If there is a chance that someone who is not strong enough will need to pull the cord to restart a generator, then an electric start option is a nice accessory. Not all generators have this, so it is something to look for at the initial purchase. The electric start will only start up if the battery is in good working order, so before the storm be sure to charge the battery to make sure it it ready to go after the storm.
Hour meter
Every 100 hours of running you will need to change the oil in the generator. Otherwise, after running for 100 hours, the oil may be breaking down, and not lubricating the generator properly. If this occurs, your generator may fail or it may just start using more fuel and delivering less power. An hour meter is a nice to have accessory so you know how long it has been between servicies.
A great big lock
After a hurricane, generators are in scarce supply and are an easy target. They are easy to find because a running generator announces itself to the neighborhood.
Heavy duty long extension cords
After a hurricane, offering a neighbor without a generator a few watts of AC power with a long extension cord is a couterous thing to do. Make sure you have a spare, heavy duty 100’ extension cord if you want to make such an offer. Even if you are running your own appliances with an extension cord, make sure they are heavy duty and in good shape.
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