Find out in this review whether the Briggs and Stratton P4500 is an inverter generator that actually deserves your attention or not.
Briggs and Stratton P4500 review in short
In theory, the Briggs and Stratton P4500 can be a decent generator for things like RV camping and small power tools.
However, the higher price and number of technical issues make certain alternatives a better choice.
For example, many people will prefer the Westinghouse iGen4500 over the Briggs and Stratton P4500.
There are many other good 4500 watt inverter generators too.
Pros
- Inverter technology to run sensitive electronics
- Long run time
Cons
- Not the greatest fuel efficiency
- Decent amount of technical challenges
- Electric start often does not function as desired
- Relatively loud for a 4500 watt inverter generator
- Customer support is sometimes slow and unhelpful
Some of the best uses for the Briggs and Stratton P4500 include:
- RV or regular camping
- Small businesses like food trucks
- Tailgating
- Construction sites with smaller tools
- Running certain power tools
Briggs and Stratton P4500 performance in important categories
Besides the brief review summary above you may also find it helpful to see Briggs and Stratton P4500 in numerical performances for different generator areas.
| Performance Category | Briggs and Stratton P4500 Score* | Performance Category | Briggs and Stratton P4500 Score* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Capacity | 7 | Fuel Efficiency | 5 |
| Run Time | 9 | Ease Of Use | 6 |
| Quiet Operation | 8.5 | Portability | 7 |
| THD | Clean Sine Wave | Price Category | $$$ |
| Reliability Reputation | 5.5 | Overall Expert Rating | 5 |
| Current Price | Check Price |
Individual reviews compare the specific model to portable generators in general and sometimes scores are based on customer input
Briggs and Stratton P4500 review table of contents
Briggs and Stratton P4500 key features
The list of all the Briggs and Stratton P4500 features can feel overwhelming but luckily these are not all equally important for this review.
Instead, a few of the key features in this first table below often make it clear whether a generator like the Briggs and Stratton P4500 is good enough for your needs.
| Feature | Briggs and Stratton P4500 Detail |
|---|---|
| Fuel Type | Gasoline |
| Starting Watts | 4500 Starting Watts |
| Running Watts | 3700 Running Watts |
| Run Time @25% Load | 16 Hours |
| Noise Levels | 66 dBA |
| Outlets | (1) 120V 30A TT30R RV Outlet, (2) Duplex Of 120V 20A 5-20R Outlets, (2) USB Ports |
| THD | Inverter So Clean Sine Wave |
| Warranty* | 3 Years Limited Residential And 1 Year Limited Commercial |
| Price Category** | $$$ |
| Check Current Price |
*Warranties can vary from seller to seller
**Price category at the time of writing
What will the Briggs and Stratton P4500 run?
Other review details are important too but in the end, whether a Briggs and Stratton P4500 is strong enough to run your devices is one of the most important details.
What a 4500 watt generator will power is a somewhat more extensive subject but I will give a few general trends to give you some idea.
A generator like the Briggs and Stratton P4500 is typically strong enough to run a combination of a nice amount of small or medium appliances or tools.
For example, you could run a refrigerator, TV, and coffee machine at the same time.
You can also use the Briggs and Stratton P4500 to power somewhat bigger machines like a window air conditioner (15,000 BTU), a 1 HP air compressor, or a table saw separately.
When in doubt (even when not), it tends to be smart to take a quick look at the power consumption of the devices you want to run.
With these numbers, you can check whether the 4500 peak watts, 3700 running watts, 30 amps, and 120 volts of the Briggs and Stratton P4500 are enough.
Briggs and Stratton P4500 customer reviews insights
Looking at the features of the Briggs and Stratton P4500 is a great place to start a good review of this portable inverter generator.
However, it is also important to go over the reviews of the customers before you since these often uncover unexpected downsides.
To save you some time, I already did this for you.
Customer reviews of the Briggs and Stratton P4500 are still reasonably positive but there is also a lot of room for improvement.
There are a good number of cases where customers are not able to get or keep their Briggs and Stratton P4500 going due to technical difficulties.
You should especially not expect too much of the electric start with how many reviews mention negative experiences with this feature.
Additionally, even when customers are still within the mentioned warranty durations, they often find it hard to actually get helpful support that resolves the issue.
In short, while there are happy customers too, many people have a suboptimal experience with the Briggs and Stratton P4500.
Briggs and Stratton P4500 alternatives
In some portable generator categories, suboptimal reviews are somewhat normal.
That being said, in the 4500 watt generator category, there are many great alternatives to the Briggs and Stratton P4500. Even if you want clean sine wave power.
The best example of this is the Westinghouse iGen4500 which is better than the Briggs and Stratton P4500 in basically every important area.
Is the Briggs and Stratton P4500 worth it?
If the Briggs and Stratton P4500 was the only 4500 watt inverter generator on the market it would maybe be worth the investment for some people.
However, with how good the other options available are, the Briggs and Stratton P4500 is likely not worth your time and investment.
Especially in situations where you want a generator to rely on as backup power for important appliances and tools.

Other Briggs and Stratton P4500 specifications
Even thought this review should make it clear that the Briggs and Stratton P4500 is likely not the best choice for you, you may want to know about its other specs.
You can find these in the table below.
Additionally, you may want to take a look at the Briggs & Stratton P4500 manual for even more details.
| Specification | Briggs and Stratton P4500 Detail |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Portable | Yes |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 3.5 Gallons |
| Gallons Per Hour | 0.22 Gallons Per Hour At 25% Load |
| Fuel Efficiency (kWh Per Gallon) | 4.229 |
| Outlet Covers | Yes |
| Engine Displacement | 224cc |
| Recoil Pull Start | Yes |
| Electric Start | Yes |
| Low Oil Shutdown | Yes |
| Fully Enclosed Design | Yes |
| AC Frequency | 60 Hz |
| Remote Start | No |
| Built-In Digital Smart LCD | Yes |
| Hour Meter | Yes |
| Fuel Gauge | Yes |
| Wattage Meter | No |
| Run Time Remaining | No |
| Engine Type | 4 Stroke |
| Remote Generator Operation | No |
| Parallel Ready | No |
| Wheels | Yes |
| CO-Minder | Yes |
| Country Of Origin | China |
| Dimensions | 24.5″ L x 17.6″ W x 20.3″ H |
| Weight | 104 lbs (47.2 kg) |
| Check Current Price |
Briggs and Stratton P4500 FAQ
How long will a Briggs and Stratton P4500 run?
A Briggs and Stratton P4500 will run for about 16 hours at 25% load on a full tank. This is above average.
How much oil does a Briggs and Stratton P4500 take?
The Briggs and Stratton P4500 has an oil capacity of 20 fluid ounces or about 0.6 liters.
How many decibels is a Briggs and Stratton P4500?
A Briggs and Stratton P4500 is about 66 dBA at 25% load and 23 feet away.
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