I have the Kipor IG2000 with inverter so it is safe for me to plug in my laptop at the race tracks. I bought mine about 2-3 years ago so I didn't have to spend $50-60 a weekend for shore power. I use mine from May till the end of September about 2-3 weekends a month and haven't had a problem other then when I first got it the air filter kept on getting dirty. I talked to a few folks at the race track and they suggested putting a 2x4 under the front legs and back legs and haven't had any problems since then. I run mine on a Saturday from about 8 a.m. till about 5 or 6 p.m. in the afternoon and Sunday from about 8 a.m. till about lunch. I will normally go through the better part of a 5 gallon can of gas. The first time I start it in the spring it is a pain in the butt to start.....that is till I clean the spark plug and then normally it starts right up. Is it quieter than a Honda or Yamaha...no it isn't. But I have been very happy with it. Grant you I panic when I start thinking about finding replacement parts for it...but I haven't needed any so far. So I have been very pleased with it. It came brand new from California. I haven't did any re-jetting for the Colorado altitude. Right now I'm running my 1971 21' Terry Travel Trailer off of it. My Air Conditioner doesn't work so I don't have to worry about over powering the generator and my fridge I run off of propane. I have never heard it go off of the smart idle. So for me I can only give it a thumbs up. But like other folks say if you need parts from what I've heard it is pretty tough to do.
This is just what I have experienced in the past few years.
Jim