When I Retired, I did owner/Builder on our House.... I had the Electrician install a disconnect switch on the Meter Can. This on/ off switch is used when running a generator so when the Power comes back on , it doesn’t back feed and cause a fire or shock anyone working on restoring power.
I also had him install a 220 outlet on the Garage wall with a Circuit breaker in the panel that when the Breaker is On, it backfeeds the panel and I can choose what to power up.
FYI, before they attempt to re-connect, they shoot power down the line first that will short out your generator and prevent injury to their workers.
ALWAYS keep the Genset OUTSIDE when in use, some people don’t realize carbon monoxide can get in thru the garage. I had built a Plywood roof, two sides and a roof, to keep the rain off the Genset.
Reference Generators, Honda is top of the line. For a apt. /Small house, the 3K will run your fridge, fans, lights, They are Invertor generators which means they put out power evenly without surges, so your electronics can be used
For larger needs, like a House on a well, you need a minimum 5K . I bought a Coleman Powermate 20 years ago. It has a Yamaha single cyclinder cast iron 9 hp motor. Rated @ 5500.
We lived on this Generator for 2 weeks in 2004 when 3 Hurricanes in a row came thru.The key here is maintenance and fuel availability.
The bigger the gen set, the more fuel it uses. Mine would run all of 12 hours on a single tank, 5 gallons... It powered the pump(220) the Refrigerator, paddle fans lights and a window shaker a/c. ( not all at once)
For cooking, we used a Coleman gas stove, out on the screened porch.. Have to have my Coffee.
The tough part is hot water. When there’s no hot water, the Girls get evil... I flipped off all the circuit breakers, and turned on the one for the Water Heater and ran it a couple hours.....Hot water=happy Girls.
Improvise, adapt, overcome.
Neighbor next door has Kubota Diesel generator and large Diesel tank in a Quonset building.
That or whole house generator for extended use.
I had plenty of oil and changed it out and serviced the air fillter and used Stabil in the fuel. Generator sat in the shop until Irma...No power. Flipped disconnect on meter can, drug Gen. over to driveway, put fuel in and it started on 3rd pull...Making preps, getting power cable, etc. my neighbor called asking me if that was my Generator. I advised it was, and he advised Power was back.
Oh well, at least I know it still works. After it started and puffed out blue smoke, I plugged a drop light into the 110 outlet and it came on... the blue smoke was from putting oil into the cylinder and pulling the starter rope with spark plug out.
Bottom line... Buy the best you can afford, but be advised, the bigger you get the more Fuel it uses. A Quiet generator is much less likely to be stolen and people usually chain them down. Whatever you get, preventative maintenance is the key to longevity.
Also, and this is important, Do Not buy/ use regular gasoline. Get NON- Ethanol 90 Octane.. yes ,it more expensive, but it doesn’t attract moisture and doesn’t eat the rubber parts in your fuel system, which is the biggest cause of problems in small engines. I went to NAPA and replaced all fuel lines.
Reference Chain saws, I’ve got a Stihl that’s cut down and cut up lots of trees.