up for caravan and home handyman for my hubby.
Have used it only once so far, but it started up well and did all we wanted, even ran the hair dryer!! We are wanting to go to battery back up for the caravan and possibly solar as well, but a great start to modernising the old 1985 Viscount" Cornelia Feagan , Mooroolbark VIC
My Generator Says: A value for money option for reserve power on your camping/caravan trip. If you aren't going to use your generator very often then you can save yourself several hundred dollars and grab one of these. Similar specs to the premium brands, with a one year warranty, backed by over 500 service agents around the country.
In terms of budget camping generators, Cromtech is our recommended brand.
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Updated For 2021 Models:
Since we originally wrote this article in 2014 there has been many new camping generators to hit the market, but are any of them good enough to compete against our favourites above? Let's find out:
1. Yamaha 2200W Inverter Generator Pack: Rating 4.95/5
What Customers Say: "Consistently outperforming Honda in almost every independent test, the Yammy E2200 is the one to get. Straight out of the box & started first pull. Quiet, reliable & grunty, it's just what I expected and my mower man is happy to service it, unlike the cheap stuff on the market. Quality remains long after the price is forgotten..." Denis Coffey , Wynnum West QLD
My Generator Says: Yamaha have done it again with this incredible generator! With 2200W this generator is powerful enough to run most appliances in your camping setup. Our favourite feature about this generator is the Boost Mode Switch which increases the number of rotation of the engine temporarily. This feature is used to assist large starting current appliances. From our market research, the Yamaha EF2200IS will start and run any caravan air conditioner! We highly recommend this long running generator!
Unique Features:
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Boost Feature gives you power when you need it.
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Easy access - tool-less entry for cleaning & maintenance.
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Tri-handle design for easy transportation.
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Instant restart - reset button for easy restart if you overload the generator.
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Prevent leaks and stale fuel - easy drain switch for dry storage when not in use.
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4 year warranty for peace of mind.
Yamaha EF2200iS - The perfect balance between power & portability
2. Cromtech 4500W Inverter Generator Electric Start: Rating 4.6/5
What Customers Say: "Superb inverter generator for the capacity Vs price. Other more expensive gennys had much lower capacity even without the jump start battery that is included as standard." David Shaw, Safety Bay W.A
My Generator Says: If you are looking for a large affordable generator with a little something extra, this is the generator for you! With a huge 4500W start-up, this generator is the perfect power source for running everything in your caravan or motorhome. There are two things we love about this generator: firstly it comes with wheels & a handle for easy portablity and secondly it includes a multi-function power pack! This power pack can be used as a jumpstarter, USB charger, seat belt cutter and LED torch!
3. Briggs & Stratton 4500W Inverter Generator: Rating 4.9/5
What Customers Say: "For a while I was looking for a generator that would suit my requirements for my food truck. Pretty soon I realized I could only find something that was too small to provide what I needed and my only other option was to go way higher than what I needed which meant it was considerably more expensive. There was a gap in the market for a compact mid-ranged unit, until now! With P4500 all the boxes were ticked, it fit into my compartment, had the power output I needed and was priced very reasonably. the remote start is also a great accessory that allows me to get the unit going with ease. I am extremely happy with this unit and would recommend it to anyone!" David Shaw, Safety Bay W.A
My Generator Says: We cannot go past this incredible new generator by Briggs & Stratton! Boasting 4500W max output, you can run everything in your camping setup and use it as a home backup when you aren't travelling. But that's just an added bonus of why we love this generator, our favourite feature is the CO Guard Carbon Monoxide Shutdown. This patent pending technology will switch off your generator when it detects harmful levels of carbon monoxide in it's operating area. This safety feature hasn't been done in the market before and we love it!
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For more advice on camping generators, check out the related articles below:
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DISCLAIMER* Please note, this advice is general in nature and we strongly recommend consulting the product manual and where relevant, a professional installer.
