Thoughts on small outboards

I would prefer 3.5 ,but my inflatable is only 2.7 not 3.6.

ive had a Yamaha 90 and an 8 as aux on my fibreglass boat went really well no issues and serviced it every 2nd or third year fresh fuel in it every outing ran out the fuel in carbs after flushing
now have 3.6 stabi one of the early ones with a 2000/2003 tohatsu 30 and still the 8 Yamaha as aux no issues again now looking at updating tohatsu just because I have some more disposable income and a wee bit more speed would be great was thinking a 40 but with the marginal weight difference thinking a 50 we shall see :)
I have gone down the Chinese way in motorbikes with the kids and there is no way would I contemplate getting a Chinese outboard re parts/reliability and peace of mind like the tohatsu and Yamaha
the Yamaha 8 slowly gets it up on plane but its a great way to introduce the kids to safe boating scariest moment even after my eldest has played around in it for years was when him and a few mates took the bigger motor and last sight was them full noise heading around the head to the fishing spot with the bigger motor on

I actually looked at a 4hp but took advise on the larger 8hp, should have just gone that tad higher with the 10/15hp. Gets up fine with the 8hp but as soon as the third man is added it struggles. Bar changing the prop I recon I have to buy him the 15hp now and be done with it. His 8hp has only done a couple of hours too but hey, sure they will trade it back :)

I have been through the fizz boat stage with all sorts of motors, i only want a lightweight that will push a 2.7 inflatable through the current in the tamaki and get me to shore in other places.It doesn't have to plane,just enough to get me home. Is there that much difference between 2.5 and 3.3. I guess with these small motors any increase in rating would feel like a turbo added.

2.0 / Suzuki / Yamaha 2 stroke integral tank, basically the same motor just can't be beat in this HP range for simplicity, reliability and duribility and you can pick them up with one hand

dont touch akron mine broke gear rod had to be towed back to shore and had done real low hours

spend the money on reputable brand

Nope. Only at the point where it has enough grunt to get the dinghy up on a plane will there be much difference. Otherwise, there's only a bit more push, perhaps less revs and noise, but bugger all to gain, as unless you're loaded up to the gunnels, a 2hp will get a 2.7m inflatable up to hull speed, but a 4hp might hit the same brick wall.
OTOH I absolutely despise tiny dinghy outboards with no gear lever, so that counts out many of the cheap 2hp models.