mine is a convenience...I weathered all previous including the 04 and 05 hurricane seasons without one...the 3500w was a gift from a friend, and cost me $8 for a gasket to rebuild the carburetor

the house is all electric, but over the years have accumulated the hurricane supplies and techniques through lessons learned...multiple propane bottles, ice chests, kerosene lanterns, water storage tanks, propane stoves, etc

before retiring, my daily routine was to get up at 6 and to work by 7...sleeping was a major consideration for me...if you are not a resident of the Gulf Coast, its hard to realize how opressive the heat and humidity can be... the house was built pre air conditioning era with many windows, however most of the windows had been painted shut....I started acquiring battery powered fans prior to the first of the 3 storms in 04...originally I was going to purchase a small window air conditioning unit, but have changed my mind..

my current plan is to run intermittently for two items... battery charger for the 12v batteries (I have a GoalZero 7w panel just in case), and freezer to produce ice for the non frozen perishable foods... I've made arrangements with the neighbors to power their shallow water well if necessary (I covered over my well when I inherited the house).. additionally I quit fighting with a gas powered chain saw and purchased an electric one...the generator makes it usable if necessary

most of the convenience and recreation gadgets are 12v and can be charged by the car's cigarette lighter and the generator is overkill