From my own experience as an owner of everything from 2 to 14 speed IGHs, if it's just for street use with moderate grades, and not hauling serious loads, a 3 or 5 speed Sturmey Archer fits the bill very nicely. My 5 speed bike has a trailer hitch on it, and I have no difficulty pulling a loaded trailer around town, and the hub, a ball lock type 5 speed, has held up well in 5,000 km of use.
New wide range Sturmey Archer 5 speeds give you shifter options including a thumb shifter and a push/push trigger. Both work very nicely.
Sturmey Archer hubs give you the most adjustability when it comes to dropout spacing and chainline too, particularly if you get the longer axle version.
I've spaced 5 speed hubs out as wide as 126mm with nuts and spacers to avoid cold setting a high end steel frame. (Gios compact), or gone as narrow as 116.
I also own a 8 speed Sturmey Archer in a 700c wheel bike, and while it works OK, (the noise can be irritating) I recommend the 5 speed if you need a bit more range than the three speed.