Honda EU2000i

The Bottom Line

Reviewers say the Honda EU2000i is just about perfect if all you need is a small, portable, quiet inverter generator for powering home electronics or a few essentials. You can also daisy-chain two of them together if you need more power.

Power

Limited capability, but performs well. The Honda EU2000i is decidedly limited, producing 1,600 watts of continuous power and 2,000-watt surge capability. However, owners say it's enough to power a few household appliances like your fridge or freezer. The EU2000i's inverter technology -- which converts the power it generates from AC current to DC, then back to AC again -- produces a surge-free current that's safe for running delicate, expensive electronics like computers and TVs. If you overload it, it'll shut itself off.

You can power even more if you're willing to juggle machinery; for example, one eHam.net user powered his in-home heat, sump pump, two sump pumps for neighbors, a refrigerator, Internet, television and lights. Because he couldn't run both the refrigerator and the heat at the same time, he just switched back and forth as needed. "At some times we forgot we had a generator running," he writes. "It even runs my 4,500 BTU mini air conditioner," says another.

"We obviously have to juggle a bit between freezer, refrigerator, furnace and other appliances, but it's amazing how much this practical and reliable little generator can run," says a poster to ElectricGeneratorsDirect.com. A few complain of voltage sags as the Honda EU2000i brings large motor loads up to speed, but you can hook two inverters together for additional power.

Outlets

Just the basics. As you might expect from a small power inverter, the EU2000i has just two 20-amp AC outlets. It boasts a DC outlet for charging batteries.

Noise

One of the quietest models. Most owners confirm the manufacturer's estimate of 59 decibels at the rated load of 1,600 watts, or 53 decibels at one-quarter load. That's about the noise level of a quiet office environment or a normal conversation.

Several users posting at eHam.net record noise levels between 55 and 59 decibels, saying the EU2000i is "nearly silent." A 2006 comparative test published in Camping Life measured the generator's sound levels at 52 to 58 decibels, and a similar test in 2011 calls the Honda the quietest of the inverters tested. Editors say it's "wonderfully quiet and runs smooth as silk."

Runtime

Fuel-efficient. A few owners report that the EU2000i ran for 10 hours or more on a single tank of gas. That's a little longer than the manufacturer's estimate of 9.6 hours at one-quarter load, or 4 hours at full load.

In Camping Life's 2006 test, editors more conservatively timed the EU2000i at 8.1 hours of total runtime on its 1.1-gallon tank, or about 7.3 hours per gallon under zero load. That's a little less than the manufacturer's estimate, but still impressive considering the test didn't use the inverter's economy mode, which automatically adjusts the engine speed to match the electrical load.

Ease of Use

Lightweight and portable. Editors of Camping Life say the 46.3-pound Honda EU2000i is the most compact and easy to carry inverter they tested in a 2006 article, and owners almost universally agree. Many say it's easy to change the oil, and the EU2000i will shut down automatically if its oil runs low.

The EU2000i is covered by a three-year warranty. It draws praise from the editors of Camping Life for having a simple start sequence, although they pan its narrow fuel opening that can make refueling slow. Owners agree, adding that it can be hard to start if you've let it sit for months.