The key word for the modern class of portable generators is “flexibility”. When you have a solution to concerns ranging from home power backup, to camping, to “bugging out with a family of 5” all with the same product, it gives you the peace of mind knowing that you’ve taken care of your family’s short-term electricity needs, without committing to a costly investment that takes up a lot of square footage and requires a small army to move. One of the key selling features is its price, but is the budget-friendly Pulsar G2319N worth it? Read on to find out…
Pulsar has been putting out quality generators for years, including this gasoline-powered, portable, inverter generator the Pulsar model G2319N, their entry in the highly competitive “portable consumer” class of small quiet generators, under 100 lbs, able to be carried by most adults. Even though it’s compact and only 47 lbs, it has a 2300 Watt max capacity, giving you plenty of power for a wide range of devices, and juice to run several of them at the same time. It is a perfect size and capacity for Glamping, (Glamour Camping) or running essential home appliances during a temporary power outage.
Quiet Inverter Generator
How loud is it?
Generator volume is one of the most important considerations for many buyers. Generators are pretty loud, generally, and when you’re standing next to one, you really have to raise your voice to be heard. However, the noise drops pretty fast, and from 20 ft (7m) away, the standard testing distance, it is pretty easy to hear and be heard. This unit is rated on the quiet side for the class, but within a couple of decibels of comparable models. Eco mode is also available, which drops the throttle down when running less-than-full power, which lowers the volume as well. In my opinion, the volume advantages are not likely to make a big difference in your experience between this 2300-Watt generator and a similar one.
Check out my video review of the Pulsar G2319N on YouTube
G2319N Features:
- high capacity (2300 max Watt, 1800 running Watt)
- easy start pull-cord ignition
- robust design
Drawbacks:
- low single-fill run time (5.5h @ 1/2 load)
- oil intake is not accessible without a screwdriver
How many watts does my generator need?
Deciding on your capacity needs is one of the key decision points for buying a generator. More is always better, but there are real tradeoffs in terms of generator weight, size, and price. For portable generators under 100 lbs, this Pulsar’s 2300 Watt max is about the highest capacity available. Once you get above that, the size of the generator goes up significantly. The 100 lb generator class can get you double the capacity, and can almost power an entire home, but at double the weight, these go from “portable” to “I hope you’ve been training for power lifting”.
The P2319N is a perfect size for connecting a refrigerator/freezer, powering up rechargable tools and small electronics, and/or running a small air conditioner or portable heater. However, if you’re looking to run full-house AC at the same time as your appliances, you will likely need a larger unit. (and since your AC unit is likely to be hardwired, you’re going to need a mains transfer switch power connector which a “suitcase” portable like the Pulsar 2319 will not support) Fortunately, this Pulsar generator has available parallel connections, so you can link up a second generator (with a separate parallel kit) and double your total capacity, if you need it.
What I like:
High Load Capacity
While running my load test, I was able to simultaneously run a freezer, a portable heater, an LCD flatscreen TV, and an XBox, without any interruption. Unfortunately, this generator does not have a current load display, but the breaker switch is conveniently located on the generator control panel, so if you do try to power one too many hair curlers and overload the circuit, it’s simple to reset the breaker and get back to Glamping.
Design
The generator design hits several benefits for me. The durable plastic on the exterior feels like I can bang it around a bit without doing any real damange, and the generous carry handle helps me feel confident that I could take it wherever I needed to. While any generator will get heavy over long distances, the handle balance and narrow footprint feel good for carrying while walking.
Price
At $399 (Amazon, August 2024) this generator is less than half the cost of the best-of-class Honda model. At that price, I’m able to keep my financial powder dry for other needs, or even buy a second one, when my power needs increase.
What I wish were better:
Low run-time
This nearly killed it for me. With a small gas tank just over 1 gallon, the Pulsar requires refilling more frequently than other models in the class, like this Westinghouse that I also like. But when I considered how I’m going to use it, it was less of an issue. With any generator in this class, I am not going to be running it for days on end, where refilling every 4-5 hours would be a frustrating hassle that would make me regret my purchase. More likely, I’ll run it for a half hour to an hour at a time, a couple times per day. At this rate, I should get through the a weekend of camping just fine without a refill, but having to bring a gas can just in case may be a deal-breaker for some.
Inconvenient oil location
The first item mentioned on the quick start tag is to fill the oil, and thankfully, an 11.8 Oz bottle of four-stroke 10W30 oil came shipped with the unit, accompanied by a funnel. However, there were no further instructions, and even though I had heard of this complaint by another reviewer, I was still confused how to accomplish this seemingly simple task. Even after unscrewing the two screws holding it in place, it took me several minutes of fiddling with the side panel to get it off the case. There’s no place to grip it, and when I finally removed the spark plug cover to pop the panel off from the inside, I put my fingers in a patch of grease. Overall, it was a frustrating moment for a first-time user, but that being said, once you know how to do it, it’s quite simple. They recommend changing the oil every 50 hours of run-time. So, overall, I’d rate this a minor hassle as well.
Summary: Quality portable generator for the price
Overall, I think this is a great generator for camping, RVing, or during a home power outage, and the best generator for the money in its class – a full-featured portable generator with a budget-conscious price, without sacrificing in quality. It’s sturdy, easy to use, and ready to go, whether in the backyard or the back of the SUV. For an extra hundred dollars, you can get a similar unit with better gas efficiency, or you can go cheaper and get one that is louder and less reliable, but for me, this is in the sweet spot between features, quality, and price.
