Briggs & Stratton 30473 1,600 Watt 105cc Gas Powered Portable Inverter Generator

by Briggs & Stratton

• 2,000 Watts Surge/1,600 Watts Continuous
• Computer controlled inverter technology automatically adjusts engine speed to run quieter and reduce fuel consumption.
• Two 120 volt 20 amp AC outlets, one 12 volt DC outlet
• Lo-Tone muffler reduces noise and minimizes vibrations for unobtrusive operation at close quarters.
• Non-CARB compliant/Not for sale in California

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 19.5 x 11 x 17 inches ; 60 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 62 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0037C18U4
• Item model number: 30473
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,628 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)

Product Description

Briggs & Stratton manufactures small engines and outdoor power equipment. For 100 years, we've been building the engines that power the equipment people use to get the job done. That's the reason consumers look for the Briggs & Stratton brand when they shop for power equipment. Hurricanes. Ice storms. Wind storms. You've seen the after-effects, entire communities without power. A generator will ensure your family has the power needed when faced with unexpected outages. Two types of generators are available: portable generators and permanently installed home generator systems. Briggs & Stratton Elite Series products have heavy-duty components and features with a longer warranty to back them up. They perform tirelessly around the home, farm or on the job.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

122 of 124 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Briggs and Stratton powersmart inverter generator 30473 July 31, 2010

By sund3638

I bought this generator recently and ran it for several hours. The weight of this generator is fairly manageable even with a bad back. The handle configuration was very well thought out and works great making it easier to cary with one hand. I carried it over 200 feet without any problems. Weighs about the same as a Honda eu2000i. Has just about all the same features as well including econ/fuel saving mode. The Briggs and Stratton generator setup was easy and first start up took about 3-4 pulls. Every start after only took 1 easy pull. Even after several days from initial setup the start up was very easy and reliable. In normal mode it was fairly quiet. I have an awesome Yamaha ef2400is and the Briggs was louder but not significantly and it really wasn't too bad. In economy/fuel saving mode it was very quiet and just a bit louder than my Yamaha. Power was acceptable as I could run my 5000 watt boat ac unit, a fan, small refrigerator and a radio all at the same time without any problems and with power to spare however, I was not able to start vary many devices with modest size motors like a 1hp compressor but that was expected. I was able to start a table top grinder and run other devices without any problems. For the money, I would definitely not hesitate because it's much less expensive than it's foreign competitors and runs pretty well. If it cost any more, I would go with a Japanese brand but at this price, I am happy with the decision. It even looks sharp and the silver color looks great.

8/22/2010 - Update on performance review

Ok, here is my report for the generator after using it for about a month now. So far I've logged about 32 hours of use on my boat that does not have power to the pier. I now absolutely love this generator. It starts up flawlessly with little effort. No more than 1 easy pull the first time starts it and that's without using the choke. It runs for about 9 hours with a decent load of 10 amp battery charger charging a bank of batteries, a small fridge, several lights and a 5000 watt a/c. Without the a/c it ran 8 hours with 1/4 tank of fuel remaining. I figured this wasn't a honda so it was going to use a lot more gas but really this thing sips gas. With all this stuff running, I can cycle the A/C on and off and I can hear the generator ramp up and down depending on the power draw. It's smart and efficient. My only negative is a small one but it's just slightly louder than the other more expensive inverter gennys but for half the cost and all the performace I'm not complaining. As far as durability, longevity and reliability, I'll have to wait and see and report back later.

117 of 124 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Does Not Perform As Expected March 16, 2011

By Rob

Amazon Verified Purchase

After reading the reviews I thought the Briggs & Stratton would perform the same as the Honda or Yamaha with the exception of a little more noise. Nope. Not the case. When I was picking up a boat I bought, the seller was pulling a Honda 2000 off of it and told me it powered the A/C and everything else but to be mindful not to run the water heater when running the A/C. Well, when I plugged in the the Briggs & Stratton it kicked out immediately when the A/C was turned on no matter how I configured it. I tested the boat's A/C with the 15amp plug from my home and it worked fine. Then I tested the B&S generator with a skill saw that states 15 amps on its label. Again the B&S kicked out even when I tried to "feather" the trigger to get it going. Then I plugged in a 250watt light (2.1amps) and a 4.8amp drill. Everything ran fine. Then I added a 4.5amp jig saw for a total of 11.4amps, the B&S kept working but the red overload light began to flicker. When I let off the triggers for the drill and jig saw and then pulled both triggers again at the same time, the breaker kicked out immediately. This led me to believe that the B&S is capable of 11.5 to 12 amps but not the 15 or surge to 16.7 as its rating claims (2000/120=16.7amps). I put an amp meter on the line from my home and found that the boat's A/C spiked at start up with 17.8 amps then dropped to an average of around 10.

Also, there is no reset button to get the juice flowing again after the circuit kicks out. You have to shut the generator down and then restart it. This began to get old pretty quick.

As far as noise. It was quieter than a contractor type generator but louder than the 5kw on-board Kohler I had on my last boat. There was no way I could have slept at night with the noise of the B&S even when placed all the way to the back of the boat on the swim platform. This is with the Eco mode off and the generator running fast as I would have anticipated to keep up with the A/C. It was much quieter in Eco mode but the lower speed and noise level was not realistic for my anticipated use and demands.

Keep in mind that this is NOT a returnable item at Amazon because it uses gas. If you have any chance that you'll want to return this item then keep the return policy in mind where ever you purchase it. To be fair, the local Yamaha dealer won't accept returns on their generators either so it's not just Amazon.

Edit 4/01/2011: To follow up on powering my boat's A/C, I purchased the Yamaha and it did power my boat's A/C without complaint and even in Eco Mode. Turns out it was a 16,000 btu unit in my Regal 2860 (just in case there other boat owners out there doing their research). I ran the B&S next to the Yamaha. There was a definite difference in the noise levels between the two. You do get what you pay for. The Yamaha performed better, was lighter, and was also quieter. It was definetly worth the extra money to me. I could hardley hear the Yamaha running when inside the boat. I'm leaving the rating at two stars for the B&S. It does work but it doesn't perform as expected. Lesson learned...

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Just Used It! October 8, 2010

By A. J. Schneider

Amazon Verified Purchase

Update: 6/12/12
Last time I used it was this winter at the cabin. Had to take into shop for repairs ........enough said.

Update: 07/25/11
See the note from other reviewer who had re-coil problems. Ditto! I don't use this much, but during hottest week of year in Northern Wisconsin the re-coil decided to break on me. Took the thing apart (which is incredible chore) and couldn't get it fixed on my own. Not real happy with the product at this point, although when working, it has been just fine for me. If this is a "unique" experience, then fine but it seemed kinda flimsy when i did get it apart and thought i should be able to fix on my own.

Update: 10/25/10
Took the generator to the woods for a week of camping and it worked fantastic. Very quiet and more than enough power to run my camper lights and general electric needs (coffee maker, lights, & battery recharging unit for tools). And, amazingly good on gas. Ran forever on full tank of gas (honestly, i'd guess it was over 10 hours). Not the lightest thing ever, but certainly manageable and really did a great job for me. Very happy with the product!!

Received as promised and finally got a couple of minutes to try it out. Package was delivered and it included the Generator, Oil, Funnel, tools, and 12 volt power cord for battery recharging.

Very easy to get ready; simply add oil & gas - Then took about 4 or 5 big pulls to get started. I read (after the fact) that i should have given a couple of slow pulls just to move gas through the system and then really try to start it but didn't read that til after i got it started.

I let it run for a good 30-45 minutes without any load and it ran very smooth and quiet. I've used the Honda in the past, but without having them side by side it's impossible for me to judge which is quieter. I'd say they both are pretty darn good when it comes to dB level.

Planning a trip north in a month and will use extensively there. I'll repost at that time as well but for now i'd say it's a very good value. You can always trust a company from Wisconsin!!