>"I know there are limits, but when we know the power is out, we could avoid certain activities such as doing laundry (unless everything else is off)."
Without a massive battery, you won't be doing much of anything for the majority of each 24 hour day :)
My generator is only 6KW with no load shedding, so I know how to play the power budget game, myself. It is enough to run the central AC, frig, lights (all LED), computer/router/modem/monitor/tv/TiVo, microwave. Have to plan a bit if I want to do too much else.
>"Those are noisy and smelly."
Noisy for damn sure. At least mine is... very annoying. Especially since it is in the attached garage (with exhaust insulated plumbed to outside, exhaust fan, and with heat shields). And it is all manual.
Smelly, not so much, at least not gasoline or natgas.