2k quiet gendrators

[john61ct]

So are lots of the top manufacturers.

To me China in itself is not the issue, tge brand-owner can spend enough money on QA processes to get top-notch quality there, just as Apple, Yamaha Honda do.

Question is, do they try, and do they succeed at it?

In the forums focused on small engines, newer B&S engines not as well regarded as the old stuff, nor compared to the Japanese-branded products.

But yes, better than the mass-market generic branded stuff marketed by the Chinese makers directly to big box retail here.

Some people care about patronizing USA companies, but that is a separate factor.

 

[355spider]

Having had the 2k champion and the 3400 champion dual fuel now.I wouldn't but anything else. Solid generators that are very reliable and very quiet.

 

[MOguy]

So are lots of the top manufacturers.

To me China in itself is not the issue, tge brand-owner can spend enough money on QA processes to get top-notch quality there, just as Apple, Yamaha Honda do.

Question is, do they try, and do they succeed at it?

In the forums focused on small engines, newer B&S engines not as well regarded as the old stuff, nor compared to the Japanese-branded products.

But yes, better than the mass-market generic branded stuff marketed by the Chinese makers directly to big box retail here.

Some people care about patronizing USA companies, but that is a separate factor.

This exactly as I see it. A company goes to China because they can get stuff done for cheaper but the quality suffers. I have no issue with this but I just want something I can rely on, I will have this generator for as long as I can.

I am sold on the Honda 2200 watt now it is just finding the deal 999.95 (on amazon) is the best deal so far. I won't need it until spring but I will buy one sooner for if I find the good deal.

 

[john61ct]

This exactly as I see it. A company goes to China because they can get stuff done for cheaper but the quality suffers.

My point was the opposite.

Perfect QC is just as possible in China or the US as it is in Japan, Germany or Korea.

But the outsourcing brand owner must be willing to do what it takes to get that level of quality from the producing OEM factory, wherever it's located.

Most consumer items intended for the mass market cannot bear these high QA costs, people mostly prefer cheap prices.

But the top reputation brands can get higher margins, so make the necessary investment in ensuring top quality. Apple's $1000+ phones being an example.

Little to do with the location of the factory, was my main point.

 

[MOguy]

My point was the opposite.

Perfect QC is just as possible in China or the US as it is in Japan, Germany or Korea.

But the outsourcing brand owner must be willing to do what it takes to get that level of quality from the producing OEM factory, wherever it's located.

Most consumer items intended for the mass market cannot bear these high QA costs, people mostly prefer cheap prices.

But the top reputation brands can get higher margins, so make the necessary investment in ensuring top quality. Apple's $1000+ phones being an example.

Little to do with the location of the factory, was my main point.

If you (esp as a consumer) look for a quality product would you expect to be made in China as opposed to the other places mentioned. I am not saying China is not capable but it is seen as the place to go for cheap stuff as oppose to top quality.

 

[MOguy]

Only suffers if the buyer allows it.
Chinese manufacturers will build anything to any degree of quality they are contracted to.

Said that, the buyer needs to inspect their production every step of the way.
Cheating is strong part of Chinese culture.

Are you suggesting I travel to the factory so I, as a consumer, can inspect the facility and the production of my generator from beginning to end? I don't have that much time. The best I can do is choose a brand based on my needs or wants and take chance with it.

I bought a set of $20 LEDs for my Jeep because they are cheap and easy to replace. If they fail I still have my head lights. If my generator fails I have no power. If I am out camping for a week and I loose my generator the first day that really sucks. If my cheap LEDs stop working the first day ( I still have my headlights) I drive slower because my visibility will be more limited.

I don't oppose buying cheap I just have to do my own little evaluation on the consequences of an item failing. If failure is not that big deal I go cheap and warranty, if a big deal I go for reputation and quality.

 

[luthj]

It seems folks have conveniently forgotten how much overpriced consumer grade garbage was on the market prior to the international trade boom. At least now you have the option of cheap poorly made junk. So there may actually be some value in these products.

The idea that chinese manufacturers are all bad (or mostly bad) is a thing of the past. China (over 1.3 billion residents) is quickly becoming the largest middle class market, and over the last 15 years has moved quickly to towards precision MFG and high grade goods. Part of their governments plan was to use the cheap trinket/clone export market as a stepping stone to massive economic growth. It makes sense, in the 80s their impoverished population could not afford the goods and equipment made in the rest of the developed world, so local MFGs started making their own. Beginning with copies of local market goods such as south korea and japan.

Cheating is a part of american culture too. That's why we elevate business people who "outwit" their competition, or avoid taxes. I will agree that china has very lax intellectual properly laws, and very different social expectations around shared responsibility.

 

[MOguy]

It seems folks have conveniently forgotten how much overpriced consumer grade garbage was on the market prior to the international trade boom. At least now you have the option of cheap poorly made junk. So there may actually be some value in these products.

The idea that chinese manufacturers are all bad (or mostly bad) is a thing of the past. China (over 1.3 billion residents) is quickly becoming the largest middle class market, and over the last 15 years has moved quickly to towards precision MFG and high grade goods. Part of their governments plan was to use the cheap trinket/clone export market as a stepping stone to massive economic growth. It makes sense, in the 80s their impoverished population could not afford the goods and equipment made in the rest of the developed world, so local MFGs started making their own. Beginning with copies of local market goods such as south korea and japan.

When I was a kid I remember Japan was seen as the country cheap stuff came from but that has changed greatly over the decades. China became known as the place for cheap stuff and it can change.

Cheap crap sells. If there is a market it will be filled, in the future in may not be China but it will be filled somewhere.

In my quest for a generator I don't want a cheap one. I want some thing with a proven reputation and that is maintainable. I am also looking for a tent heater, I will go low end there because if my tent heater fails it is just my boys and I that are cold. We can hop in the Jeep, turn it on and have heat. If the generator fails that means I am in the camper and it just isn't my boys and myself that will suffer we also have THE WIFE/MOM, a little suffer turns into a bigger deal when the wife/mom is in the picture.

 

[Photomike]

Good points about China being able to produce quality as well as junk. In my business (photography & photo printing) many things are now produced in China that were produced in Japan previously and the quality is the same. In fact a couple Japanese companies have their products produced in China which amazes me as before it was Japan that was doing the cheaper production.

Like anything it all depends on the company. Have had a couple north American produced appliances recently that gave us nothing but problems, switched one out for a brand made in China and it has worked fine.

The biggest thing is the price point and the old saying "if it seems to good to be true, it probably is". If all the items that you are looking at are $5000 and someone is selling new ones for $50 I would say you are asking for trouble, but if you are looking at something for $800 and you find one for $600 it could just be the fact that the company is dealing in larger quantities and they can offer that reduction. Like others have said check it out thoroughly no matter where it is made.

 

[MOguy]

Sounds like a fun ExPo outrageously over the top level adventure. That will be a dammed expensive generator worthy of any legitimate ExPo Guy.
Thats right. But you are not the buyer who dictates what and how something is made. Just mere anonomyous consumer who is stuck with whats on the shelf at Costco or Amazon after reading their Shills product reviews.

I have to admit I do read those reviews and take them into consideration. The last purchase I made based solely on an Amazon review was a remote wireless light switch for a rental house of mine. There are other ways to get information, such as this forum, if you really want good information.

 

[john61ct]

If I want quality, and am willing to pay a lot more to get it, I rely on an informed reading of the reputation of the brand-owning company.

The nationality of the company may be influential, but for me, where they choose to have their product manufactured is 100% irrelevant.

If I want cheap, then in many categories, I look for Chinese specifically, often shipped directly from the maker.

Obviously seeking advice to try to get at least decent reliability, but often just buying spares at the same time.

 

[Step-Hen]

...consumer who is stuck with whats on the shelf at Harbor Freight, Costco or Amazon after reading their Shills product reviews.

Reviewmeta.com is a great site to help weed out the "shill" reviews from the legit ones. You just paste the URL for the Amazon product into their engine and in a minute or so you get an analysis of the reviews. They also have a browser plug-in that speeds up the process a bit. I'm pretty good at identifying fake reviews, but reviewmeta has saved me heartache several times.

 

[Kerensky97]

Reviewmeta.com is a great site to help weed out the "shill" reviews from the legit ones. You just paste the URL for the Amazon product into their engine and in a minute or so you get an analysis of the reviews. They also have a browser plug-in that speeds up the process a bit. I'm pretty good at identifying fake reviews, but reviewmeta has saved me heartache several times.

That's a pretty helpful site. Well worth bookmarking.

Also on a side note; I love all the doom and gloom comments talking about how if their generator goes out they have no backup plan and sound like they're going to die!
I'm still on a page about people going on remote expeditions in the wilderness, right? Are there any other people here don't even use generators?

 

[john61ct]

Pretty important if you need aircon

 

[restorationrides]

Having had the 2k champion and the 3400 champion dual fuel now.I wouldn't but anything else. Solid generators that are very reliable and very quiet.

I bought a pair of champion 2000's from Sam's Club back about 6 years ago when they first came out. At the time, they seemed to have been very well made and they were exceptionally quiet and smooth. But, two of them tied together in parallel could not carry my single A/C unit on my toy hauler trailer. The A/C unit would start up and then kick the circuit breakers out on the generators after about 10 seconds. I was very disappointed when I had to return them... :-(

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