Every product we recommend

Power & light

Phone power bank

Anker · Power Bank 20,000 mAh with built-in USB-C cable

Keeps your phones alive for news, alerts and calls when the power is out.

Power & light

Folding solar phone charger

BigBlue · 35W folding solar charger

Lets you charge a phone or power bank from the sun if the outage lasts more than a day or two.

Power & light

Rechargeable room lantern

Goal Zero · Lighthouse 600

One lantern lights a whole room safely, with no flame, and can also charge a phone.

Power & light

Power-failure night lights

Energizer · Power Failure Night Light, 6 pack

They switch on by themselves when the power goes out, so you can find your way in the dark.

Power & light

Rechargeable LED flashlight

Coast · XP11R 2600 lumen USB-C rechargeable

A bright light for checking the fuse box, the stairs and the yard at night.

Power & light

AA batteries

Energizer · MAX AA alkaline, 20 pack

Runs flashlights and radios when nothing can be recharged.

Power & light

Portable power station (about 1 kWh, runs a fridge)

EcoFlow · DELTA 3 Classic

It keeps your fridge, phones, lights and Wi-Fi running for hours when the grid is down, with no fumes, so it is safe indoors.

Power & light

Folding solar panel (220 W) for the power station

EcoFlow · 220W Bifacial Portable Solar Panel

It refills your power station from sunlight, so your fridge and phones can keep going past a day or two without grid power.

Power & light

Rechargeable headlamp

Black Diamond · Spot 400-R

A headlamp keeps both hands free for cooking, first aid or finding the stairs in the dark.

Power & light

Rechargeable AA battery kit with charger

Panasonic eneloop · K-KJ55MC84CZ Power Pack (8 AA, 4 AAA, charger)

Torches, radios and kids' toys eat batteries fast. These recharge from your power station or solar panel, so you never run out.

Power & light

Second solar battery (portable power station)

EcoFlow · DELTA 3 Classic

A second matching battery doubles your stored power, so the fridge and phones last through a long outage.

Power & light

Second folding solar panel (220 W)

EcoFlow · 220W Bifacial Portable Solar Panel

Two panels in sun recharge your batteries much faster, which matters most in a multi-week outage.

Power & light

Rechargeable room lantern (extra)

Goal Zero · Lighthouse 600

One lantern per room means safer nights, with no candles or open flames.

Power & light

Solar cable, MC4 to XT60 (10 ft)

Generic (made for EcoFlow and Anker power stations) · MC4 to XT60 solar cable, 12 AWG, 10 ft

It is the cable that links the solar panel to the power station, because the panel and the station use different plugs.

Power & light

Solar panel cable for the second panel (MC4 to XT60)

Generic (made for EcoFlow / Anker SOLIX) · 12AWG 10 ft MC4 to XT60

The second solar panel needs its own cable to plug into the power station.

Water

7-gallon water containers (2-pack)

Reliance · Aqua-Tainer 7 gallon, pack of 2

Two containers hold 14 gallons: one gallon per person per day for two people for a week, ready before the taps stop.

Water

Squeeze water filter

Sawyer · Squeeze SP129

Filters water from a puddle, tank or tap so your family can drink safely.

Water

Water purification tablets

Aquatabs · 397 mg, 100 pack

Backup way to make water safe when you cannot boil it.

Water

7-gallon water containers (4-pack)

Reliance · Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon (4 pack)

Store about one gallon per person per day. Four of these hold 28 gallons, enough for a family of four for a week.

Water

Hand siphon pump for water containers

TERA PUMP · Squeeze-bulb siphon pump (BPA-free)

It lets you pour water from a big container into smaller ones without lifting heavy jugs.

Water

Family gravity water purifier

LifeStraw · Family 2.0, 12 L

If tap water is unsafe, this cleans water for the whole family by gravity alone, with no power and no pump.

Water

Countertop gravity water filter (stainless steel)

Propur · ProOne Big+

It cleans tap, rain or stored water with no power, so a big family can drink safely for weeks.

Water

7-gallon water containers, second 4-pack

Reliance · Aqua-Tainer 7 Gallon (4 Pack)

Four more containers give a 6-person home about 28 more gallons of stored drinking water.

Food & cooking

72-hour emergency food kit

4Patriots · 72-Hour Survival Food Kit, 20 servings

Three days of simple just-add-water meals; two kits cover two people.

Food & cooking

Manual can opener

Swing-A-Way · Comfort Grip

Your canned food is no use if the electric opener will not run.

Food & cooking

Portable induction cooktop

Duxtop · 9610LS

It cooks hot meals on your power station, with no flame and no gas, and a low heat setting keeps power use down.

Food & cooking

Induction-safe stainless pot (3 quart)

Tramontina · Signature Tri-Ply Clad 3-Quart Sauce Pan

It works on an induction cooktop, so you can boil water and cook meals during a power cut.

Food & cooking

One-week emergency food kit

4Patriots · 1-Week Survival Food Kit, 42 servings

Four of these give a family of four two weeks of simple meals that keep for years and need only water.

Food & cooking

Fridge and freezer thermometers (2-pack)

Large-dial analog · 2-pack analog refrigerator/freezer thermometer

After a power cut you need to know if food is still cold enough to be safe. Fridge food above 40 F for two hours should go.

Food & cooking

One-week emergency food kit (extra)

4Patriots · 1-Week Survival Food Kit, 42 servings

Eight more kits take your pantry to about a month of simple meals for up to six people.

First aid & medicine

Home first-aid kit

First Aid Only · 6086 159-piece steel case

Covers cuts, burns and sprains when you cannot get to a clinic.

First aid & medicine

Large family first aid kit

My Medic · MyFAK Large Standard (150 items)

Cuts, burns, sprains and sore throats still happen in an outage. This puts the main supplies for a family in one bag.

First aid & medicine

Bleeding-control kit with genuine tourniquet

North American Rescue · Public Access Individual Bleeding Control Kit

Heavy bleeding can be deadly in minutes, and this kit gives you the tools to stop it until help arrives.

First aid & medicine

Fingertip pulse oximeter

Wellue · Fingertip Pulse Oximeter

It shows pulse and blood oxygen at a glance, helping you spot when someone with breathing trouble needs a doctor.

First aid & medicine

Where There Is No Doctor (book)

Hesperian Health Guides · Paperback

A plain-language medical handbook that works with no phone, no internet and no doctor nearby.

Warmth & shelter

Emergency blankets

Primacare · HB-10 Mylar thermal blankets, 10 pack

Light foil blankets that hold in body heat if the house gets cold.

Warmth & shelter

Wool blanket

Arcturus · Military wool blanket

Wool stays warm even when damp and needs no power.

Warmth & shelter

0 F cold-weather sleeping bag

TETON Sports · Celsius XL 0 F

In a winter outage the house can get very cold. A warm bag per person is the cheapest way to keep everyone safe.

Warmth & shelter

Indoor-safe propane heater

Mr. Heater · Portable Buddy MH9BX

If winter power fails, this small heater can keep one room above freezing and stops itself if oxygen drops.

Warmth & shelter

0°F cold-weather sleeping bag (extra)

TETON Sports · Celsius XL 0°F

In a winter blackout, a warm bag for every person is the safest backup if heat fails.

Toilet & hygiene

Toilet waste bags

Reliance · Double Doodie bags (2 x 6)

Keeps your bathroom usable if the water stops.

Toilet & hygiene

No-rinse body wipes

Wet Ones · Body Wipes, 28 ct, 6 pack

Lets your family wash up when you are saving water.

Toilet & hygiene

Portable bucket toilet

Reliance · Luggable Loo

If water or sewer stops, a bucket toilet with waste bags keeps the house clean and avoids bigger problems.

Radios & news

Crank weather radio

Midland · ER310PRO

Gives you weather warnings and news when phones and internet are down.

Radios & news

Two-way radios (pair)

Motorola · Talkabout T270

When phones fail, two-way radios let you keep in touch with family in the house, on the street or between homes.

Radios & news

Shortwave radio

Tecsun · PL-330

Lets you hear news from far away when local stations are down.

Radios & news

Meshtastic text device

LilyGO · T-Echo 915 MHz

Sends short text messages to neighbours with no phone signal or internet.

Radios & news

GMRS radios

Midland · GXT1000VP4 2-pack

Longer-range walkie-talkies for family and neighbours.

Home safety & tools

Battery CO alarm

Kidde · Carbon Monoxide Detector, AA battery

Warns you of invisible carbon monoxide if you run a generator or heater.

Home safety & tools

Home fire extinguisher

First Alert · Standard Home Use (ABC)

Candles, heaters and stoves cause fires in outages. A small extinguisher can stop a fire before it spreads.

Home safety & tools

Smoke and carbon monoxide combo alarm

Kidde · 30CUD10 (10-year battery)

It warns you about fire and carbon monoxide while you sleep, even when the power is out.

Home safety & tools

Heavy-duty outdoor extension cord (25 ft)

Southwire · Yellow Jacket 25 ft heavy-duty extension cord

It carries power from your power station to the fridge or other appliances safely over a short distance.

Home safety & tools

Solar motion security lights

Philips · Solar Security Light 3-Pack

They light up your doorways at night with no mains power, helping you see who's there.

Home safety & tools

Multi-tool

Leatherman · Wave+

Pliers, knife, saw and screwdrivers in one tool for quick repairs and opening things.

Papers & storage

Fireproof document bag

SentrySafe · FBWLZ0 fire and water resistant bag

Keeps your IDs and key papers safe if you must leave in a hurry.

Papers & storage

Large heavy-duty storage tote with lid

Rubbermaid · Roughneck Tote 25-gallon

One strong tote keeps your small kit items together, dry and easy to grab.

Offline helper

Pocket AI

Pocket AI drive

SanDisk · Extreme Portable SSD 1TB

Turns the laptop you already own into an offline AI and library: small AI models, all of Wikipedia and a medical encyclopedia, with no internet.

Offline helper

Home AI

Home AI computer

Beelink · SER9 Max, AMD Ryzen AI 7 H 350, 32 GB, 1 TB

A small, quiet computer that runs everyday AI models and the offline library for the whole house, with no internet.

Offline helper

Home AI

Home AI Wi-Fi box

GL.iNet · GL-MT3000 Beryl AX

Makes a private Wi-Fi in your home with no internet needed, so every phone can reach the Home AI computer and the offline library.

Offline helper

Home AI Max

Home AI Max computer

Beelink · GTR9 Pro, AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 128 GB, 2 TB

A powerful home AI computer with 128 GB of memory that runs big open AI models, much closer to the online assistants, with no internet.