The DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator is EPA and CARB approved which is something many other portable generators on the market cannot claim. It offers 8,500 surge watts and 7,000 continuous watts as well as electric key start and a battery that comes with the unit. The seven gallon gas tank allows the unit to run for eight hours which is significantly more than many other models on the market and the automatic low oil shut off is an excellent feature that simply isn't available in many of the competing models.

DuroMax XP8500E 8,500 Watt 16 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start Sale Price: $849.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours   Eligible for free shipping! 3 new from $849.99

Who Should Consider the DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator

If you are looking for a portable generator to provide power to your home if you lose power on a regular basis due to bad weather or other similar issues, the DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator may well be exactly what you need. This robust portable generator provides ample power for all the appliances in your home so you will be able to get through those outages much more comfortably.

The DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator is also a perfect fit for the home workshop or shed that doesn't have a power source of its own. Wiring a workshop or shed for power can be quite expensive and many choose to simply get a generator to provide the power needed to work in the shop. This model is one of the best options available to you purely for the runtime it offers on a tank of gas and the wattage it can provide.

The Benefits of the DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator

The most significant benefit the DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator offers over competing models is without question the ease of use. This generator is easy to start whether you use the electric start or start it by hand. The electric start is a great feature that many of the other models on the market don't offer but should your battery lose charge, starting the unit by hand is also very easy.

The 16 HP engine offered by the DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator is another great benefit that simply can't be matched by much of the competition. This unit is powerful and capable of providing all the power you need for extended periods of time.

The Disadvantages of the DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator

As with any other product you buy, you pay for quality. The DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator is slightly more expensive than many of the other models on the market, but you certainly get what you pay for. Some may see the initial expense of buying it as a disadvantage but the benefits it offers are well worth the cost. The only real disadvantage of this unit is that you need to be sure you take proper maintenance efforts to ensure the long life and continued high performance of the unit.

The DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator Review Conclusion

With proper maintenance and care, the DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator will provide you will all the power you need during emergency situations or in your shed for regular use. It is an excellent unit and makes a fine addition to any home or shed.

Similar portable generator models:

1. DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator
2. DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator
3. Sportsman GEN154 Portable Generator Review

Just like everybody else, I'm always preparing for the end. That time when natural disasters strike, when lights...or better yet electricity goes out, I'm always gearing up for it. I know it would come. I just don't know when.

DuroMax XP4400 4,400 Watt 6.5 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit List Price: $399.99 Sale Price: $379.99 You save: $20.00 (5%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days   Eligible for free shipping! 4 new from $379.99

Anyway, back to the review (and speaking of "the end"), I must say that the DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator is fantastic - it does a good job of keeping your appliances powered without breaking a sweat.

Starting It Up And Running It
Starting a portable generator has never been as easy as pie. All I have to do is put gas and oil, and the DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator fired right on the first pull. Along with that, this generator is remarkably quiet. It runs very smoothly and everything it has is pretty solid.

DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator - The Build
Another thing I like with this portable generator is its build - it comes with a metal gas tank (that has a gauge), a metal gas cap, the 12 volt DC charge pins are fantastic - they are fine additions that will serve you well when you need to charge a battery while running the generator.

It also boasts several outlets, a voltage gauge, breaker switch, an easy to use on-and-off switch, the wheel and handle kit are excellent bonuses as well, and it also came with its guns blazing - boasting a free nylon cover that will protect your portable generator from dust and other elements that will make it look rusty and old when not used for a very long time.

The paint job on the DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator is also nicely done! HOWEVER, no matter how heavily it scores in the looks department, I'm sure you are more excited about how it performs. Read on!

DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator - The Performance
It's worth noting and keeping in mind that the system comes with 4400 watt peak load. That means the DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator will maintain a 3500 watt load and use the extra 900 watts for taking care of occasional surges (for example - when you switch on the computer, when the fridge kicks in, and the like).

What's even nice is that the instruction manual it came along with has a detailed and nice breakdown of the typical wattage draws from different home appliances so you can adjust and make an estimate which ones to turn on and which appliances to leave out.

You may be thinking - "Just how powerful is the 3500 watt load together with the extra 900 watts? What home appliances and equipments can I keep working with the DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator?"

As mentioned, consulting the instruction manual for the breakdown is the best thing to do. BUT here's something to give you an idea - with the DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator, I was able to power up my chest freezer, my refrigerator, a small TV and stereo, a boombox radio, and those are just to name a few!

I still have a lot of room for a couple of more household appliances.

Over all, the DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator is more than satisfying! Why not give it a shot and see what I'm talking about?

Similar portable generator models:

1. PowerMax XP4400 4400 Watt Generator
2. DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator
3. DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator Review

DuroMax XP4400E 4,400 Watt 7.0 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start List Price: $449.99 Sale Price: $439.99 You save: $10.00 (2%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours   Eligible for free shipping! 5 new from $439.99

As someone living in Southern Louisiana, right in the middle of the hurricane alley, power outages caused by storms and disasters is something I grew up with BUT didn't get used to. I hate it! With that in mind, I decided to grab a backup generator to deal with power outages and when emergency strikes. I want a portable power generator that is powerful enough to run the fridge, charge our mobile phones, keep our small TV running, and when the need arises - charge our laptop batteries.

According to my calculations, a portable power supply and generator that comes with 3000 continuous watts and 4000 surge watts should be more than enough for our needs. And the DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator is more than up to the task!

Shipping It
The DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator was shipped through FedEx Ground and it took about a week or so to get to my doorsteps. Looking at the external cardboard box, it's apparent that the generator wasn't handled very gently during the shipping. The whole package weighed about 130 pounds - a little heavy BUT good thing - FedEx wheeled the package to our garage.

First Things First
The first thing I did with the generator was flip it upside down on a mat. And I was pleased to find everything is intact. Everything I need to get the generator working is contained in the package, even the tools to get the wheels and handles on the generator was there. When it was shipped, the tires were sufficiently inflated to withstand the weight of the generator so that's one little thing already taken care of.

Filling The DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator With Oil
If you are going to use generator oil with DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator, you better make sure that it's made for a four stroke engine. One quibble I have with the construction of the DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator is that the oil fill tube is placed in a not so good...a little awkward location. When filling the portable generator with oil, I find that I'm wasting and spilling a lot of oil in the process.

So here's what I did to fix it (which I recommend that you do, too) - I used a funnel that comes with a tube at the of it. If you are too clumsy that you would even spill oil even after using a funnel (which I hope you are not), you could try using a disposable cup to use it with the funnel.

It takes about 20 oz of oil, and to condition the engine, I would highly recommend that you change the oil after 6 hours of run time, then twice after 8 hours, and every 20 up to 30 hours beyond that.

A Look At The Control Panel
The control panel comes with two 120V outlets and a 30 amp outlet that you could easily switch between 120 and 240 volts. Along with that, you would also find a 12 v outlet that lets you charge a car battery without breaking a sweat. I have tested it between 60 watts and 2400 watts of load and the voltage was pretty consistent at 115 volts - it didn't drop.

So far so good, BUT I think more testing is required as for the higher loads.

In conclusion, I'm more than satisfied with the DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator - it's built well, less polluting, and less expensive than those very pricey Japanese portable generators like Honda, Subaru, Yamaha, and others.

Similar portable generator models:

1. DuroMax XP4400 Portable Generator
2. DuroMax XP8500E Portable Generator Review