Blast, if your looking toward a generator, I would recommend a Briggs and Stratton 5500W or a Guardian Ultra Source Series 15 kW for portable. If you want a house one get what Izzy has a home Generac that powers the whole house. You need 12.5 KW or greater to power the house 100% or a 5500W one which will do the basics, no AC or water heater. A 7500 Watt one would do the water heater but not the AC. Izzy's home one is great if you have a source for propane, but we didn't want to buy a 200 gallon tank to hold the propane since gas and propane are about the same. I ended up going with the Guardian Ultra Source Series 12.5 kW gas and use a solar cell to keep the batteries ready to go at any minute. It powers the house 100% with everything on (AC,water heater,stove,washer,dryer,etc..) It's nice but it sucks fuel,15 gallons every 12 hours. We have learned ways to stretch the fuel out a long ways. We charge the deep freezers and refrigerators in the day for an hour or two, make ice and run it full bore at night enjoying a good nights sleep with TV and sometimes internet. Plus I can load that generator on my trailer and take it up to my parents house if they need it and power them up. I have leads and 50 foot of 4 gauge cable that clamps right on the main. At our house I have a big disconnect I plug in on the side of the house and I'm good to go. Each has there up's and downs, stabilizer and solar cells are your best friends with these. I can sometimes get gas in the storms, but I can't get propane where I'm at. If you have any questions about them, I'd be glad to help.

Also I'm sure you already know this, just remember not to let gas sit and crystallize in the carburetor, that's where a lot of people end up having to clean and put new gaskets and o-rings in the carb. Run it dry and stabilize the tank before storage, solar cell the battery and fire it up for about 20 minutes once a year and you'll be set.

Generac Guardians (I got mine cheaper at Home Depo)

http://www.generatorjoe.net/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=200&1=618&2=-1


Propane conversion kit for generators

http://uscarb.com/04451-kits.htm