I am using this bad boy, under $600 delivered (including Fedex bogus duties):
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Super-Quiet-Power...QQcmdZViewItem
And I got a cool knife! I am very happy with it, my electrician has hooked it up to a 240 line, so when power goes out, I turn off the main breaker, plug the gen into a dryer outlet, start the gen, and everything works in the house. Of course I do not run the all mh's, baseboard heaters, stove, or the water heater (only at night for 60 mins, I hate cold showers!). And it is only 69 dBa! Still loud, but not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.
Cheers,
Phil