Small inverter (under 3,000 W running)
Honda EU2200i 2200-Watt Inverter Generator
Honda's 1,800-running-watt, 47 lb inverter with CO-MINDER shutoff and parallel capability — the reference small generator for a fridge, electronics and quiet camping.
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Best for
A refrigerator, internet and electronics through an outage, or quiet power at a campsite
Specifications
| Output (gasoline) | 1,800 W rated (15 A) / 2,200 W max (18.3 A); gasoline only |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 120 V only |
| Outlets | One 20 A 125 V duplex — no RV (TT-30R) outlet, no 240 V |
| CO shutoff | CO-MINDER — shuts the generator down before detected CO levels near it become dangerously high |
| Parallel | Two EU2200i (or an EU2000i) with Honda's optional cable — up to 4,400 W max |
| Run time | 3.2 hr at rated load, 8.1 hr at 1/4 load on 0.95 gal |
| Noise | 57 dB(A) at rated load, 48 dB(A) at 1/4 load (distance not stated) |
| Engine | Honda GXR120, 121 cc |
| Start | Recoil |
| Weight | 47.4 lb dry |
| Emissions | Not for sale in California (Honda) |
| Warranty | 3 years residential, 12 months commercial |
Specifications as published by Honda. Confirm against the current spec sheet before buying — manufacturers revise models without renaming them.
What's good
- Honda publishes 48 dB(A) at quarter load — less noise than normal conversation, by its own comparison
- 47 lb — one person carries it
- Pair a second unit later instead of replacing it with a bigger one
- My Generator app over Bluetooth for remote stop, monitoring and service reminders
What's not
- Gasoline only — no propane option
- 120 V only, with a single household duplex: no 240 V, no transfer-switch feed, and an RV needs an adapter
- 2,200 W max won't reliably start a rooftop RV air conditioner without a soft starter or a second unit in parallel
- Under a gallon of fuel means refilling during an overnight outage at anything above light load
Our verdict
Size your loads on running watts and 1,800 W is a refrigerator, a freezer, the internet, lights and phones — with one compressor's start surge inside the 2,200 W ceiling, as long as both don't start at the same instant. That is the job Honda built it for, and it does it quietly enough for a campsite. It will not run anything on 240 V or feed a transfer switch; if your plan includes a well pump or circuits rather than cords, size up to a 120/240 V unit.
Compare with the alternatives
- Westinghouse iGen12000DFc — home backup of the essentials — fridge, freezer, furnace blower, well or sump pump — through a transfer switch
- WEN DF680iX — furnace blower, fridge and sump pump in an outage, or an rv with one air conditioner
- Champion 8500W Wireless Start Tri Fuel Inverter (201537) — homes with natural gas or a large propane tank that want an inverter instead of a standby unit
- Honda EU7000iS — quiet, transfer-switch-ready 240 v backup for essentials when reliability matters more than watts per dollar
- Westinghouse iGen2550DFc — a fridge and essentials on propane, or light use in a 30 a rv