I was just looking on Ebay and saw this  5000 watts Honghui (model #HIP5000-12) PURE SINE WAVE inverter:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-5000-watts-12v-DC-120v-AC-Pure-Sine-Power-Inverter_W0QQitemZ170332419209QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCar_Electronics_Parts_Accessories?hash=item27a89a7489&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

5000 Watt 12 Volt Pure Sine Power Inverter with FREE Cables

Pure sine wave inverters provide premium power that is identical to or even better than power supplied by your electric company.

Plugs directly to a 12 Volt DC battery to power laptops, televisions, gaming consoles and other electronics like refrigeratory, mill machine, electric saw, air compressor and weeding machine, etc.

What the heck is Honghui?

NO warranty: "All packages are insured for DOA."

I'll update with the selling price once the auction is over.

-- In the last minute it went from $326 to $375.  Good deal -- if it works a while. 

I just checked http://www.squaretrade.com -- but apparently inverters are not covered.  Too bad.

The seller's Buy it Now price for this inverter is $650.

A Xantrex Prosine with charger and transfer switch:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Xantrex-Prosine-3-0-12VDC-Inverter-Charger_W0QQitemZ110391082019QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCar_Electronics_Parts_Accessories?hash=item19b3d23c23&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1234%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

You are bidding on a Xantrex Prosine 3.0 Inverter Charger. It is in "Like New" condition, its never been installed, but it has been taken out of the box and played with a little. It comes with everything it originally came with. This is a 3000 watt continuous duty inverter / charger. 12 VDC input / 120 VAC 60Hz output. The Charger charges 120 Amps DC.

Provides 3000 watts of sine wave AC power from a DC source and multistage battery charging

The Prosine 3.0 inverter/charger offers a powerful all-in-one solution, delivering unsurpassed clean true sine wave electrical power for all types of appliances along with technologically superior three-stage charging for longer battery life. Offering a revolutionary technology and power to weight ratio, Xantrex Prosine technology is the benchmark for premium integrated power systems.

Product Features

• 3000 watt inverter, 50 A surge capability
• Power factor corrected multistage charger
• True sine wave output (crystal controlled)
• Built-in 30 A transfer switch automatically transfers between inverter power and incoming AC power
• Equalization mode conditions batteries for longer life
• Power sharing prevents tripping of shorepower breaker
• Compact, lightweight, and easy to install
• Includes remote panel and battery temperature sensor

Protection Features

• Over voltage and under voltage protection
• Over temperature protection and automatic overload protection
• Short circuit AC backfeed protection

Prosine 3.0 (ACS) Remote Panel (Included)

• Independent inverter and charger on/off controls
• Push button control of power sharing, equalizing, battery set-up
• Easy to read backlit digital display
• Single at-a -glance display of AC and DC system information
• Text message fault diagnostics

Sold for $959.99 -- amazing how cheap they got.  No warranty.

I haven't looked at inverters much in the last couple years, but I passed on the $2,000 Xantrex or Outback 2000 watt pure sine wave inverters and now I'm glad I waited.  There are now a ton of pure sine wave inverters sold for just a few hundred dollars.   I think even the Xantrax warranty is only a year and my neighbor already had one die.  So I just the same buy a cheapo and then a new one when it breaks.

I do have several inverters, would never live off the grid with only ONE inverter and then have nothing when it dies.