DuroMaxXP10000E 10,000-Watt Gas Powered Portable Generator - Electric Start, Whole Home Backup Power, Transfer Switch Ready, RV & Emergency Ready

We bought this generator about two years ago, after Hurricane Sandy tore through our area and left us without power for 2 weeks. That had actually been the 3rd time in about 12 months that we had no power for a week or more. We had gotten our hands on a small generator sometime in the middle of those ordeals, but after Sandy the wife said "get the biggest one you can find!" Like others, I was a bit skeptical about this generator for a few reasons... the lesser-known brand (at least to me), the foreign origin, and simply - it seemed too inexpensive to be as good as it claimed! Boy am I glad that I put aside those concerns and just ordered it.At the time we ordered it, the price was about $1100 - still well worth it in my opinion. It came via freight and the delivery company was very accommodating about working out a delivery time with us. It was very well packed. This is one seriously heavy item, but as long as you have a little space, you can wiggle it around to get it unpacked by yourself. I know a few other reviewers had theirs ship with a dead battery, but mine was ok. It was a little tricky to hook up actually, but I eventually got it connected. It comes with the feet and wheels separate, so you need to install them yourself. It's pretty easy, but a socket wrench set or racheting wrench set will come in handy. Mine appeared to be empty so I added oil before using it. There was no sign of any leaked oil inside the package like some others have reported.To turn on the generator, you open the fuel valve, pull the choke, and turn the key. It's really pretty easy. There is also a pull starter if you are having battery issues. Once you turn it on, there's a circuit breaker to control whether the outlets are live or not. Our electrician advised me to connect the generator to the house first, then turn on the circuit breaker on the generator, then gradually turn on breakers inside the house after flipping the transfer switch to slowly ramp up the load. There is also an idle control switch - which looks like it was re-labelled "auto throttle" in the pictures here. It basically causes the generator to idle at a much lower (and quieter) speed when you turn it on. It's good for testing and other times when you don't need the noise. There is a pretty big variety of outlets on the panel too - 50A, two different 30A, and two 20A. There is also DC12v available. We use the 50A now when we hook it up to the house, but before we had the transfer switch installed we got plenty of juice out of the 20A with a few long extension cords.With the 50A connection to our panel via a transfer switch, our electrician told us "this will pretty much run everything in your house". And it does - it'll run all the lights, TV's, computers, 2 fridges, microwave, coffee maker and yes - even the central air. Just for full disclosure - we have a gas stove, and I haven't had the nerve to run the washer/dryer on generator power. Also - we've not had to use it during a real heatwave yet, so I suppose the load from the AC was never at its peak. Still, there is no shortage of power coming out of this unit. Plus - I was surprised when I realized that this unit is considerably quieter than our previous much smaller generator! Don't get me wrong, it's still loud - they all are - but not the kind of loud I expected from something outputting this much power.Two years later, it still runs great - starts every time with just a quick turn of the key, even after a long stretch. I try to make it a point to start it every few months to cycle out any old gas, and keep things loose. Once I ran it in the back yard for a few hours just to power my mitre saw and table saw while I built a small shed - it didn't even blink. I also found that under a medium load, it gets a very decent runtime out of a single tank of gas - in some cases up to 10 hours or more.Hopefully this helps your decision if you're at all hesitant to try this brand. If what you want is a spectacular value for a very powerful portable generator, this absolutely fits the bill. I ordered the same unit for my in-laws who live across town and their experience has been just as good.

I rely heavily on product reviews so I try to remember to enter reviews on major and specialty items whether they are good or bad.I read the reviews on the DuroMax and there were only minor or zero complaints and mostly favorable reviews.I received my generator a few days ago. Nicely packed with strong protective foam protecting the receptacle panel. The package had gotten banged on that side but the foam fully protected the panel. The unit was pristine.Easy assembly of the wheels, stationary supports, handles and battery connection. The unit is dry so you must add 1.1 quarts of oil and some gasoline. I very slowly extended the pull start cord to get some oil on the internals and the engine started in the middle of the second pull!IMPORTANT: The user manual does not indicate anything about a break-in run. I called the manufacturer and of course they do want a break-in program. They recommended 4 hours at full speed no electrical load, then 4 more hours with a light load and then drain out the break-in oil and replace. Most competitor sites recommend more hours for break-in. I did 4 hours no load, randomly letting it idle for 5 to 20 minutes. 3 hours at 500 watts (5% load), 1 hour 600 watts, 2 hours 1000 watts (10%) and 2 hours 1600 watts (16%). Varying the speeds and loads is a good idea for piston engines. Then I tested it on my 2.3 KW well motor which has about a 6 KW surge lasting about 2 tenths of a second. No problem at all. The generator didn't blink. I ran it half a minute at 5.5 KW (55% of max rating) - no problem. I also ran it with 3.2 KW base load (2 hair dryers) and then added the well pump with its surge (9.2 KW with the surge load) no problem. I also let the unit idle and then automatically throttle up after introducing the 6 KW surge - no problem taking the load at idle and powering up. The auto idle is a nice feature.The voltage meter matched my digital voltmeter just as an accuracy check. They provide 3 and 4 prong twist plugs, 12 volt insert leads for charging a car battery and a small toolkit. The key falls out in the "off" position so just tie-wrap it to the frame so you do not lose it. tape the extra key to the frame also. Other items they do not mention: a nice functional fuel tank gauge. My home is just under 5000 feet elevation so the engine is suffering a 17% power penalty, plus it is 90 degrees and very humid today which hurts even more but as I indicated above the 16 HP engine is a beauty. I also put a light charge on their battery and it was in excellent shape - half an amp for about 30 minutes and it was at 100%. Electric starter is strong. There is also a charge indicator to let you know the unit's battery is being charged after starting. I love the airless tires - we have huge mesquite thorns here that puncture large backhoe tires - honest injun. Tomorrow I will try it on my 3 ton heat pump - I bet it does it. Remember to take the trouble to break it in and change the oil. Nice unit.