Short answer: buy the Honda EU2200i ($1,000 to $2,000) if the lowest noise matters most: 48 dBA against 52 dBA. Buy the Westinghouse iGen2550DFc ($500 to $1,000) for everything else on the spec sheet: it costs much less, makes 1,900 W against 1,800 W, starts 2,550 W against 2,200 W, runs on propane, lasts 11 hours a tank against 8.1, adds a TT-30R RV outlet and weighs 4.2 lb less.
Our picks at a glance
From published specs and our sizing rules. Not lab tested.
- 1
Quietest
Honda EU2200i
1,800 running watts
Check price on AmazonPaid link
- 2
Best value, dual fuel
Westinghouse iGen2550DFc Dual Fuel Inverter
1,900 running watts
Check price on AmazonPaid link
Both are 120V inverter generators with a recoil start and a CO shutoff sensor (Honda calls it CO-MINDER). The Honda is gas only. Fuel per day below uses the same model as our generator fuel calculator: tank size over the rated quarter-load run time, scaled to your average load, with a floor at half the quarter-load burn because an engine near idle still burns fuel.
The fuel table below ranks both, and the step-up pair, for your own load and gas price.
Top picks, and why
Honda EU2200i
- 1,800 W running
- 2,200 W starting
- gasoline
- inverter
+1 moreFewer
- 48 dBA
1,800 W running, 2,200 W starting, 48 dBA, 47.4 lb, CO-MINDER, gas only, $1,000 to $2,000. 8.1 hours at quarter load on 0.95 gal. Buy it for campgrounds with quiet hours or a generator that runs next to a bedroom window.
- Quietest unit in our list at 48 dBA
- Under 50 lb at 47.4 lb
- CO-MINDER shuts the engine off if CO builds up
- Gas only, no propane
- Pull start only, no 240V outlet
$1,000 to $2,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Westinghouse iGen2550DFc Dual Fuel Inverter
- 1,900 W running
- 2,550 W starting
- gasoline / propane
- inverter
+1 moreFewer
- 52 dBA
1,900 W on gas, 1,700 W on propane, 2,550 W starting, 52 dBA, 43.2 lb, CO sensor and a TT-30R, $500 to $1,000. 11 hours at quarter load on 1.1 gal. Buy it for home outage backup, where propane storage and fuel use matter more than 4 dBA.
- Runs a fridge, furnace blower and lights
- Dual fuel: gas or propane
- CO sensor and a 52 dBA noise level
- 1,700 W on propane, less than on gas
- Pull start only, no 240V outlet
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
What it burns in a day
Pick what you will run. Generators re-sort by fuel burned per day, with the cost at your prices.
Most frugal at 500 W around the clock
15 gal lasts about 6.5 days
on the Westinghouse iGen5000DFc Dual Fuel Inverter, the unit that carries your load on the least fuel.
- Gas a day
- 2.3 gal
- $7 a day at $3.20
- Full tank lasts
- 35 h
- 3.4 gal tank
- Propane a day
- 0.7 tanks
- 20 lb tanks
| Generator | Gas per day | Hours per full tank | Propane per day | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Least fuelWestinghouse iGen5000DFc Dual Fuel Inverter3,900 W running, 5,000 W starting | 2.3 gal$7/day | 35 h3.4 gal tank | 0.7 tanks$16/day | $500 to $1,000 | Check pricePaid link |
Number 2 on fuelWestinghouse iGen2550DFc Dual Fuel Inverter1,900 W running, 2,550 W starting | 2.5 gal$8/day | 10 h1.1 gal tank | 0.8 tanks$17/day | $500 to $1,000 | Check pricePaid link |
Number 3 on fuelHonda EU3200i2,600 W running, 3,200 W starting | 2.6 gal$8/day | 11 h1.2 gal tank | gas only | Over $2,000 | Check pricePaid link |
Honda EU2200i1,800 W running, 2,200 W starting | 3.1 gal$10/day | 7 h0.95 gal tank | gas only | $1,000 to $2,000 | Check pricePaid link |
Estimates scale each model's published run time and tank size to your load. Propane carries about 72% of gasoline's energy per gallon, and a 20 lb tank holds about 4.6 gal. Fuel use follows your average load; whether a unit can start your biggest motor depends on starting watts, so add them above or use the generator sizer.
Compare every pick
Paid links: we earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you. Amazon prices change often, so we show a range and link to the live price.
Side by side
Honda EU2200i: 1,800 W running, 2,200 W starting, gasoline only, 48 dBA, 0.95 gal tank, 8.1 hours at 25 percent load, 47.4 lb, one 5-20R duplex, recoil start, CO-MINDER, $1,000 to $2,000.
Westinghouse iGen2550DFc: 1,900 W running on gas and 1,700 W on propane, 2,550 W starting, 52 dBA, 1.1 gal tank, 11 hours at 25 percent load, 43.2 lb, a 5-20R duplex and a TT-30R RV outlet, recoil start, CO sensor, $500 to $1,000.
Honda wins one line: noise, by 4 dBA at the rated distance and load. Westinghouse wins running watts, starting watts, fuel choice, run time, outlets and weight. On propane the Westinghouse's 1,700 W is still only 100 W below the Honda's gasoline rating.
Honda EU2200i
- 1,800 W running
- 2,200 W starting
- gasoline
- inverter
+1 moreFewer
- 48 dBA
48 dBA, the lowest noise rating of any generator in our database. Gas only, 8.1 hours a tank.
- Quietest unit in our list at 48 dBA
- Under 50 lb at 47.4 lb
- CO-MINDER shuts the engine off if CO builds up
- Gas only, no propane
- Pull start only, no 240V outlet
$1,000 to $2,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Westinghouse iGen2550DFc Dual Fuel Inverter
- 1,900 W running
- 2,550 W starting
- gasoline / propane
- inverter
+1 moreFewer
- 52 dBA
More watts, propane, a longer run per tank, an RV outlet and 4.2 lb less weight, at a much lower price.
- Runs a fridge, furnace blower and lights
- Dual fuel: gas or propane
- CO sensor and a 52 dBA noise level
- 1,700 W on propane, less than on gas
- Pull start only, no 240V outlet
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Fuel, propane and run time in an outage
At a 200 W average around the clock (fridge, gas furnace blower, Wi-Fi and lights, the first preset in our fuel calculator), both engines sit at their idle floor. The Honda burns 0.95 / 8.1 x 0.5 = 0.059 gal an hour, about 1.4 gallons a day, so a tank lasts about 16 hours. The Westinghouse burns 1.1 / 11 x 0.5 = 0.05 gal an hour, 1.2 gallons a day, so a tank lasts 22 hours. At $3.20 a gallon that is about $4.50 a day against $3.84.
At a 500 W average the gap widens: about 3.1 gallons a day for the Honda against 2.5 for the Westinghouse, roughly $10 against $8 a day.
Propane is the Westinghouse's biggest edge for home backup. Gas goes stale in months, while a sealed propane tank keeps for years. At a 200 W average the iGen2550DFc burns about 1.7 gallons of propane a day (1.2 x 1.4), so one 20 lb tank (about 4.6 gal) lasts about 2.7 days. The Honda has no propane option from the factory.
What each one runs
A full-size fridge (150 W running, 1,200 W starting) plus a gas furnace blower (600 W running, 1,800 W starting) comes to about 900 W of required running capacity and about 2,145 W starting by our generator sizer's math (running total x 1.2, and running total plus the largest start-up jump x 1.1). Both cover it on gas. The Westinghouse does it with 405 W of starting margin, the Honda with 55 W.
Neither has a 240V outlet, so neither runs a 240V well pump. Neither has electric start. For a camper, the Westinghouse's TT-30R plugs a 30 A RV cord straight in. The Honda has only a 5-20R duplex.
Warranty terms differ by model and seller. Check the current terms on Honda's and Westinghouse's product pages before you buy.
Step up: Honda EU3200i vs Westinghouse iGen5000DFc
Honda EU3200i: 2,600 W running, 3,200 W starting, gas only, fuel injected, 54 dBA, 1.2 gal tank, 8.6 hours at quarter load, 59.1 lb, 5-20R and L5-30R outlets, Bluetooth monitoring, CO-MINDER, recoil start, over $2,000.
Westinghouse iGen5000DFc: 3,900 W on gas, 3,500 W on propane, 5,000 W starting, 52 dBA, 3.4 gal tank, 18 hours at quarter load, electric start, CO sensor, TT-30R, 105.8 lb, $500 to $1,000.
Here the Westinghouse is also the quieter one, by 2 dBA, with 1,300 W more running output, more than twice the run time per tank and propane. The Honda's edge is weight: at 59.1 lb it is 46.7 lb lighter. At a 500 W average they burn about 2.6 and 2.3 gallons a day.
Honda EU3200i
- 2,600 W running
- 3,200 W starting
- gasoline
- inverter
+1 moreFewer
- 54 dBA
2,600 W running at 59.1 lb, fuel injected, with Bluetooth monitoring and an L5-30R. Buy it if the generator has to travel.
- Lightest unit at 2,600 W or more in our list
- Bluetooth monitoring from your phone
- Fuel injected, with CO-MINDER shutoff
- Gas only, no propane
- Pull start only, no 240V outlet
Over $2,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
Westinghouse iGen5000DFc Dual Fuel Inverter
- 3,900 W running
- 5,000 W starting
- gasoline / propane
- inverter
+1 moreFewer
- 52 dBA
3,900 W, 52 dBA, 18 hours a tank, propane and electric start. Buy it for home backup that stays on wheels.
- Gas (3,900 W) or propane (3,500 W)
- Adds a CO sensor over the gas-only iGen5000
- 18 hours at quarter load, 52 dBA
- No 240V outlet for a 240V well pump
- Over 100 lb at 105.8 lb
$500 to $1,000, live price on Amazon
Check price on AmazonPaid link. We earn a commission at no cost to you.
The bottom line
From published specs and our sizing rules. Not lab tested.
- 1
Quietest
Honda EU2200i
1,800 running watts
Check price on AmazonPaid link
- 2
Best value, dual fuel
Westinghouse iGen2550DFc Dual Fuel Inverter
1,900 running watts
Check price on AmazonPaid link
Frequently asked questions
Is the Honda EU2200i worth the extra money over the Westinghouse iGen2550?
Only if noise is the deciding factor. The Honda is rated 48 dBA against 52 dBA. On every other spec the Westinghouse iGen2550DFc matches or beats it: 1,900 W vs 1,800 W running, 2,550 W vs 2,200 W starting, propane, 11 vs 8.1 hours a tank and 43.2 vs 47.4 lb.
Which is quieter, Honda EU2200i or Westinghouse iGen2550?
The Honda EU2200i, rated 48 dBA against 52 dBA for the Westinghouse iGen2550DFc. Both ratings are at light load and both get louder at full load.
Can the Honda EU2200i run on propane?
Not from the factory. The EU2200i is gasoline only. The Westinghouse iGen2550DFc runs on gas (1,900 W) or a propane tank (1,700 W).
How long does a Honda EU2200i run on a tank compared with the iGen2550?
Rated at quarter load, the Honda runs 8.1 hours on 0.95 gal and the Westinghouse 11 hours on 1.1 gal. At a light 200 W outage load, about 16 hours for the Honda and 22 for the Westinghouse.
How much gas does a Honda EU2200i or Westinghouse iGen2550 use in a day?
Around the clock at a 200 W average, about 1.4 gallons a day for the Honda and 1.2 for the Westinghouse. At 500 W, about 3.1 and 2.5 gallons.
Which is lighter, Honda EU2200i or Westinghouse iGen2550?
The Westinghouse iGen2550DFc at 43.2 lb against 47.4 lb for the Honda EU2200i.
Will a Honda EU2200i or Westinghouse iGen2550 run a refrigerator and furnace?
Yes on gas. A full-size fridge plus a gas furnace blower needs about 900 W running and 2,145 W starting by our sizer's math. The Westinghouse starts 2,550 W and the Honda 2,200 W, so the Westinghouse has far more margin.
Do the Honda EU2200i and Westinghouse iGen2550 have a CO shutoff?
Yes. The Honda has CO-MINDER and the Westinghouse a CO sensor, both of which shut the engine off if carbon monoxide builds up. Still run either one at least 20 ft from the house and keep battery CO alarms inside.
Honda EU3200i vs Westinghouse iGen5000DFc: which is better?
For home backup, the iGen5000DFc: 3,900 W vs 2,600 W running, 52 vs 54 dBA, 18 vs 8.6 hours a tank, propane and electric start. The EU3200i weighs 59.1 lb against 105.8 lb, so it wins if you carry it.
6 products are linked on this page. We have not lab-tested these products; picks are based on published specifications and our sizing rules. Amazon prices change, so we show a range and link to the live price. See our disclosure.
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Marcus Reed
Founder and Editor, CrunchYourDollars
Marcus Reed builds the sizing tools on CrunchYourDollars. He is a software engineer with a long-running PC hardware and power supply habit, which is where the watts, watt-hours and surge math on this site comes from. Product specs are pulled from manufacturer data sheets, electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and water chemistry rules from the Water Quality Association. He is not a licensed electrician or plumber: the tools show the math and the matching models so you can make the call, and anything involving your electrical panel should be checked by a licensed pro.
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