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The Craftsman 3000 is a great generator for the money, I bought one 3 years ago and used it every single weekend while building, it’s quiet, fuel efficient and had no trouble running AC in our toy hauler. That said there are three things to know about it. 1. It’s a rebranded Generac. So ignore “Craftsman” and just look for/buy generac parts. 2. The gas cap sometimes doesn’t vent properly and creates a vacuum, so generator shuts off after 10 min run time. Your gas cap needs to be clicked a few extra times (tightened). Or sometimes fully loosened off…. I’m looking into a different cap from generac for mine. 3. And lastly When it dies and it’s not the gas cap, has intermittent or no spark/won’t start (and it will eventually happen), it’s likely the $35 ignition module located inside the pull cord side cover, bottom towards the back and provides power to the coil. (Located below the coil on bottom pan). Generac ignition module part number 10000021900. You can replace this on your own, it’s two screws and a few electrical quick connectors. Easy and has run like a champ since. Hope this helps someone!
We have used the czcams.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
You will never have a fuel problem with the Honda if you simply pop the side off and drain the carb. Even if you run it dry, it still leaves some gas in the bottom of the bowl. Draining the carb is quicker than turning off the fuel and starting it up.
Maybe I.m missing something here but the Honda 2200 DOES have a carb drain switch but it's in the form of turning the large engine switch dial on the side of the unit to the "fuel off position" which cuts the fuel while allowing the engine to run and consume all the gas in the carb. The engine switch has the following three settings: 1) ON (turn it to ON and pull cord and generator starts) 2) Fuel OFF (fuel goes off but engine continues to run until all the gas in the carb is consumed) 3) OFF (engine goes off immediately) So.....knowing this did they not drain the carb and then it got gummed up and then they badmouthed the Honda for not starting??? Just asking.....
@@joeblow3374 The Fuel Off setting doesn’t drain the carb completely. For long term storage, all you need to do is drain the carb with the screw. It will take like 10 pulls to prime and start next time but that’s how you’re supposed to store it.
I own them all , of the small power inverters the predator 3500 is the best on the available market , idc what anyone says, it makes the least amount of noise as any 2200 honda and is as reliable as it gets with a ton more features, all of my Hondas are great, just not as good
@@dannyboyd1299 lol. Not long ago I saw one predator 3500 gone up in flames in a construction site. Not only that. It managed to destroy a $300 man lift battery charger while it was plugged to it. We believe the Generator internal inverter module was faulty and blew up. That being said, while the predator 3500 is a fairly decent unit, I trust much more my Hondas for reliability even if they make a bit more noise while at full speed. By the way, the predator 3500 isa much larger unit which it has more leverage to run in eco mode and as a result making less noise just as the Hondas running in eco mode as well. Not a good comparison.
Thanks for the review. Just picked up the Craftsman 3000i because I needed a generator I could lift by myself into my SUV and that would start my 13,500 btu AC on my travel trailer. I can even run the microwave and AC at the same time, I was shocked. The equivalent Honda 3000i is 18 pounds heavier and at least $1,400 more. The Honda 2200i isn't strong enough for my needs and buying two and a parallel cable is a bit pricy. Thank you for helping me make up my mind on price and function.
Who would use ethanol fuel in anything , still a fair comparison though , I would go for reliability over price any day , I have hundreds of dollars of meet and stuff in my freezer when I’m away and in 10 years and multiple Honda’s I’ve never had one issue
@@davidkuznetsov9316 for his own stupidity. The fact that the other one did manage to star, doesn't make it less stupid. You should not storage them with gas in it for that long unless the some stabilizer is added. It is a matter of time before the other suffers the same issue. He crowned a champion based on that, lol.
agreed ethanol gas is terrible I run clear in all my small engines. I didn't hear him mention how much less the craftsman costs then the honda and buy once cry once I know but the craftsman appears to be a well built unit i saw one running a 15000 btu ac on an rv using surge for startup
In addition to running the carburetor out of fuel you should have also drained the carburetor's float bowl which is quick and easy to do. By just running it out of fuel there is a small amount of fuel remaining at the base of the main jet. This small amount can and will turn into varnish in short order. This would be true on any carburetor. Also, there is no way possible for the Craftsman unit to handle 3000 watts. The engine displacement in the Craftsman is 80cc and the Honda is 121cc. As they say in the engine business, "there is no replacement for displacement" In other words, with a 41cc larger engine the Honda will easily out preform the Craftsman in handling a heavy load for a longer periods of time. One final point, you should have performed your noise test facing away from the garage. In your test you will have interference noise that is bouncing off of the garage walls. Any noise test must be done out in the open to avoid this interference noise. I will keep my 2 EU2000's as they have giving me 100% flawless performance for over 16 years.
The craftsman is a 149cc 4 stroke not a 80cc. You can look at the size of the craftsman and tell it’s not a small 2 stroke 80cc machine by it’s size and sound and weight. So it should produce more power then the Honda due to the fact it has more displacement by 28cc. These specs can be found easily.
It's amazing how many people don't know how carbureted engines work anymore. Let me explain why the Honda takes multiple pulls after you used the fuel shut off. Listen, if you use the fuel shut off and run the carb out of fuel that's definitely better for long term storage, you don't want the jets and small passages in the carburetor gumming up with varnish. But if the bowl is out of fuel, it needs to be filled with fuel again to run, right? If the Honda doesn't have a primer bulb or fuel pump, the only way to do that is using vacuum from the engine. A closed choke and pulling on the cord over and over. If you left fuel sitting in the craftsman carburetor and let it sit for a year or more, the fuel will dry out leaving a varnish blocking the high/low speed jets that measure how much fuel gets burned by the engine. Then it won't run until you remove the carb from the generator, clean out all the small passages and jets, and reassemble and put back in there. I thought you might also want to know that the craftsman is a chinese designed, chinese made engine that is marked up rebranded for multiple retailers. It is the generac gp3000i. It is powered by the same 79cc chinese clone of the mz80 that is used in multiple $400 generators by pulsar/westinghouse/aipower. I guarantee you the wattage it promises is severely overrated. The honda actually has a higher displacement engine than the supposedly 3000 watt "craftsman" and will outpower it.
Here's a generator user pro tip: I put Walmart's Seafoam equivalent in all my generator gas. I do 5 gallons at a time. Never have a problem with my Honda EU2000 revving up and down hunting anymore. Learned this trick from the mechanic at an equipment rental place. They Seafoam all their small engine gas and never have an issue with carbs getting gummed up.
You need to drain the carburetor before storage on EVERY generator. They all have carburetor drain screws on the bottom of the carburetor. Just turning off the fuel petcock is not enough, because that still leaves a few teaspoons of gas in the carb. So turn the fuel petcock off, drain the carb bowl, AND THEN put on the choke and start it. It will usually run for a few seconds, sucking any residual fuel out of the carb. Pull the cord a few times more, to be sure the carb passages are empty. If you do this (proper storage), your generator will start first time, every time. I've been doing this for 20 years and I have never had a generator not start. I also don't keep them stored with fuel either. I drain the tanks or run them dry.
I have had a Honda EU 2000 for ten years or more. Bought it for our boat and would keep it at our house for the winters. We have never had a problem with it. We were out of power for five days last month (big storm in CT ) I would run the Fridge/lights /TV and modem all day and till 10 at night and never ran it out of gas. I Think it has a 1.2 gallon tank. It never came off idle unless we used the coffee maker. How long is the Craftsman going last ? I will never have to buy another generator. Spend a few hundred more and keep the proven Generator.
your wife must have been putting gas in it. haha. It's labeled run time is about 8 hours and some how you got it to run for 5 day till 10pm? did you start it at 8:30pm??
I have that Honda EU 2000 unit with over 8000 hours on it still running strong I bet that craftsman will be ready for the junkyard before it ever sees 500 hours but I’d like to see a long-term test thank you
Got a EB5000 back in 92 after the Coleman self destructed and using it everyday doings construction for a couple years then using it sparingly now it probably out last me would buying Honda over any other brand
And does this theory change the end result? The "favorite" didnt start and the under dog did and was less problematic?? In the real world, where everyone isnt a mechanic, how does this stack up??
@@Echolimabravo321 Both generators were stored improperly. Not the fault of the equipment. The carb has a drain screw on it for a reason, so that you can drain the fuel tank and fuel bowl. Use it.
great review / comparison !! i bought my craftsman 3000i at a rummage sale because it wouldnt start and no sign of fuel getting to carb after brief inspection from sellers... bought it and after having it a couple of months i decided to check it out and did a VERY thorough carb cleaning.. it does not start on first couple of pulls but once on, it is awesome..... BEST $30 bucks spent....
Totally appreciate your time. My Honda 2200 always started on one pull. Sometimes twice. As for noise, ambient sound is best recorded in real conditions, not a garage. The pitch and such are going to be different depending on a lot of other factors. But thanks! Excellent review.
@Thomas Chrombly Honda has, at least one generator with fuel injection. the EU7000IS. I bought the first generation of this model 6 years ago. I just put regular gas (up to 10% ethanol) in it it and it cranks up right away every time. I do rotate the gas though. After 2-3 months the fuel in the gas cans go into the truck and the I refill the gas cans again.
Please tell us why it was "an excellent review" given the fact that he admitted to having left the Hondas choke "full open" while he measured the Hondas decible reading?????
There’s more info out there on the internet to quench your needs. This video was purely for people in our position, in this world, who need help deciding what to get. We tried to keep it as unbiased as possible. Plus, for being a first video you gotta give us some leniency here. We had no idea what we were doing here, just trying to educate the common good in 10 minutes.
Great video… I had 2 of the Hondas and used them for years, but always had issues when they sit for a while. I even used non- ethanol gas ( 60 cents a gallon more) and still had restarting issues and ended up working on carb. Good Job…. Dan
My Craftsman 3000I started on three pulls after sitting since August 2020, it is July 18, 2021. The fuel is Trufuel 4 cycle fuel. I ran it under load of a 60 television and comcast internet system to see how it would respond. When I originally purchased the 3000i my power was out, (a year prior it went out with no generator and lost all my freezer and refrigeratables) When the power went out last August I purchased the Craftsman and ran, the refrigerator, the freezer, some lights, a Mac Book Pro, a 60 Television and Comcast cable system for 4 days until power was back on. The 3000i ran from 5;30pm until 4:30am, as I leave home at 4:40am to work until 5:30pm, when I arrive home. It saved the loss of a thousand plus dollars in food items, unlike without the 3000i a year before. So far all it good in my Craftsman 3000i World.
If you want to store any fuel in your generator or other gasoline powered equipment. You must add Stabil. It is a gasoline stabilizer and helps prevent the gasoline stored inside your equipment from getting bad.
That Honda does seem like it was running on choke... I have the Yamaha 2000. Always runs, runs quiet. Even with 1 year old fuel. The only benefit I see in the 3000i is a "guarantee" to he able to run an AC in an RV with a few other appliances. The 2200 can probably power the AC, but with nothing else. I do enjoy carrying a 55 lb generator over 67 lbs though. Especially to the boat launch, remote location, etc. Given a choice, I'd pick the 3000i only because I have a 2000 watt generator. If I didn't, I'd choose the Honda 2,200... When you are hours away in the wilderness, you need it to be dependable. Cylinders, pistons, etc made by Honda are bulletproof. I am going to assume the generac / craftsman is a Honda clone engine.
So if the Hondas choke might have been left on is that a fair test??? Also, the Honda at even 25% load is only 48 dBA and under no load has to be even quieter yet he measures it at 66............. And why is it a fair test when he compares a 1800 watt Honda to a 2300 watt Craftsman? The fair test would have been the Honda vs a similar sized 2200 Craftsman......
I just sold my old Honda powered 5500 watt gen. Bought it in 1999 for $1800 can . I haven’t pulled the cord for over 1 year but it always starts on the first pull even with old regular gas. I always shut off the fuel to let it run out of gas. I am in the market for an inverter gen to replace my bigger, bulkier and very heavy Honda. I also own a 9000 watt Champion with electric start purchased from Costco 10 years ago for $800. It also starts right up by push button or by remote, and I run my whole house except for electric heat. Champion also make great large machines. Just make sure you run it out of fuel.
Never really had a problem with EU2000, even running ethanol fuel and not draining the carb... I start mine every 1-2 months. used stabil and star tron fuel with my gasoline...
I had nearly the same issue with my EU2200 despite running it dry and using stabilized fuel. Some compressed air, fresh fuel and a strong dose of Berryman B12 Chemtool solved that problem. Then I had an issue where it stopped producing electricity while running. Fortunately, my dealer took care of it under warranty. This was all within 40 hours. Once fixed, off it went on Craigslist and got $750 for it.
i bought the 3300 craftsman at lowes open box last year for 600$ it was their last generator for sale at the time. and even though i saw a few disparaging vids about it i've never had an issue. i am glad i bought this as it powers the 13500 ac on my trailer at my desert camp in the winter. late afternoon 100 degree temps in oct and late april, plus handles all my electric bike and top offs of batteries and laptops, microwave, etc, when my solar panels are not enough. eventually it would be nice to spend the thousands of dollars for an equal solar battery set up, for now this works great.
Pasco power products, I just purchased this generator. Your review sold me. This is the perfect Gen. For our needs, 26 foot TT hopefully it'll power our A/C without issue, a micro air soft start is in our future regardless. My only issue is, it shakes like crazy in eco mode. In your video you mention how smooth it is VS the Honda. I'm curious if it'll smooth out after break in. This generator is QUIET, shockingly quiet. Thanks for the great review.
What part of the review "sold you"? 1) Was it when the Hondas choke was kept at "full" even after it started and then they measured higher decible readings in the Honda because the choke was not turned off (choke needs to be turned off after an engine starts)? or 2) Was it the part where he compared a craftsman that had a 37% greater capacity than the Honda and then proceeded to subject them both to about 1,700 watts which is 94% of the Hondas max sustained capability but only 68% of the Craftsmans max sustained capability, and then proclaimed that the Craftsman is quieter???? Note: a generator loaded closer to its max is generally noisier than is another generator that is not loaded as close to its max. or 3) Was it when he prejudiced the review before it even got going when he told you repeatedly that the Honda wouldn't start, etc? Please note that all generators have problems at one time or another but to mention problems only of one generator before the review even begins, well, that's stacking the deck....... or 4) Was it the fact that he "left out" the fact that the Honda is powered by a top-notch commercial grade 121 cc engine while the Craftsman only has an 80cc engine? Please note that the Honda engine will last far longer because 1) it's commercial grade and 2) the 121 cc Honda is only expected to help produce 1,800 watts sustained whereas the much smaller Craftsman engine is expected to help produce 2,300 watts...... That is, the Honda engine is more lightly loaded when producing the same watts so should last far longer. So...which one (or all) of the above "sold you" on the Craftsman??????
I have the Craftsmen I run it about 24/7 the only time it will get a little loud is when it's telling me to change its oil I have an RV and I can run everything no problem but it dose need a little brake and that's only because I feel guilty if I don't never gets hot never stopped on me yet!! I'm a girl and it's easy to Carrie be safe everybody....
Them hondas run a lot quieter and vibrate a whole lot less when you turn the choke off, not a very fair comparison, would like to see how they stack up after 10 yrs of regular use. My eu20i is getting a bit noisy and the eco mode doesn't always work after 10 yrs, but it still runs the air-con and washing machine. Going to buy the new eu22i next week and retire the eu20i as a spare. In my opinion other companies copy the honda for a reason.
Clean the pilot jet in the carburetor and the Honda's Eco-mode will be good as new for another ten years. The China Craftsman will be scrap in half that time.
Out in Oz no serious off roader would consider anything but a Honda for sheer staying power even in 50*C weather. Testing noise level in front of a Garage is also a joke, getting lots of reflected noise there dude.
I just wanted to say thanks .... I bought the craftsman 3000i based on this video awhile back and it has worked out great ! it powers my travel trailer with 15k ac great ! and it's super portable !
I use the Honda at work all the time and own the craftsman one for personal use. I noticed the same things as you. Craftsman is quieter and doesn’t vibrate like the Honda. Although I haven’t been able to find spare air filters for the craftsman yet.
Are you aware that the Honda does have the ability to consume all the fuel in the carb so that none sits there for long periods of time? The large grey engine switch on the side of the 2200 has three settings: 1) ON (turn it to ON and pull cord and generator starts) 2) Fuel OFF (fuel goes off but engine continues to run until all the gas in the carb is consumed) 3) OFF (engine goes off immediately) Question: the last time you shut the Honda down did you use the "FUEL OFF" function and burn off all the gas in the carb so that it didn't varnish up the carb?
Great video. Ignore all the “I would or you should” comments. Very honest review which is something missing in this world these days. Great job. I’ll be getting the craftsman.
The Craftsman brand , actually , is under the Generac company now. I've bought a little used 3000 Craftsman over the Craigslist, recently. For 375$. Really good generator. Yes, it's bigger than honda, but 3000 start/2300 running, is great first emergency response for power outage.
Everyone has their own preferences but I never let fuel sit in my generator. Unless I plan on using it very frequently, I drain all the fuel every time I have a Predator 3500 for 2 years and it starts perfect and runs great every 3 months when I start it up for maintenance. I let it run dry and open the valve to drain all the fuel every time Heather last thing I need is a hurricane to deal with and a generator that won’t start
My Honda did the exact same thing after being sat up for only 6 months. That main jet is tiny and not tolerable of any contamination in the fuel. All fuel is dirty and you need to add a small fuel filter
It's not the generators fault poor fuel was used and left sitting in the carb to gum up. This can happen with any engine or brand. We should use only premium fuel (non ethanol) and follow the proper procedure to clear it out for long term storage.
Absolutely true, I have never had problems with my Honda Ex650 in 31 years and with the EU2200i the last three years either, it has more to do with the bad gasoline, in Europe we have E95 / E5 gasoline with at most 5 percent ethanol and in practice often even zero.
Something is wrong with your test. Decible ratings are to be done in the open at 23 ft and with only one generator at a time in the testing circle....NOT at the entrance to a garage and NOT with both generators 2 ft apart from each other. Question: Are you sure you didn't measure the Honda with eco mode turned off and/or forgot to turn the choke off (as several people have noticed and which you yourself admit in a post below)?? Also, I hope your readers are aware that the Honda 2200 engine is whopping 121cc commercial grade engine whereas the Craftsman is I believe, an 80cc non-commercial engine used to output 2300 watts. This means the Honda engine is stressed far less than is the Craftsman engine, which equates to a much longer life for the Honda engine. In fact, the Honda will last decades.... I know...I own a Honda 2000 and it's 13 years old and going strong. One final thought: companies put their best materials, design and innovations into products that carry THEIR own company name because any failure of their product would reflect poorly on them. Therefore, Honda puts their best quality into Honda nameplated generators. Similarly, Generac puts their best quality into GENERAC nameplated generators. But when Generac made the Craftsman generators they only put an 80cc engine in it whereas Generac puts a whoppping 149cc engine into their Generac nameplated generator. See how it works????? Bottom line: if you really like Craftsman, buy the Generac nameplated version instead.......
* Great testing. * My Honda EX650 (much smaller than yours, rated for constant 500W operation) sat for a long time and the jet clogged, clearing it was all that it needed to run great again. * My Honda EMS4000 has a fuel shutoff valve and a carb bowl drain screw. Sounds like they should think about adding the bowl drain feature to the smaller generators. It would be easy enough to pull the bowl and drill and tap it if you find a generator you like that lacks that feature.
honda guy who services them told us when you shut them off just turn off the gas and let it die. Never had a problem with it even when its been sitting for over a year.
@@joeblow3374 "Cross your fingers that this thing starts" - really? I think it was running by the time the first pull was half way through. The bias in this video is insane.
@@joeblow3374 Oh I get it. Again, the bias towards the Honda is crazy. That generator is crazy quiet - especially in Eco mode (and, of course, with the choke off!!)
Always add stabil to ethanol free gasoline. It’s just a little insurance. I have a Yamaha 2000i and 2 predator 3500 generators and I run all three once a month for 1/2 hour. I change the oil every 100 hours and run synthetic oil in them. Never a single issue.
if you want to do a "sound comparison" with what they manufactuer states, you need to 1. Do it completely outside where it won't echo off walls 2. do it at 21 feet... that's the industry standard.
Oh...and he needs to compare apples to apples and turn the choke off on the Honda after it's started..... Oh... and he needs to compare similar size generators such that when loaded with the same electrical load, they are both at approximately at the same percent of max sustained output. That means comparing the Honda 2200 to the Craftsman 2200 Oh... and it means not prejudicing the review before the review starts by telling us the Honda won't start.
Let me get this strait, a 2200 watt Honda versus a 3000 watt craftman and the Craftman is quiter, I think that the for the difference in price the Craftman seems to be the best choice. I guess if you were doing the generators commercially Honda would seem like the obvious choice, but for home use I would choose the Craftman.
I have the Honda 2000 and it’s been great so far. The most I have pulled to start it is ten times- after sitting six months. This is not to say Honda is the best I wish it was quitter. I enjoy solar panels most of the time camping.
Years ago I started doing this. When any gasoline engine won't start. I put propane to it and in a case like this it would start usually as long as spark is their. Then you know you have a fuel problem. Most of my engines I've converted to dual fuel and only run propane.
I use stabil in my generator fuel and every 2-3 months I let them run for 10 minutes. This includes two generac and a honda. Same thing for our atv's, power washer, and mowers. Never had any issues. We can only get gas with 10% ethanol around here and it doesn't seem to be an issue. We do always get 91+ premium fuel for everything but the mowers. Every few years I add some seafoam to a tank.
Startron is wayyyy better then Sta-bil,research it. I’ve been using it for about 7-8 years and never had a fuel problem. Even with regular ethonol gas. I buy mine at academy. Just read the reviews on Amazon
Do all of us (and yourself) a favor: redo the test and: 1) compare the Honda 2200 to a Craftsman 2200 and then 2) compare a Honda 3,000 watt unit to this Craftsman 3,000 watt unit.......
Generac makes the Craftsman. I have a Eu2000i and a 2000 watt Generac both with 300 plus hours. No issues with either model. I use non ethanol fuel in all power equipment. Good video brother.
Honda has the gas off feature turn it to that feature and run it until it stops problem fixed. You probably go through 2 or 3 craftsman’s before Honda is done. Thanks
That Honda generator has upset you on a emotional level. To help you through this difficult time I'm willing to let you send that generator to my house.
Seems you were biased against the Honda. The failure to start condition could have easily been prevented. Those tiny jets in any carbureted small engine will gum up given enough time with unstabilized, ethanol laden fuel - some faster than others. Why not compare like sized units? I would expect a 3000 watt rated unit to outperform a 2200 watt rated generator pretty much any day of the week. How about resale value on the Craftsman?
I used to work at a small engine repair shop. Ethanol gasoline will eat your carburetor. Buy the pre-mixed fuel. Yes, it’s more expensive, but cheaper in the long run. Furthermore, a little Sta-Bil is good to keep the fuel fresh.
Pre-mixed fuel? These are both four cycle engines. No pre-mixed fuel. You can also go on line in most states and search for E0 gasoline. This is gasoline without any Ethanol. Most marinas (if you live near any lakes) sell E0 fuel.
@@papajo7316 What am I thinking, they’re 4 stroke! I know there’s a fuel you can get without the ethanol. It’s the #1 killer of small engine carburetors.
Nice Vid but here is a tip when running small engines , Please use super gas and add fuel stabilizer to prevent the fuel from going thick and U will never have a problem : )
simple situation to your problem you drained all of the gas out of the float bowl of the carburetor when you shut your valve off naturally it's going to take quite a few pools to fill the bowl back up so that it will start and run the Craftsman however like you said does not have the shut-off valve so therefore when you shut the Craftsman off you were able to start it with the first pool because the float Bowl of that carburetor was still full
Great video.... is the "clean" electricity that the honda spits out worth the difference? for example if I'm working from home and I need to power computer/router/wireless + fridge and small AC or heat unit?
I've been running my laptop computers with Honda EU2000's for 15 years and no problems. As long as you stagger your loads, you can run all those things if they don't pull more power than the gen. produces.
I found to start the honda you switch the switch on and leave it for a few minutes so it fills the bowl with petrol, if the bowl has been run dry it takes the fuel a minute to fill the bowl again, that works for me.
this is not how it works. doesn't have a fuel pump it's vaccum only from the crank, unless you have gas pressure in your fuel tank from gas that seated too long
The Honda at 25% load is rated at 48dBA and at zero load should be even more quiet yet this guy measures the Honda under no load and eco throttle at 66........... my guess is that he (as you stated) may have had the choke on or if not, something else was wrong because there's no generator made that's as quiet as the Honda
If one rarely use the generator the little feature difference are half dozen one half dozen other. If u use generator a lot key features would be size of gas tank--how long will it run without having to get out of bed and refill gas tank, economy--smaller unit will cost less--and reliabililty--will it run day after day. I've had a Craftsman 2500 and a Wen 1900. Both decent machines. The Craftsman has been run every day for 10-11 hours for about five months now without a hitch. Good sturdy reliable machine. The Wen shot craps after about 6 months continuous use. Guessing the decibels are aobut 60 on the Craftsman and 52 on the smaller Wen.
Yeah I could have bought an old Honda 1000 the guy wanted 250 for it smoked when it started up so I bought a brand new 22i for $328 had to do it my own way it's a simple trick to getting things a little cheaper at Lowe's anyone can do it if there if they weren't stupid enough
Man this is funny my Honda 2000 I just sold it for $800 after 10 years of use and I really Don t know how many hours on it but is tons of hours and almost always run on 1St pull . I bought the new eu 2200I with blue tooth and is perfect because I love the blue tooth and . Get real please.
Generac makes those craftsman! Great video sir, I had my eyes on the Honda but saw the Craftsman was cheaper, and made by a good generator company, a leading generator company if I may add so it's a no brainer!
For all practical purposes, they are both loud and you need ear protection if being near by for a long period of time. The Honda requires premium fuel and proper maintenance but it is a requirement for all Honda small engines (lawn mower, grass trimmer). The Honda is more expensive because it is a Honda with a very reliable engine (if properly maintained), like you own a BWM instead of a Ford. I am not saying that the Craftman is not good, but the reliability of Honda small engines are legendary, and hence comes the cost.
Tuan For all practical purposes, two F-150 with 325k each pulling a 7k pounds Robalo which bmw could do that ? Maybe you should compare to a dodge lol I owed 3 Honda suvs, 1 Honda motorcycle, 2 Honda pressure washers and 1 Honda lawn mower but I will never buy a bmw lol
@@pascopowerproducts7330 Why not redo/correct the video rather than leave inaccurate "results" out there? Kudos to you for taking the time and making the effort to do the video and post it. Not so easy, but if you make a mistake, please correct it. I'd also challenge you to run both units for 30 minutes under the load (real world, right?) and see how they were doing after that. Results might surprise you.
@@noahhorst8021 better yet you should have constantly run until one machine blows up keep filling it with gas over and over for days and days weeks and weeks and the one that blows up first is s***
I work for the city of Raleigh public utilities we use the same honda generators every day and they do not live up to all the hype that people make about them.
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The Craftsman 3000 is a great generator for the money, I bought one 3 years ago and used it every single weekend while building, it’s quiet, fuel efficient and had no trouble running AC in our toy hauler. That said there are three things to know about it. 1. It’s a rebranded Generac. So ignore “Craftsman” and just look for/buy generac parts. 2. The gas cap sometimes doesn’t vent properly and creates a vacuum, so generator shuts off after 10 min run time. Your gas cap needs to be clicked a few extra times (tightened). Or sometimes fully loosened off…. I’m looking into a different cap from generac for mine. 3. And lastly When it dies and it’s not the gas cap, has intermittent or no spark/won’t start (and it will eventually happen), it’s likely the $35 ignition module located inside the pull cord side cover, bottom towards the back and provides power to the coil. (Located below the coil on bottom pan). Generac ignition module part number 10000021900. You can replace this on your own, it’s two screws and a few electrical quick connectors. Easy and has run like a champ since. Hope this helps someone!
Hey Justin My 3000 starts up and runs i plug stuff in but get no power have you ever had this problem?
@@kriisely7027 sorry no I haven’t. I’d maybe start with the wiring connections and work back from there if were me
We have used the czcams.com/users/postUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
You will never have a fuel problem with the Honda if you simply pop the side off and drain the carb. Even if you run it dry, it still leaves some gas in the bottom of the bowl. Draining the carb is quicker than turning off the fuel and starting it up.
Maybe I.m missing something here but the Honda 2200 DOES have a carb drain switch but it's in the form of turning the large engine switch dial on the side of the unit to the "fuel off position" which cuts the fuel while allowing the engine to run and consume all the gas in the carb. The engine switch has the following three settings:
1) ON (turn it to ON and pull cord and generator starts)
2) Fuel OFF (fuel goes off but engine continues to run until all the gas in the carb is consumed)
3) OFF (engine goes off immediately)
So.....knowing this did they not drain the carb and then it got gummed up and then they badmouthed the Honda for not starting??? Just asking.....
@@joeblow3374 The Fuel Off setting doesn’t drain the carb completely. For long term storage, all you need to do is drain the carb with the screw. It will take like 10 pulls to prime and start next time but that’s how you’re supposed to store it.
I wouldn't replace my Hondas for anything equivalent in power. I know where the value is with this little Hondas.
after the recall? mine wont run, Honda wont honor its warranty, ( Crap )
@@Don-vv8eh wtf
@@Don-vv8eh they treated me very well and did an excellent job with both of mine. Haven't had any issues.
I own them all , of the small power inverters the predator 3500 is the best on the available market , idc what anyone says, it makes the least amount of noise as any 2200 honda and is as reliable as it gets with a ton more features, all of my Hondas are great, just not as good
@@dannyboyd1299 lol. Not long ago I saw one predator 3500 gone up in flames in a construction site. Not only that. It managed to destroy a $300 man lift battery charger while it was plugged to it. We believe the Generator internal inverter module was faulty and blew up.
That being said, while the predator 3500 is a fairly decent unit, I trust much more my Hondas for reliability even if they make a bit more noise while at full speed.
By the way, the predator 3500 isa much larger unit which it has more leverage to run in eco mode and as a result making less noise just as the Hondas running in eco mode as well. Not a good comparison.
Thanks for the review. Just picked up the Craftsman 3000i because I needed a generator I could lift by myself into my SUV and that would start my 13,500 btu AC on my travel trailer. I can even run the microwave and AC at the same time, I was shocked. The equivalent Honda 3000i is 18 pounds heavier and at least $1,400 more. The Honda 2200i isn't strong enough for my needs and buying two and a parallel cable is a bit pricy. Thank you for helping me make up my mind on price and function.
No problem man. Glad we could help you decide
Who would use ethanol fuel in anything , still a fair comparison though , I would go for reliability over price any day , I have hundreds of dollars of meet and stuff in my freezer when I’m away and in 10 years and multiple Honda’s I’ve never had one issue
What does meet taste like?
@@tumbleweedking5668 Tastes like chicken!
@@tumbleweedking5668 like tube steak
You mentioned about ten times: I hope the Honda will start. One pull and it started. No surprise to me. Nothing beets a Honda.
did you miss the part where he had to tear apart the carb
@@davidkuznetsov9316 for his own stupidity. The fact that the other one did manage to star, doesn't make it less stupid. You should not storage them with gas in it for that long unless the some stabilizer is added. It is a matter of time before the other suffers the same issue. He crowned a champion based on that, lol.
agreed ethanol gas is terrible I run clear in all my small engines. I didn't hear him mention how much less the craftsman costs then the honda and buy once cry once I know but the craftsman appears to be a well built unit i saw one running a 15000 btu ac on an rv using surge for startup
Most likely he never opened the fuel tank vent.
@@davidkuznetsov9316 Because he didn't use the setting to run it dry before storage.
In addition to running the carburetor out of fuel you should have also drained the carburetor's float bowl which is quick and easy to do. By just running it out of fuel there is a small amount of fuel remaining at the base of the main jet. This small amount can and will turn into varnish in short order. This would be true on any carburetor. Also, there is no way possible for the Craftsman unit to handle 3000 watts. The engine displacement in the Craftsman is 80cc and the Honda is 121cc. As they say in the engine business, "there is no replacement for displacement" In other words, with a 41cc larger engine the Honda will easily out preform the Craftsman in handling a heavy load for a longer periods of time. One final point, you should have performed your noise test facing away from the garage. In your test you will have interference noise that is bouncing off of the garage walls. Any noise test must be done out in the open to avoid this interference noise. I will keep my 2 EU2000's as they have giving me 100% flawless performance for over 16 years.
The craftsman is a 149cc 4 stroke not a 80cc. You can look at the size of the craftsman and tell it’s not a small 2 stroke 80cc machine by it’s size and sound and weight. So it should produce more power then the Honda due to the fact it has more displacement by 28cc. These specs can be found easily.
It's amazing how many people don't know how carbureted engines work anymore. Let me explain why the Honda takes multiple pulls after you used the fuel shut off. Listen, if you use the fuel shut off and run the carb out of fuel that's definitely better for long term storage, you don't want the jets and small passages in the carburetor gumming up with varnish. But if the bowl is out of fuel, it needs to be filled with fuel again to run, right? If the Honda doesn't have a primer bulb or fuel pump, the only way to do that is using vacuum from the engine. A closed choke and pulling on the cord over and over. If you left fuel sitting in the craftsman carburetor and let it sit for a year or more, the fuel will dry out leaving a varnish blocking the high/low speed jets that measure how much fuel gets burned by the engine. Then it won't run until you remove the carb from the generator, clean out all the small passages and jets, and reassemble and put back in there.
I thought you might also want to know that the craftsman is a chinese designed, chinese made engine that is marked up rebranded for multiple retailers. It is the generac gp3000i. It is powered by the same 79cc chinese clone of the mz80 that is used in multiple $400 generators by pulsar/westinghouse/aipower. I guarantee you the wattage it promises is severely overrated. The honda actually has a higher displacement engine than the supposedly 3000 watt "craftsman" and will outpower it.
This is the only man that knows what he is talking about. Jack Murphy
Here's a generator user pro tip: I put Walmart's Seafoam equivalent in all my generator gas. I do 5 gallons at a time. Never have a problem with my Honda EU2000 revving up and down hunting anymore. Learned this trick from the mechanic at an equipment rental place. They Seafoam all their small engine gas and never have an issue with carbs getting gummed up.
Alright. Thanks
What does Walmart call it?
@@judd_s5643 Super Tech Motor Treatment
You need to drain the carburetor before storage on EVERY generator. They all have carburetor drain screws on the bottom of the carburetor. Just turning off the fuel petcock is not enough, because that still leaves a few teaspoons of gas in the carb. So turn the fuel petcock off, drain the carb bowl, AND THEN put on the choke and start it. It will usually run for a few seconds, sucking any residual fuel out of the carb. Pull the cord a few times more, to be sure the carb passages are empty. If you do this (proper storage), your generator will start first time, every time. I've been doing this for 20 years and I have never had a generator not start. I also don't keep them stored with fuel either. I drain the tanks or run them dry.
I have had a Honda EU 2000 for ten years or more. Bought it for our boat and would keep it at our house for the winters. We have never had a problem with it. We were out of power for five days last month (big storm in CT ) I would run the Fridge/lights /TV and modem all day and till 10 at night and never ran it out of gas. I Think it has a 1.2 gallon tank. It never came off idle unless we used the coffee maker. How long is the Craftsman going last ? I will never have to buy another generator. Spend a few hundred more and keep the proven Generator.
your wife must have been putting gas in it. haha. It's labeled run time is about 8 hours and some how you got it to run for 5 day till 10pm? did you start it at 8:30pm??
You are grossly exaggerating
I have that Honda EU 2000 unit with over 8000 hours on it still running strong I bet that craftsman will be ready for the junkyard before it ever sees 500 hours but I’d like to see a long-term test thank you
i have the honda also 12 years old runs perfect i live in florida hurricane central my husband is a small engine mechanic he says honda is the best !
Totally right, this guy must have an alternate motive to push the Chinese crapsman. I have the 2000 and 2200, both awesome.
@@CitizenOfBabylon remember buy a honda cry once buy something else CRY ALOT you get what you pay for !
8000?
Got a EB5000 back in 92 after the Coleman self destructed and using it everyday doings construction for a couple years then using it sparingly now it probably out last me would buying Honda over any other brand
Craftsman is made by Generac in China. The larger engine on the Craftsman (and by extension the larger carb jet) is why it didn’t gum up as fast.
Exactly my thoughts on the carb/jets.
And does this theory change the end result? The "favorite" didnt start and the under dog did and was less problematic?? In the real world, where everyone isnt a mechanic, how does this stack up??
@@Echolimabravo321 Both generators were stored improperly. Not the fault of the equipment. The carb has a drain screw on it for a reason, so that you can drain the fuel tank and fuel bowl. Use it.
great review / comparison !! i bought my craftsman 3000i at a rummage sale because it wouldnt start and no sign of fuel getting to carb after brief inspection from sellers... bought it and after having it a couple of months i decided to check it out and did a VERY thorough carb cleaning.. it does not start on first couple of pulls but once on, it is awesome..... BEST $30 bucks spent....
Would love to see another 6 month update!
Or five to ten years.
Or 20
Totally appreciate your time. My Honda 2200 always started on one pull. Sometimes twice. As for noise, ambient sound is best recorded in real conditions, not a garage. The pitch and such are going to be different depending on a lot of other factors. But thanks! Excellent review.
You’re welcome. Thank you for the compliment! Glad the video helped you
@Thomas Chrombly Honda has, at least one generator with fuel injection. the EU7000IS. I bought the first generation of this model 6 years ago. I just put regular gas (up to 10% ethanol) in it it and it cranks up right away every time. I do rotate the gas though. After 2-3 months the fuel in the gas cans go into the truck and the I refill the gas cans again.
Please tell us why it was "an excellent review" given the fact that he admitted to having left the Hondas choke "full open" while he measured the Hondas decible reading?????
There’s more info out there on the internet to quench your needs. This video was purely for people in our position, in this world, who need help deciding what to get. We tried to keep it as unbiased as possible. Plus, for being a first video you gotta give us some leniency here. We had no idea what we were doing here, just trying to educate the common good in 10 minutes.
Great video… I had 2 of the Hondas and used them for years, but always had issues when they sit for a while. I even used non- ethanol gas ( 60 cents a gallon more) and still had restarting issues and ended up working on carb. Good Job…. Dan
My Craftsman 3000I started on three pulls after sitting since August 2020, it is July 18, 2021. The fuel is Trufuel 4 cycle fuel. I ran it under load of a 60 television and comcast internet system to see how it would respond. When I originally purchased the 3000i my power was out, (a year prior it went out with no generator and lost all my freezer and refrigeratables) When the power went out last August I purchased the Craftsman and ran, the refrigerator, the freezer, some lights, a Mac Book Pro, a 60 Television and Comcast cable system for 4 days until power was back on. The 3000i ran from 5;30pm until 4:30am, as I leave home at 4:40am to work until 5:30pm, when I arrive home. It saved the loss of a thousand plus dollars in food items, unlike without the 3000i a year before. So far all it good in my Craftsman 3000i World.
Thumbs up to the camera man for excellent flow with the commentary!
😎👍
If you want to store any fuel in your generator or other gasoline powered equipment. You must add Stabil. It is a gasoline stabilizer and helps prevent the gasoline stored inside your equipment from getting bad.
That Honda does seem like it was running on choke...
I have the Yamaha 2000.
Always runs, runs quiet. Even with 1 year old fuel.
The only benefit I see in the 3000i is a "guarantee" to he able to run an AC in an RV with a few other appliances. The 2200 can probably power the AC, but with nothing else.
I do enjoy carrying a 55 lb generator over 67 lbs though. Especially to the boat launch, remote location, etc.
Given a choice, I'd pick the 3000i only because I have a 2000 watt generator. If I didn't, I'd choose the Honda 2,200...
When you are hours away in the wilderness, you need it to be dependable. Cylinders, pistons, etc made by Honda are bulletproof.
I am going to assume the generac / craftsman is a Honda clone engine.
I scored my Craftsman 3000i on facebook for $100 and it is awesome! I'm a big Honda fan also, but I'm glad I lucked out with the Craftsman.
I’ve had Honda one on work truck for about 7 years and have done anything too it
How can you compare a 2200 vs a 3000?
Looks to me that this is one of the most equal teats I have see. Along with the honesty. Thank you.
So if the Hondas choke might have been left on is that a fair test??? Also, the Honda at even 25% load is only 48 dBA and under no load has to be even quieter yet he measures it at 66............. And why is it a fair test when he compares a 1800 watt Honda to a 2300 watt Craftsman? The fair test would have been the Honda vs a similar sized 2200 Craftsman......
I just sold my old Honda powered 5500 watt gen. Bought it in 1999 for $1800 can . I haven’t pulled the cord for over 1 year but it always starts on the first pull even with old regular gas. I always shut off the fuel to let it run out of gas. I am in the market for an inverter gen to replace my bigger, bulkier and very heavy Honda. I also own a 9000 watt Champion with electric start purchased from Costco 10 years ago for $800. It also starts right up by push button or by remote, and I run my whole house except for electric heat. Champion also make great large machines. Just make sure you run it out of fuel.
Never really had a problem with EU2000, even running ethanol fuel and not draining the carb... I start mine every 1-2 months. used stabil and star tron fuel with my gasoline...
I had nearly the same issue with my EU2200 despite running it dry and using stabilized fuel. Some compressed air, fresh fuel and a strong dose of Berryman B12 Chemtool solved that problem. Then I had an issue where it stopped producing electricity while running. Fortunately, my dealer took care of it under warranty. This was all within 40 hours. Once fixed, off it went on Craigslist and got $750 for it.
No idea what the fuel quality is in the US but here in Oz we use a lot of 95 RON and these Honda's chirp on it.
i bought the 3300 craftsman at lowes open box last year for 600$ it was their last generator for sale at the time. and even though i saw a few disparaging vids about it i've never had an issue. i am glad i bought this as it powers the 13500 ac on my trailer at my desert camp in the winter. late afternoon 100 degree temps in oct and late april, plus handles all my electric bike and top offs of batteries and laptops, microwave, etc, when my solar panels are not enough. eventually it would be nice to spend the thousands of dollars for an equal solar battery set up, for now this works great.
I report that I have become the current owner of the Honda EU22i. :)
Pasco power products, I just purchased this generator. Your review sold me. This is the perfect Gen. For our needs, 26 foot TT hopefully it'll power our A/C without issue, a micro air soft start is in our future regardless. My only issue is, it shakes like crazy in eco mode. In your video you mention how smooth it is VS the Honda. I'm curious if it'll smooth out after break in.
This generator is QUIET, shockingly quiet. Thanks for the great review.
Glad to hear! Very nice we could help you out! It might smooth out, but we haven’t given either very much testing. But thanks for watching!
What part of the review "sold you"?
1) Was it when the Hondas choke was kept at "full" even after it started and then they measured higher decible readings in the Honda because the choke was not turned off (choke needs to be turned off after an engine starts)?
or
2) Was it the part where he compared a craftsman that had a 37% greater capacity than the Honda and then proceeded to subject them both to about 1,700 watts which is 94% of the Hondas max sustained capability but only 68% of the Craftsmans max sustained capability, and then proclaimed that the Craftsman is quieter???? Note: a generator loaded closer to its max is generally noisier than is another generator that is not loaded as close to its max.
or
3) Was it when he prejudiced the review before it even got going when he told you repeatedly that the Honda wouldn't start, etc? Please note that all generators have problems at one time or another but to mention problems only of one generator before the review even begins, well, that's stacking the deck.......
or
4) Was it the fact that he "left out" the fact that the Honda is powered by a top-notch commercial grade 121 cc engine while the Craftsman only has an 80cc engine? Please note that the Honda engine will last far longer because 1) it's commercial grade and 2) the 121 cc Honda is only expected to help produce 1,800 watts sustained whereas the much smaller Craftsman engine is expected to help produce 2,300 watts...... That is, the Honda engine is more lightly loaded when producing the same watts so should last far longer.
So...which one (or all) of the above "sold you" on the Craftsman??????
Always use high-octane fuel, no ethanol with fuel stabilizer.
It makes life easy.
Great video, thanks!
Hopefully the honda will start, he says 14 times. Let me guess you have stock in Craftsmen !
Thanks for taking the time to do the comparison!
You got it!
I have the Craftsmen I run it about 24/7 the only time it will get a little loud is when it's telling me to change its oil I have an RV and I can run everything no problem but it dose need a little brake and that's only because I feel guilty if I don't never gets hot never stopped on me yet!! I'm a girl and it's easy to Carrie be safe everybody....
Should be fine if it gets warm. Most machines give off heat, especially generators at work.
Them hondas run a lot quieter and vibrate a whole lot less when you turn the choke off, not a very fair comparison, would like to see how they stack up after 10 yrs of regular use. My eu20i is getting a bit noisy and the eco mode doesn't always work after 10 yrs, but it still runs the air-con and washing machine. Going to buy the new eu22i next week and retire the eu20i as a spare. In my opinion other companies copy the honda for a reason.
Clean the pilot jet in the carburetor and the Honda's Eco-mode will be good as new for another ten years. The China Craftsman will be scrap in half that time.
Come back in 10 years then
I use Sta-bil storage and Sta-bil small engine pro. No starting problems for twenty years of use. (make sure the eco-mode is off)
Out in Oz no serious off roader would consider anything but a Honda for sheer staying power even in 50*C weather. Testing noise level in front of a Garage is also a joke, getting lots of reflected noise there dude.
I just wanted to say thanks .... I bought the craftsman 3000i based on this video awhile back and it has worked out great ! it powers my travel trailer with 15k ac great ! and it's super portable !
I use the Honda at work all the time and own the craftsman one for personal use. I noticed the same things as you. Craftsman is quieter and doesn’t vibrate like the Honda. Although I haven’t been able to find spare air filters for the craftsman yet.
I just bought one also and noticed that maintenance parts are hard to find. If you find anything please share.
@@MrPageyjim sorry to hear that. Wait until that generator starts giving you problems. You will have hell finding parts for it.
Don't worry about the air filter. The Chinese motor won't outlast the filter.
Are you aware that the Honda does have the ability to consume all the fuel in the carb so that none sits there for long periods of time? The large grey engine switch on the side of the 2200 has three settings:
1) ON (turn it to ON and pull cord and generator starts)
2) Fuel OFF (fuel goes off but engine continues to run until all the gas in the carb is consumed)
3) OFF (engine goes off immediately)
Question: the last time you shut the Honda down did you use the "FUEL OFF" function and burn off all the gas in the carb so that it didn't varnish up the carb?
Tell me you do not know what a Carb is without telling me that you don't know
I’m not looking at the generators I’m looking at your truck man nice truck
Great video. Ignore all the “I would or you should” comments. Very honest review which is something missing in this world these days. Great job. I’ll be getting the craftsman.
The Craftsman brand , actually , is under the Generac company now.
I've bought a little used 3000 Craftsman over the Craigslist, recently. For 375$.
Really good generator. Yes, it's bigger than honda, but 3000 start/2300
running, is great first emergency response for power outage.
Everyone has their own preferences but I never let fuel sit in my generator. Unless I plan on using it very frequently, I drain all the fuel every time
I have a Predator 3500 for 2 years and it starts perfect and runs great every 3 months when I start it up for maintenance. I let it run dry and open the valve to drain all the fuel every time
Heather last thing I need is a hurricane to deal with and a generator that won’t start
My Honda did the exact same thing after being sat up for only 6 months. That main jet is tiny and not tolerable of any contamination in the fuel. All fuel is dirty and you need to add a small fuel filter
I hope it works out for you...but a head scratcher for me is, Craftsman 2200...80cc engine. Craftsman 3000...80cc engine. Honda 2200...121cc engine.
At Lowes it specs the Craftsman 2500 with a 98cc engine 🤔
Seems like you should be comparing the Honda to the smaller craftsman 2200 vs the much larger 3000
I have two Honda 2000's. The jets on both of them keep plugging up. They're a pain in the ass to put gas in too
I’m using the Honda 24/7 this winter. With a funnel, it is very easy to put gas.
It's not the generators fault poor fuel was used and left sitting in the carb to gum up. This can happen with any engine or brand. We should use only premium fuel (non ethanol) and follow the proper procedure to clear it out for long term storage.
Absolutely true, I have never had problems with my Honda Ex650 in 31 years and with the EU2200i the last three years either, it has more to do with the bad gasoline, in Europe we have E95 / E5 gasoline with at most 5 percent ethanol and in practice often even zero.
Something is wrong with your test. Decible ratings are to be done in the open at 23 ft and with only one generator at a time in the testing circle....NOT at the entrance to a garage and NOT with both generators 2 ft apart from each other.
Question: Are you sure you didn't measure the Honda with eco mode turned off and/or forgot to turn the choke off (as several people have noticed and which you yourself admit in a post below)??
Also, I hope your readers are aware that the Honda 2200 engine is whopping 121cc commercial grade engine whereas the Craftsman is I believe, an 80cc non-commercial engine used to output 2300 watts. This means the Honda engine is stressed far less than is the Craftsman engine, which equates to a much longer life for the Honda engine. In fact, the Honda will last decades.... I know...I own a Honda 2000 and it's 13 years old and going strong.
One final thought: companies put their best materials, design and innovations into products that carry THEIR own company name because any failure of their product would reflect poorly on them. Therefore, Honda puts their best quality into Honda nameplated generators. Similarly, Generac puts their best quality into GENERAC nameplated generators. But when Generac made the Craftsman generators they only put an 80cc engine in it whereas Generac puts a whoppping 149cc engine into their Generac nameplated generator. See how it works?????
Bottom line: if you really like Craftsman, buy the Generac nameplated version instead.......
* Great testing.
* My Honda EX650 (much smaller than yours, rated for constant 500W operation) sat for a long time and the jet clogged, clearing it was all that it needed to run great again.
* My Honda EMS4000 has a fuel shutoff valve and a carb bowl drain screw. Sounds like they should think about adding the bowl drain feature to the smaller generators. It would be easy enough to pull the bowl and drill and tap it if you find a generator you like that lacks that feature.
honda guy who services them told us when you shut them off just turn off the gas and let it die. Never had a problem with it even when its been sitting for over a year.
Am I crazy and did you leave the choke on after starting Honda?
Notice how no one will touch your question?????
@@joeblow3374 "Cross your fingers that this thing starts" - really? I think it was running by the time the first pull was half way through. The bias in this video is insane.
@@sedawk what I meant was that because they knew they left the choke "on" that they wouldn't admit to it by replying to the question here.....
@@joeblow3374 Oh I get it. Again, the bias towards the Honda is crazy. That generator is crazy quiet - especially in Eco mode (and, of course, with the choke off!!)
Always add stabil to ethanol free gasoline. It’s just a little insurance. I have a Yamaha 2000i and 2 predator 3500 generators and I run all three once a month for 1/2 hour. I change the oil every 100 hours and run synthetic oil in them. Never a single issue.
if you want to do a "sound comparison" with what they manufactuer states, you need to
1. Do it completely outside where it won't echo off walls
2. do it at 21 feet... that's the industry standard.
Oh...and he needs to compare apples to apples and turn the choke off on the Honda after it's started.....
Oh... and he needs to compare similar size generators such that when loaded with the same electrical load, they are both at approximately at the same percent of max sustained output. That means comparing the Honda 2200 to the Craftsman 2200
Oh... and it means not prejudicing the review before the review starts by telling us the Honda won't start.
Let me get this strait, a 2200 watt Honda versus a 3000 watt craftman and the Craftman is quiter, I think that the for the difference in price the Craftman seems to be the best choice. I guess if you were doing the generators commercially Honda would seem like the obvious choice, but for home use I would choose the Craftman.
He left the choke on on the honda
I have the Honda 2000 and it’s been great so far. The most I have pulled to start it is ten times- after sitting six months. This is not to say Honda is the best I wish it was quitter. I enjoy solar panels most of the time camping.
Years ago I started doing this. When any gasoline engine won't start. I put propane to it and in a case like this it would start usually as long as spark is their. Then you know you have a fuel problem. Most of my engines I've converted to dual fuel and only run propane.
You have to use "Sta-Bli Storage" in the Honda
I use stabil in my generator fuel and every 2-3 months I let them run for 10 minutes. This includes two generac and a honda. Same thing for our atv's, power washer, and mowers. Never had any issues. We can only get gas with 10% ethanol around here and it doesn't seem to be an issue. We do always get 91+ premium fuel for everything but the mowers. Every few years I add some seafoam to a tank.
Startron is wayyyy better then Sta-bil,research it. I’ve been using it for about 7-8 years and never had a fuel problem. Even with regular ethonol gas. I buy mine at academy. Just read the reviews on Amazon
should you have done your sound test out in the open rather than in your garage?
Do all of us (and yourself) a favor: redo the test and: 1) compare the Honda 2200 to a Craftsman 2200 and then 2) compare a Honda 3,000 watt unit to this Craftsman 3,000 watt unit.......
Nice video on the generators. Thanks
Generac makes the Craftsman. I have a Eu2000i and a 2000 watt Generac both with 300 plus hours. No issues with either model. I use non ethanol fuel in all power equipment. Good video brother.
Honda has the gas off feature turn it to that feature and run it until it stops problem fixed. You probably go through 2 or 3 craftsman’s before Honda is done. Thanks
That Honda generator has upset you on a emotional level. To help you through this difficult time I'm willing to let you send that generator to my house.
Seems you were biased against the Honda. The failure to start condition could have easily been prevented. Those tiny jets in any carbureted small engine will gum up given enough time with unstabilized, ethanol laden fuel - some faster than others. Why not compare like sized units? I would expect a 3000 watt rated unit to outperform a 2200 watt rated generator pretty much any day of the week. How about resale value on the Craftsman?
I used to work at a small engine repair shop. Ethanol gasoline will eat your carburetor. Buy the pre-mixed fuel. Yes, it’s more expensive, but cheaper in the long run. Furthermore, a little Sta-Bil is good to keep the fuel fresh.
Pre-mixed fuel? These are both four cycle engines. No pre-mixed fuel. You can also go on line in most states and search for E0 gasoline. This is gasoline without any Ethanol. Most marinas (if you live near any lakes) sell E0 fuel.
@@papajo7316 What am I thinking, they’re 4 stroke! I know there’s a fuel you can get without the ethanol. It’s the #1 killer of small engine carburetors.
WRONG... Use stabil always... Never ever have problem, period. Never use ethanol polluted gas..
Science proves stabilizing does nada
Yeah what if you live on Long Island and no gas station sells non-ethanol fuel at all at the moment only a little cans at Home Depot
Great comparison exactly the 2 I was looking into. Thank you!!
Dude, gx motor vs Chonda jank? No comparison. The Honda has a longer warranty. I convert mine to propane.
Selling the Honda. Like the Honda is inferior to the Craftsman. Lmao. That was hilarious sir. Comedy gold.
Nice Vid but here is a tip when running small engines , Please use super gas and add fuel stabilizer to prevent the fuel from going thick and U will never have a problem : )
Well thanks. Haven’t gotten this comment yet so I will take it as help for next time!
100% true
Science already proves stabilizing does NADA
@@claddagh1000 U No Na da Foo
Is there a way to drain the carb in the craftsman?
Yes there is a screw you turn and it will drain out via a hose
Fuel stabilizer should help with that problem, right?
simple situation to your problem you drained all of the gas out of the float bowl of the carburetor when you shut your valve off naturally it's going to take quite a few pools to fill the bowl back up so that it will start and run the Craftsman however like you said does not have the shut-off valve so therefore when you shut the Craftsman off you were able to start it with the first pool because the float Bowl of that carburetor was still full
thank u just bought a craftmans u rock
How much u want for the honda
Great video.... is the "clean" electricity that the honda spits out worth the difference? for example if I'm working from home and I need to power computer/router/wireless + fridge and small AC or heat unit?
That’s a whole lot of load, I actually have no idea with all that stuff
I've been running my laptop computers with Honda EU2000's for 15 years and no problems. As long as you stagger your loads, you can run all those things if they don't pull more power than the gen. produces.
Thanks for this side by side comparison!
Thnxs for the comparison, I too own a craftsman 3000 nd I love it. That's just confirms the craftsman is better
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching!
I cant seem to find a Craftsman 3000i anywhere to buy?
@@teridenos1006 that's because Sears went out of business
@@teridenos1006 You can find them at Lowe's
Teri Denos Lowe’s?
Do you happen to have a link or part numbers for the air filter and spark plug? For the craftsman.
I found to start the honda you switch the switch on and leave it for a few minutes so it fills the bowl with petrol, if the bowl has been run dry it takes the fuel a minute to fill the bowl again, that works for me.
this is not how it works. doesn't have a fuel pump it's vaccum only from the crank, unless you have gas pressure in your fuel tank from gas that seated too long
I didn't see you turning the choke off on Honda after starting it. That makes Honda quieter.
I get it. You’re right
The Honda at 25% load is rated at 48dBA and at zero load should be even more quiet yet this guy measures the Honda under no load and eco throttle at 66........... my guess is that he (as you stated) may have had the choke on or if not, something else was wrong because there's no generator made that's as quiet as the Honda
@@pascopowerproducts7330 So you admit you left the choke full open when you did the Honda test? If so, that means you need to redo the test.......
Can a craftsman 1700 watts be used to generator enough power for the sun Joe pressure washer for commercial use?
You did this while standing in the echo chamber of a garage?
If one rarely use the generator the little feature difference are half dozen one half dozen other. If u use generator a lot key features would be size of gas tank--how long will it run without having to get out of bed and refill gas tank, economy--smaller unit will cost less--and reliabililty--will it run day after day. I've had a Craftsman 2500 and a Wen 1900. Both decent machines. The Craftsman has been run every day for 10-11 hours for about five months now without a hitch. Good sturdy reliable machine. The Wen shot craps after about 6 months continuous use. Guessing the decibels are aobut 60 on the Craftsman and 52 on the smaller Wen.
Boy you really dislike that Honda. I’ll make some room in you’re garage for ya and take it off you’re hands for $200.
Funny
Yeah I could have bought an old Honda 1000 the guy wanted 250 for it smoked when it started up so I bought a brand new 22i for $328 had to do it my own way it's a simple trick to getting things a little cheaper at Lowe's anyone can do it if there if they weren't stupid enough
Quit hating on the Honda bro. I’m trying to go buy one
Man this is funny my Honda 2000 I just sold it for $800 after 10 years of use and I really Don t know how many hours on it but is tons of hours and almost always run on 1St pull . I bought the new eu 2200I with blue tooth and is perfect because I love the blue tooth and . Get real please.
So do you think I'll be able to travel on a airplane with this cause I need to buy it to go back home
Generac makes those craftsman! Great video sir, I had my eyes on the Honda but saw the Craftsman was cheaper, and made by a good generator company, a leading generator company if I may add so it's a no brainer!
For all practical purposes, they are both loud and you need ear protection if being near by for a long period of time. The Honda requires premium fuel and proper maintenance but it is a requirement for all Honda small engines (lawn mower, grass trimmer). The Honda is more expensive because it is a Honda with a very reliable engine (if properly maintained), like you own a BWM instead of a Ford. I am not saying that the Craftman is not good, but the reliability of Honda small engines are legendary, and hence comes the cost.
Tuan For all practical purposes, two F-150 with 325k each pulling a 7k pounds Robalo which bmw could do that ? Maybe you should compare to a dodge lol I owed 3 Honda suvs, 1 Honda motorcycle, 2 Honda pressure washers and 1 Honda lawn mower but I will never buy a bmw lol
Ear protection no you don't 😃
Honda owner's manual does not say it needs premium fuel. It will run smoothly (with choke off) on regular fuel.
How many times do you need to say you used the same fuel???
Just to keep a constant. Keeps results more organic
@@pascopowerproducts7330 Is that why you left the Hondas choke "full on" while you measured the noise level....to "keep results more organic"....?????
@@pascopowerproducts7330 Why not redo/correct the video rather than leave inaccurate "results" out there? Kudos to you for taking the time and making the effort to do the video and post it. Not so easy, but if you make a mistake, please correct it. I'd also challenge you to run both units for 30 minutes under the load (real world, right?) and see how they were doing after that. Results might surprise you.
@@noahhorst8021 better yet you should have constantly run until one machine blows up keep filling it with gas over and over for days and days weeks and weeks and the one that blows up first is s***
Great video Can you do a video on running AC on a camper
Is there a magnetic oil dipstick that fits on the Craftsman?
Thanks for your time it's a great video
I work for the city of Raleigh public utilities we use the same honda generators every day and they do not live up to all the hype that people make about them.