I just got this today, and thought I'd share it for folks interested in a Yamaha powered inverter that might have licensed inverter technology from Yamaha.

I posted a review on Amazon, and here is the gist of it:

This was drop shipped from Smarter Tools in Virginia, via Costco online. You can pick one up at their B&M stores for $599.99.

It comes with a 400 cc bottle of oil, and a few tools. A 12 v charging cable is included. There is a 5 volt USB charging port.

In addition to the operating manual, there is a Yamaha engine manual and a Quick Start Guide. There is no funnel. You'll need a narrow one, or one with a flexible neck.

I filled it with Mobil 10w-30 using about 300 cc. 400 cc is called for in the specs. You can look at the oil level by opening a small port on the one side (no tools), but the access for filling or changing is so much easier by removing the side panel, unscrewing 2 captive screws at the top. The panel hooks onto the lower part of the frame. I also checked the air filter and moistened it with oil.

The 80 cc MZ80 engine and muffler are Yamaha marked, and there is a Made in China sticker on the engine/inverter inside. This is portable, but honestly a bit heavy at about 50 pounds filled with gas and oil. It's 44 pounds dry.

I like the construction: it seems solid and internally looks so much like the Yamaha EF2000is (as seen in photos and on YouTube videos). In every detail with small differences, they are alike.

This started up in 1 pull, much like when I started my 700/800 watt Earthquake IG800W.

It's very quiet, maybe slightly quieter at idle on Smart Throttle (ECON mode in other generators) than the little Earthquake because it seems to idle at lower RPMs. Of course this has a lower tone, with twice the displacement.

It's probably a bit louder than the Honda EU2000i, due to the smaller displacement (Honda has a 98 cc engine), and the need to rev higher under load. The sound levels I measured using my iPad app (hardly a sound instrument, but it's all I got!):

Quietest was on grass with Smart Throttle on, no load: 53 dBA (iPad app) at 23 feet. On concrete, 57 dBA no load.

Loudest was on concrete, 63 to 64 dBA, Smart Throttle off under a Haier 6,000 BTU A/C load (4.5 amps/540 watts running). It was 61 dBA with the ST on.

It is best to get the compressor of an A/C (and probably a refrigerator) running before switching to Smart Throttle ON mode: if you cycle the A/C cool off then on again, the generator will sag and overload, not having time to rev up the amps to get the A/C running in time. So if you run an A/C, start with Smart Throttle OFF, leave the A/C on COOL and low fan and turn the Temp down to keep the compressor from cycling off and on. Then you can switch to Smart Throttle ON to quiet the generator.

I had no problems running a variable speed drill or a 500 watt halogen lamp. I probably won't stress the generator much before I break it in for 20 hours, when I will change the oil and then up the wattage. You might be able to run a 13,500 BTU RV A/C with 2 of these units in parallel. Maybe.

I like the Yamaha connection, and I think it is mostly a Yamaha derived design made in China with possible licensing of the electronics and inverter. This engine has a 500 hour EPA rating.

I like the parallel capability, something that you can grow into. Costco has a parallel cable with locking socket for $60.

Update: Here's a YouTube video I made of the generator and the first cold start.
http://youtu.be/Q0kJdqYGgdY

If I encounter any issues I'll update this review. At this time, I highly recommend the Smarter Tools AP2000 iQ inverter generator. It's quiet, easy to start, seems to have the power to run what I want it to, and you can buy another one when and if you need more power without needing 2 people to hoist it into your truck. Or you can buy a Champion 3000 watt inverter for about $800 from Home Depot.

Some photos, a mix of my generator and pics I took at Costco:

Do you have a scope to take a picture of the 'sine wave' to see how clean it is?

No, wish I did.

Tag. Thinking of picking up one of these for an upcoming camping trip. I like that its sold by Costco. Any problems and they take it back.

Now if there is a conversion kit to run on propane it would be very interesting to me. I would rather have two of these rather than one big one.

Since this generator uses the same engine as the Yamaha EF2000is, there are dual and tri-fuel kits available that should work with this generator.

Faldoc thanks for another great review, seems you might have caught a bit of the "generator bug" sickness! much like myself and others here on the forum!....I don't think this sickness has a cure, but I sleep better at night knowing that my backup generator has a backup, and another backup....and yet another!

Have you plugged that Haier 5k BTU A/C. into the Earthquake 800 watt generator you reviewed?

Nice review.  I have the Yamaha 2000 watt generator and it is awesome.  It's very quiet, light enough, and uses very little fuel.  You're looks identical inside and out (except for the color).  My brother has a Yamaha 2k as well; he borrows mine occasionally and with a cable he bought, he is able to pair them and run the A/C unit in his RV.

My Haier is 6,000 BTU and there is no way the Earthquake can handle the current surge of the compressor. I've tried it every which way, and I even bought a Hard Start capacitor to see if that would help. Nope... Now, if I had access to a 5,000 BTU A/C I'd try it...

As far as the bug is concerned, guilty as charged.. Soon as I buy one, I think there's a hole in my lineup and I need to fill it. And to buy a generator you don't need to fill out a 4473. No liability, no need to put it in a safe...

Right now, I'm good, the only thing I might like is a second 2000 watt AP2000iQ to parallel to the first... because I can...  That'd be an easy half dozen in my genny stable! Lol...

Do they make an extended run gas tank for the Yamaha like they do the Honda?

Looks like there are extended kits for the Yamaha... I don't know anything about them though.

Looks like there are two versions of this genny......the iq model you have and i model which has a fuel  petcock valve on the back....but has no parallel set up

Yes. The AP2000i is the old model.

The iQ is more recent and is the current model that Costco has on their shelves here in NC. The case is a bit different, but both use the Yamaha MZ80 engine.

I have run just over 20 hours on this generator for break in with any where from 200 watts to about 450 watt loads.

I changed the oil. What a mess: I poured it out and it dribbles over and curls under the plastic pour lip.

Today I thought I'd try to see how it does at rated load. When I did this with my little Earthquake IG800W, it could pump out 820 watts or so even though it's rated for 700 running and 800 peak. 769 watts no problem in the short run.

I first checked my 1500 watt heater with line power and it uses 1550 watts of power as measured by the Kill-a-watt.

Outside it's about 85 degrees, a bit humid.

The AP2000iQ seems to handle the heater OK, but only if it's off of Smart Throttle. With Smart Throttle ON the generator sags and doesn't really recover. It doesn't sound healthy. Shut down, loads removed.

OK, let's try the heater, and 200 watts of light bulbs. Again it's runs everything with Smart Throttle OFF, but the total wattage I read is only between 1450 to 1550. Voltage is down from 122 to 110 or so, and of course the light is dimmer than it should be. I'm wondering if it is old gas that's a problem. It's nearly empty so I decide to add some gas.

I then shut it down, add fresh gas (got it last month), which is 87 octane Shell ethanol free gas with Stabil added.

I start it back up and add the heater, then the 200 watts of bulbs, and everything runs, initially at about 1720 watts, then it sags, Overload light is blinking but it doesn't shut off, but it doesn't recover from the draw in several seconds so I shut the generator down, unplug everything and start again. This time I only run the 1500 watt heater and 1 100 watt bulb. It registers at 1620 watts, give or take, no blinking light, no sagging, no problem. Add the 1 more 100 watt bulb and it goes into sag mode. And the generator is blowing out some pretty hot air out the back, compared to when I run a 450 watt A/C unit.

Bottom line: This generator will put out slightly over 1600 watts. No way could I get up to 2000 watts peak.

It's rated for 1600 watts and that's what you get. The 2000 number is the model number.

All that said, I wouldn't run a generator of this type at or near the maximum rated wattage because that's not good for it.

So it will do the job if you don't go over 1620 watts, give or take. And I'd let it cool off a bit with no load for before shutting it down.

Edit: I tried again with a smaller light bulb load to see if I can pinpoint the overload point better.

High heater plus 100 w bulb is OK, 1635 watts, then added 65 watt bulb, 1684 watts, after a few seconds, it sags and goes into what I call a limp mode with 110 v, and no more than about 1380 watts no matter what.

Stopping, then restarting allows power output to go back up to the 1550 watt range using the heater at high, and I stopped testing at that point. I'm not sure how long the generator will put out maximum rated power before going into limp mode.

From what I see on a youtube video, the Yamaha EF2000is will run 1700 watts, and cut off all power at 1900 watts in 20 seconds. So my AP2000iQ maxes out a bit sooner, and goes into a limp mode instead of cutting out altogether when the overload light blinks.

I will probably run no more than 1000 watts continuous, which equates to a single A/C unit, or one fridge, plus some small chargers.

Bottom line #2: seems you do get what you pay for!

Awesome review and super helpful faldoc.