By
Rodney Nestor
Rodney Nestor
Research Writer
Rodney holds a Master’s degree in Arts and apart from working as a freelance writer, is a rather successful author of science fiction stories published in several literary read more
Last updated: August 23, 2023

Generac GP2500i Review: Inverter Technology and Smart Features

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By
Rodney Nestor
Rodney Nestor
Research Writer
Rodney holds a Master’s degree in Arts and apart from working as a freelance writer, is a rather successful author of science fiction stories published in several literary read more
Last updated: August 23, 2023
Propaneva is reader-supported. We may earn a commission through products purchased using links on this page. Learn more about our process here
Ideal for
  • Camping
  • Tailgating
  • Emergency use
  • Powering sensitive gadgets
Highlights
  • Parallel-ready
  • Economy Mode
  • True Power technology
  • Inverter technology
Editor's Rating
9,4
out of 10
  • Portability
    9.7
  • Power
    9.2
  • Noise
    9.0
  • Efficiency
    9.8
Users’ Rating
4.6
out of 5
94 Users’ Rating
rating rating rating rating rating
rating
rating rating rating rating rating
4.6
out of
5
94 Users’ Rating
  • 5 stars
    68%
  • 4 stars
    24%
  • 3 stars
    5%
  • 2 stars
    2%
  • 1 stars
    0%
Add your rating:

The perfect generator for outdoor use should be portable, easy to use, quiet, and at least powerful enough to power appliances such as the refrigerator. A good portable generator must also be safe for powering sensitive gadgets. The Generac GP2500i from one of the best manufacturers of power equipment is also regarded as the best outdoor generator from Generac. But does it live up to all the hype? How efficient does it perform? For whom and for which purpose would this be suitable? In this Generac GP2500i review, we’ll break down everything about this portable RV-ready power equipment.

Specifications

Generator type
Inverter
Fuel type
Gasoline
Surge watts
2,500W
Running watts
2,200W
AC voltage
120V
Engine
98cc variable-speed OHV
Starting method
Recoil
Fuel tank capacity
1 gal.
Run time
4.5 hours at 50% load
Outlets
120V 20A 5-20R Duplex; 2.1A 5VDC USB; 12VDC
Dimensions
19.7 x 11.4 x 17.9 in
Weight
48 lbs
Warranty
3-year limited (residential), 1-year limited (commercial)

Generac GP2500i Review

The Generac GP2500i is a budget-friendly generator for recreational uses. It is ideal for camping, on-the-go use, as well as for tailgating. In this review, we’ll see what its overall performance is like as well as its fuel tank capacity, runtime, ease of use, safety features, portability, noise level, and price, among other features.

Overall Performance and Versatility

Generac GP2500i Review: Inverter Technology and Smart Features
The Generac GP2500i can be used in parallel with another similar generator to double the power output

The Generac GP2500i is a powerful generator with inverter technology Trusted Source Pros and Cons of Inverter Generators - Consumer Reports Consumer Reports shares what you need to know about inverter generators. These machines come at a premium price, but they run longer, quieter, and more efficiently. www.consumerreports.org . It’s equipped with a small 98cc, four-stroke, single cylinder engine that gives the generator a starting and peak 2500 watts power output. Meanwhile, it produces a steady power of 2200 watts continuously.

Also, its peak amperage is 20.8 and the running amperage is 18.3. This is sufficiently enough for running and charging small devices or fairly larger appliances.

However, it will not be able to power your air conditioner, refrigerator, TV, and microwave all at once. For simultaneous use of these appliances, you can however parallel it with another Generac inverter generator like this to double the power. Nonetheless, without parallel, it will run several appliances simultaneously. Just make sure the appliances don’t have more than 2000 watts of energy consumption in total.

What we liked about the generator is the True Power technology. This is a stabilizing feature that ensures sensitive electronic equipment are not damaged by power fluctuation or power surge.

Fuel Tank Capacity and Run Time

First, the generator runs on gasoline. There’s no input design for gas. It’s not designed for that. However, the generator has a small gasoline fuel tank. It can only take up to one gallon of fuel at once. But this is a fuel-efficient device. It consumes just around 0.13 gallons of fuel in an hour. This means you will be able to use this portable generator for up to 4.5 hours at half the load capacity. At Economy Mode and 25% load capacity, you’ll be able to run the generator for 9 whopping hours. This means you can run the generator overnight. Just make sure the total load connected to the generator is not up to 550 watts. This way, you won’t have to wake up to a hot atmosphere and then go out to refuel the tank.

Control Panel and Outlets

Generac GP2500i Review: Inverter Technology and Smart Features
The control panel is easy to read, and you always know what is happening with your generator right now

On the Generac generator control panel, you will have access to a lot of outlets and other functional features such as indicator lights. The status lights indicate power, low-oil, and overload alerts.

Having a data center on the control panel doesn’t affect the performance of the generator. However, it ensures you find it easy to monitor the performance of the generator and detect when things are not right. You will be able to see when the oil is getting low when the device has reached its power capacity limits or is overloaded.

There’s also the integrated off/run/choke knob. The run and off choke lever is designed to be simple to use. There’s also the 12V DC outlet to charge your accessories and batteries. You don’t need to look for wall adapters or outlets. There’s also the economy mode control on the control panel. When switched on, this provides excellent fuel economy and noise reduction. The USB outlet also lets you charge smartphones, tablets, and other electronics.

The parallel ready connection also ensures you can connect two inverters for twice the power. Meanwhile, the parallel kit is sold separately.

Ease of Use

We will rate the generator 6/10 in terms of ease of use. First, the generator does not have an electric start technology. It’s too small for the manufacturers to integrate a battery for starting the device. So, you have to make do with the recoil starting feature. Starting a generator with a recoil rope isn’t always easy.

However, once you get it started, you wouldn’t have to worry about frequent refilling as the device is a low fuel-consuming one. So, this is a plus for ease of use and maintenance.

Another feature that makes it easy to use is the design of the generator. It consists of a plastic body, has a carry handle, and measures just 48 pounds on the weight scale which ensures ease of transportation.

Safety Features

One of the safety features of the generator is the True Power technology. This is a stabilizing feature that ensures sensitive electronic equipment is not damaged by power fluctuation or power surge.

Another safety feature is the low oil shutdown technology. This ensures the engine is not damaged in the event of low oil. When the engine senses low oil, it simply shuts down and indicates on the control panel.

Noise Level

This portable generator is not the quietest generator on the market. But it’s not the loudest either. It emits a sound level of 60 decibels at 25 percent of load capacity. We however feel the generator can be quieter, considering it’s an inverter generator with an open frame design. At 50 to 70 percent load, it’s going to be louder than this power rating – expect around 65 decibels. This is getting close to what you get with an open-frame conventional generator. So, you may want to install it several feet away from your motorhome

To get a quieter operation, especially at night during sleep time, you can put the generator on Economy Mode. This ensures quieter use.

Portability

Generac GP2500i Review: Inverter Technology and Smart Features
The dimensions make this generator easily portable and great for camping or tailgating

This generator is one of the most portable generators on the market. First, it has a small dimension of 19.7 x 11.4 x 17.9 inches. It wouldn’t take up a lot of space during your travels. It’s also very lightweight in design as it weighs just 48 lbs and the external body is built of plastic. The carry handle on the top also makes it more portable.

Maintenance and Warranty

Maintaining the generator is easy. This is because there’s a control panel with an LCD data center that lets you monitor the performance parameters so you can act when you have to. The generator tells you when to reduce load with the overload protection, and when to refuel the oil tank. Asides from these, there is not a lot of maintenance effort needed from your end.

However, the generator comes to the market with three years of manufacturing warranty for residential users (whether you’re using it at home for emergencies or in your motorhome for camping). For commercial uses, the warranty is one year.

Price

The product is currently sold for less than $600 on Amazon and by the manufacturer, Generac. However, there are many similar models on the market that are less expensive.

The 2300 watts Pulsar G2319N is sold for $200 less. However, its like for like, the Champion Power Equipment 200961, which is also a 2500-watt generator is sold for the same price as the Generac model. However, the Champion model is more valuable as it is a dual-fuel generator.

So, in conclusion, the Generac is not so expensive, but the price can be beaten down a bit by some dollars.

Key Features

Despite its small size, the Generac GP2500i comes with a lot of features. The most important are:

  • Portable features: The generator is compact and very lightweight, weighing just 48 pounds. Transporting it is therefore easy and is facilitated by the built-in carry handle.
  • Economy mode: Like most portable inverter generators from Generac, the generator has an economy mode that helps save fuel, adjust power production to your needs, and reduce noise emissions.
  • LED Indicators: It has an onboard indicating display that alerts the user when the equipment is, for example, running out of oil, is overloaded, or can be used.
  • USB Port: You can also see the equipment as a big power bank for charging your mobile devices. Don’t worry, it’s safe for powering sensitive devices.
  • Parallel ready: Would you like to power your air conditioner in your mobile home? The generator may not be able to directly power it but you can connect it with another GP2500i or similar product from Generac and your appliances can come up.
  • Low-oil shutdown: Yes, almost every modern portable generator has this feature but it’s still quite essential for the health of the engine. It also means you don’t have to keep checking the oil level.
PROS CONS
  • Very fuel-efficient
  • Quite portable
  • Ideal for use outdoors
  • Perfect for charging and running sensitive equipment
  • Lightweight and small in size
  • Has the economy mode feature
  • Could be quieter

 

Conclusion

The Generac GP2500i is a portable inverter generator that would be suitable for camping or other outdoor use. It’s portable, fuel-efficient, and includes several safety features. It is therefore highly recommended for tailgating, camping, and emergency uses. We hope that this Generac GP2500i review has helped you make up your mind regarding whether or not you should buy it!

References

1.
Pros and Cons of Inverter Generators - Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports shares what you need to know about inverter generators. These machines come at a premium price, but they run longer, quieter, and more efficiently.
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