[upert]

Hello. Our allotment has £600 to spend on a generator - petrol or diesel, for jobs around the site and during social days. Especially for the latter it needs to be quiet as possible yet still powerful enough to run tools etc. Does any one have any advice? We have looked at quite a few. Also needs to be easy to turn on so key or button  start preferable. Thanks.

[Gwiz]

That's asking a lot for £600, but have a look at Loncin generators. They're very good value for money.

[ConfusedGardener]

For that kind of money perhaps it's worth considering a good inverter and a few heavy duty deep cycle (they can be deeply discharged without damaging them unlike standard car batteries) 12v batteries, and it would be totally quiet. That budget might even stretch to buying you a small solar panel which you could use to top up the batteries.

[upert]

thanks both