I ordered this generator after the last season of hurricanes and storms in Northeast USA. My house is in a flood prone area and I wasn't going to go through another entire hurricane season with sleepless nights. My old generator stopped working last year so I knew I was in the market for a new one.

I paid $299 for this generator off of Amazon and another $39 for the wheel kit (DuroStar DS4000S-WK Wheel Kit for DS4000S). As of writing this review, the generator is down to $289.00. Either way, I would have paid $350 for this unit!

The packaging was great. There was no damage to the unit during shipping. My biggest complaint about packaging is that some oil seemed to seep out of the unit and onto the box so I had to be careful when opening it up. I ended up having to wipe the units frame down with a rag to dry it off. The unit does not ship with oil, but someone must have put oil in it at one point to test it out because there was a lot of oil in the box. One other note, be sure to remove the shipping mounting bracket! The easiest way to do this is to use the provided tool and loosen the nuts and bolts while the unit is sitting level.

We have not had to use this unit yet (thankfully) but I did get it running. I recommend purchasing an all purpose or transmission fluid funnel from your local automotive shop - this will help you to fill the oil tank without getting oil all over the place. The location of the oil fill is not very convenient, but with the proper funnel it isn't much of a headache. I imagine in the middle of a storm though that this could prove to be a huge design flaw. Once oil was added, I threw in some Unleaded 87 octane gasoline and it started up on the second pull. I let it run for about 5 minutes. The unit is QUIET! Very quiet. I would even go as far as to say that my lawn mower is louder than this generator. I was able to put my head right next to the generator without issue, and I could not hear it running from inside of my house. Very impressed with the volume!

Attaching the wheel kit was a pain to say the least. The location of the bolts is a problem, and the bolts and nuts are different wrench sizes which is another problem. It makes installation a bit of a pain. I would say though that having this generator on wheels is very helpful. I would recommend the wheel kit to anyone interested in this generator.

Thanks - I hope this was helpful.

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UPDATE AFTER FIRST USE (HURRICANE SANDY - 10/29/2012)
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Hurricane Sandy hit us hard and we were estimated to be without power for 5 days. I prepared the generator the day before it hit, filled it with gas, checked oil level, and then started it up. It started right up! I then followed the instructions:
- Let generator run for a few minutes before plugging in any load
- Plug in all load starting with most intensive first
- Flip breaker to ON

It has been 4 days without power now and this generator has powered the following (at different times):
- (2) 1/2HP sump pumps
- (1) refridgerator/freezer and (1) microwave
- (1) refridgerator/freezer and (1) HVAC system for heat
- (1) refridgerator/freezer and (1) Verizon FiOS system
- Miscellaneous items [cell phone chargers, hair irons, radio, etc.)

The unit does not have a wattage meter to show you the current load but you should do your due diligence to know how much power various items draw. I can judge how must stress I put on the unit by keeping a note on how long 4 gallons of gas gets me. The unit says 4 gallons = 8 hours on full load. I am getting 4 gallons = 16 hours so I am only putting the unit through half load.

I changed the oil 20 hours into running per the manual. From what I understand this is very important! Don't skip this step. I had a hard time removing the oil drain plug (10mm hex wrench) so I ended up removing the oil cap and tilting the unit to the side to drain the oil which removed almost all of it. Again, it started right up afterwards with no issues.

Lastly, compared to all of my neighbor's generators, this one is the quietest by far!

Bottom line - if you treat this generator right and maintain it, it should return the favor and save your butt in times of need. We have a 1 yr old daughter and without this generator it would have been a difficult few days.

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UPDATE AFTER STORAGE (Fall 2012 - Fall 2014)
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I recently pulled the generator out of storage to turn it over and let it run for a bit. When I stored it in 2012 I changed the oil and emptied the gas tank, so all I had to do was put a bit of gasoline in and start it up. I'm happy to report that it started up on the first pull without issue. I let it run for about 5-10 minutes, then closed it down for storage again (drained gas tank). I am extremely satisfied with this purchase!!

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UPDATE AFTER STORAGE (Fall 2014 - Spring 2018)
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It's been a little over 5 years since I had to use this generator with Hurricane Sandy - 10/29/2012. I just pulled it out of storage again to see if it would run. Ended up having some trouble. Replaced oil, fresh gasoline, still wouldn't run. Ended up having to take the carb off and clean it out as it was all gummed up inside. After cleaning it and putting it back together, started up 1st or 2nd pull of the cord. Runs like a champ still and generates power without any issue. My only warning is that you really need to make sure you keep FRESH gasoline on hand. It seems this generator does not like gas that has been sitting around for 6+ months. I've started adding fuel stabilizer to the tank to see if that will help and then cut off the fuel line and let the engine die that way to help clean out the carb.

This generator doesn't owe us a dime. Great purchase.

PLEASE MARK THIS REVIEW AS HELPFUL IF YOU FOUND IT HELPFUL!

I purchased this generator right after hurricane Irene. After hurricane Irene had damaged power lines in my neighborhood and being without power for 4 days I relied on my car battery to power lamps in my home using a power converter which included battery clamps. I decided to buy a generator as using a car battery during power outages can only go so far. Enter hurricane Sandy, I lost power again for 7 days where my new generator came into play to be used for the first time. I never operated or owned a generator before so I thought listing my experience here on Amazon in detail will help others like me.

This generator came with two open end wrenches, a screwdriver and a spark plug wrench. Once you open the box you will see that there is a block of wood inserted in the engine and tied down with a nylon strap. It also has a metal shipping brace attached to the bottom of the frame of the generator. These will have to be removed before you can use the generator. As per the manual you would have to turn the unit upside down on top of the foam pad that was shipped with this unit to remove the shipping brace. Removing the nuts and bolts from the shipping brace was impossible for me using the included cheap wrenches or even with my own pliers and open end wrench. The bolts connecting to the nuts were small and hard to turn. I had to use a large ratchet with a long handle using a 10 MM adapter which helped the bolts come off easily. Once everything was removed I then installed the wheel kit (DuroStar DS4000S-WK Wheel Kit for DS4000S) which I also purchased from Amazon. It helped me move my generator from my backyard to my garage when I was done using it at night. The generator is pretty heavy so moving it around without the wheel kit will be a challenge.

I purchased a funnel with an extension flexible clear hose with attached plug. The clear hose helped me know when the oil compartment was full. The attached plug on the end of the clear hose is convenient to use as well when you're done filling your generator with oil. Simply close the end of the hose with the plug to avoid any continuous oil drips after using. Another great thing about the plug end is that in fits exactly into the oil drain/fill hole on my generator which minimized spilling oil while filling. You will have a small amount of oil leaking at some point (removing after its full) so place something (a plastic mat or sheet) under the work area to avoid a messy cleanup and stains. This funnel was bought on Amazon for $5 with free shipping which is an awesome deal. It's listed as "Hopkins TF-1 Heavy Duty Transmission Funnel, 18" Hose, Red". This generator can only hold 20 ounces of 30W oil but when you have to add more oil after multiple hours of use the clear hose then becomes very helpful. My first oil change was done right after I went through one full tank of fuel. I chose to change the oil at that time as other reviewers indicated as to remove any metal debris that probably came loose during use to avoid damage to the new motor. Draining oil from this unit can be a pain since it drips directly onto the frame. What I did to avoid a mess was to lift the generator on the wheeled side before opening the oil drain cap and placed one of the legs under the generator on top of a brick. This helped keep the flow of oil from making any contact with the frame as it drained. Once I saw that the oil had slowed I would then tip it towards the opening of the oil drain hole to completely drain. I used a small metal bowl to catch the dripping oil to then discard the oil into an oil canister for transporting. I disposed of the oil at my local car mechanic shop. The oil drain cap has a built-in oil dip stick for checking how much oil has burned. Convenient little piece.
One thing to keep in mind is to make sure your generator is on a leveled surface while it is running. I accidentally left mine at an inclined angle (wheeled side higher than leg side) due to an elevated portion on the ground which caused oil to slowly spew through the air filter while it was running. I thought something broke but after further inspection I realized what I have done. I powered it down and wiped everything clean with a couple of paper towels. I washed the foam air filter in dishwashing liquid and warm water and replaced everything after it has dried. No oil has dripped since.

After a few days of using my generator I then noticed it was creating "clanging" noises while it was running. I turned it off and noticed that two nuts on the top corners had become loose. The top portion (yellow metal top) was creating this noise while the motor ran. I simply tighten them down (after powering down of course) which eliminated the noise and has not come loose as of yet. I assumed it became loose during shipping or just did so on its own since the motor is constantly running for hours. This generator vibrates quite a bit as I assume all portable generators do. After hours of use I suggest you inspect the nuts and bolts connecting the top panel to the frame to ensure nothing has loosened.

Below are the steps to get this generator running.

Remove all packaging from generator.

If wheel kit was purchased install now before adding any fluids (gas and oil).

Fill with 20 ounces of 10W-30 oil with funnel.

Add 4 gallons of fuel. I purchased a gas can on Amazon with an extension tip which has a built-in close/open push valve to avoid spilling while filling. (No-Spill 1450 5-Gallon Poly Gas Can (CARB Compliant))

Make sure you ground the unit using copper wire on the grounding wing nut for safety reasons. Copper wire or the ground stake is not included in this package.

Make sure Choke switch is set to "Off".
Makes sure gas valve is set to "On".
Make sure circuit breaker switch is set to "On".
Make sure power switch is set to "On".

Pull recoil starter cord firmly (might take 2 or 3 pulls) to start generator motor. Mine initially took two pulls when I first tried. It now takes just one pull to start her up.

*First time running when brand new*: As stated in the manual, when the starter cord is pulled and motor begins to run, leave in "closed choke" position for a minute then move lever half way to open for another 30 seconds before moving lever slowly again all the way to "open" position. Allow the motor to run for several minutes before attaching any power cords.

*Thereafter*: Once motor begins running, slowly move lever from "closed choke" position to the "open" position. Generator noise will increase once in open position as motor kicks into high gear.

Now you can plug in your extension cords into the outlets. 12/3 gauge is ideal since thin cords will get extremely hot and can drain power to your equipment. I purchased two 50 foot cords using one for each outlet and surge suppressors attached to each cord with multiple outlets. Search "US Wire 65100 12/3 50-Foot SJTW Orange Heavy Duty Extension Cord" on Amazon.

If you want two more 120v outlets then I suggest you convert the 3 prong outlet (L5-30P) into two 120v outlets (5-20R) by using a Y splitter cable adapter. The one I purchased on Amazon is called "Coleman Cable 01915 3-Foot Generator Power Cord Adapter, 10/3 Splitter Y Adapter, L5-30P to (2) Lighted 5-20R". This will help distribute the load of power from the generator.

For storage, I also purchased a small cover for this generator on Amazon. Not sure how long it will last since I just bought it but it received good reviews. It's water resistant and has an elastic hem with drawstring. It was difficult finding one that fit this generator but this one fit like it was custom made. The size of the cover is 26 x 18 x 20 which is the small size. The vendor name is "The-Cover-store" who sells it for $20 plus $5 shipping.

This generator came in handy when I needed it the most and has performed like a champ. I had a refrigerator, electric start stove, charged 3 smart phones, a battery charger charging 8 AA batteries, 4 lamps using energy efficient bulbs, 2 laptops, an LCD TV screen, Blu-ray player and brewed a cup of coffee running all at the same time and this generator didn't struggle at all. It can handle more than what I used it for. My generator ran for 14+ hours before I needed to refuel. Obviously, the less power consuming equipment you use the longer it will run.

For $289.00 purchased in 2011, backed by Amazon's return policy (only refunds as anything that has had fuel cannot be shipped back) and overall helpful reviews on Amazon I couldn't go wrong. If I was to buy this generator at my local Home Improvement store right after a natural disaster it could easily sell out for $800+. If you don't need to power NASA then this generator will help you when you need power. I'm very grateful for all of the reviews (good and bad) that were listed on Amazon to help me and my family make a wise and cost effective choice to help get through our power outages. I hope my review helps others as well. If I have other info to share (ex: fuel cup cleaning and spark plug changes) I will post my experience. I highly recommend this generator to run your basic needs.