It depends on how easy you want it to be or how often you're facing a blackout.
I'm only a few blocks from the substation and I've never had a power outage in 4 years. However, I do have a 2200 watt Ryobi generator just to run the bare essentials. Heat is not an issue since I also have propane portable heaters, a gas fireplace with battery backup starter. My sump pump will also run for a week on battery power. My sump doesn't fill up that much during summer or winter.
Weigh out all of your necessities before spending a lot of money.
Gasoline generators are convenient but normal gasoline will clog up your carburetor pretty fast if you don't clean it out.
For infrequent use, propane is the next most reliable and second most convenient. Portable tanks are available everywhere.
However if you are plagued with frequent blackout, a permanently mounted natural gas unit like a Generac is your best bet. It does just about everything on its own. But why spend thousands of dollars unless you need to.
For natural gas, your only good option is a Generac
For gasoline, I would highly a Honda EU3000is or EU700is etc. It's super quiet, reliable and durable.
I've never used any propane generator so I can't recommend any.
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