[rotorwrench]

I haven't used an inverter for a while. A person has to be certain what wattage they need since that is generally how the 12-volt to 115-volt inverters are rated. A company I worked for had 750 watt units that were good for lighting but they are limited and the truck had to be run every so often to keep the battery up. If battery powered hand power tools like drills or what have you are used then the inverter can be used for lighting only. If you need much more than that the a power generator would be the only way to get there.

The Honda generators I've used frequently are relatively quiet and will put out a pretty good wattage in a relatively small package. They are reliable but they are getting more expensive every year like everything else.

My brother drives a GM hybrid SUV and it has a 115-volt power receptacle in the rear compartment. The engine automatically starts up to charge the battery if it gets low on charge. He has used it for emergency power in his house during winter blackouts.