Hi Guys

Am searching out a portable generator for home back-up use, and there is a huge price difference between Honda, Yamaha, and the Coleman brands. I can purchase a 5000watt coleman, powered by a 10hp OHV Briggs and Stratton for $800 cdn, brand new. A comparable Honda or Yammy will run close to $2000.
Anyone had any experience with the Coleman brand?

Thanks

I have a coleman powermate 5000 i use for my home back up. I can run my fridge two 6500 btu ac units. the microwave about a dozen lights and my tv with no problem... great generator i also take it camping but shes a little noisy for that

My dad has had a coleman 1800 watt for the last 7 years and it works great, uses it for the cottage and for running power tools, several of my friends (4) bought coleman generators last summer to power their RV's while camping and they work good too. They all went to coleman for the same reason as you...$$$$

Honda motors are definitely the best motors, but if you're only using it for a backup, the Coleman with a Briggs motor will be fine. If I were on a construction site and using my generator on a daily basis, I would feel better having a Honda.

Thanks guys, Coleman it is.

I don't think you can go wrong at all if it is powered by a Briggs and Stratton. They make darn good engines. I would have no worries about running one on a construction site all day, in fact I've been on plenty sites that only ran Briggs. Hey, too bad you don't live closer, I've got a 20 Horse Onan powered welder generator combo. Puts out 250 amps at 100% duty cycle, 9000 watts.... 3-phase welder......, you sure?? Low hours...

Nice looking unit Snowdrift, but by the time I pay the difference in the dollar, make a deal with you, pay to ship it up here and try to teach the wife to weld I'd end up on the couch!! :D

after having smoked 2 coleman gen.'s and still having my old suzuki.gen, i must say B&S are very loud when running ,do not put out consitent amp's cheaply made .and cheap to buy,one gets what one pays for.my suzuki is very quiet ,runs twice as long on a tank of gas ,always starts, :inlove: and everyone wants to borrow it ,my advice is to buy one good one instead of several cheap ones,mine is 30 years old still works perfect, suzuki doesn't make gen's for the USA market anymore as far as i know ,go jap and forget about it ,or go coleman and hope it starts when you need it jmo,

I have a generac 6500 watt with a 12 HP Briggs OHV, they are louder than a Honda or yamaha, but I've had mine for 5 years and use it regularly with no problems.

Cory..We have several honda generators at work and they work well. My dad has a Generac 4000 and it is not much louder than the honda's. If you can spare an extra 300 bucks go with the Generac 4000. It is Usa built and has the idle down feature which saves alot of wear n tear and fuel. You can buy them ad Home Depot. They dont always have them in stock because they are quite popular but they can order for you..nothing wrong with the coleman's that i know of but i think dollar for dollar the extra 300 bucks is well worth it..Steve

z24bb, what do you mean "smoked 2 Colemans"? Was it the powerplants that gave up or the generator units? Briggs and Stratton have a solid reputation, although definetly a little rougher around the edges than the Japanese.
I am looking for a home back up unit, could sit for long periods of inactivity, then used for a couple of hours or a day or two.
I visit Home Depot in Sudbury regularly but have not spotted any generators. I will ask next time I'm there.
Thanks for all the help.

If you get a Coleman get a mechanic to idle it down abit. Friends of mine did this and she runs great and gets 1-1 1/2 hours extra out of a tank.

JMHO