About Small Engine Lab
Small Engine Lab publishes clear, sourced answers about the oil and fuel that keep small engines running.
That includes generators, lawn mowers, chainsaws, string trimmers, leaf blowers and pressure washers.
What Is Small Engine Lab?
Small Engine Lab is a website about small engine oil, fuel and maintenance. It answers the questions owners actually search for, like which oil a generator takes or how to store gas over the winter.
Every article is built from primary sources. That means owner’s manuals, manufacturer support pages, government agencies and published research.
Each fact links to where it came from. If you want to check a number, you’re one click away from the original.
Who Runs Small Engine Lab?
Small Engine Lab was founded by Praise Sabastine, who researches and writes the articles on this site.
A lot of small engine advice online is repeated from site to site without a source. Small Engine Lab takes the opposite approach.
Every claim links to where it came from, so you never have to take our word for it.
What You’ll Find Here
- Engine oil: which oil your engine takes, how much it holds and how often to change it.
- Fuel and storage: ethanol-free gas, E10 and E15, fuel stabilizers and storing gas.
- Mix ratios: 2-stroke mix charts and a free calculator.
- Generators and lawn mowers: model-by-model oil and fuel facts.
- Troubleshooting: what to check when an engine won’t start or run right.
- Reviews: research-based reviews of oils, fuels and stabilizers.
How Our Articles Are Researched
We go to the source first. For a specific engine, that’s the manufacturer’s manual.
For fuel rules and data, it’s the agency that publishes them, like the EPA or the U.S. Department of Energy.
Our reviews are research-based. We judge products on specifications, manufacturer requirements and independent data, and we say so on every review.
You can read the full process on our How We Research page and our Editorial Standards.
How Small Engine Lab Makes Money
Small Engine Lab is free to read. It’s supported by ads and affiliate links.
If you buy something through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That never decides what we recommend. Details are in our affiliate disclosure.
Contact Us
Found a mistake? Have a question about your engine? We read every message.
Use our contact form, and include a link to your source if you’re reporting an error.
Your owner’s manual always has the final say for your engine. Please follow it, and stay safe around fuel and running engines. See our disclaimer for more.