It's hard to go wrong anymore with what's out there. The horizontal Chinese engines are really good. My Harbor Freight 212cc Predator has been absolutely a joy to use. Starts like a Honda, runs excellent. My 196cc Champion is about the same. Zero complaints. The Champion is about 10 years old with several hundred hours on it and still acts like I bought it last week. No oil consumption, starts first pull (or second if I forgot to turn the fuel valve on). The Predator is still new but I forsee that thing lasting me forever. Huge issue for me is "how hard is it going to be to start this thing". Honda GX and its clones are amazingly easy to start.
Honda GX engines are the best. Easiest starting. Longest lasting. Consistently reliable. They're all good, no gambling. Expensive, but worth every penny. There's a reason why the phrase "like a Honda" is used for comparison.
Chinese clones are a close second with a nod to the Predator 212 in particular. Starts like a Honda, runs like a Honda. Slight gamble but only a very small percentage are bad. Failure stories are generally "I knew a guy, who knew a guy, who's brother's neighbor had one that was junk, I'll never buy one for my occasional residential needs". Inexpensive. Easy to fix if something goes bad, huge aftermarket. Readily available and inexpensive replacement parts should you ever need them. You probably won't. Champion, LCT, Lifan, etc. All really really good.
Honda GC engines are perfectly fine, carburetors tend to clog. I have 3 of these and all 3 have had carburetor issues. Carb is $9 on Amazon... The engines will generally outlast whatever it's mounted on. Has a plastic cam and timing belt cause some to worry. Don't. The engine is good. The carb...isn't.
Briggs....Hit and miss with me. They work I guess. Can be good. Can be easy starting. Can be an old hag to start. All generally are very long lasting. Had a few flatheads last me decades. One in particular on a John Deere push mower was a gem and I miss it. Performed flawlessly without issue or hassle for 16 years before the stupid governor failed, oversped, and blew up before I could short the plug....
Tecumseh. Out of business for a reason and good riddance to them. They SUCK. Impossible to start below 70 degrees. Last forever because nobody can start them. Cause of more shoulder surgeries than baseball and football combined.
I've no experience with other brands.
Honda GX engines are the best. Easiest starting. Longest lasting. Consistently reliable. They're all good, no gambling. Expensive, but worth every penny. There's a reason why the phrase "like a Honda" is used for comparison.
Chinese clones are a close second with a nod to the Predator 212 in particular. Starts like a Honda, runs like a Honda. Slight gamble but only a very small percentage are bad. Failure stories are generally "I knew a guy, who knew a guy, who's brother's neighbor had one that was junk, I'll never buy one for my occasional residential needs". Inexpensive. Easy to fix if something goes bad, huge aftermarket. Readily available and inexpensive replacement parts should you ever need them. You probably won't. Champion, LCT, Lifan, etc. All really really good.
Honda GC engines are perfectly fine, carburetors tend to clog. I have 3 of these and all 3 have had carburetor issues. Carb is $9 on Amazon... The engines will generally outlast whatever it's mounted on. Has a plastic cam and timing belt cause some to worry. Don't. The engine is good. The carb...isn't.
Briggs....Hit and miss with me. They work I guess. Can be good. Can be easy starting. Can be an old hag to start. All generally are very long lasting. Had a few flatheads last me decades. One in particular on a John Deere push mower was a gem and I miss it. Performed flawlessly without issue or hassle for 16 years before the stupid governor failed, oversped, and blew up before I could short the plug....
Tecumseh. Out of business for a reason and good riddance to them. They SUCK. Impossible to start below 70 degrees. Last forever because nobody can start them. Cause of more shoulder surgeries than baseball and football combined.
I've no experience with other brands.
