Last Updated: February 20, 2019 (Refresh Now)

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Overview

Review Summary

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Specs

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WEN 56180 1800 Watt Portable Generator CARB Compliant

Last Updated: February 20, 2019 (Refresh Now)

6.8

SCORE

/10

Total Reviews

455

Old Reviews

126

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Review Analysis - 258 recent, verified reviews

Detailed Mode

Product Reliability

started, ran, wen, irma, hurricane

+50%

-50%

" ... Ordered first one, would not run after 3 days. ... "

" ... Then the clutch on the pull string went out and ultimately quit working. ... "

" ... Piece of junk. ... Out of box doesn’t work. ... "

" ... It would start and run fine for a half hour to 45 minutes and quit. ... Sometimes run 5 minutes and quit. ... "

" ... A couple months later I have prepped it for use and now the thing simply does not work. ... "

" ... Awful had for a couple months and now it’s broke ... "

" ... Purchased and ha not worked ever. ... Not the first generator I have had, but the first one that has never started. ... "

" ... very bad the product, I worked a few times and now it does not work I bought it two months ago and it no longer works ... "

For Running

run, ran, start, runs, stay running

+52%

-48%

" ... Ran well and did what i wanted. ... "

" ... She runs great. ... "

" ... Been running strong for a good time now. ... "

" ... Unit started on first pull and runs great. ... "

" ... All my power tools run wonderful. ... "

" ... I added 30w up to the the full mark and started with one pull and ran fine. ... "

" ... He uses a kil-a-watt meter to keep the Wattage being drawn under the 1500 running Watts limit. ... "

" ... It took a few pulls to get it started, but it ran fine. ... The generator was able to handle the start-up surge and run the saw without any problem. ... Pretty sure I can run 2 of them. ... "

Price

money, worth, generator, waste, cost

+80%

-20%

" ... No its not a 5k-10k watt generator, but for the wattage it's amazingly good enough for the price. ... "

" ... For the price, I think it’s a bargain. ... "

" ... It's almost disposable at this price. ... "

" ... Great generator for the price. ... "

" ... Definitely worth every cent!! ... "

" ... Overall, my impression is good, and I am expecting a good long term value for the price point. ... "

" ... Worth it for the price point. ... "

" ... cant get a better one for the 199 price tag. ... "

Build Quality

spark plug, parts, generator, air filter, recoil starter

+23%

-77%

" ... Mine does not start, it has pieces missing too. ... "

" ... More specifically the airbox was in about 20 pieces. ... I don't think I'll buy another one as this thing was made on a thin nickel. ... "

" ... Awful had for a couple months and now it’s broke ... "

" ... But to access the spark plug & wire I pretty much had to remove the gas tank, (the plug is WITHIN the entire frame housing & protected by the tank). ... But for some strange reason the plug wire (beneath the boot) was shattered in several pieces & tip of spark plug visibly bent. ... UpDATE: replacement came with something broken (broken plastic in piece fell out of packaging) i havent found where but it wasnt the ... it would've gotten 5+stars if it hadnt come damaged the 1st time. ... "

" ... Used it once, my wife went to start again after refilling and a piece broke off where the winding coil is causing it to slide off at every start attempt. ... Generator cheaply made. ... "

" ... They left a half a dozen screws loose Plus the bolts or sorry the nuts to the rocker arms didn't even last 36 hours before I had to put it in the shop and have it repaired worst damn thing I ever bought ever still under my 30 day warranty I will send it back I don't want the piece of crap and the gas mileage is horrible ... "

" ... Used twice and it broke. ... "

" ... On the first pull of the cord, the entire air filter case broke off and was unfixable. ... Turns out the spark plug broke in half! ... I would have given this generator 5 stars if not for the quality of this product, having two completely different things breaking before it is even a day old is completely unacceptable. ... I would not recommend this generator to anyone as it'll break right when you need it most. ... "

Fit

generator, broken, recoil starter, parts, gas

+44%

-56%

" ... Turned it off and then whatever was inside fell into a place where it locked the engine up. ... "

" ... On the first pull of the cord, the entire air filter case broke off and was unfixable. ... I would not recommend this generator to anyone as it'll break right when you need it most. ... "

" ... UpDATE: replacement came with something broken (broken plastic in piece fell out of packaging) i havent found where but it wasnt the ... "

" ... Took off a star because the bolts the hold the rubber shock absorbers on kept coming loose and finally stripped. ... "

" ... After 5-6 hours of use, the recoil starter broke, it wouldn't retract the line anymore. ... I pulled off the assembly, and plastic parts inside the recoil starter assembly had broken. ... "

" ... Used it once, my wife went to start again after refilling and a piece broke off where the winding coil is causing it to slide off at every start attempt. ... "

" ... I moved the choke to the middle position, pulled once, and it started again. ... "

Ease of Use

start, tank, procedure, oil, easy to use

+69%

-31%

" ... lightweight and easy to start yet this can produce 1800 peak watts. ... "

" ... It starts easy and runs good. ... "

" ... Easy to use. ... "

" ... I was able to find a replacement carburetor on amazon a few years back and it was easy to swap it out. ... They did supply a funnel to make the procedure easier. ... A pretty easy procedure actually. ... "

" ... Tried to plug into the sockets, smooth and easy. ... "

" ... Fresh gas starts very easy. ... "

" ... So I did give it 4 stars because it came in time and was easy to use . ... "

" ... They did, it was very easy to install. ... "

Power Consumption

generator, voltage, outage, electricity, hurricane

+69%

-31%

" ... I've checked the voltage under load with my Kill A Watt EZ Electricity Usage Monitor and it is fine. ... "

" ... We can go from hours to days without power. ... This is our 6th generator but I got smarter this time and bought a generator that will power the essentials and not cost us a couple hundred dollars in gas during our need. ... "

" ... It will come in handy if the power goes out for an extended period of time. ... "

" ... amazing generator for camping or light work were electricity is needed. ... "

" ... Used quite a bit during a 5-day power outage from Hurricane Irma. ... "

" ... This generator is currently getting us through a power outage due to the snow storm in North Carolina. ... "

" ... So far so good, ready for the next power outage . ... "

" ... I put a voltage meter into one of power socket, and it read 120v. ... "

Size

size, generator, compact, portable, like

+100%

" ... This is fine for lights, portable power tools etc. ... "

" ... It is light enough to move around. ... "

" ... Not to be used as a main generator but it is light and great for small jobs and camping. ... "

" ... Best Buy in small generators. ... "

" ... I like the compact size and weight. ... "

" ... works perfect for my small needs ... "

" ... Small but powerful. ... "

" ... Great, smaller sized generator. ... "

For Travel

trip, took, went, us, started

+62%

-38%

" ... I got it for power emergencies and camping duties. ... "

" ... We bought this for running small items when we go camping. ... "

" ... Took it camping to stay warm with an electric heater. ... "

" ... Worked great first time I used it for camping. ... "

" ... Would be great for camping. ... "

" ... This was a huge help during camping. ... "

" ... It's perfect for my camping trips. ... "

" ... Not to be used as a main generator but it is light and great for small jobs and camping. ... "

Returns

returned, full refund, window, sent, replacement

-100%

" ... PITA to send back but I got a full refund. ... "

" ... When this happens you get only partial refund. ... "

" ... Wish I could return it. ... "

" ... Came broken and it is too late to return it. ... "

" ... Returned it and amazon.com deducted 20% of my money. ... "

" ... The thing was "repaired" and sent back to me. ... "

" ... 10 days after the return window closed. ... "

" ... I'd return this unit if it was still in the time range. ... "

Marketplace

one, generator, thanks, reviews, money

+55%

-45%

" ... After reading the reviews and considering the price, (and noting it is fulfilled by amazon under prime) I decided to try out the WEN 1800 generator. ... "

" ... We paid 180 dollars here at amazon. ... "

" ... Arrived on time and it works great - Thank you ... "

" ... They promptly mailed me out a new one. ... "

" ... Amazon is always super on returns and taking care of shipping. ... "

Volume

little, pull, louder, lawnmower, terribly

+40%

-60%

" ... This thing is LOUD though. ... I would say a bit louder than a lawnmower, but if it's 100ft away from you, you can barely hear it. ... "

" ... This is louder than it should be. ... "

" ... the only thing is that these things are really loud, I think these companies should make some sort of small muffler . ... but lost a star on the fact it was very loud, more than I figured it would be . ... "

" ... LOUD af, yo. ... "

" ... It's loud, and it rattles. ... "

Sound Quality

loud, noise level, generator, noise, terribly

+70%

-30%

" ... It is also very quiet. ... "

" ... As I said before, it's surprising quiet. ... "

" ... Noise level was ok, started great. ... "

" ... they do make them and would make the small ones much more quiet . ... "

" ... This generator runs good and is fairly quiet. ... "

" ... Soundwise it is not 'quiet' but not terribly loud either. ... "

" ... We had it about 25 feet away from where we were working and sound was not an issue. ... "

Storage

freezer, tank, run, refrigerator, oil

+80%

-20%

" ... and holds it well. ... "

" ... Surprisingly well built and has a large enough capacity tank to run a standard length runtime but uses a fraction of the fuel of a larger companion if you only need to pull 1500-1800 watts. ... "

" ... I use it for my refrigerator and other small appliances and it works very well. ... "

" ... It has been great and powers the fridge and freezer. ... "

" ... Holds the load. ... "

" ... I ran separate extension cords to the deep freezer and the refrigerator. ... I love knowing that when the power goes out I can open and close my fridge without worrying that I'm losing too much cold air. ... "

" ... It fits in small spaces (I pack toolbox of a 1 ton dump) and does the job just fine. ... "

" ... Pulled it apart and the air cleaner compartment had a very small crack in it also. ... "

Overall performance

job, generator, starts, done, speed

+100%

" ... It was very great came fast to ... "

" ... Small but does the job ... "

" ... Gets the job done. ... "

" ... It has a variable speed motor and is duel stage, so plenty of electronics and it runs fine when powered by this generator. ... "

" ... It starts easy and runs good. ... "

" ... Starts right up and runs smoothly. ... "

" ... The generator started easily and runs very smooth. ... "

" ... Runs my incinerator like a dream. ... "

Cleaning

air cleaner, vacuum, tank, gas, fill

+78%

-22%

" ... The cleaner sticks out beyond the frame and gets broken in shipping . ... "

" ... Easy setup & start when we purchased in March, now it's Sept, used minimally for running lights, tools, lcd tv and now the vacuum hose has already split next to the gas tank & now the power output has dropped to around 35 watts . ... "

" ... Looked into the gas tank, and it’s clean. ... Unplugged the oil plug, and it’s clean and oily. ... "

" ... I'd recommend a funnel for this as the included funnel is more suited to the aforementioned ridiculous oil fill location. ... "

" ... Charged my laptop, 2 phones, ran my 65 inch tv and PS4 Pro, all while running a vacuum cleaner and tall lamp all at the same time. ... "

" ... Pulled it apart and the air cleaner compartment had a very small crack in it also. ... "

Charging

refrigerator, run, generator, battery charger, ran

+89%

-11%

" ... Runs 2 televisions, 2 fans, charges phone, microwave and refrigerator with no problems. ... "

" ... I plugged in a power battery charger and charge normally. ... "

" ... I have a gas furnace so this is plenty to run my furnace and refrigerator and charge some batteries I use at night. ... "

" ... I wanted a generator for light duty work so I could power a few things, charge my drill batteries, et cetera. ... "

" ... This is a good generator, it worked and allowed us to have some TV and charge our stuff. ... "

" ... Enough for several devices to charge, a couple fans and lights. ... "

" ... Perfect size to run my refrigerator and a fan with some phone chargers when the power goes out. ... "

" ... I was able to power a TV, my xbox to play Dark Souls 2, a lamp, a fan, charge my laptop and phone. ... "

Setup

easy, got

+75%

-25%

" ... Followed the simple start up instructions. ... "

" ... It was packed well enough and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. ... "

" ... Tried to plug into the sockets, smooth and easy. ... "

" ... They did, it was very easy to install. ... "

" ... Haven't used it yet but assemble was easy right out of the box. ... "

Capacity

living, heater, generator, window, run

+100%

" ... use for fish house. ... "

" ... It's running our refrigerator, deep freezer, and a cabinet heater in our 1400 sg ft upstairs level. ... "

" ... Bought for use during construction on my family's home. ... "

" ... Perfect for a mobile home. ... "

" ... Works well at our cabin. ... "

" ... Living in Florida, a generator is a must. ... "

" ... I plugged a 1600Watt room heater on full blast to test it. ... "

Battery Life

generator, charge, worst, shut, run

+75%

-25%

" ... Got my money back in just 36 hours :) hooray! ... "

" ... Lasts a long time works great ... "

" ... I plugged in a power battery charger and charge normally. ... "

" ... I wanted a generator for light duty work so I could power a few things, charge my drill batteries, et cetera. ... "

" ... so it is a life saver . ... "

Delivery

box, days, upon, packaging, packaged

+86%

-14%

" ... Super fast shipment. ... "

" ... The generator arrived fine, packaging was good. ... "

" ... Packaged nicely for shipping with no damage. ... "

" ... Arrived on time and it works great - Thank you ... "

" ... The shipping box looked fine. ... "

Cables

pull, plug wire, extension cord, cord, pulled the cord

+17%

-83%

" ... Whoever tried to wire it didn't do it correctly and needed redone. ... "

" ... Tried a new plug, cleaned the carb, and have checked the wires. ... "

" ... I've tried so many times that the pull cord no longer works. ... "

Weight

weight, like, compact, size and weight, size

+100%

" ... Only for light duty. ... "

" ... I like the compact size and weight. ... "

" ... This generator is very small and light weight, but gets the job done. ... "

" ... I like its compact size and light weight, which I needed because I have to carry it up and down some steep stairs on my property. ... "

" ... ), it's quite, awesome on fuel, it light weight (only 50lbs or so), and lets face it ... "

Comfort

started, revving, hand, get, evap

-100%

" ... Wore blisters on my fingers from constantly restarting. ... "

" ... I moved the choke to the middle position, pulled once, and it started again. ... "

Drying

running, run, generator, gas, tank

+50%

-50%

" ... Only thing it could be good for would be running a hair dryer, or charging your cell phone when glamping . ... "

" ... The first generator I received had a leak in the gas tank and would not stay running long enough to complete the break-in cycle. ... "

Cooling

cold, air, watt, heater, got

+100%

" ... peek 1800 watt is little more running 8000 btu air conditioning now ... "

" ... I plugged a 1600Watt room heater on full blast to test it. ... "

" ... My five month old and wife were cool and nothing got spoiled in the fridge. ... "

" ... I have a 17 seer 1 ton ductless ac unit and a basic energy star fridge (boight within the last year) i can run the fridge and the mini split in dehumidifier mode (cools but not super cold, but in fl the dehumidifilying is so appreciates durring outages) your mileage may vary on loads again this is a very efficient fridge and ac. ... "

Device Compatibility

would, wait, one

+50%

-50%

" ... The generator worked ok the first couple of times I used it, but that was for fairly small devices. ... "

" ... I called Wen and got tired of their phone support, it would put you on hold and you wait and wait for your turn then when you're at number one it would say no one is available and they would have to call you back. ... "

Features

engine, well, power, oil

+67%

-33%

" ... The light dims for MAYBE 1 second while the engine comes to match the load but it was perfectly stable. ... "

" ... Works well lowers stuff great and is light. ... "

Hair

cut, hedge, good, gas

+100%

" ... Then I switched to a larger circular skill saw rated at 9 Amps and measured at nearly 1000 Watts while cutting a 2x4. ... "

" ... I bought this generator to power all of my yard tools (weed wacker, hedge trimmer, leaf blower, brush hog, etc.) ... "

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Specifications

No specs available.

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