Briggs and Stratton Vs Honda A very hot debate because both of these brands are the top winners on the market, known for their best tools and engines.
In our article today, we’re going to be discussing both brands from different perspectives. We’ll be comparing them in terms of their features, two of their popular generators, and things that are good and bad about these brands.
As a rule of thumb, Honda generators are much more expensive than Briggs & Stratton generators. As such, if you are on a tight budget, a Briggs & Stratton generator is definitely a good choice since it can last for years if it is properly maintained.
It is well known that Honda engines are reliable and durable, while Briggs & Stratton engines are powerful and high performing. A closer look shows that while their ratings may appear similar at first glance, specific consumers may find that their ratings differ in terms of durability, bagging, and handling. So, let’s take a closer look at both of these brands.
Briggs and Stratton VS Honda – History of Their Engines
None of the two brands is new. Both of them have been there for years now and made their name with their high-quality products.
Briggs and Stratton
A Fortune 1000 company, Briggs & Stratton is an American manufacturer of gasoline engines that came into being in 1908 as a partnership between Stephen Foster Briggs and Harold M. Stratton. Its headquarters are in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
Cast-iron engines were the company’s first product, still known for their durability. Briggs & Stratton gasoline engines have been specially designed to be used with lawnmowers, pressure washers, go-karts, and generators.
Interestingly, it wasn’t until 1953, when Briggs & Stratton developed a new engine called an aluminium lightweight, that the company gained popularity. After that, their name has been growing with each new production.
Honda
Honda is a brand everyone knows about. It’s the top leading brand in the world of electrical tools and vehicles and even those of you who didn’t know much about Briggs and Stratton would definitely know about Honda. Also, it’s a lot older than Briggs and Stratton.
Soichiro Honda and Takeo Fujisawa founded Honda Motor Company, Ltd. in October 1946 as a Japanese multi-national automobile, motorcycle, and power equipment manufacturer. The headquarters of the company is located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
There are several industries in which Honda is known as a leader. Among its many accomplishments, the company has been a leading motorcycle manufacturer worldwide since 1959. It doesn’t end there! The company also manufactures internal combustion engines and is known to be the largest manufacturer in the world.
In August 1978, Honda expanded its product line in overseas markets, including the United States, with the introduction of the HR21 walk-behind lawn mower. Featuring a vertical engine, this product was the first of its type by Honda.
Read out for the Best Inverter Generators here.
Types of Generators
Both of the brands, Briggs and Stratton and Honda manufacture both the Portable and Standby generators. Let’s take a deeper look on how are these two different.
Portable Gasoline Generators
As the name tells, they’re portable; can be carried along anywhere. In remote areas where electricity is not available, they’re a good alternative as they provide efficient energy for homes during power outages. Also, they’re used for other purposes such as camping trips, RV vans, etc. Portable generators run on gasoline or diesel. Their sockets are 120-volt, just like those on the walls of our homes.
There are also some portable generators that are designed for powering ovens, refrigerators, and microwave use because they can adjust engine speeds.
Standby Generators
Standby generators aren’t portable. A permanent installation for these standby generators is made outside your office or home. Powered by a switch, they are directly plugged into the electrical power circuit, thus saving electricity in case the power goes out.
These generators run on liquid propane or natural gas and are used by hospitals, schools, emergency services, and other facilities requiring constant power.
Briggs and Stratton VS Honda – Comparing the Top Two Models
Let’s compare Honda’s one of the best generator models EU3000iS and Briggs and Stratton’s P2200 Inverter Generator.
HONDA EU3000iS
Here are some major and most noticeable features of the Honda EU3000iS:
- Engine Power
An engine of 196 CC powers the Honda EU3000iS generator and the generator itself is larger than Briggs and Stratton’s P2200 model. Hence, the bigger the generator, more is the power.
Honda EU3000iS’s maximum and rated power are 3000 and 2800 watts, respectively. A model like this can power a large number of electronics and appliances.
Due to its parallel capabilities, this generator can be linked with a second generator of the same kind to double its power. This way, if there are more appliances to be powered at the same time, or some appliances need more power than the power provided by one EU3000iS generator, you can easily double the power by connecting two EU3000iS models.
- Quiet Operation
Unlike other common generators, this Honda generator operates very quietly. While the generator is running, the max noise level that you’ll hear from 23 feet would be 50 dbA, just equal to what you hear when two people are having a normal conversation. This little noise would obviously be no problem for you and your neighbours.
- Smooth Start-Up
The generator starts up pretty easily with its electric start. All you’ve got to do is push the start button and the generator starts running within seconds. The excellent part about its starting mechanism is that in addition to the switch, there’s also s recoil that facilitates the start-up when the battery is low, and the switch cannot do the job.
- Fuel-Efficient
In addition to having more power for the operation, EU3000iS is fuel-efficient too. Although it has a big fuel tank, as big as 3.4 gallons yet it uses the fuel wisely and efficiently. The runtime with one time-filled tank is as long as 20 hours.
You might want to read: What type of Oil does Honda generator use?
- Additional Features
Among other features of the Honda EU3000iS, one is the Low Oil Alert which shows an indication that the generator is low on fuel now. Hence, protects the engine from running dry or under low lubrication conditions.
The other one is its circuit breaker which protects the generator from overloading. In case the generator gets a load higher than it can facilitate, it breaks the circuit and stops the generator from running.
BRIGGS AND STRATTON P2200
Let us now take a look at Briggs and Stratton’s P2200 features.
- Power Output
This model has a 110 CC engine and comes with a starting wattage of 2200 watts and a rated wattage of 1700 watts. Although it’s a lot lesser than the power provided by Honda EU300iS, still sufficient enough to power several light devices that won’t require very high power to run.
- Quiet Operation
Very similar to the Honda generator that we’ve talked about, this generator is also quiet in its operation. With a noise level of 59 dbA, all the noise you can hear is just like that of two humans having a normal conversation. You don’t even get bothered and can continue doing your things near around. Here are some of the reasons why generators are so loud.
- Automatically Adjusted Speed
Another great thing about this generator is that it automatically adjusts the engine speed according to the load being borne. This way, when there’s a lesser load on the engine, it also reduces fuel consumption.
Depending upon the adjusted speed, the generator also manages the noise.
- Electronics Safe
It is safe to use this generator even with sensitive electronics connected to it. Electronic devices benefit from smooth power provided by inverters. Phones, laptops, gaming systems, etc. can be connected with the generator ports.
Three outlets are available on the panel. One DC outlet and two AC outlets. For the convenience of powering a wide range of electronics and appliances, there is also a USB port on the generator.
- Run Time
Compared to the 20 hours of the run time of the Honda EU3000iS, this Briggs and Stratton generator offers 8 hours of run time at a load of 25%, which for a generator of this size, is an appreciable thing. With an increased load, the run time would obviously be decreased.
Things to Consider When Selecting a Generator
When selecting a generator, here are some of the factors that we think are extremely important to consider before ending up making a choice.
Build Quality – Build quality is the first important thing that you must notice. A generator with a poor build will be less reliable than one with a robust build. The good quality build has a lot to do with the brand, as the top brands take the build highly into consideration.
This is one of the reasons that most people prefer going towards well-known and reputable brands to trying out and experiencing new ones.
Easy Operation – Nobody would want to spend extra energy and time just starting up and running the generator. Therefore, when buying a generator, make sure that it’s easy to operate and that you can easily understand the labelled controls.
Power Output – Considering the power output is the MOST important thing when you’re looking for a generator. Do calculate the power output you’ll need to run your appliances, and then choose a generator that would meet your requirements.
When choosing a power supply, you should look at the rated power and peak power provided by the manufacturer. Keep an eye more on the rated power and less on the actual power. Because, when the generator runs continuously, this is what it can provide. So, clearly, this is the type of power you need.
Run Time – Run time is something that the fuel tank size of the generator and its fuel efficiency will decide. So, you’ll have to focus on both of these things. It may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer on how much fuel efficiency you get and how long you can run on a single tank.
This figure would tell you whether the generator is fuel-efficient. The more fuel-efficient the generator, the greater will be its run time.
Environment Safe – Safety of our environment is all of ours’ responsibility and so, look for the generators that are certified as environment friendly which means they’ll release less emissions compared to the uncertified ones that emit more emissions.
Low emissions approvals are given by several organizations. Depending on where you live, these may include the EPA, CARB, and others.
User Reviews – User reviews, in my opinion, are something to be highly considered whenever you’re purchasing a product. By doing so, you get to know the experiences of different users and then decide accordingly, depending on your personal preferences and requirements.
Therefore, when shortlisting the generators you think would be suitable for you, you must take a look at their user reviews.
Briggs And Stratton Vs Honda Generators – FAQs
Conclusion
In a nutshell, both Honda and Briggs and Stratton are the market leaders and great manufacturers of generators. But Honda of course is a bigger and more popular brand as compared to the others. However, for the generators they’ve manufactured, both of them have brought forward some of the best generators you’ll find on the market.
We’ve absolutely loved our experience with both brands, and we’ll recommend them both to our readers with the advice that goes for the product that best suits your needs and preferences and is also budget-friendly for you.
