I was at the Minnesota State Fair last week and went into Northern Tool and Equipment store. The had the two generators I mentioned in the title there running side by side. The rep said the Northern Tool and Equipment Powerhorse was built completly by Northern Designers, engineers, & QC to compete with the Honda. The Northern Fair sale was at $549 with a $75 coupon which put it right around $475. I almost pulled the trigger but identified this as an impulse buy and weighed my needs over my wants. Augh, what was I thinking??? I should have pulled that trigger!Very nice machine. Very comparable. Just as quiet as the honda, plus it has the built in 30 amp outlet and comes with the cords that allows one to hook two together. Something Honda sells extra.I think they have been selling for 3 years. If I remember him correctly.Here is a link to their video of it.Perfect for my truck camper!Ben

If you're near a Costco, you might consider their Smarter Tools 2000iQ 2,000 watt generator. $599.99 - it's THE Yamaha MZ80 engine - 3 year warranty. Nice generator and parallel capable too!

I like the looks of that little Yamaha.

Salesman BS...Northern does not only NOT engineer that product they don't manufacture it either.The generator threads are many and the same answer should always apply, if the lower cost generators were built to the same standards as the Yamaha and Honda the retail would be close.

Ben, you might have done the right thing. If the genny performed well you might not have a problem . But, as someone posted, if the quality was the same as H or Y , then the price should be closer, reflecting that. That puts you in a spot to maybe use customer service. You can search 'NT complaints and service' .Lots of complaints , excuses not to take action regarding returns or service.

I originally went with the Costco smarter tools genny but when I brought it home it had parts rattling around in the gas tank (the vent had broken off). It didn't look like a return as everything still had that factory packing look with no fingerprints.I took it back and went with a Honda EU2000i. Too many people have had too good of an experience with the Honda to make it worth saving $300 on cheap.

Northern Tool &Equipment Powerhorse LC2000i vs Honda EU2000i

17 Replies

MN_Ben
Explorer
Aug 29, 2014
DownTheAvenue wrote:
The joy of a cheap price is long forgotten when the pain of a cheap product is realized.

This could pe put on a plaque and hung..... everywhere!
rfuerst911sc
Explorer
Aug 29, 2014
If you want to save some money look for a used Honda or Yamaha. Yes used sometimes is a gamble but have the seller start it and plug in a drill or saw to make sure it works. I saved over 600.00 on my 3000 Honda and it starts/runs/performs like a champ.
hedge
Explorer
Aug 29, 2014
I had a 2000w chinese generator (Champion) that would not run my air conditioner whereas the Honda 2000 runs it with ease. It would seem that they may be taking some liberties with the ratings.
77charger
Explorer
Aug 29, 2014
when it comes to the smaller generators for a couple hundy more i would buy a honda or yamaha.NOw if that 2000 watt china gen was 3-4 hundy i may consider.

I have a honda 3000 right now and its been very good to me but eventually want a small gen for when i dont need to run the a/c.The 1000 will probably work out
Desertboy
Explorer
Aug 28, 2014
Thanks for the good advice, I know I will definitely go Honda.
DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Aug 28, 2014
The joy of a cheap price is long forgotten when the pain of a cheap product is realized.
GeoBoy
Explorer
Aug 28, 2014
My next door neighbor is cheap, he bought his son, for his 11th birthday a Chinese built 4 wheel ATV. The boy drove the ATV for about a month and the rim failed. The rim was not available, had to be ordered, cost $70.00 and is not warranty. The neighbor only has a 1 acre lot, with his house, garage, swimming pool, tool shed and trees, so his son didn't put that many miles on it.
These Chinese products are cheap because the don't have any engineering, no support after the sale. Buy a Honda or Yamaha, enjoy your purchase and have peace of mind.
wnjj
Explorer II
Aug 28, 2014
805gregg wrote:
How do you have a 30 amp outlet on a 2000w generator?

It's for paralleling 2 of them.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Aug 28, 2014
BTW, you have to watch those knock-off generators on the noise.

They may sound the same at idle with NO LOAD, but they rev up disproportionately with any load at all.

I have a CaseIH 3500W which is just a rebadged "Powerease" Chinese generator. It idles nice and quiet, but jumps the RPMs way up if you plug so much as a night light into it.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Aug 28, 2014
Easy. You cut a circle in the bezel, and screw it in.

It is a 30A outlet, not "an outlet capable of 30A." It is there for the convenience of the user.