generator

any good recommendations, just need a small one for a small cabin we built. Would be running a few lights and a small heater is about all.

Thanks

Honda 2000, hands down. Expensive but nothing is more applicable than the "buy once, cry once" statement.
I added an extended run marine fuel tank set up and I can run 2 trailers in the cool months all weekend on 6-7 gallons of gas.

I would go with a minimum of 5000 watts. Electric heaters eat up watts pretty fast even small ones due to resistance heating. Also if you might put in a window air unit in the future you will something large enough to handle it. It will come with a large enough tank to run 8 hours so it will be good to go all night. Buy too small and you will shorten its life by over taxing it. I have had my Powermate for 13 years and it is still going strong. I also use it at home sometimes when the power goes out at our house. Just kill the main breaker, plug it into a wall socket and have lights until the power comes on. The 5000 also comes with a 220 volt plug just in in case you ever need to do some off site welding.

I bought the 3550 watt Black Knight generator at Sam's Club a couple of years ago. It has been nothing but gold. I ran my RV from it two weeks ago for 48 hours. I used 8 gallons of gas. I was running the A/C, TV, microwave, lights, refrigerator, water pumps, CPAC, etc. and it never even coughed. I think they are still priced under $300.00. It starts everytime I pull the string. With the load you have mentioned, your fuel usage should be much less. It is a 30 watt machine.

Tremendous bang for the buck one these Honda clones. Not nearly as quiet as the Honda inverters but a heck of a little genny for $350. They are also not as loud as most conventional generators either.

Ditto. 'Got two of them. This boy knows what he's talkin' 'bout.

I have had this generator for a couple of years and it has been great. Never more than 2 pulls to start it. If you buy one, get it with the wheel kit. You can see it in my sig picture behind the Rhino.

Size of cabin?
Like said above, heat draws a lot of watts. Usually 1500, alone.
You may look into a potbelly stove, or propane options for heat.

I have a traditional generator, it is heavy and pretty loud. I would look into a inverter generator. Much quieter.

Cant go wrong with Honda, I saw a 3000 watt Powerhouse at Northern Tool today, guy turned it on for me, very very quiet. $1200.00

If you change heating options, you could probably use the deep cycle battery, inverter, solar power (Off Grid) options.....100/battery 150 inverter 100 solar panel. $500 to 700 for off grid, no gas needed. Im still researching this option, but looks promising

I would stick with Honda or Yamaha. If you buy one of the bigger generators, stick with Yamaha or Subaru engines. At least in my experience, they have been good.

Honda's are the way to go. They last and they are quite.

I think Cabelas has the Champion knockoff of the Honda 2000 inverter on sale right now for less than half of what the Honda cost.

I have one of the champions like in the video above. I bought it at tractor supply after hurican rita or katrina on clearance for $250. Used it for bowfishing running lights, mobile power putting up deer stands, running our travel trailer etc. never had a problem with it. It is loud, but their are ways to quiet them down enough to make it much better.

Like NAK said there are other options to the Honda and I have seen them priced much better.

Back in college I used to bowfish with some buddies all the time and we used a champion generator with an old stock Honda CBR 600rr sportbike muffler rigged to the exhaust. It was goofy but it worked great.

I never actually modified it, for bowfishing I just wore ear plugs

Used it at several cook-offs and the like simply putting it 15 yards away helps a lot and if you can set something like a sheet of plywood between you and it, it helps tremendously.

How I roll the fuel pump in them allow you to run aux gas can which is very nice