DuroMax XP2000iS 2000 Watt Digital Inverter Gas Powered Portable Generator $359.99 + Free Shipping

Per other online sources, many of these lower cost generators will last much longer if you break them in methodically; here is the regimen I used:

- before starting the first time, purchase and install a magnetic dipstick (i found this one on amazon YAMAHA EF2000iS GENERATOR MAGNETIC DIPSTICK OIL FILLER [amazon.com]). This will catch the metal shavings/particles coming off the motor during break-in
- fill the generator with oil; per the manual I used SAE 30, but 10w-30 would work as well. Don't worry, it won't be in there for long.
- fill the tank with ~16oz of ethanol free gasoline.
- Run the generator for 3 hours on normal (not economy mode) with no electrical loads attached. Let it run out of fuel.
- While the oil is still warm from running, remove the magnetic dipstick. You should see black sludgey stuff around the middle and at the tip - thats the metal coming off the engine parts. wipe the metal off until the dipstick is clean.
- If you have the oil "filler" that came with the magnetic dipstick, attach that and drain the engine oil.
- Refill the engine with fresh oil
- fill the tank with ~32oz of ethanol free gasoline (with a fuel stabilizer if you have it)
- Run the generator for 15 minutes on normal with no loads attached; once it has warmed up, attach a moderate load (100-500 watts)
- Run the generator for 5 hours with the moderate load, and then disconnect the load
- Run the generator without a load until it runs out of gas.
- Clean the dipstick. You should notice considerably less metal shavings/scum this time.
- Change the oil, and drain any excess gasoline out of the carb bowl using the little clear tube and drain screw.

There is also another trick I learned reading up on the Wen 56200i (an extremely similar generator) - while there is no fuel shutoff valve like with the Yamaha, you can turn the fuel/choke switch almost to the "off" position but not quite - this will close the fuel valve but leave the contacts open which ground out the spark plug.

Try to run the generator both with and without load for a few hours every 3 months or so, always draining the gas tank when you're finished.