Champion 4250-Watt Inverter Generator

This champion features 4250 peak watts of power and it's light at around 90 lbs. It's easy to carry because of the steel rail-tubing construction, and the gas valve and engine connector cable-plugs are easy to reach. The generator will run 6 or more hours on a single fill, which amount to under 1.25 gallons, despite their booklet stating it's a 4-gallon tank! My gas can holds 1.75 gallons and you can't empty it into the tank as it requires about 1/2" (I use 2") of clearance to safely operate. The generator runs quietly and the remote works, and is easy to reset, if necessary. My last Champion ran for over 2-years without any issues, but with yearly maintenance running around $200, it made better sense to buy a new model, especially when Amazon offered it at 50% off the retail price. I gave it a 5-star rating because of its reliability and overall features, however it is not perfect— (1) the wheels are cheap and wobble when pulled over dirt/gravel trails because they're held in place with cheap cotter pins. I removed the wheels, added 2" diameter larger wheels with short threaded axles at one end so I can lock the wheels securely with washers and lock nuts. Larger, beefier wheels allow for easier rolling up hills without any annoying lateral wobbling. But, when increasing the wheel diameter, you must elevate the front, short legs to keep the machine level on the ground. (2) unlike other Champion models, oddly, the ignition wires are too short, making it cumbersome to kneel next to the machine to view the wires when you're either connecting or disconnecting them. (3) the cheap plastic carabiner will eventually break and you could lose your remote control unit. I replaced it with a small, inexpensive stainless steel carabiner. (4) though the remote control works, when you change batteries, you'll be dismayed by the inefficient design in how the battery is inserted into the remote. I'm surprised they lasted for a couple of years without failure. Champion could have engineered a better remote as they are cheap to produce. Thicker plastic, how expensive is that. Think of automobile remotes. (5) the gas tank filter/fill gage indicator is a disaster as the filter slows the pouring of gasoline into the tank and the gauge is worthless, mine didn't work from the start and is unnecessary because you run the generator until it stops. No big deal.On the positive side, they build inexpensive generators that are quiet, reliable, some provide remote controls, and rail-tubing that makes transport easier and keeps the engine cooler and a steel loop to clip your remote control onto, in addition they are lightweight. I run a single demolition-type jackhammer on it without any issues, and it doesn't tax the operation of the generator. However, operating 2-tools simultaneously will tax the generator, thereby decreasing its lifespan. Finally, the steel tubing used to pull the generator along the ground works great, unlike some of their other models that incorporate plastic handles that flex, and are too short, which causes the generator to crash against the back of your ankles when you are pulling the generator. This version's handle is perfect in length and makes hauling it a breeze. I like using Champion's generators and all future purchases will be the rail-framed models. A great generator at an extremely inexpensive price. Thanks Amazon.