Battery recommendations for 1500W inverter

Inverter efficiency really enters into the picture. My Trace 4024 is a hog. But one day Jesus had to break up concrete steps with an impact 20-amp rated jack hammer. The tool stayed working for an hour. The fan in the inverter was howling and the job got done. I did not want to run the generator right after a tropical storm. Sadly some time that night the power was restored. I figure I lost somewhere around 35% efficiency in the transaction. The concrete steps had broken under the soft soil. 4" of gravel under the new steps cured that, along with 5-sack dry concrete mix and angle iron on the steps lips.

My microwave is the same, it chews up more amperage than with a PSW and food takes longer to cook. It's unbelievable. A 260 watt Weller soldering gun takes longer to heat up with the monster MSW than it does with a piddly SAMLEX 300 watt PSW inverter.