Westinghouse iGen4500
Inverter Generator
$849

Westinghouse

Westinghouse iGen4500

4.7(6,500 reviews)

The RV community's favorite non-Honda: 3,700 running watts, a genuine 52 dB at quarter load, a telescoping suitcase handle, and an 18-hour economy-mode runtime that owners verify on long weekends. The digital display with remaining-runtime readout and the remote-start fob are the features people mention unprompted, and at half the cost of Honda's discontinued EU3000 it became the default. It starts most 15k BTU RV ACs, though owners at altitude or in high heat add a soft-starter to be safe. Grievances from long-term threads: the rear wheels are small for gravel campgrounds, the recoil backup start is awkwardly placed, carb gumming after storage is the top reliability complaint (fuel shutoff use is essential), and Westinghouse's parts/support pipeline can be slow. The DF dual-fuel variant had a fuel-filter leak recall in 2020 — this gas model wasn't affected.

Price
$849
Running Watts
3,700W
Fuel
Gasoline
Best For
RVers who want near-Honda quiet, AC-starting power, and long runtimes at a mid-tier price.

Specifications

Running Watts
3,700W
Starting Watts
4,500W
Fuel Tank
3.4 gal
Runtime
up to 18 hrs @ 25% load (3.4 gal)
Type
Inverter Generator
Fuel
Gasoline
Noise
52 dB
Outlets
1x 120V 30A RV (TT-30R), 2x 120V 20A (5-20R), 2x USB
Transfer-Switch Ready
No
Weight
98 lbs
Warranty
3-year limited
Model
iGen4500

Highlights

52 dB with 18-hr runtimeRemote start + data displayRV-ready TT-30R

Pros

  • 52 dB quarter-load noise embarrasses similarly priced open frames
  • 18-hour economy runtime on 3.4 gallons
  • Starts most 15k BTU RV air conditioners
  • Telescoping handle and suitcase form factor roll easily
  • Display shows load, fuel, and remaining runtime
  • Remote-start fob works from inside the rig

Cons

  • Carb gumming after storage is the dominant owner complaint
  • Small rear wheels struggle on gravel and grass
  • No 240V and not transfer-switch friendly
  • Westinghouse parts and support can take days to weeks
  • 98 lbs is heavy for one person to lift into a truck bed

Compare the Westinghouse iGen4500

Westinghouse WGen9500DF
$1,049
Portable Generator
4.7(24,600)

Probably the most-reviewed big portable on the internet — 24,000+ ratings averaging 4.7 — and the default r/Generator answer for 'cheap whole-house backup through an interlock.' 9,500 running watts on gasoline (8,500 on propane), a 50-amp outlet, remote-start key fob, and a 12-hour tank for around a grand is a spec sheet nothing else matches. Owners routinely run entire homes including central AC during hurricanes. It is not subtle: expect 75+ real-world dB, a 211-lb frame, and open-frame vibration. The complaint file is proportionate to the sales volume: occasional oil leaks and QC escapes out of the box, a Westinghouse support line that owners describe as slow to days-long, and carb gumming if stored wet. The current 'DFc' revision adds a CO sensor. Buy it, change the skimpy break-in oil early, and store it dry.

9,500W with 50A outletRemote start key fob24,000+ reviews at 4.7 stars
Dual Fuel (Gas/Propane)9,500W running74 dBTransfer-Switch Ready
Best for: Budget whole-house backup through an interlock or transfer switch — maximum watts per dollar.
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Westinghouse WGen11500TFc Tri-Fuel
$1,699
Portable Generator

The r/Generator power-user pick: hook it to your home's natural gas line through a quick-connect and you have effectively unlimited runtime without storing a drop of gasoline — the practical middle ground between a portable and a $12,000 standby install. On gasoline it makes a huge 11,500 running watts; the honest math is the NG derate to 9,500 running watts, still enough for most whole homes via the 50A outlet and an interlock. Remote start, CO sensor, and a 9.5-gallon tank round it out. Owner notes: NG performance depends on your line pressure — undersized gas plumbing causes surging and hard starts, the most common complaint thread — plus it's a 230-lb beast, mid-70s dB loud, and Westinghouse support remains the weak link. Registered owners report solid 3-year warranty coverage when they persist.

Runs on your home's NG line11,500W gas / 9,500W NG50A transfer-switch ready
Tri Fuel (Gas/LP/NG)11,500W running74 dBTransfer-Switch Ready
Best for: Storm-prone homeowners who want unlimited-runtime whole-house backup without a standby install.
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Champion 4500W Dual Fuel Inverter
$823
Inverter Generator

The people's RV generator. Champion's 200988 pairs 4,500 starting watts with dual-fuel flexibility and electric start at well under half of Honda money, and the review volume — thousands across Amazon, Walmart, and Camping World — is overwhelmingly positive. Owners confirm it starts 13.5k BTU RV air conditioners, sips propane for up to 21 hours on a 20-lb tank, and holds clean sub-3% THD power for electronics. At 61 dB it's audibly louder than a Honda or the iGen4500, more of a steady hum than a whisper, and the 103-lb body rides on small, hard wheels that owners wish were bigger. Recurring gripes: the electric-start battery dies if you don't tend it (there's a maintenance charger port for a reason), propane output derates to 3,150 running watts, and oil changes require a slight tilt-and-funnel dance.

Dual fuel + electric startRV-ready TT-30R outletHalf the price of big names
Dual Fuel (Gas/Propane)3,500W running61 dB
Best for: RV owners and tailgaters who want AC-starting power and propane flexibility at a working-person price.
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