I have installed the free version of AOMEI backup and imaging tool. It has created an image but the recovery part with boot option is not available in the free version. I don't mind buying a home edition of any imaging tool provided it safely creates recovery option in the boot menu and guarantees system restore from the image. Please let me know about AOMEI and any other tool which can be relied upon.
I've been using Marcrium Reflect Home (paid version) on 3 computers for a few months and I'm very happy with it so far. Several restores have worked flawlessly. Macrium Reflect Home can be started via a boot option. However, the user interface is not always easy to understand.
Many on this forum use Macrium Reflect and can tell you about it`s excellent reliability, me too. It has a free version with that type of boot menu you want. AOMEI is not nearly as dependable as MR, i have tried it now and then over the years and have had to many failures with it. With MR, none. MR has a sale right with 50% off.
+1 for Macrium Reflect. I am paid, but free does the job. The sweet spot. I am one of those who takes regular images, and just restores to image if I have any problems rather than spend time investigating, or after testing unwanted software. Has never let me down. I used and wanted to like AOMEI Backup for years (also paid), but had issues, including crashes (never resolved). Also a paid TeraByte Image For Windows user, but I would say that's more for pros / enthusiasts. And tried many others.
Terabyte Image for Windows is way better in terms of speed and compression. Reliability is on par or better.
Another vote for Macrium Reflect, I have performed hundreds of hot restores, and never ever had the slightest problem, it just works. I don't know anything about Aomei...