Duromax Generator Reviews: All Models Explained

Last Updated on September 4, 2024

Duromax generators are known to be one of the best on the market thanks to their longevity and durability. They have different price points so there’s something for everyone who needs a portable generator to power their home essentials.

With a wide range of selection on the market, it may be overwhelming for anyone who’s not familiar with generators. Plus, buying a portable generator can be quite an investment.

This is why we’re here to list our top 5 Duromax generators that have gotten raving reviews from our team. To make your life easier, we listed all the advantages and disadvantages to help you in the right direction.

Duromax Generators At A Glance

• Duromax XP4850EH is perfect if you’re looking to power low to medium power load and the generator operates within 3000 – 5000 running wattage range.

• Every Duromax generator comes with a warranty and can be extended beyond two years

• The XP12000EH EPA and CARB compliant model is one of the most powerful portable generators that Duromax has to offer so it’s great for both construction sites and your home, but can be quite loud

• Duromax generators have a reputation of only failing due to lack of proper maintenance or disregard for instructions from the owner, and never on their own

• Duromax XP4400E is a budget-friendly portable generator on the quieter side good for low powering needs and operates within 3000 – 5000 running wattage range.

• The XP10000E model is powerful enough to power your entire house with 10,000 Watt peak at a low noise level

• The XP4000S is the most cost-efficient model and has a self-cooling engine

Now let us take a look at Various Duromax Generator reviews.

1. Duromax XP4850EH- Hybrid Generator

   Advantages

• Fuel-Efficient

Like other Duromax generators, this hybrid generator can also run on gasoline or propane. It can run for 8 hours at 80% capacity if it is gas-powered, while it can run up to 9 hours at 50% load on propane and the generator operates within 3000 – 5000 running wattage range. This is one of the best hybrid generators available out there.

• Minimal Maintenance

Maintenance is important for all generators, but we recommend this one especially if you’re looking for something that’s low maintenance. It is known for both its durability and power. 

• Versatile

This generator is great to use for a variety of appliances including construction utilities, your home, and your RV. This Duromax generator has got 3 outlets available: 2 x 120V household GFCI & 1 x 120V/240V 30 amp twist lock outlet.

Disadvantages

• Heavy

While we strongly recommend this dual-fuel portable generator for the reasons above, it is heavier than other generators of the same strength. Luckily, it comes with a set of wheels to help carry it around.

• Loud

It has a built-in noise silencer to meaning the noise level is less than generators of similar size, but unfortunately tends to get much louder on a heavier load.

• Position of Oil Tank

The oil tank is awkwardly positioned which makes it difficult to switch between propane generators and gasoline generators.

2. Duromax XP12000EH

Advantages

• Powerful

This Duromax generator which is EPA and CARB compliant is definitely one of the most powerful generators it has to offer and a great option to power large household appliances. On gasoline, Duromax XP12000EH produces 12,000 peak watts, and 11,400 peak watts with propane.

• Dual-Fuel Ready

Duromax XP12000EH flexibility is noted by its dual-fuel characteristic. To switch between fuel types, all you need to do is press a button.

• Long Run Time

Thanks to its dual-fuel property, the run time is more than 16 hours at 50% load. Otherwise, it run time on gasoline is 9 hours and eun time is 7 hours on propane continuously at 50% capacity. This is a great option to power your essentials when hit by a power outage.

Disadvantages

• Very Loud

One of the biggest disadvantages of this Duromax XP12000EH generator is that it operates at 74dB which is the downside of having a powerful generator.

• Heavy

Because it’s a larger generator, it’s on the heavier side at 221 lbs. However, it comes with wheels and foldable handles for transportation.

• Expensive

Without a doubt, it’s one of the most powerful generators you will find on the market, but this heavy-duty generator comes with a price. Despite this, we find it is an investment worth making for the years you will be using it and the amount of power it provides.

3. Duromax XP4400E 

• Low Noise Level

On top of being a great price, it has a low noise level when compared to other models at 68dB. Also, it comes with a 4-gallon fuel tank.

• Low Oil Automatic Shut-off

The generator will automatically shut-off if it detects that there is not enough oil to operate it to avoid creating damage.

Disadvantages

• Difficult Maintenance

The maintenance presents a challenge for new users and the manual can be confusing as well. We recommend seeking for help if you experience issues setting up the generator.

• Less Powerful than Other Duromax Generators

While it is an affordable generator, it unfortunately offers less power than the other generators that Duromax offers. It runs at 3500 watts which is enough to power small appliances such as air conditioners or refrigerators in your RV.

• Oil Drip Problem

You may encounter an oil drip issue in transit, but it does not cause much problem. It is still something you should look out for.

4. Duromax XP10000E 

Advantages

• Powerful

We found the Duromax XP10000E to also be a heavy-duty generator that allows you to power appliances and electronics at the same time. This heavy-duty generator has the ability to run at 8000 watts and peak at 10000 watts. Fuel efficiency is one significant advantage of this generator

• Long run time

This generator has a run time of 10 hours with a single fuel tank of gasoline without interruption at 50% load. This is a great option to power your essentials when hit by a power outage.

• Durable

This model has a solid steel frame which makes it very sturdy and safe to carry around and use to its fullest.

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Disadvantages

• Heavy and Large

The Duromax XP10000E weighs 218 lbs which are quite heavy compared to other generators. It’s also very large in size but comes with wheels for easy transport.

• Tends to Get Loud

It’s a large generator so we expected it to be loud, which is not so much a problem for all everything it’s able to power. We still found it to be quieter than other engines of the same size.

• Only Uses Gasoline

While other Duromax generators use gasoline and propane, which is great to switch between fuels if one runs out, this model only functions with gasoline.

5. Duromax XP4000S 

• Low Noise Level

This model, similar to other models, is on the quieter side of engines. It’s not completely quiet but it’s enough to make you consider it as an option if you want to avoid noise.

• Cost-Efficient

This generator is on the cheaper end of generators in terms of pricing and is built with a steel frame. It’s an affordable and durable generator that will last for years. The control panel also features oil warning light and circuit breaker.

Disadvantages

• Wheels Not Included

Unlike other Duromax generators that come with a wheel kit to make it easy to carry around, the wheel set needs to be purchased separately for this one. Don’t worry though, it’s not expensive.

• Difficult to Transport

This again is due to the lack of wheels. It’s not light enough to comfortably carry it so we recommend you purchase the wheels.

• May Experience Glitches

Overall, this generator has great features, but these tend to glitch every now and then. It’s bothersome in the moment, but works well for the most part.

What’s the Difference Between Them?

Power Output

You have an impressive power output with the 10000E, with 8000 running watts and 10,000 peak wattage. This makes this bulky generator perfect for construction sites and other high-power situations.

For something with a little less power, you’ll like the Duromax xp4850EH, which has about half the power of the 10000E. It clocks in at 4600 watts with propane, and 4850 when you use gas, so it can help run your home, but it excels a little more with electronics. Fuel efficiency is one significant advantage of this generator.

If you’re really looking for something with a lot of power though, look no further than the 12000EH, which has a total of 12,000 starting watts, and 9500 running watts. Truly, you’ll never run out of power. The 12000EH gives you an option between manual recoil and electric start.

For something a little less intense, you can’t go wrong with the Duromax xp4400E, which is made to be used both for the home and the RV with ease. You can also work with the 4000S, clocking in at 4000 starting watts and 3300 running watts, so you can use it for heavy loads.

Verdict: The Duromax XP12000EH dual-fuel generator, which has the most amount of power available, although it’s entirely possible that you really won’t need this much power. For an option that’s more usable for the average house, you’ll want to pick the 4850EH dual fuel tank generator.

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Run time

The whole point of a portable generator is to power your house or your restaurant or whatever else you need to be powered.

It’s best if you have a portable generator that works for longer, so you might like the 4580EH, which has an impressive 8 hours of run time even when you switch between gas and propane—and a 9-hour run time on a half-load of propane.

The Duromax xp4400E also has 8 hours of run time even when it’s working with high loads, but for a little bit of a longer run time, you might want to pick the 12000EH, which will run for 9 hours if the generator is gas-powered, and 7 hours if you’re using propane. We feel this is one of the best Duromax portable generators.

As one of the strongest generators, it’s possible for you to run many devices during this time.
For the most amount of run time, you’ll want to pick out the 10000E, which can work for up to 10 hours on a full gas fuel tank—this makes it ready for your entire house.

The 4000S will run for a little less time, but it can still operate for a while, just like the others.

Verdict: The Duromax XP10000E simply runs longer than any other option. This means that you don’t need to check on it as much. We feel this is one of the best Duromax portable generators.

But really, the runtimes aren’t exceptionally different between models. They all range from about 7 to 10 hours. Duromax XP12000EH dual-fuel is ideal at almost 9 hours runtime too.

Safety

You don’t want to overdo your portable generator, which is why safety is key. The 10000E includes a low oil shut-off option that will ensure that the portable generator stays in peak condition over time. This is especially helpful if you’re using it to power a construction site.

The 4400E is another good option as a portable generator, but it doesn’t necessarily have the safety of more expensive options. It lacks the meters and gauges that some other models have that let you know when your oil levels are low, although it does still include the low-oil shutoff, as well as a manual recoil in case the electric start fails.

By contrast, the 4850EH does include that low-oil shutoff sensor to keep your unit in good shape over time, and so does the 12000EH, which also has an electric start to help you get going.

Even the 4000S includes the low-oil shut-off so you won’t wear out the motor when you keep it running, but it also has an air-cooling system that will prevent it from overheating too.

Verdict: The Duromax XP4000S has the air-cooling mechanism that no other option has, which does make it safer, but all options have the automatic oil shutoff option to keep your portable generator safe.

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Ease of Use

There’s a reason why the 4850EH is one of the best generators on the market: it’s easy to use. You can use it with both gas and propane, which means that you have lots of flexibility in how you use this unit. It also has three total outlets for you to use.

The 12000EH is also a great option when it comes to usability, largely because you don’t need to struggle with a gas start, but can instead use an electric start to get going. The 4400E electric start includes this option as well, as well as 4 available outlets too. Still, the 12000EH electric start generator has 5 outlets.

The 4400E generator with an electric start is somewhat difficult for you to maintain though. It is a little bit difficult to figure out the manual for the sake of maintenance, so while you can push to turn it on, you might struggle with keeping it in top shape.

Choose the 10000E to work for your home, as long as you don’t have an incredibly large-sized home that you’re looking to power. It can run continuously, so you don’t need to think about it—unless it’s running some higher loads, since it can get a little loud. This generator comes with OHV air-cooled engine.

Finally, you have the 4000S that comes with an air-cooled OHV engine. and multiple outlets that have different voltage levels for different purposes as well as a control panel that will warn you about your oil levels, includes a circuit breaker, and a voltmeter too. The only problem is that the wheels must be purchased separately.

Verdict: The Duromax XP4000S is one of the easiest to use, only because it includes a panel that will warn you about everything and that will tell you when you need to be aware of those oil levels.

Need lots of power? Try the Duromax XP13000EH duel-fuel generator.

Conclusion

After testing all these top Duromax generators, it’s safe to say that there’s a right one for specific needs. The XP12000EH model is great for its heavy-duty power.

It has a dual fuel switch and its powerful fuel tank capacity makes it an excellent option to have as a backup for your home for all your appliance needs.

If you’re searching for a portable generator for the outdoors, go for the XP2200EH. If budget is a big concern and you just need a portable generator for the rare emergency use, the XP4850EH will be great.

The XP4000S is an all-round winner that ticks many boxes; it’s easy to use, affordable, and offers great value for money.

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