Can we talk home generators? I've researched several times and never pulled the trigger, but it seems like time. Ideally, I'd like one that has some solar charging capacity so I don't have to keep gas around. I'm talking about something portable, since we are in a rental. Definitely doesn't need to run the whole house or anything. Enough to charge phones and other basics, I suppose? I'm not even sure what I need to be thinking about, actually. Honestly, I haven't been through a harsh winter--with or without power loss--since I was about 7 years old so I don't quite know what we'd need, but I'm not expecting to run the fridge and freezer to keep food from spoiling or anything like that. Just to keep us safe and relatively comfortable for a few days. (So I guess maybe we'd want to be able to run at least a small space heater? We have a fireplace and it is natural gas. Does that usually stay on? Our stove is gas as well, so if I can count on that, I guess I wouldn't need a crock pot or any cooking capacity, either.) In our area, I think it's pretty much only winter storms we need to prepare for. Anyway, what generator do you have, and what do you love or hate about it? Of course I'd like to be able to spend as little as possible, but I'm willing to spend money for quality, and solar instead of gas. Clearly, I'm pretty clueless so any tips are welcomed, even if they seem obvious, in case I don't know whatever it is. Even if that is just to tell me I don't actually need a generator.
(If it matters, I'm in the greater DC area. We get winter, but generally not especially intense or brutal winters, at least not pre-climate change.)