Index · 120 research-based reviews
Outage gear reviews
One review per product a household needs to get through a long outage, from power stations and generators to water filters, radios and CO alarms. Every review is research-based: specs from the manufacturer's own page, safety guidance from CDC, CPSC, FDA and Ready.gov, and runtime math you can check. We do not test products. How we research.
01 · 11 reviews
Portable power stations
Battery units from phone-and-CPAP size to 120/240 V home backup. Silent, no exhaust, safe indoors.
Anker SOLIX C1000 review: a 1 kWh station for the fridge with room to grow
Best for: Running a refrigerator, lights, phones and a router through a one- or two-day outage, with the option to double capacity later
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus review: 6,000 W of 240 V backup for long outages
Best for: Backing up essential 120 and 240 V home circuits through outages of several days, with large solar arrays or a 240 V generator for recharge
BLUETTI AC180 review: a 1 kWh battery for the fridge, lights and phones through a one-day outage
Best for: Running a refrigerator, LED lights, a router and phone charging through an outage of about a day, with solar or a car to stretch it
EcoFlow DELTA 2 Max review: 2 kWh for a fridge, freezer and sump pump in a multi-day outage
Best for: Keeping a refrigerator, a chest freezer, lights and a router going for two to three days, with solar to stretch it further
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus review: a 1 kWh fridge battery that scales to 5 kWh
Best for: A refrigerator-capable battery that refills quickly from solar, with a path to multi-day capacity
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 review: 120/240 V battery backup for essential home circuits
Best for: Backing up essential home circuits (fridge, well pump, furnace blower, lights) through a multi-day outage, recharged by solar or a generator
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus review: a small battery for the router, phones and lights
Best for: Keeping the internet router, phones, a laptop and LED lights running through outages of a few hours to a night
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 review: a 1 kWh battery for the fridge, phones and lights
Best for: Keeping a refrigerator, phones, lights and a router going through a one- to two-day outage, refilled by solar after that
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 review: two days of fridge power in a 40 lb box
Best for: Running a refrigerator, lights, a router and phones through a two-day outage from one battery, refilled by solar after that
Jackery Explorer 300 v2 review: a small bedside UPS for a router, phones or a CPAP
Best for: Keeping a modem and router, phones, a lamp or a CPAP running through a short outage or one night, as a plug-in UPS that switches over on its own
Jackery Explorer 5000 Plus review: 7,200 W of 120/240 V backup for multi-day outages
Best for: Running 120 and 240 V household essentials, including a well pump or central air in short windows, through outages that last several days
02 · 6 reviews
Solar panels and kits
The only way to refill a battery when there is no grid and no fuel delivery.
Anker SOLIX F3800 Plus + 400W panel review: a 240 V home battery with a first panel for multi-day outages
Best for: F3800 Plus buyers who want a first solar panel in the same order, to keep a refrigerator and small loads going after the battery's first charge
BLUETTI AC180 + 200W solar review: one panel to keep a 1 kWh battery going past day one
Best for: A first fuel-free outage kit: covering lights, a router, phones and part of a refrigerator's daily use after the battery's first charge is gone
EcoFlow NextGen 220W bifacial solar panel review: refilling a battery when the grid is down
Best for: Recharging an EcoFlow power station (or another brand, with the right adapter) through a multi-day outage
EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 + 400W panel review: a 4 kWh home battery with a first solar panel for long outages
Best for: Buyers getting a 240 V-capable home battery who want enough solar from day one to cover a refrigerator and small loads through a multi-day outage
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 v2 review: a 1 kWh battery plus one panel for multi-day outages
Best for: A first solar backup kit: keeping phones, lights, a router and part of the refrigerator's needs going after the battery's first full charge runs out
Jackery Solar Generator 2000 v2 review: 2 kWh and 400 W of panels to keep a fridge going past day two
Best for: A fuel-free outage kit that runs a refrigerator, lights and a router, and uses two panels to put most of a day's use back on a clear day
03 · 7 reviews
Generators
Inverter and dual-fuel portable generators. Outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the home.
Champion 9500W Dual Fuel (201508) review: a 50 A-ready generator for well pumps and bigger essential loads
Best for: Homes that want more than a 30 A connection can carry, such as a well pump plus fridge, freezer and furnace, through a 50 A inlet and transfer switch
Champion 3500W Dual Fuel review: a basic gas-or-propane generator for outage essentials
Best for: Keeping a refrigerator, freezer, sump pump and lights running on gasoline or a propane grill tank
Champion 4500W Dual Fuel Inverter review: long-running, propane-capable outage power
Best for: Running a refrigerator, freezer, lights, a sump pump or a window air conditioner for days, on gasoline or propane
DuroMax XP13000HX review: the most portable generator power for central air and big 240 V loads
Best for: Large homes that want central air, a well pump or several big motors on a 50 A inlet and transfer switch during multi-day outages
Generac GP7500E Dual Fuel review: 7,500 W for a transfer switch and the essential circuits
Best for: Running a refrigerator, freezer, sump pump, furnace blower and lights at the same time through an electrician-installed transfer switch or interlock
Honda EU2200i review: a quiet inverter generator for the fridge and essentials
Best for: Running a refrigerator, lights, phones and a few small appliances through a long outage, and recharging a battery power station
Westinghouse WGen9500DFc review: a 240 V dual-fuel generator for whole-circuit home backup
Best for: Powering selected home circuits, including 240 V loads such as a well pump, through an electrician-installed transfer switch
04 · 4 reviews
Generator fuel, cords and transfer gear
Fuel storage, cords and the transfer equipment an electrician installs.
Champion 48033 generator cord review: 25 feet of 30 A power from the generator to your appliances
Best for: Bringing a large generator's 30 A output to a fridge, freezer and lamps while the generator stays 20+ feet from the house
Reliance Controls Pro/Tran 2 306A review: a 6-circuit transfer switch for safe generator backup
Best for: Powering a furnace, well pump, fridge and lights from a portable generator through home wiring, installed by a licensed electrician
Scepter 5 Gallon Ameri-Can review: a compliant can for storing generator fuel
Best for: Storing a stabilized gasoline reserve for a generator and refueling it with less spilling
STA-BIL Storage Fuel Stabilizer review: keeping generator gasoline ready for the next outage
Best for: Treating the gasoline you store in cans and leave in the generator tank between outages
05 · 4 reviews
UPS and internet backup
Plug-in battery backups that keep a modem, router and computer up through short outages and flickers.
APC Back-UPS 600VA (BE600M1) review: keeping a modem and router up through short outages
Best for: Keeping a modem, router and VoIP adapter online through brief outages and flickers, and saving the several-minute reboot that follows each one
APC Back-UPS Pro 1500S (BR1500MS2) review: sine wave backup for a home network and a desktop
Best for: A home office or network closet that needs sine wave output, brownout correction and time to shut a desktop down cleanly when the power fails
CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD review: sine wave backup for a desktop and the home network
Best for: A desktop computer plus modem and router that need sine wave power, a few minutes to shut down cleanly, and protection through flickers and brownouts
CyberPower CP685AVRG review: a small UPS for a modem and router in brownout-prone areas
Best for: Keeping a modem or ONT, a router and a VoIP adapter online through flickers, brownouts and short outages, on a shelf or wall mount
06 · 6 reviews
Sump pump backup
12 V battery backup pumps and combo systems that keep a basement dry when the primary pump loses power.
Basement Watchdog Big Dog CONNECT review: keeping a busy sump pit dry through a storm outage
Best for: Homes whose sump pit fills fast in heavy rain and that need a backup able to carry the load for a full storm when the grid is down
Basement Watchdog BWE review: a basic battery backup for a sump pit that rarely runs hard
Best for: Pits that run only occasionally, where the goal is to cover a primary pump that loses power during a storm without paying for a high-flow system
Basement Watchdog Big Combo CONNECT review: replacing an old primary pump and adding outage backup in one install
Best for: Homes replacing an aging primary sump pump that want battery backup for outages added in the same visit to the pit
Wayne ESP25 review: an add-on 12 V backup beside your existing sump pump
Best for: Adding outage protection to a pit that already has a working primary pump, with a simple install into a 1-1/2 or 1-1/4 inch discharge
Wayne WSS30V review: a pre-plumbed primary and backup sump pump for outage-prone basements
Best for: Replacing a worn primary pump and adding battery backup in one drop-in assembly, for owners who value warranty length over remote alerts
Zoeller Aquanot Spin 508 review: a battery backup sump pump with honest flow numbers and full diagnostics
Best for: Owners who want a backup whose flow rating reflects real battery power, with a controller that flags a stuck switch, blocked pipe or air-locked pump
07 · 7 reviews
Radios and communications
NOAA weather radios, crank radios, GMRS and ham handhelds for when cell service is down.
Eton American Red Cross FRX2 review: a pocket crank radio for news and NOAA forecasts when the grid is down
Best for: A light backup radio for a go-bag, glove box or second household kit, used to check forecasts and news on demand
Kaito KA600 review: a solar and crank radio with shortwave for long grid-down outages
Best for: A bedside and emergency receiver for long outages, when local stations go quiet and distant shortwave news becomes useful
Midland ER210 review: a go-bag weather radio that sounds NOAA alerts when the power and cell service are out
Best for: A second radio for a go-bag, car kit or bedroom, or a first radio for a small apartment
Midland ER310 review: a crank weather radio that keeps alerts coming when the power is out
Best for: A household's main emergency radio: NOAA alerts, AM/FM news and a flashlight that run for weeks without grid power
Midland ER310PRO review: a weather radio that can finally keep a modern phone charged in an outage
Best for: One device that hears NOAA warnings and keeps a phone or two topped up through a multi-day outage
Midland GXT67 PRO review: a GMRS handheld for family check-ins when cell service is down
Best for: Keeping a household and nearby relatives in contact across a neighborhood when phones and internet are down
Yaesu FT-65R review: a first ham handheld for repeaters and emergency nets in a long outage
Best for: A newly licensed Technician who wants to reach local repeaters and emergency nets when phones are down
08 · 17 reviews
Lights, batteries and power banks
Flame-free light and the small batteries that run it.
Anker 737 Power Bank review: keeping phones and a laptop charged through an outage
Best for: Keeping two or three phones, a GMRS radio or a laptop charged for the first days of an outage, and refilling from a power station or car
Black Diamond Spot 400 review: hands-free light that runs on AAA batteries in an outage
Best for: Hands-free light for cooking, checking the breaker panel, caring for kids and moving around a dark house
Energizer 38511 review: a night light that switches on by itself the moment the power fails
Best for: Hallways, stairs and bedrooms: light that is already on when a night outage starts, so nobody walks into the dark
Energizer Hybrid Solar Lantern review: a collapsible lantern you can recharge from a sunny window in a long outage
Best for: An evening lantern for a long outage that tops itself up on a windowsill during the day, with AA cells as backup
Energizer Recharge Universal AA review: easy-to-find rechargeables for outage gear you use every night
Best for: Households that want rechargeable AAs they can buy at any store, cycled through lights and radios during an outage
Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA review: the battery to leave in a go-bag for years and trust in a winter outage
Best for: Go-bags, car kits and the backup-battery bag for flashlights and radios that may sit untouched for years
Energizer WeatheReady lantern review: 500 lumens of room light that runs for days on three D cells
Best for: The main room light for a household that stores disposable batteries, through an outage measured in days
Eton Blackout Buddy Swivel review: a slim wall light that comes on by itself when the power goes out
Best for: Bedrooms, hallways and offices: an automatic light at the moment the power fails, then a pocket flashlight
Feit battery backup LED bulb review: keeping a ceiling light or lamp working for the first evening of an outage
Best for: The kitchen or living room fixture you most want lit when the power fails at dinnertime
Fenix PD36R PRO review: a long-throw rechargeable flashlight for checking the yard and storm damage
Best for: Checking the yard, the roofline, a generator or downed branches after a storm, and finding the breaker panel fast
Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 review: a rechargeable room lantern with a crank for power outages
Best for: Lighting a kitchen or living room for the whole household every evening of a multi-day outage, without candles or fuel
Goal Zero Venture 35 review: a waterproof power bank that refills from a small solar panel when the grid is down
Best for: Keeping one person's phone, headlamp and radio charged in a hurricane or flood outage, refilled from a small solar panel
Lepro 1500lm lantern review: the brightest room light on our list that runs on three D cells
Best for: Lighting a kitchen or living room bright enough to cook, read and work, during an outage of a few days
Pale Blue AA USB-C review: rechargeable AA batteries you can top up from any USB port when the grid is down
Best for: Keeping AA lights and radios running from a power bank or power station when you do not want a separate charger
Panasonic BQ-CC87 review: the USB charger that turns a power bank into AA batteries during an outage
Best for: Recharging NiMH AA and AAA cells from a power bank, power station or car USB port when the grid is down
Panasonic eneloop AA review: rechargeable batteries that hold a charge until the power goes out
Best for: Replacing the drawer of disposable AAs for radios, lanterns and remotes, recharged from a power station, power bank or solar during a long outage
Panasonic eneloop pro AA review: more runtime per charge for headlamps and lanterns, less time on the shelf
Best for: High-drain outage gear used every night: headlamps, bright flashlights and lanterns run on high
09 · 5 reviews
Battery fans and cooling
Cordless, D-cell and rechargeable fans for a hot house with no air conditioning. CDC: fans help only below 90°F indoors.
DEWALT DCE512B review: strong airflow from the 20V MAX batteries you already own
Best for: DEWALT 20V MAX owners who want a strong, weather-resistant fan for a hot room or a garage workspace during a summer outage
Milwaukee M18 Jobsite Fan review: a full night of airflow on one M18 battery
Best for: M18 tool owners who want one fan that runs through a hot night on a single battery and switches to an outlet or power station when one is available
RYOBI PCL811B review: a quiet 18V ONE+ bedroom fan for summer outages
Best for: RYOBI 18V ONE+ owners who want a quieter fan by the bed during a summer outage, and a corded fan when the power returns
Treva 10" Fin Fan review: up to 40 hours of air on six D cells
Best for: Households with no cordless tool platform that want a fan running on batteries sold everywhere, for several nights of a summer outage
Treva 5" Rechargeable Clip Fan review: a bedside personal fan you refill from a power bank
Best for: One sleeper who wants a breeze at close range during a summer outage, recharged from a power bank or power station by day
10 · 9 reviews
Water storage and treatment
One gallon per person per day (CDC), plus ways to make more water safe to drink.
Aquamira Water Treatment review: keeping stored emergency water fresh, not purifying unsafe water
Best for: Households storing their own tap water in drums or jugs who want to keep it from going stale between rotations
Katadyn Micropur MP1 review: purifier tablets that cover the virus gap filters leave
Best for: The disinfection step after a filter, a backup when you cannot boil, and every go-bag
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter review: a go-bag backup for drinking water away from home
Best for: Go-bags, car kits and evacuation, where one person may need to drink from a doubtful source
MSR AutoFlow XL review: a family's daily drinking water when the taps are unsafe
Best for: Households on a well, rain barrel or questionable tap water that need several gallons of filtered water a day without power
Platypus GravityWorks 4.0L review: filtering a family's daily water without pumping
Best for: Households that will collect rain, well or surface water in a long outage and need several gallons filtered every day
Reliance Jumbo-Tainer 7 Gallon review: rigid jugs you can store, carry and refill in an outage
Best for: Building a 2-week water supply in containers you can lift, move to a car, or carry to a refill point
Sawyer Squeeze review: a pocket filter for making collected water safer when the taps fail
Best for: Filtering rain, well, pond or creek water once stored water runs low, and a go-bag filter for every adult
waterBOB review: filling the bathtub with drinking water before the outage hits
Best for: Households that get a day or two of warning (hurricanes, forecast ice storms, wildfire shutoffs) and want a large reserve of drinking water fast
WaterPrepared 55 Gallon Tank review: a month of household water stored before the outage
Best for: Households that want a deep, always-ready water reserve for outages that arrive with no warning or last weeks
11 · 18 reviews
Food and cooking
Long-shelf-life food and an outdoor way to cook it.
Camp Chef Everest 2X review: fast boiling and full meals on the porch when the electric range is out
Best for: Households that want to boil large pots of water quickly and cook real meals outdoors during a multi-day outage
Camp Chef Explorer 2-Burner review: big-pot cooking in the yard through a long outage
Best for: Larger households that will cook every meal outdoors for a week or more and keep a 20 lb propane tank on hand
Coleman Classic 1-Burner Butane review: a small backup burner for heating water and one-pot meals outdoors
Best for: One or two people, or a second burner for a household, in a mild-weather outage with outdoor cooking space
Coleman Classic Propane Stove review: outdoor cooking and boiling water when the range is dead
Best for: Households with electric ranges that need to boil water and cook outdoors during a multi-day outage
Coleman Classic 62 Qt Wheeled Cooler review: a budget way to keep fridge food cold through a short outage
Best for: Budget-minded households that need a wheeled cooler for outages of a day or three
Datrex 3600 review: no-cook, no-water calories for the go-bag and the car
Best for: Go-bags, car kits and the first hours of an outage when cooking is not possible
Igloo Sunset Glide 110 Qt review: one rolling cooler big enough to empty a full fridge
Best for: Families who need to move a full refrigerator's perishables into one cooler during an outage
Iwatani 35FW review: a strong single burner for porch cooking, with clear limits on indoor and winter use
Best for: Strong single-burner cooking on a porch or patio table in a mild-weather outage
Jetboil Flash 1.0L review: boiling water for meals and drinks on very little fuel when the power is out
Best for: Boiling water for freeze-dried meals, coffee, washing and bottle prep for one to three people, and every go-bag
Legacy Food Storage 120 Serving Bucket review: a deep food layer for a 30-day grid-down plan
Best for: Households building past a 2-week food supply toward 30 days or more, who want bulk calories in one sealed container
Mountain House Classic Assortment Bucket review: freeze-dried meals for the first days without power
Best for: Easy, familiar hot meals for a short to mid-length outage, or a morale layer on top of a deeper food supply
Mountain House Just In Case 3-Day review: hot meals for one person's first 72 hours
Best for: One person's 72-hour food layer, or a per-person block a family can multiply
OXO Good Grips Soft-Handled Can Opener review: opening the canned-food pantry when the electric opener is dead
Best for: Every household that stores canned food, especially homes that rely on an electric can opener day to day
Peak Refuel Entrée Essentials Bucket 2.0 review: high-protein dinners for a week-long outage
Best for: Adults who want filling, protein-heavy dinners through a multi-day outage, and who will rotate stock
Pelican 50QT Elite review: a lifetime-warranty cooler for keeping fridge food safe when the power fails
Best for: Buyers who want one cooler that lasts decades of outages, with a lifetime guarantee behind it
ReadyWise 120 Serving review: a two-week food base for one adult in a long outage
Best for: A deep food base for one or two adults through an outage of one to two weeks
RTIC 52 QT Ultra-Light review: a lighter thick-walled cooler for fridge food in a blackout
Best for: Households that want thick-walled ice retention without the weight of a rotomolded cooler
YETI Tundra 65 review: holding a fridge's perishables at 40°F through a multi-day outage
Best for: Households that lose power several times a year and want one heavy-duty cooler for the fridge's perishables
12 · 10 reviews
Heat, CO and fire safety
Indoor-rated heat, carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers.
Eton Blackout Buddy CO review: a CO alarm with a flashlight built in for the night the power fails
Best for: A hallway outlet near bedrooms: CO protection plus a flashlight that is always where you left it
First Alert CO615 review: a plug-in CO alarm that keeps watching on AA batteries when the grid fails
Best for: A bedside or hallway CO alarm that runs on wall power day to day and on two AA cells through an outage
First Alert CO710 review: a carbon monoxide alarm that works with the grid down
Best for: A no-install CO alarm you can set beside a propane heater or carry to the room nearest a running generator
First Alert HOME1 review: a rechargeable extinguisher for the fire risks an outage brings
Best for: A kitchen, hallway or garage extinguisher for small fires from cooking, heaters, candles or fuel during an outage
Kidde COBD10 review: a sealed-battery CO alarm that does not care whether the grid is up
Best for: Bedrooms, hallways and the room with the propane heater: a CO alarm that runs on its own sealed battery for years
Kidde COPD review: a plug-in CO alarm whose alkaline backup carries it through a blackout
Best for: Covering a hallway outside bedrooms or a room near the garage, where an outlet is already in the right spot
Mr. Heater Big Buddy review: heating a 450 sq ft living area through a multi-day winter outage
Best for: Keeping a living room or open-plan area livable for days in a winter outage, run from a 20 lb tank with a CO alarm in the room
Mr. Heater Buddy FLEX review: fast radiant heat for a mid-size room when the furnace is down
Best for: Warming a 200 to 275 sq ft room quickly in short sessions during a winter outage
Mr. Heater Little Buddy review: heat for one small room when a winter outage stops the furnace
Best for: Keeping a small, closed room such as a bathroom or nursery-sized bedroom above freezing for a few hours at a time
Mr. Heater Portable Buddy review: one warm room when a winter outage kills the furnace
Best for: Keeping one closed-off room above freezing during a multi-day winter outage, with a CO alarm in the same room
13 · 10 reviews
Medical, sanitation and warmth
First aid, medicine that needs cooling, toilets without water pressure and staying warm.
Advanced Elements Summer Shower review: a sun-warmed rinse when the water heater is out
Best for: Summer and hurricane-season outages where the water heater is down but the sun is out
Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Explorer review: wound care and medicines for a family when clinics are closed
Best for: A family of up to four that wants a first aid kit built for days without easy access to a clinic
FRIO Individual Cooling Wallet review: keeping an insulin pen cool when the fridge is off
Best for: Keeping one in-use insulin pen or a few cartridges within room-temperature limits during a hot-weather outage
Medistrom Pilot-12 Lite review: a 12 V battery that keeps a DreamStation CPAP running through a night outage
Best for: Philips Respironics DreamStation and other listed 12 V CPAP users who want a small backup that takes over by itself when the power drops at night
Medistrom Pilot-24 Lite review: a bedside battery that keeps a ResMed CPAP running when the power drops
Best for: ResMed AirSense 10 and 11 users (and other listed 24 V machines) who want a small bedside backup that switches over on its own during a night outage
NEMO Helio LX review: a pressurized shower when the well pump or water heater is down
Best for: Well-water homes and anyone who wants a real spray for washing without power, a hook overhead or a sunny day
American Red Cross Deluxe 299-piece first aid kit review: the base layer for an outage medical kit
Best for: A household's everyday cuts-and-scrapes kit that doubles as the core of an outage medical bin
Reliance Double Doodie review: sealing bucket-toilet waste when the sewer stops
Best for: Sealing solid waste from a bucket toilet such as the Luggable Loo, and for go-bags and car kits
Reliance Luggable Loo review: a working toilet when the water and sewer stop
Best for: The seated bucket in a two-bucket emergency toilet for a household riding out a long outage at home
TETON Sports Celsius 0°F XXL review: a warm bed when a winter outage takes the heat
Best for: Adults sleeping in an unheated house during a multi-day winter outage, without running a fuel heater overnight
14 · 6 reviews
Go-bags and EMP storage
Grab-and-go kits and shielded storage for spare electronics.
Mission Darkness Non-Window Faraday Bag review: shielded storage for a spare phone or radio
Best for: Storing one spare phone, handheld radio or small power bank in a sealed, shielded bag as one layer of a grid-down plan
Ready America 70280 review: a two-person 72-hour go-bag, and what it leaves out
Best for: A two-person evacuation bag to keep by the door or in the car, which you then fill out with water, light and a radio
Ready America 70385 review: one grab-and-go bag for a family of four, with a crank radio and light
Best for: A family of four that wants one evacuation bag with food, water, first aid, light and a radio in a single purchase
Red Cross Deluxe 3-Day kit 91052 review: a one-person go-bag strong on hygiene and first aid
Best for: One adult who wants a go-bag with hygiene, first aid and light covered, and who will add water and a radio
Sustain Supply Comfort 2 review: a two-person 72-hour kit with hot meals and a way to cook them outdoors
Best for: Two adults who want real meals, a way to heat them outdoors, and a backup for finding water
Uncharted SEVENTY2.0 Pro review: an evacuation pack for two that covers shelter, water and comms
Best for: Two or more people who may have to leave home fast and want shelter, water filtration and a radio in one pack