If I lose power I can always head to the folks place nearby or I might pick up one of Hondas super quiet 1,500-2,000 watt genis. I was very surprised recently at a street fair with how darn quiet those tiny Hondas are.
I agree. The Honda Eu1000i and the bigger Eu2000i are very quiet. Both are rated at around 60dB under load and at around 53dB at 1/4 throttle.
Also the Yahama EF1000iS and EF2000iS models are just as quiet and reliable as the Honda's.
I know people who have both brands and I would not have a problem purchasing either brand if I ever wanted a small generator.