1,600 W continuous for 18.5 kg: the SG2500i is light and affordable, but it has the lowest continuous power in the panel. Its sheet mixes up two noise quantities, which rules out any comparison on that point.
What its figures are worth
- Continuous power 40 %1600 W · 4/10
- Price per continuous kW 25 %251.1 USD per kW · 9.5/10
- Noise at 7 metresnot published by the maker
- Weight 15 %18.5 kg · 10/10
Scale applied at 80%: criteria with no published figure drop out and the remaining weights are renormalised. Weighting: Continuous power 40 %, Price per continuous kW 25 %, Noise at 7 metres 20 %, Weight 15 %.
Choose it if
- Leisure and small loads: lighting, a pump, chargers.
- Frequent carrying by hand.
- A small budget.
Skip it if
- Site tools: most saws draw over 1,400 W.
- Backing up a house with several appliances.
- Needing a reliable noise figure.
Published specifications
| Specification | Stated value |
|---|---|
| Continuous power | 1600 W |
| Maximum power | 2000 W |
| Noise at 7 metres | not published on the page we consulted |
| Sound power LwA | not published on the page we consulted |
| Weight | 18.5 kg (net) |
| Fuel tank | not published on the page we consulted |
| Stated runtime | not published on the page we consulted |
| Displacement | not published on the page we consulted |
Before you plug anything in
- Never in an enclosed space. Not a garage, a basement or a shed, even with the door open. A generator gives off carbon monoxide, an odourless gas that kills. Outside, away from doors and windows.
- Never wired straight into the consumer unit. Back-feeding a house through a double-male lead sends current into the grid and endangers the people working on it. The connection goes through a changeover switch fitted by a qualified electrician.
- An extension lead rated for the load. A lead that is too thin heats up. On site, 2.5 mm² cable and a sensible length.
- Store fuel outside in an approved can, and refuel with the engine off and cool.
What the maker shows
Frequently asked questions
Where does this machine's score come from?
It is calculated, not awarded. Five measurable criteria are weighted, and each value is mapped onto a scale relative to the other machines in the comparison. For this machine, 80% of the scale could be applied: criteria the maker does not publish drop out rather than being replaced by an estimate.
How much power does a self-build site need?
Add up the machines that run at the same time, then allow a margin. An 800 W mixer and a 1,400 W circular saw already ask for 2,200 W continuous, plus the start-up peak. For that pair, a machine around 2 kW continuous is too tight; aim for 3 kW.
Can an inverter generator run a laptop?
Yes, that is the point of it. Inverter technology produces a clean sine wave, usually under 3 percent distortion, which electronics tolerate. A conventional AVR generator suits power tools but not always sensitive devices.