Inverter generators
The short answer
Need the power? Generac
Want app control? Honda
The GP2500i makes 2,200W running against Honda's rated 1,800W, at about the same weight. The Honda publishes noise and run time in detail and has a Bluetooth app.
Best for more running watts
Best for published specs and app control
Before you buy: Honda's "2200" is its peak. Honda rates the EU2200i at 1,800W running.
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Counted from the chart below: rows where one number is clearly better. It's a tally, not an overall rating. The Honda's edges here, published noise and run-time figures and the phone app, aren't head-to-head wins, so they don't show up in it.
Bold means one number is clearly better. Blank means it's a tie, it's close, the makers measured it differently, or the sources disagree. I only compare run times at the same load when it's fair, since 1/4 load on a bigger generator is more watts.
| GP2500i | EU2200i | Clearer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting watts (gasoline) | 2,500W | 2,200W (Honda "max") | GP2500i |
| Running watts (gasoline) | 2,200W | 1,800W (Honda "rated") | GP2500i |
| Fuel | Gasoline | Gasoline | |
| Gas tank | 1.0 gal | 0.95 gal | |
| Run time at 1/4 load (gasoline) | 8 hr (Generac spec sheet) | 8.1 hr at 1/4 load | |
| Run time at 1/2 load (gasoline) | 4.5 hr (Generac product page); 4.0 hr (Generac owner's manual) | Not published at this load | |
| Run time at full rated load | Not published at this load | 3.2 hr at rated load | |
| Noise (maker figure) | Not published by Generac. The Amazon listing says 53 dB(A) at 1/4 load. | 48 dB(A) at 1/4 load; 57 dB(A) at rated load | |
| Weight | 48 lb | 47.4 lb (dry) | |
| Starting method | Recoil | Recoil | |
| Outlets | 120V 20A household outlets and a USB-A port (Generac lists USB and covered outlets; the Amazon listing says two 20A outlets and one USB-A) | One 20A 125V duplex | |
| CO shutoff | Yes (COsense) | Yes (CO-MINDER) | |
| Parallel capable | Yes, with an optional kit | Yes, with an optional cable (up to 4,400W with a second EU2200i) | |
| Phone app | Not listed | Yes (Honda My Generator, Bluetooth) | |
| Total harmonic distortion (maker) | Under 3% | Not published | |
| Warranty | 3 years residential | 3 years residential; 12 months commercial | |
| Engine | 98cc | Honda GXR120, 121cc | |
| Note | Not for sale in California (49-state model) |
Common things people plug in during an outage or at camp, checked against each generator's own gasoline ratings from the chart above: GP2500i 2,200W running and 2,500W starting, EU2200i 1,800W running and 2,200W starting. I used the top of each range, so a smaller appliance may do better.
| Load | Running watts | Starting watts | GP2500i | EU2200i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-size refrigerator | 150–400W | 800–1,200W | Yes | Yes |
| Freezer (chest or upright) | 100–500W | 500–1,000W | Yes | Yes |
| Sump pump, 1/3 HP | 500–800W | 1,000–1,600W | Yes | Yes |
| Sump pump, 1/2 HP | 800–1,050W | 1,300–2,150W | Yes | Tight |
| Gas furnace blower (1/2 HP fan) | 300–800W | 800–1,600W | Yes | Yes |
| Window AC, 5,000 BTU | 450–600W | 900–1,200W | Yes | Yes |
| Window AC, 10,000 BTU | 900–1,200W | 1,800–2,400W | Tight | Tight |
| RV rooftop AC, 13,500 BTU | 1,500–2,000W | 2,800–3,500W | No | No |
| CPAP (with heated humidifier) | 60–120W | No extra | Yes | Yes |
| Microwave | 600–1,200W | No extra | One at a time | One at a time |
| Coffee maker† | 600–1,200W | No extra | One at a time | One at a time |
| Space heater (1,500W setting) | 750–1,500W | No extra | One at a time | One at a time |
| Well pump, 1 HP | 1,000–2,000W | 2,000–4,000W | No | No |
| Circular saw, 7-1/4 in. | 1,200–1,800W | 2,400–3,600W | No | No |
| TV (32-55 in.) + router/modem | 90–420W | No extra | Yes | Yes |
| Phone/laptop charging | 20–100W | No extra | Yes | Yes |
| Electric water heater | 3,000–4,500W | No extra | No | No |
Add up the running watts. Then take the one item with the biggest starting surge and add its starting watts to everything else's running watts. Both totals have to fit.
Running: 400 + 800 + 75 + 20 = 1,295W (GP2500i 59% of 2,200W · EU2200i 72% of 1,800W)
Biggest start: furnace blower starting 1,600 + everything else running 400 + 75 + 20 = 2,095W (GP2500i 84% of 2,500W · EU2200i 95% of 2,200W)
GP2500i YesEU2200i Tight
Running: 400 + 1,200 = 1,600W (GP2500i 73% of 2,200W · EU2200i 89% of 1,800W)
Biggest start: fridge starting 1,200 + everything else running 1,200 = 2,400W (GP2500i 96% of 2,500W · EU2200i 109% of 2,200W)
GP2500i TightEU2200i Tight
Running: 600 + 120 + 200 + 100 = 1,020W (GP2500i 46% of 2,200W · EU2200i 57% of 1,800W)
Biggest start: 5,000 BTU AC starting 1,200 + everything else running 120 + 200 + 100 = 1,620W (GP2500i 65% of 2,500W · EU2200i 74% of 2,200W)
GP2500i YesEU2200i Yes
These are typical figures. Check the label on your own appliance. It lists watts, or amps you can multiply by 120 to get watts.
Motors need starting watts. Fridges, freezers, pumps, furnace blowers and air conditioners pull a short surge each time they kick on, well above their running watts (see the Starting column). Heaters, coffee makers and chargers don't.
Running several loads adds up. If two motors start in the same second, both surges stack. Honda's own advice is to start the big ones one at a time.
RV air conditioners: a 13,500 BTU unit needs more starting watts than either generator has. A soft starter added to the AC is often what decides it. Micro-Air, which makes the EasyStart, says it cuts startup current by up to 75%. Even then, leave the fridge and other big loads off.
Outlets: Neither generator lists a 240V outlet in the chart above, so anything that needs 240V is out. Check your appliance's label.
Water heaters: If your water heater runs on 240V, neither unit can power it, since neither lists a 240V outlet. On watts alone it would be "No" on both.
Load watts: Champion Power Equipment, Generator Wattage Chart. It covers appliances, not generators. †Coffee maker: 600W for a 4-cup maker from Honda's wattage guide, and 1,200W from Generac's wattage worksheet. Microwave: the wattage on the box is usually cooking power. Honda's guide lists a 1,000W microwave at 1,500W from the outlet, which is "One at a time" on both. None of these charts list an 8,000 BTU window AC, so it falls between the 5,000 and 10,000 BTU rows. Start-up advice: Honda. Soft starter: Micro-Air.
One thing before the details: both burn gasoline, so both put out carbon monoxide. Keep them outside, well away from doors, windows and vents, with the exhaust pointed away from the house. A CO shutoff is a backup. It does not make a garage, a shed or a porch safe.
Both are enclosed inverters in the 2,000-watt class, and both have a CO shutoff. The big numbers in the names are peak watts. Running watts are where they actually differ.
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if quiet is the deciding factor and you want the maker's number behind it. Generac doesn't give one. The 53 dB(A) figure is from the Amazon listing.
if you've added up your loads and need more than 1,800 running watts. Honda's "2200" is peak.
These points come from owners posting on Reddit, owner forums and retailer reviews, not from my own testing. A point is listed only when at least three separate owners of this exact model said it. Individual units vary.
Not enough independent owner reports on this exact model yet.
Sources: Reddit 1, Reddit 2, Reddit 3, Reddit 4, GeneratorBible user reviews, Reddit 5, Forest River Forums, Reddit 6, Amazon reviews
The Generac: 2,200W running and 2,500W starting. The Honda is 1,800W running and 2,200W max.
They're close at 1/4 load: 8 hours for the Generac (per its spec sheet) and 8.1 for the Honda. The Generac's 1/4 load is more watts since it's the bigger unit. At 1/2 load, Generac says 4.5 hours on its product page and 4.0 in its owner's manual, so don't lean hard on that one.
No. Both make carbon monoxide. Both have a shutoff (Generac's COsense, Honda's CO-MINDER), but that's a backup. Run them outdoors, away from doors, windows and vents.
No, not across brands. Two GP2500i units link with Generac's kit, and two EU2200i units link with Honda's cable.
Where the sources disagree on a spec:
Specs are from Generac and Honda, checked October 8, 2026. Any line marked "Amazon listing" is not a maker figure.
By Mike E. · Last checked October 8, 2026 · Based on manufacturer specs. Lines marked "Amazon listing" are from Amazon, not the maker.