We thought of going the permanently installed standby generator but the cost of getting the unit and having it professionally installed (high) vs. the probability of ever having to use it for any extensive length of time (low) decided us against it. Instead we purchased a portable inverter generator, specifically a Westinghouse iGen 2500. I forget the cost ($750.00 maybe?) but at less than 50 lbs you can take it anywhere, and a couple of trial runs showed that it will run everything in the house except the A/C--and we have enough fans to keep us reasonably cool in the interim.
Inverter is important: non-inverters can generate more power for the same money but can injure anything that has a computer brain and as that includes everything but probably electric lamps, fan and maybe toothbrush we took the safe route.
Upkeep is simple. I run it once a month or so, usually mowing the lawn and doing other lawn work such as edging and trimming the hedge, make sure the oil is clean and keep the gas reasonably new, and it never gives any problem.
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