DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator

Coming with 4400 watt surge (at maximum) and 3500 continuous watts, 4 gallon gas tank that gives you an 8 hour run time, electric key starts that include batteries, CARB approved, and has an automatic low oil shut off, the DuroMax XP4400E Portable Generator is your best friend when those power outages strike from the middle of nowhere!

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