If you’re willing to start it with a cord, you can get 5000 watts for about $750.
For about $1000 you can get 6000 watts with an electric starter.
I recommend the electric starter; you could have difficulty starting with the cord in cold weather.
Guess I was a little High.I bought mine so long ago I can’t remember what I paid for it.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/category_generators+portable-generators+1-000-4-999-watts
> If you’re willing to start it with a cord, you can get 5000 watts for about $750.
I bought a 6500 watt Coleman 3 years ago for $450 at Walmart. It’s not quiet, but it runs well and can power 2 homes. Problem is that is sucks down 5 gallons of fuel every 7 or 8 hours. Earlier this summer, I got a small 2 cycle 1500 watt unit for $150. It is sufficient to run my furnace (no A/C), one TV, several lamps and several cell phone chargers. One gallon of gas lasts 8 or 9 hours and I can hardly hear it run. It’s actually the quietest gasoline driven tool I own. Also, something important, it only weights 33 pounds and I can pick it up by its carrying handle and move it around easily.
How you use it and how frequently you expect to need it will govern what you need to buy.