Honda EU3000is Review & Buyers Guide

[wp-review] The newest portable Honda generator on the market is the Honda EU3000is. Given the rave reviews for their last models (Honda EU2200i and Honda EU2000i), portable generator experts are curious to test this more powerful Honda inverter generator. We are curious too so, we spend extensive time analyzing the technical specs of the Honda generator EU3000is and its inverter generator reviews. Could this be the best portable generator that Honda has released, so far? Let’s take a closer look at the Honda inverter EU3000is and how it compares to other inverter generators in the same 3000 watts power generator category. How reliable is the Honda EU3000is and is it worth the investment? Read on for our Honda EU3000is review.

About the Honda EU3000is

The Honda EU3000is is a great choice for a variety of uses, including powering your RV. It has a solid amount of power in a compact design, is easy to start, and is as reliable as any Honda generator. This portable generator is Honda’s most quiet model yet, which makes it suitable for camping trips, RV trips or even as a home backup generator. It is also CARB compliant meaning that you are allowed to use this portable inverter generator in all US states. Honda is known for delivering high quality and reliable generators which stays true for their newest model. It is safe for use with sensitive personal electrical devices making this a versatile source of electric power. Other cool features of the Honda EU3000is are that it is parallel capable and has an electrical start. Most smaller inverter generators only have a manual recoil system but Honda manufacturers have made this model more user-friendly with its Honda EU300is battery that allows for an electrical start.

EU3000is Specs

[su_box title=”Honda EU3000is: Technical Specs” style=”2″]

Product Information	Detail
Running Watts	3000
Surge Wattage	2800
Fuel	Gasoline
Tank Capacity	3.4 Gallons
Run Time	20 Hours at 1/4 load
Weight	131 lbs
Noise Level	50 dB at 1/4 load

[/su_box] The Honda EU3000is is a portable inverter generator with 3000 watts starting power and 2800 watts running power. Its 196 cc Honda gx200 engine runs on gasoline and has a 3.4 gallon fuel tank. The fuel tank size in combination with the fuel efficiency allow this inverter generator to run for a maximum of 20 hours at a quarter load and 7.1 hours at a rated load. This long run time makes the EU300is a good option for an overnight generator. You can use the power of this generator for a variety of appliances and purposes. It is fitted with two 120 volt 20 amps outlets, one 120 volt 30 amps locking outlet and a 12 volt 12 amps DC outlet. Honda recommends using this portable power generator for an RV air conditioner (up to 13500 BTU), refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, computers and stoves as long as it is not all at the same time. Don’t worry about overloading though, there is a pre-installed overload alarm. Other useful features on the control panel are a circuit protector, low oil alert, output indicator, engine, fuel valve and engine switch. The control panel is very intuitive and in combination with the electrical start makes this a user-friendly generator. This is an exceptionally quiet portable generator even when compared to smaller inverter generators with less power. At a quarter load the power generator produces only 50 decibels of noise and 57 decibels at the rated load which is comparable to the sound of an average conversation. This is impressive silence for a 3000 watt portable generator. This is made possible by the Honda eco-throttle but also its noise canceling casing. Though still a compact design at 25.9 x 17.6 x 22 inches, it is a heavy portable generator. The EU300is model is one of the heavier models weighing 131 pounds. Its weight means that the generator must be carried by at least two people using the carrying handles. Alternatively, you can buy extra Honda EU3000is parts and add on the wheel kit. Generator maintenance is relatively easy for this model and you can read more details on its maintenance in the Honda EU3000is manual. Regular routine maintenance includes an oil change twice a year, air filter switch once a year and regular charging of the EU3000is battery.

Honda EU3000is vs Honda EU2200i

Before the Honda EU3000is came out, Honda releases two inverter generators in the 2000 watt category; the Honda EU2000i and Honda EU2200i. Both these models received rave reviews from users and experts so how does their newest model compare? The biggest difference is obviously the power output. Technically, these portable generators belong to different power categories. So, let’s compare the other specs of these models to see whether the EU3000is has other merits besides having higher running power and surge power. The size and weight is the next big difference between the EU3000is and EU2200i. The Honda EU3000is has larger dimensions compared to the 20 x 11.4 x 16.7 inches of the Honda EU2200i. The newest model also outweighs the Honda EU2200i by nearly 90 pounds so we must conclude that the 3000 watt generator is less portable than its earlier models. This weight comes partially from the Honda EU3000is battery which is needed for the electrical push start. Both the Honda EU2200i and Honda EU2000i only have a manual recoil system for starting so the Honda EU3000is has an simpler and more user-friendly start. You can make starting the engine even easier by installing a remote control starting system but this is considered a customization that voids the Honda warranty. A different customization that you can make within the 3-year Honda warranty is adding a wheel kit to the Honda EU3000is. This should solve your portability problems. An impressive detail about these models is that the 3000 watt generator is louder by just 2 decibels at a 25% load compared to the 2200 watt generator. Interestingly, at their respective rated load, both models have a noise level of only 57 decibels. Quiet operation is one of the signature characteristics of Honda generators and it is not lost by extra power. One of the reasons why both models are so quiet is the Eco-Throttle that automatically adjusts the engine speed to the load requirements. One fall back that is not yet solved on the EU3000is is that running the engine on eco-mode cuts down its power output capacity, too. If you prefer using the Eco-Throttle then the only way to pull more electricity is making use of the parallel generator kit. The more powerful model has one extra electrical outlet; the 120 volt 20 amp plug. Other than that, the electrical outlets are the same on these two models.

Honda EU3000is vs Comparable Inverter Generators

Comparable models to the Honda EU3000is are the Yamaha EF3000is and the Champion Power Equipment 3100 watts model. The first thing you notice about these inverter generators is that the Honda EU3000is is the heaviest and least portable. Where you would have to install your own wheels and pulling handle for the Honda generator, the Yamaha and Champion Power Equipment models are already fitted with carrying handles and wheels. In terms of power, all three models are quite similar. The Yamaha EF3000is the exact same power output while the Champion inverter generator has 100 watts more surge power. For run time the Yamaha EF3000is comes closest to the run time of the Honda model with 18.6 hours at a 25% load. The Champion Power Equipment 3100 watts inverter drags far behind with only 8 hours run time at a 25% load. Of the three generators, the Champion Power Equipment 3100 watts generator is the easiest to start because it has a remote start. This is an option for the Honda too but does mean the warranty is no longer valid. The Honda is the most quiet model since the Champion generator has a rated noise level of 58 decibels and the Yamaha has a rated noise level of 60 decibels. So, despite being less portable, running the Honda engine is the least disturbing. All three models have the same handy damage prevention features such as low oil shutoff, low fuel shutoff and an automatic overload stop. All three also have a feature similar to the Honda’s Eco-Throttle but it is called Economy Mode in the Champion inverter generator and a Smart Throttle for the Yamaha generator. Finally, let’s consider the price. The Honda EU3000is price is very similar to the Yamaha EF3000is but that is nearly double the price of the Champion Power Equipment generator. The question is whether the lower price of the Champion model is a sign of its lesser reliability.

Advantages and Disadvantages

[su_box title=”Advantages” style=”2″] As we are used to from Honda, its quality and reliability is a big advantage. Honda generators are trustworthy and easy to maintain which make for good backup generators and occasionally used recreational generators. We like that the new model comes with an electrical start. This is a lot less effort than starting the engine using a manual recoil system. Another big selling point is its long run time. This inverter generator can run a quarter load for nearly an entire day on a 3.5 gallon engine. This proves how fuel efficient the Honda engine is. The extra power does not mean more noise as its noise level is still similar to the older generation inverters. Also, just like the Honda EU2200i and Honda EU2000i, this generator has parallel capabilities. A final advantage is that the design is still compact despite a larger engine and the addition of a battery. [/su_box] [su_box title=”Disadvantages” style=”2″] There are few mentionable disadvantages for the Honda EU3000is. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is the reduced portability. This is a much heavier inverter generator compared to the earlier Honda inverters and is even a much heavier model even compared to 3000 watt generators from other manufacturers. The increased weight should have been compensated for by wheels and a pulling handle but unfortunately, Honda chose to leave this as a Honda EU300is accessory instead of a standard outfit. A final disadvantage is that the Eco-Throttle limits how much power you can use. This is a waste of the generator’s maximum output. [/su_box]

Conclusion

Once again, Honda delivers a reliable inverter generator but this time with more power. Unfortunately, more power came with extra weight which is not solved for in the standard Honda EU3000is design. Honda promotes their latest model as an RV inverter generator which makes sense. An RV generator can be left in the same spot so it does not have to be as portable as a generator designed for camping or on off-grid job sites. We do understand that the comfort of an electrical start meant that the generator had to be fitted with a battery which makes the entire thing heavier. However, other manufacturers were able to create a lighter design with an electrical start so why did Honda skip this feature? We are impressed with the reported run time for the Honda EU3000is. A 3000 watt portable generator that can run a quarter load for up to 20 hours qualifies as a home backup generator during emergencies. This again reinforces that the portability is not the main aim of this model. Although Honda does offer a wheels and pulling handle accessory kit, we feel that this should have been in the standard design given the high price point. So, is the newest Honda inverter generator worth its price? Honda inverter generators are unbeatable in terms of reliability so we think that it is worth it. A faulty generator is the last thing you want during a power outage at home and you don’t want to run any risks when you are carrying a generator on your RV, either. So for safety reasons and value for money, we recommend the Honda EU3000is. What do you think? Is the Honda EU3000is as good as the EU2200?