Customer Reviews

Blue Max GEN1250 1,250 Watt 2 HP 2-Cycle Gas-Powered Generator

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I've only taken this thing tent camping once (in Oct 2007), but it did work to my expectations. Make no mistake, it is NOTHING FANCY. But considering you could buy about SEVEN of these puppies for the same price as ONE Honda EU1000i, I thought I would give it a shot. So far, I'm pleased.

My least favorite thing about it is that you've got to pre-mix the oil into the gasoline, like you do with some lawnmowers. The special "two-stroke" oil comes in a little bottle, and you pour a small amount (read directions) into the gasoline canister before filling the generator's tank with the mixture. The oil itself is not expensive, but they don't sell it just anywhere; you gotta go to a decent hardware store (i.e. I couldn't find it at Target, but I did find it at Lowe's). So far, this is the only real drawback I experienced; and frankly, it's not that bad.

The unit weighs about 40 lbs. That puts it in the lightest class of generator that I could find. There may be a couple out there that are slightly lighter - but not by more than a few pounds.

Starting up the unit requires about five steps done in order. For some people, 5 steps is about 3 or 4 steps too many, so if you're not mechanically inclined, I'd keep the instructions handy (page 9) until its operation becomes second nature to you. Again, it's really not that bad.

We ran it for about 1.5 tanks of gas, occasionally stopping and restarting when we left the camp site for a bit. Usually, it started on about the 3rd pull. One time it got fussy and I had to pull it about 7-8 times, but that was just one of the starts.

As for the noise, it's not too bad either. It's just slightly louder than the EU1000i, and you could buy a truckload of earplugs with the $650 you'll save. Of course, instead of earplugs, I just bought one of those orange utility extension cords and placed the generator off to the side of my camp site (about 20 feet away). The noise was barely noticable, and certainly didn't hinder a normal conversation.

In short, this is a decent product for the amazingly cheap price tag, and it opened up so many new options for our campsite. If it craps out on me, I'll be sure to update my review to let y'all know!

UPDATE #1 (May 2008): Sad to report that this item was stolen from my toolshed. While I was pretty ticked off about it, I've got to laugh just a little. If I had I bought the much more expensive model (which I almost did), I'd be in tears right now. As it is, I just decided to buy another one of these. That, and to put a better lock on my shed.

UPDATE #2: Received my new "replacement" generator, and... it was defective. A sizable dent in the casing that houses the spindle, which prevents the spindle from moving (thereby preventing the unit from staeting). I guess this is the risk of buying the less expensive model. My recommendation to you: make a full visual inspection of your new unit BEFORE you fill 'er up with gas. You cannot ship a generator that has already been fueled - even if you empty the tank.

UPDATE #3 (June 2008): Why did Amazon raise the price of this item?? When I bought it, it was about $115, and it looks like they pushed it up to $145 - no small increase. My original review was titled "Decent product for the price," but now that I've experienced a did, AND they price went up, I've changed the title to what you now see above. I should also note that there are 2 other generators for sale on Amazon in the same weight class which used to be slightly more expensive than this one, but which are now slightly cheaper. I don't remember the brand, but they look almost like this one, except one is green and the other is yellow. Do a search for "camping generators" and all three come up.

I wanted a small quiet generator to run a couple of fans and accessories.
This is quiet enough that at 50 feet away it is barely noticeable. It is a 2 cycle motor so requires a pre-mix and the tank is under a gallon, but that is approximately 4 hours with a light load. I would recommend this for anyone not needing over a kilowatt output and can refill every four hours. The pre-mix gasoline should be considered a deciding factor for those not familiar with it.

I bought this unit specifically as a mid watt power source in case of 9/11 shenanigans. It arrived at my place in a box and appeared well packaged. It would not start. I then went forth with diagnostics. As with any engine check fuel, air and spark first if it won't start. Turns out it was delivered with a broken spark plug.Started right up when I replaced it. Runs well with synthetic 2 cycle oil 50 to 1. Does exactly what its advertised to do- 800 w continuous, 1250w for short bursts. It will run a 12 amp circular saw for short jobs. Except for a stripped handle screw, no other problems. I recommend this product only for people with some mechanical knowledge. If you buy it make sure it works immediately! If you save it unused for an emergency you may be unpleasantly surprised, or if you take it camping without tools or parts.

After reviewing the clear instructions,I filled the tank with the proper 50:1 gas/oil mixture.This generator started on the 2nd pull! I hooked up my outdoor pond pump,a fan & a patio light to the generator. They all ran without a hiccup! The generator's governor maintained a constant speed & output as the loads were introduced. The unit is easily carried with the attached handle. Surprisingly quiet, I was able to carry on a conversation jus a few feet while it was running!
I must admit ,I wasn't expecting much from a $99.99 generator, but I have been amazed at how well it has been performing. Understand,you will not be able to run your home A/C unit off this generator, but for camping, working in the field, or emergencies it is great!!!

I bought this to watch TV during tailgating. So far it has worked fairly well. It stopped once or twice the last time I used it, and I am not sure if that was because I didn't have the generator on level ground or it was just low on fuel.

It starts usually on the second or third pull and it fairly quiet as long you move it 10-15 yards away from where you are trying to use. Its also light and easy to move or transport around.

First, I'd like to point out that Amazon and Blue Max have had great customer service despite my problems with this generator. And judging from the other reviews, most folks have had few problems. But just to offer my experiences for those considering the generator, here is what happened.

The first generator arrived with a cracked frame. Other reviews have pointed to shipping issues, and this seemed like a result of that. On informing Amazon of the problem, I received the replacement in two days - quite amazing! The second generator started right up. A day later as I tested it again, the pull starter mechanism broke. I called Blue Max directly, and they generously sent a replacement at no charge. After replacing the starter, the generator no longer turned over. I checked the spark plug and the connecting wire fell off. At this point, I again contacted Amazon and they offered a refund, again, great customer service. However, the money I saved on this inexpensive generator was lost, in my view, in the time spent trying to fix it.

Here's hoping you have better luck than I did.

1250 Generator

I received mine two days ago and am very pleased. It arrived in perfect condition with no damage to the inner box. It was well packed. My initial impression that it is of reasonable quality for the price paid ( $112.00 with free shipping).

After fueling with premix the machine started on the third pull. After few minutes warm up/ run in I loaded the machine. I tested the machine with a space heater with 600W, 900W and 1500W selectable load settings. It handled the 600 and 900W setting just fine with reasonable noise. The 1500w setting was clearly overloading the machine with out put voltage dropping to ~90V.One thing that I noticed is that this small machine's output voltage (and likely frequency) will swing allot with load changes (not surprising) .

I plan on using it to supply power to my conversion van for lighting and battery charging. It's small size will allow it to fit in a small stowage area formally used to stow a propane cylinder. It may power the small space heater as well. I am not sure that it can handle the refrigerator and water heater. I will not be using to power any electronic devices with out going though some sort of surge suppressor or power conditioner such as a UPS.

This is a initial review and may be up dated latter.

Thankfully, someone else had the same problem so we knew what to look for. I spent five minutes trying to get it to start... kept running for a sec and knocking out. The ceramic on the spark plug had a hairline crack. The spark plug is placed in such a way that this is BOUND to happen to most of the units shipped. They ought to ship the unit with the plug in the parts bag.
The good news is that a spark plug from a 77 Dodge van with a 318 fits perfectly.
It started on the first pull after that.
It works well, was a heck of a good value and comes in handy for camping out and powering our tool shed's lights and power tools (small ones). Its actually easier to carry the generator than run a 100 foot extention cord. The 12 volt battery charger is also a great feature!
My suggestion to anyone buying one is to make sure they run GOOD 2 cycle oil (Echo, Stihl, Husquvarna, etc). The outboard engine stuff isnt as good as brand name chainsaw oils. You'll likely get many more years of service out of it with good oil. Also drain the gas if you are storing for more than a couple of weeks, and make sure you ran the unit out of gas so none is left in the carb. Gas sours quickly and will mess up a carb in short order.

2011 - update - I have now had this generator for several years and two houses. Every time the power goes out I at least have a fan, a tv and dvd player. Civilization lives on! Love this generator - if it fails, I will buy a new one as soon as I have internet!

For $100, this generator really gets it done. We live in an area that is under heavy development and have 4 - 8 hour electric outages every couple of months. Rather than being seriously inconvenienced, we can watch TV, listen to music, have lights on, etc. It won't run the refrigerator but its great for the little conveniences in life. We may get the 4000 W model if the outages continue. It also starts very easily - in only a couple of pulls.

I would have given it 5 stars, but we also experience minor shipping damage. There wasn't a lot of packaging material and one of the feet broke off when we took it out of the box. We glued it back on and everything was fine.

This is a great little product for the money. Starts very easily and has both 12V and 110V outlets (voltmeter on the 110V). One thing to be aware of is that it is 850W constant and 1250W peak. This should be able to handle most 'single' items with some thought on the power requirements. It's small and portable enough to be moved around and the tank is large enough for a long run time which offsets the fact that it's a two stroke and you have to mix the gas/oil.