Bought this for backup when the power is out. Electrician installed an interlock switch so as not to backfeed power to the grid. Now i have what i need when the power is out !! Love the electric start. Also like that the choke is integrated into the start switch. Mine was a display model and was missing the cord for charging the battery. Called customer service and they promptly sent one via mail at no charge. I have owned other brands and generac is by far the best.

My review is based on the DeWalt 6500 made by Generac. DeWalt a name that is associated with quality products. No matter if it's tools or a generator. DeWalt is a name that is synonymous in the industry for quality. This generator is made by Generac for Dewalt which also is a name that is synonymous in the power generator industry for reliable generators. The bigger the watts on the generator usage, the longer run time at 50% power before refueling. In other words if you run the generator at half load (in this particular case 2 divided into 6500 watts = 3250 watts) you will decrease the fuel consumption by about half. The generator will not have to run at maximum speed to produce a continuous 6500 watts. That is why if you plan on purchasing a generator, always purchase a bigger generator in terms of wattage than you will need. This will decrease your fuel consumption by the generator and you'll be able to run for an extended period of time on the same amount of fuel. Living in South Louisiana along the Gulf Coast, we experience hurricanes often.This generator will allow me the peace of mind knowing that the size of this DeWalt generator will allow me to know that this generator will meet my most critical needs after my power has been knocked out and knowing that the DeWalt name is behind this generator. This generator will allow me to keep my refrigerator and freezer (packed with seafood) continually working and keeping my family comfortable in the hot and humid Louisiana weather. One thing to remember, when using a generator, plug-in one appliance at a time to keep the generator from spiking. All appliances have a capacitor which kicks in when first starting the appliance. This draws quite a bit of wattage from the generator. The capacitor is used to to start the unit and once the unit is up and running the capacitor will disengage and the unit will be running normal. Once this is accomplished the next appliance can be plugged into the generator outlet. Repeat the procedure for the next appliance. This procedure will keep the generator from spiking and shutting down. This DeWalt generator is packed with many features that makes it practical and versitly for a portable generator. DeWalt uses two words to define their array of products "GUARANTEED TOUGH" and that is the truth!

Got this as 'insurance' against the increasing number of power outages. My electrician set up wiring for easy connection to my breaker box. It's really easy to roll around and use. It runs all the essential things (sump pump, furnace, refrigerator/freezer some lights, one burner on fridge, computer) - about 1/2 the house - plenty for an extended outage. I am almost looking forward to putting it through its paces during the next outage. Almost.

i went to specifically buy this generator after much research....I wanted electric start and a quieter portable...I got it on sale which was a real surprise....Put the oil and gas in , attached battery cables and it fired right up instantly.....Way quieter than my neighbours generator of another make ....Works great ...very happy

Living in Metro Detroit I unfortunately have the regional power supplier as my electric utility. Unfortunately the power is just a bit less reliable than it is in Afghanistan. After numerous outages and a ridiculous amount of damage I bought this generator. Unboxed it, put the frame and wheels together, added the oil and gasoline and it starts on the first pull (actually not even a pull - just a tug after the starter engaged). Light enough for me to lift myself, and with the wheels it is easily mobile. More than enough power to run the sump pump, freezer, and refrigerator for short spells during the numerous outages I experience. Extremely easy to use and maintain. It is unfortunate I need to own something like this at all, but since I do I doubt I could do better. Do the scheduled maintenance and it is always ready and should last indefinitely. Given the track record of the local utility they should be required to provide one for every customer.

Ran it 15 minutes when i bought it. It ran very well. Didn't have to use it this winter, thankfully. Ran it 3 days ago and the float was stuck in the carb, leaking fuel everywhere. I had put Stabil in it for storage. A little disappointed, but they fixed it under warranty. Overall runs the whole house with ease, so thumbs up. Just had a minor problem. Hope that is all that goes wrong with it.

The generator was easy to assemble and use with minimal effort. Instructions were concise and intuitive. All necessary parts were included. The generator started after a few revs of the starter and ran reliably over the next 1 1/2 weeks after Sandy hit. It is reasonably quiet for its rating. It was used to run a variety of household items through the house circuitry which included well pump, septic pump, 2 refrigerators, miscellaneous lighting, oil furnace with hot water baseboard heat, TV, computers and microwave. There were no issues with the performance. There were two less than excellent features: 1) the "snap in pin that supports the collapsible handle is not very sturdy and it will not support any significant pressure. It sheared partially off when someone leaned on it, when locked in the up position. 2) the oil dip stick is not clearly marked with "full" and "add" markings and the instructions are not very clear about the fill level. A picture would have helped.

Like others, I do find this generator to be a little on the loud side. I also have an older Generac 4000XL that is nowhere near as loud. With that said, I am very happy with the generator so far. I have run it only about 20 minutes but fully intend to give it a break-in workout this weekend. First impressions are it is substantially more than the 4000XL in ways far beyond just the wattage ratings. I like the electric start, the tank filler screen, the fuel line filter, the metal fuel shutoff valve, and many other details that just make me feel this generator is considerably more solid. I do wish it was a pressurized oil system and filter on the engine, but I could not justify the price increase to get that feature. All in all, I find this generator to be an excellent value. Yes there are trade-offs, but it will serve my home backup purposes well.

I bought this unit for backup power 9 months ago. I run it 30 minutes every month. The last time I started it, it leaked a gallon of gas around the generator. Had I not checked after 5 minutes running, I am sure my building and surrounding buildings would have gone up in a huge fire. Needless to say, I returned the unit for a refund. I can't recommend this without knowing what the problem with the generator is! Never, never, another gasoline generator.

I'm pleased with the overall look and the attention to engineering details. The generator appears to have been designed for ease of maintenance. I like the location of the oil dipstick, oil filter and the oil fill on the engine. I also liked the oil drain hose which will make it easier to not make a mess when draining the motor oil. I would have liked for it to have flat-free tires. This generator will be stored for long periods of time between use. I do not look forward to having to air up tires when I need to move it to where it will be needed during a power outage. I would have also liked covers over the electrical outlets to keep mud daubers from plugging the outlets with mud during storage. I have not used the generator yet, but overall I like what I see based on decades of experience as a railroad signal maintainer running generators at signal locations during power outages.