Review of the Westinghouse iGen4500 Portable Inverter Generator

Should You Buy It?

As you will see from what owners think of it below, this inverter is regarded by the majority as a good to great buy. It's a great workhorse for a diverse set of uses and, yes, it should be a top candidate on your list of potential buys if you are looking for a relatively powerful portable inverter with an electric start and a full feature set. And those power outputs can be doubled by adding another iGen4500 or compatible Westinghouse generator in parallel. However, it has to be said that there have been problems with this model, with one owner suggesting that about a quarter of the units shipped are defective.

Key Points about the Westinghouse iGen4500

Overview of the Generator

One of the more powerful portable inverters, the Westinghouse iGen4500 is packed with features that incorporate a fine balance between portability, quality, reliability, and power. It's suitable for recreational uses and is a good source of basic emergency power. With the right connections it can even run parts of your house.

Controls and Features

The iGen4500's control panel is pretty comprehensive. It features an LED Data Center displaying real-time information on runtime, remaining fuel, load/output, volts and lifetime hours.

Other outstanding benefits include a push-button electric start and the convenience of a wireless remote key fob.

When the oil level drops below the safe limit, a warning LED illuminates, and the engine stops automatically. You won't be able to start it again until you've added more oil.

For equipment connection you have a TT-30R RV Ready Outlet, 2x120v 20A household outlets (covered), and two 5v/2.1A USB ports. We show a selection of adapters and extension cords to make full use of these outlets.

With EPA Certification and CARB Compliance you can use the iGen4500 in all 50 states. It's also safe for you to use in National Parks as it comes equipped with a spark arrestor designed to prevent sparks exiting from the muffler.

You can read the iGen 4500 manual for this model.

Power Output

The heart of the iGen4500 is a 224cc Westinghouse OHV 4-stroke engine producing 4500 starting watts and 3700 running watts. And inverter technology ensures these power outputs are clean, making it safe for you to connect sensitive electronics.

A variable engine speed outputs only the power needed by connected appliances, ensuring maximum fuel efficiency and reduced noise and emissions. And it runs for up to an impressive 18 hours on its 3.4-gallon fuel tank.

If you need to, you can increase the power by connecting the iGen4500 in parallel with this optional Parallel Kit to any of the following Westinghouse inverters: iGen2200, iGen2300, iGen 2500, iGen 2600, iGen4500.

Weight

This is one of the heavier inverters at 98lbs. It comes with rear wheels and an extendable suitcase-style handle, which helps to make it more transportable.

Noise Level

The noise level is a remarkably low 52dB owing to the body's double-insulated acoustic enclosure, asymmetrical cooling fans, and low tone mufflers.

What Most Buyers Like

Buyers of the iGen4500 generally give it good to great reviews, though some of these relate to very first impressions. RV owners praise it for its ability to run multiple appliances simultaneously, including a 15k BTU AC unit. Electric and remote start, plenty of stable power and a competitive price make it a compelling choice for many. 

What Some Buyers Like Less

Rough handling during shipping prompted Westinghouse to issue a service bulletin about the control cable for the automatic choke coming disconnected. This was missed by some owners, who as a result had difficulty starting the generator from cold. The repair fixed this issue, but not before a few owners returned the generator. Also, either as a result of heavy-handed shipping, or poor quality control in assembly, a loose fuel line has caused engine cutouts and fuel leakages.

Some buyers reported that their generator had problems but their dealings with Westinghouse's after sales support were more than disappointing.