Have owned a EU2000 for a couple of years. We use it to charge the house batteries on our boat (4x 6 volt deep cycle) with a 75 amp charger and run a 1500 watt microwave oven. The EU2000 sits on the boat roof, under the flybridge cowling. The sound of it dissolves to a low hum about 20 feet away. Putting a rubber pad under it helps to dampen the sound further and keep the vibration from transferring through the roof, into the salon. I've also used the EU2000 to run our home fridge and freezer during power outages. It easily runs both appliances at the same time. Occasionally, the EU2000 goes camping with us. It is easily carried and runs quiet, so does not intrude on the tranquility of being outdoors. A battery charger only requires peak output of the generator for a few minutes. As the batteries recharge and the charger demands less power, the engine of the EU2000 slows down, becoming quieter. In ECO mode (runs only fast enough to fullfil power demands), using the battery charger, the generator runs at full speed 20% of the time, High Medium speed 45% of the time and low medium speed the rest of the time. When the charger is on lowest output, the generator drops to idle speed. When I hear the EU2000 drop to Idle, I know the batteries have a least an 85 percent charge and it's time to shut the generator off. This charging cycle averages one hour each day. We can go all summer on our boat doing this. For the money, size and weight, and courtesy to those with whom we share the outdoors, the EU2000 cannot be beat.