Generators Reviews

I bought this generator as our job site power supply. We don't run lots of tools at once- on this particular job we've run a cement mixer, radio, battery charger & sawzall simultaneously with no problem. It is very quiet for a unit its size, as with all Makita tools I have used. The engine starts first pull every time, and we haven't had any trouble. It goes all day on a tank of gas, and we run it all day long- 10 hours min. with no problem.
We are actually on our second G4300L. The first one was stolen. I shopped all around before I bought the first one, and then again briefly when I bought #2. The only other generator I considered was the DeWalt DG4300. The Mak and DeWalt have the best engines- Robin and Honda respectively- are compact, well protected, have steel gas tanks, and offer all the other features I want. Other brands have either lesser motors, too much plastic, are not compact, or use sub-standard construction, like solderless electrical connections, chintzy roll cages, or cheap hardware.
The DeWalt was a strong contender. It has a Honda engine, sturdy construction, plenty of plug-ins, wheels and handles, an optional lift eye and good protective cage. It also has a great low-idle feature which powers the unit down when tools aren't running.
About the DeWalt: I don't need wheels, and really on most of my jobs the wheels would either be useless or in the way. The handles don't impress me- they seemed cheap, would be in the way also. I don't need a low-idle. If my generator is running, I'm using it, if I'm not using it, I turn the thing off. The Honda engine is the best thing about the unit, can't say anything bad about that. I do like the option of a lift eye, but not the look of DeWalt's version. It looks like a pain to bolt on, and like handles, seems cheap. The Dewalt is also more expensive than the Makita. I know the Dewalt is cheaper on Amazon, but locally, the Mak was cheaper.
About the Makita: I really like the compactness of the unit, but wish it had an extra protective bar in front of the plug-ins, as on the DeWalt. The unit stows easily in my truck without wheels, and is easy to haul around in a wheel barrow. I don't know why Mak or DeWalt can't integrate ergonomic handles or lifting eyes into cage design, but they should. Engine: The Mak has a 9 HP Robin compared to the 8 HP Honda of the DeWalt. Now, I'm not an engineer, but I think all things being equal, more HP to the generator head = less work on the engine to produce the same power. I believe that Robin is a subsidiary of Honda, and the shop techs I talked to all had nothing but praise for the engines. I would knock a half star off for the absence of handles or lift eyes, but since no one integrates these features, and the fact that ratings are by the whole-star only, my 5-star rating will stand.
In closing, I should probably also include the disclaimer that I am biased in favor Makita. I love their tools, and at this point, I have owned and used so many different brands and done so much homework researching purchases, that unless it is something specific I want, like the Skil Mag 77, I save the trouble and Buy Blue. Sometimes Blue is Bosch, but usually it's Makita. Never a problem, never a regret, and always a great piece of equipment.