Powerful, quiet and clean energy. Perfect! (Buy from Amazon)
The Honda EU7000iS is a fantastic 7000 watt inverter generator that won’t disappoint you. Definitely, one of the best 7000 watt generators money can buy and far superior to conventional generators of the same size because it’s quiet (52 to 60 dB) and produces clean energy that can safely power sensitive electronic devices.
There aren’t many silent inverter generators with a peak output of 7000 watts. The Honda EU7000iS is, to my mind the best generator in this category. Sure, the EU7000iS isn’t cheap, but, then again it’s a Honda and that makes it worth paying extra for.
Intro | Honda EU7000iS
Remember those old Chuck Norris jokes? Well, Honda generators can be called the Chuck Norris of generators. They don’t quit. No matter what you throw at them, Honda generators keep going. The Honda EU7000iS was introduced in 2014 and has earned a stellar reputation over the years that have followed. The EU7000iS combines legendary Honda reliability with sophisticated modern technology like a fuel injected engine, stable inverter supplied power and quiet running.
Having looked at countless customer reviews on a number of websites, the only complaint that I found is that the Honda EU7000iS doesn’t have parallel connections. Though with this kind of wattage, there isn’t much need to increase your power output. It will run most of your household electric equipment with very little compromise and will easily cope with most site work.
VIDEO | Learn More about Honda EU Generators
The closest competitor to the Honda EU7000iS would have to be the Yamaha EF6300iSDE. It’s very similar to the EU7000iS, in that it’s a powerful and quiet inverter generator. It comes with an optional wireless remote control, which the Honda doesn’t. Though the Honda EU7000IAT1 is the same basic generator as the EU7000iS with the option of remote control. This remote control isn’t wireless, however, so you have to run a wire to the generator if you want to run start it remotely.
The Honda EU7000iS is my personal favorite of the two and I think contractors will also prefer this generator, it has a more robust design. For people who plan to use their generator at home or for camping trips, the Yamaha might be preferable. It’s lighter and, therefore, easier to transport.
When I review these two generators, you’ll be able to see the subtle differences between the two. They’re both great machines from Japanese manufacturers with a long history of providing some of the best power equipment available. Before reviewing these generators separately, let’s take a quick look at their common ground.
Inverter Generators
By now, inverter generators have become quite common, most generator manufacturers have inverter models in their product ranges. For those who are not yet familiar with inverter technology, I’ll give you a quick overview as to why this technology has become so popular. Inverter generators are always more expensive than similar machines that don’t use an inverter, but there are several reasons why people are prepared to pay more for an inverter generator.
Modern inverters use pulse width modulation (PWM) to produce a perfect and pure sine wave. Without this, the AC sine wave is easily distorted by fluctuations in the power demand, this is known as harmonic distortion (HD). Electronic equipment is damaged by repeated HD and, because we all rely on electronics so heavily, most people are changing over to inverter technology.
Pure Sine Wave vs Modified Sine Wave
Another benefit that comes from using an inverter generator is the smart throttle. By using an inverter, the generator is able to lower the RPM of the engine when the electricity demand isn’t too high. This results in some pretty impressive fuel savings and the generator runs quieter at low revs. In addition to this, running at lower revs means less wear and tear on the engine, reducing maintenance costs and prolonging the life of the engine.
Quiet Operation
One of the biggest complaints about generators has always been the noise that they produce. Generally, generators are extremely loud. When used in campsites and residential neighborhoods, conventional generators cause a major disturbance, many campsites prohibit the use of generators for this reason.
Quiet generators make use of advanced engine and muffler technology to reduce the engine noise. Though more importantly, the generator is enclosed by using a sound insulated housing. This reduces the noise considerably and even large generators, like the Honda EU7000iS and the Yamaha EF6300iSDE in this review, are hardly audible from a few feet away.
Honda EU7000iS
Best 7000 watt inverter generator for the money. Exceptional quality.
Quieter than a normal conversation.
Features:
- Starting Watts : 7000W / Running Watts : 5500W (120/240V)
- Engine : Honda GX390 EFI
- Perfect for home back up power, RVs, outdoor events, and more
- Super quiet : Operates at 52 to 60 dBA
- Fuel efficient – Runs up to 18 hours on 5.1 gal of fuel
- Convenient electric start
- Inverter – stable power for computers and more
- Fuel injected – better fuel efficiency and lower maintenance
- Advanced inverter technology – reliable power for computers and other sensitive equipment
- handles that can be raised for transport and lowered for more compact storage.
- i-Monitor provides information on hours of operation, wattage and engine speed, as well as diagnostics for convenient dealer servicing.
- Outlets : Two GFCI 20 amp, 120 V duplex outlets
- Meets ETL and NEC standards.
- 3 year residential and commercial warranty
- Choose between using both 120 and 240 Volts, or 120 Volts only.
- Electronic circuit breakers
Overview
There are two main reasons why the EU7000iS is my outright favorite of the two. Firstly, it has an incredibly robust design. Most quiet generators use a plastic housing to reduce the noise, Honda has gone for the old-fashioned steel tubing frame with steel sound insulation panels. This makes the EU7000iS quite a heavy brute but it also makes it super tough. You can bang the Honda EU7000iS around and it won’t feel a thing.
Secondly, the GX engine range is, to my mind, the best engine ever made and with the addition of fuel injection, the GX390EFI is truly magnificent. Make no mistake, the Yamaha engine is also an extraordinary piece of engineering, but nothing can quite touch a Honda GX engine when it comes to performance and reliability – they’re as close to indestructible as a gas engine can be.
Choose between 120 & 240 Volts, or only 120 Volts
Clear and well-laid out control panel. (Buy from Amazon)
For years, the GX engine has been used in every conceivable format by just about all of the top power equipment manufacturers. The GX390EFI has combined the robust design that has made these engines legendary with electronic fuel injection which makes this engine much smoother and it starts perfectly in any weather. This engine will start and run on the coldest day in Northern Alaska and won’t overheat on the hottest day in Southern Texas. It’s an engine for all conditions and will last a lifetime if properly maintained. Electronic fuel injection also means less maintenance, no choke, and better fuel efficiency. The GX390EFI engine is CARB compliant, so emission levels are about the best in the world. You have the convenience of an electric starter and the backup of a recoil starter if the battery fails.
The EU7000iS is really light on gas. With its 5.1-gallon gas tank, the generator will keep supplying the full running load for 6.5 hours and will run for 18-hours at 25% load. It has a constant load capacity of 5500W and peak load of 7000W (125V or 250V). So this means you’ll be getting 4.95 kilowatt-hours per gallon of gas. Anything close to 5 kilowatt-hours per gallon is great for a generator.
The noise levels are nothing short of a miracle. At its full running load, the EU7000iS produces a noise level of only 60dBA. That’s lower than a speaking voice and there are so-called quiet generators with much smaller engines and, therefore, a lower KW output that aren’t as quiet. At 25% load, the noise level drops to an incredible 52dBA – that really is whisper quiet. If you consider that 25% of the Honda’s rated output is 1.4 KW, you can run an AC constantly and you won’t hear the generator over the hum of the air conditioner. You certainly won’t have grumpy neighbors complaining about generator noise.
Runs between 6 to 18 hours on a single tank. (Amazon)
The control panel is recessed, so it’s perfectly protected from damage. It provides all the outlets that could want: 2 X duplex 120V 20A GFCI outlets; a 30A 120V twist-lock outlet and a 120V/240V 30A twist-lock outlet. You can easily connect the EU7000iS to an RV or transfer switch to power your home in an emergency and run high-power 120V equipment, as well the normal extension cord setup from any of the four household outlets. It has a simple on/off switch and thanks to the electronic fuel injection, there’s only an easy to use start button – no choke lever.
An LCD display gives you a lot of information: run-time, watts (output) and engine speed. It also provides diagnostic information, supplied from the onboard computer. It has two selector switches, one for economy mode or smart throttle for fuel saving when the power demand isn’t high and one to select 120V only or 120V/240V operation. There’s also a fuel gauge, so you don’t have to open the tank and take a guess as to how much runtime you have left. It has warning lights, as well as an alarm, for low oil and current overload. If the oil runs low, the engine will shut down and if the current overloads a breaker will trip. In both these situations, the alarm will sound and a light on the control panel will tell you why you have no power.
i-Monitor system tracks hours, RPM, battery volts, and wattage.
Being such a tough generator with plenty of steel, the Honda EU7000iS is a heavyweight – 261 LBS. Thankfully, it has really large wheels and fold-down handles which are, as is to be expected, extremely tough and will cope with the harshest conditions with ease. It stands firmly on two sturdy metal feet which, together with the rubber wheels reduce vibration. Not that vibration is a big problem, the GX390EFI engine is one of the smoothest running engines that you can get on a generator.
I think it’s clear from this review, that the Honda EU7000iS is the ultimate 7000W silent inverter generator. Anyone who knows Honda products can confirm that they are virtually indestructible and totally reliable. Honda service is amongst the best and this generator comes with an impressive 3-year warranty – another testament to the faith that Honda has in their products. If you want the convenience of remote control, you can always choose the Honda EU7000IAT1, which has all the specs and features that I mentioned in this review as well as a port to connect wired remote control.
Yamaha EF6300iSDE
Runner-up, but still an excellent generator with several advantages over the Honda EU7000iS.
Twin bar body design makes moving the unit easier.
Dual 120-volt and 240- volt power — capable of running a wide range of equipment, such as : well pumps, compressors and RV air conditioners to sensitive electronics like plasma TVs, satellite receivers and computers.
Features:
- Noise Block — Quiet, pleasant to use
- Pure Sine Wave (Pulse Width Modulation) Inverter System — Run electronic equipment, appliances, variable-speed power tools and computers
- Smart Throttle — Automatically adjusts engine speed to match power demand, reduces noise, fuel consumption and engine wear
- Wireless Remote (Optional) — Start & Stop the generator from up to 66 feet away
- Electric start — Effortless starting (battery included)
- Automatic choke — Effortless starting
- Low oil shutoff — Protects engine from low oil damage
- Fuel level gauge — See fuel level at a glance
- Dual voltage 120/240 volt — Versatile, operate variety of 120V and 240V tools and appliances
- Power meter — See how much power is being used and how much power is available
- Hour meter — Shows accumulated running time for refueling and service scheduling
- Lightweight — Easy transport
- Twin bar — Aid lift, transport and provide security point
- Stylish design — Nice appearance and Modern design
- 50 state legal — Meets CARB emission regulations and given highest EPA rating
- 5.1 hr. run-time at rated load
- Run time of 13.3 hours at a constant 25% load on a single tank of gas.
✓ View or download the MANUAL for the Yamaha EF63000iSDE.
Overview
The Honda EU7000iS is a robust, tough generator for hard working conditions. The Yamaha EF63000iSDE, on the other hand, is a more refined modern-looking machine. It has a molded plastic enclosure which is tough enough for most conditions but is, obviously, not as rugged as the steel frame and sound panels that you find on the EU7000iS.
The Yamaha is lighter and has much smaller wheels, but it has four of them, compared to the two large wheels on the Honda. This makes the Yamaha easier to lift and the four small wheels make it more comfortable to move on a smooth surface. You have to lift one side of the EU7000iS and move it like a wheelbarrow, but the large wheels give it the ability to move over rough terrain quite easily. This is why I mentioned in the introduction that the Yamaha might be preferred by homeowners and the Honda by contractors who work in more demanding conditions. As I review the Yamaha EF63000iSDE, these differences will become more apparent.
VIDEO : Learn More | Yamaha EF63000iSDE & EF4500iSE
The 357cc, OHV, 4-stroke engine used in this generator is a really great power plant. It doesn’t have electronic fuel injection like the EU7000iS. Then again, few generator engines have fuel injection, the EU7000iS is quite unique in this respect. The Yamaha EF6300iSDE does have an automatic choke which makes it much easier and more convenient to start when compared to most other carburetor engines. It also has both electric or recoil starters. So while it’s not quite as advanced as the GX390EFI used in the Honda, this engine is one of the best and it’s also CARB certified.
The carburetor engine used in the Yamaha cannot match the extraordinary fuel consumption of the fuel injected Honda EU7000iS. The Yamaha has a smaller, 4.5-gallon tank and this will give you 13.3 hours of runtime at 25% load. This works out to just over 4 kilowatt-hours per gallon which pretty good for a generator of this size, but a far cry from the Honda which will give almost 5 kilowatts-hours per gallon.
The Yamaha EF6300iSDE has the same constant running wattage as the Honda EU7000iS (5500W), but it doesn’t quite match the Honda when it comes to peak wattage which is 6300 watts, compared to 7000W for the Honda. This is another reason why the EU7000iS is better for construction work where you have high startup machinery starting continuously. Having an extra 700W peak power allows for more tools to start at the same time without tripping the generator.
Noise Block sound reduction system which makes it a very quiet.
For home (or RV) use, the lower staring watts of the Yamaha shouldn’t be a problem really. Perhaps, if you have a refrigerator, air conditioner and a microwave starting simultaneously while running some other stuff, the Yamaha might trip whereas the Honda probably won’t. But the likelihood of 3 or more high-amperage appliances starting at exactly the same time in the home is very slight. When it comes to noise levels, these two generators are very close, the Yamaha is marginally louder ranging from 58 – 64dBA. You would need the ears of a fox to notice the difference in the sound levels.
The control panel on the Yamaha EF6300iSDE is every bit as convenient as that on the EU7000iS. The only real difference is that the Yamaha has only 2 standard 120V outlets, whereas the Honda has 4. The Yamaha has the same twist-lock outlets: 1 X 30A 120V and 1 X 30a 120/240V. The household outlets have GFCI protection and all the circuits are protected by overload circuit breakers. It has a switch for the economy mode which activates the smart throttle for lower fuel consumption when you’re not using much electricity.
Like the EU7000iS, you’re also able to select between 120V or 120/240V power output with the flick of a switch. It also has two digital displays, one for running hours and one for power output. This setup is quite convenient because there’s no need to scroll through options to see what’s going on – the information is available at a glance. The Yamaha has the usual warning lights as with most generators which let you know when the circuit breakers have tripped as result of overload or when the engine has shut down because of the low oil level.
Adjusts engine speed to match the load, saving fuel. (Buy from Amazon)
The wireless remote control that is sold as an optional extra for the EF3600iSDE is quite a handy feature. If you think about it, you will usually be using a generator to supply power during an outage because of adverse weather conditions like a snowstorm or hurricane. No one wants to go out in foul weather to switch the generator on or off. So this remote control is another reason why the home user might prefer the Yamaha. As I mentioned it’s also lighter at 200 LBS – that’s 61 LBS lighter than the EU7000iS.
When it comes down to it, Yamaha EF3600iSDE is a very similar generator to the Honda EU7000iS. They each have their own advantages, suited to the different needs of generator owners. Prices vary between the different retailers but, in general, the Honda is a bit more expensive. The Yamaha may not have quite the same peak power or be as robust as the Honda, but it has its merits. It’s a lighter machine and some may prefer the fact that it has four wheels. The optional wireless remote control can also be a bonus for many users. The Yamaha EF3600iSDE is going to give you just as many years of faithful service, though you shouldn’t expect it to take as much harsh treatment as the EU7000iS. In terms of warranty and after-sales service, Yamaha is just as fantastic and this generator also carries a 3-year warranty.
Want to learn more, read a different article we’ve previously written on the Yamaha EF6300iSDE.
And finally, another excellent option for you to consider.
Briggs & Stratton Q6500 (30675A)
45% more compact and 30% lighter than standard portable generators.
Features:
- Quiet, portable inverter generator delivers 6,500 starting watts of reliable home backup power
- QuietPower Series inverter technology and a noise-reducing shell give you power that’s more than
- 60% quieter than a standard generator (66 dBA at 25% load)
- Design is 45% more compact & 30% lighter (128 lbs) than a standard portable generator
- Highly-efficient 306cc Briggs & Stratton integrated engine/alternator provides up to 14 hours of run time at 25% load
- Power a wide variety of electronics & devices at the same time with (4) 120V-20A outlets, (2) USB outlets & (1) 120V-240V locking outlet. Use of RV adapter in the twist lock outlet provides 2500W of continuous power (120V / 20.8A)
Learn more by reading our indepth review of the Briggs & Stratton Q6500.