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Start with our top pick for each outage need. Below that, open a category to see every product our guides mention, with why it made the list, the key spec from the manufacturer, and the guide that covers it. We don’t list prices because they change. The button takes you to Amazon or the official product page for the current price.
How we pick: specs come from manufacturer pages, and guidance from Ready.gov, the EPA, the Red Cross, and FoodSafety.gov. We haven’t hands-on tested these products yet. When we do, we’ll say so.
Our top picks
One pick for each outage need, with the reason it made the cut.
Power station for most homes
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus
Expandable from 1 to 5 kWh, per EcoFlow, with the most surge (3,600 W) of the three stations we cover. Start with one, add batteries later.
Our guide: DELTA 3 Plus vs. AC180 vs. Explorer 1000 v2 → · Details below
Fridge and freezer food safety
Taylor 5924 fridge/freezer thermometer
Tells you whether food stayed cold enough once the power is back. Get two: one for the fridge, one for the freezer.
Our guide: Keeping food safe when the power's out → · Details below
Backup power for a CPAP
BLUETTI AC180
The most nights per charge of our three by our math: about 2.2 eight-hour nights at a ResMed AirSense 11's typical draw. Talk to your provider first.
Phones and Wi-Fi
Anker Power Bank 20K (87 W, built-in USB-C)
About two to three full phone charges by Anker's own formula. Charge it before every storm.
Our guide: Keeping your phone charged in an outage → · Details below
Heat and home safety
First Alert CO710 10-year battery CO alarm with digital display
Carbon monoxide safety comes first whenever fuel heat, a generator, or a grill is in the picture during an outage.
Our guide: Can a power station run a gas furnace? → · Details below
Weather alerts
Midland WR120 NOAA weather alert radio
A bedside NOAA alert radio with SAME county alerts and an AA battery backup. It wakes you for warnings when the power and cell service are down.
Our guide: Best emergency radio for severe weather → · Details below
Emergency food
Mountain House Essential Meal Assortment Bucket
Add water to the pouch and eat from it. Mountain House says cold water works if you give it 20 to 30 minutes.
Our guide: Best emergency food storage for a family of 4 → · Details below
Weighing a Generac or a home battery? We start with a portable power station: far less upfront, no electrician or permit, quiet, and it goes with you. Portable vs. standby generator vs. home battery →
All our gear, by category
Tap a category to open it.
Power stations (3 items)Keep the fridge, CPAP and phones running
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus
Why: Most room to grow: start at about 1 kWh and add batteries later, with the most surge headroom for a fridge or pump.
Key spec: 1,024 Wh, 1,800 W rated AC output (3,600 W surge), expandable to 5 kWh, about 27.6 lb
Our guide: Side-by-side comparison →
BLUETTI AC180
Why: The most watt-hours of the three we compared, if you don't mind the extra weight.
Key spec: 1,152 Wh, 1,800 W rated AC output (2,700 W surge), 500 W max solar input, about 35.3 lb
Our guide: Side-by-side comparison →
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
Why: The lightest, smallest box for a fridge, phones, and lights, if you keep loads under 1,500 W. Jackery says it doesn't recommend its stations for medical devices.
Key spec: 1,070 Wh, 1,500 W rated AC output (3,000 W surge), 400 W max solar input, about 23.8 lb
Our guide: How to size a power station →
Solar panels (2 items)Folding panels that recharge a station in a long outage
EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Portable Solar Panel
Why: The matching folding panel for the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus, with the solar-to-XT60 cable in the box. One panel per port is a daily top-up; two per port in series stays inside the station's 60 V and 15 A limits.
Key spec: 220 W rated (front), Voc 21.5 V, Isc 12.4 A, about 15.4 lb, folds to 24.2 x 23.2 x 1.3 in., IP68, 30-60 degree kickstand with angle guide (per EcoFlow)
Our guide: How much solar you need →
BLUETTI 200W Portable Solar Panel (SP200L)
Why: A folding MC4 panel that BLUETTI lists as compatible with the AC180. Two in series reach about 400 W rated and stay under the AC180's 60 V limit. BLUETTI says not to mix panel models.
Key spec: 200 W rated, Voc 24.6 V, Isc 10.8 A, about 17.15 lb, folds to 23 x 23.9 x 1.7 in., IP67 (splash-resistant, not waterproof), MC4 connectors (per BLUETTI)
Our guide: How much solar you need →
Food (2 items)Shelf-stable meals that need no fridge
Mountain House Essential Meal Assortment Bucket
Why: A long-shelf-life backup behind your pantry basics: about 4 days of breakfasts and dinners for one adult in a bucket that fits in a closet. Mountain House says the meals also work with cold water if you allow 20 to 30 minutes, which matters when the stove is out.
Key spec: 12 gluten-free pouches (22 servings): beef stew, rice and chicken, breakfast skillet, scrambled eggs with bacon. Takes 17 cups of water to make them all; 5.04 lb; 30-Year Taste Guarantee when kept unopened and below 75°F (per Mountain House)
Our guide: Food storage kit →
Ready Hour 120-Serving Emergency Entrée Bucket (My Patriot Supply)
Why: Ready Hour is My Patriot Supply's food brand. This is the bigger, cheaper-per-serving bulk option. Store it inside the climate-controlled house, not in a hot garage.
Key spec: 22 resealable pouches, 10 entrée varieties, 120 servings; up to 25-year shelf life stored cool, dry, and dark, ideally 55–70°F; resealed pouches last up to a year (per Ready Hour / My Patriot Supply)
Our guide: Food storage kit →
Water (2 items)Store and treat drinking water
Reliance Aqua-Tainer 7-gallon water container
Why: Store 1 gallon per person per day. Two of these hold 14 gallons, enough for 4 people for 3 days. A full one weighs about 60 lb, so fill it where it'll stay.
Key spec: 7 gal, food-safe (FDA compliant, LFGB certified), BPA- and PFAS-free; hideaway spigot and screw-on vent; stack only when empty; keep out of direct sun (per Reliance). Sanitize with 1 tsp unscented bleach per quart of water and refill every 6 months (Ready.gov)
Our guide: How much water to store →
Clorox Disinfecting Bleach, regular unscented (121 oz)
Why: Your backup for treating water when you can't boil it. Buy regular unscented only, never scented, splash-less, or color-safe. Add a clean dropper.
Key spec: EPA Reg. No. 5813-120 (per Clorox). Follow the drinking-water directions on your bottle's label. Clorox's guide: 4 drops per quart of clear water (¼ tsp per 1.75 gallons), then wait 30 minutes. EPA: use bleach less than a year old
Our guide: How much water to store →
First aid (2 items)Treat cuts and burns, and check food safety
First Aid Only 298-Piece Family First Aid Kit (FAO-442)
Why: A well-stocked base kit for the house or car. Check it against the Red Cross list for a family of four and add what's missing, plus prescriptions.
Key spec: 298 pieces in a soft zippered case with 2 layers of pockets: adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic towelettes, burn cream, gauze rolls and pads, wound closures, cold pack (per First Aid Only)
Our guide: Storm-season first aid kit →
Taylor 5924 fridge/freezer thermometer
Why: You can't judge 40°F by feel. Get 2, one for the fridge and one for the freezer, so you know what to keep and what to toss after an outage.
Key spec: 3-in dial reads -20°F to 80°F with freezer, fridge, and danger zones marked; hangs or stands; stainless steel; NSF listed (per Taylor). Fridge food is good for about 4 hours and a full freezer about 48 hours with the doors closed (FoodSafety.gov)
Our guide: Keeping food safe →
Home safety (2 items)CO alarms and sump pump backup that keep working in an outage
First Alert CO710 10-year battery CO alarm with digital display
Why: Runs on a sealed battery, so it keeps watching for carbon monoxide when the power is out and a generator, grill, or fuel heater is in play. The display also shows the room temperature, handy in a warm room. The CPSC says to put battery-operated or battery-backup CO alarms on each level and outside sleeping areas, and test them monthly.
Key spec: Electrochemical CO sensor; sealed, non-replaceable 10-year lithium battery; backlit display shows temperature and CO level, with peak-level memory; 85 dB alarm at 10 ft; tabletop or shelf, no install; listed to UL 2034; 10-year limited warranty (per First Alert)
Our guide: Staying warm in a winter outage →
Wayne ESP25n 12 V battery backup sump pump
Why: A second pump that sits in the sump pit and runs from a 12 V battery when the power goes out or the main pump fails, so it switches on by itself with nobody home. It's a backup, not a replacement for your main pump. Wayne recommends its 75 Ah battery, which is sold separately.
Key spec: 100 W permanent-magnet DC motor; 2,700 gal/hr at 0 ft of lift, 1,500 gal/hr at 10 ft; up to 10,000 gallons on a single battery charge; 1-1/2 in. NPT discharge; fits 16 in. or wider basins; battery case with LED display and audible alarm; charger plugs into a GFCI-protected outlet; battery not included (per Wayne)
Our guide: Sump pump backup for storm outages →
Radios & light (8 items)Get alerts and keep lights and phones on
Midland WR120 NOAA weather alert radio
Why: The bedside alert radio: plugged in, battery backup, and it wakes you for warnings in your county.
Key spec: SAME alerts for up to 25 counties, all 7 NOAA channels, 3 × AA backup (up to 2 days standby, per Midland)
Our guide: NOAA radios and outage lighting →
Midland WR400 deluxe NOAA weather alert radio
Why: The step-up bedside radio: Public Alert certified, with a choice of siren, voice, or light alerts and a USB port for a phone.
Key spec: SAME alerts for up to 25 counties, color-coded alert lights, AM/FM, 4 × AA backup (per Midland)
Our guide: Best emergency radios for severe weather →
Midland ER310 emergency crank radio
Why: The grab-and-go radio for when there's no outlet and no cell service.
Key spec: AM/FM plus 7 NOAA channels, rechargeable battery of about 2,600–3,500 mAh depending on version, 6 × AA backup, solar panel and hand crank for top-ups
Our guide: NOAA radios and outage lighting →
Midland ER40 emergency crank radio
Why: A smaller crank radio for the car or a second kit. Treat its phone charging as emergency-only and carry a power bank for your phone.
Key spec: AM/FM plus NOAA weather alerts, 2,600 mAh rechargeable battery, hand crank and solar charging, backlit display, LED flashlight with SOS, USB phone charging (per Midland)
Our guide: Best emergency radios for severe weather →
Energizer Vision HD+ LED headlamp (2-pack)
Why: Hands-free light for cooking, first aid, and the breaker panel. Ready.gov says a flashlight for each person; we'd add a headlamp. Battery light beats candles indoors.
Key spec: Runs on 3 × AAA each (included), up to an 80 m beam, dimmable, red night-vision mode, IPX4 splash resistant (per Energizer). Keep spare AAAs
Our guide: Light & radio kit →
Energizer WeatheReady PRO-360 LED lantern
Why: Room light for the living room or kitchen, so nobody reaches for candles. One or two covers most homes.
Key spec: 500 lumens on high, 360° light, high/low/night-light modes, IPX4 water resistant, glow-in-the-dark switch; runs on D batteries (per Energizer). Stock spare Ds
Our guide: Light & radio kit →
Anker Power Bank 20K (87 W, built-in USB-C)
Why: It keeps phones alive without running the power station all night. Charge it before the storm.
Key spec: 20,000 mAh, up to 65 W from the built-in USB-C cable or USB-C port (87 W total), plus a USB-A port; about 15.2 oz (per Anker). Top it off whenever a storm or shutoff is in the forecast
Recall check: Have an older Anker Zolo Power Bank 20K (model A1689)? It’s one of five Anker models recalled in 2025 for fire and burn hazards. Find the model number on the back or side, then check the serial on Anker’s recall page (CPSC).
Our guide: 72-hour outage kit →
Anker Nano Car Charger (75W, built-in retractable USB-C cable)
Why: Turns the car into a phone charger when the power is out. Charge only outdoors in open air with the engine running, never in a garage attached to the house.
Key spec: 75 W total: built-in retractable USB-C cable up to 45 W, plus a USB-C port up to 30 W; plugs into a 12 V car outlet (per Anker, model A2738)
Our guide: Keep your phone charged in an outage →
Flashlights & emergency bulbs (4 items)Light that works when the power doesn't
OLIGHT Seeker 4 Pro
Why: A bright USB-C rechargeable flashlight for the person who goes outside to check the meter, the breaker, or the yard. The low modes stretch one charge across days of an outage.
Key spec: Up to 4,600 lumens (turbo, briefly); 300 lumens for about 11 hours, 50 lumens for about 60 hours, 5-lumen moonlight for about 15 days; 5,000 mAh 21700 battery; USB-C charging through the holster in about 3.5 hours; IPX8 (per Olight)
Our guide: NOAA radio and outage lighting guide →
GearLight S1000 LED Flashlight (2-pack)
Why: A budget pair that runs on standard AAA batteries, so they work even after a long outage has drained everything rechargeable. Keep one in the kitchen drawer and one by the bed.
Key spec: Each light takes 3 × AAA (holder included) or one 18650 cell (tube included); batteries not included; 5 modes, zoomable beam, water resistant, rated for a 10-ft drop; 6.1 in long (per GearLight's Amazon listing). Store spare AAAs
Our guide: NOAA radio and outage lighting guide →
Energizer Weatheready Auto-On Rechargeable Lights (3-pack)
Why: Plug-in lights that stay charged in a wall outlet and switch on by themselves when the power fails, so nobody hunts for a flashlight in the dark. Pull one out and it's a handheld light.
Key spec: Turns on automatically in a power outage; 40 lumens, about 3 hours on high, 30 m (about 98 ft) beam; built-in rechargeable battery; retractable plug (per Energizer)
Our guide: Emergency light bulbs and auto-on lights →
GE LED+ Battery Backup A21 Bulbs (2-pack)
Why: A regular-looking bulb with a battery inside that stays lit when the power cuts out, as long as its wall switch was left on. Good for stairs, hallways, and kids' rooms.
Key spec: Up to 5 hours at 650 lumens on battery; charge 10 hours straight when first installed, then it recharges whenever the light is on; wall switch must be ON for it to stay lit in an outage; unscrews to use as a flashlight; E26 base, A21 shape, 5.63 in long; not for dimmers or fully enclosed fixtures (per GE Lighting)
Our guide: Emergency light bulbs: how they work →
Backup internet (2 items)Stay online when cable and fiber go down
Starlink Mini Kit
Why: Satellite internet that doesn't depend on your local cable, fiber, or cell network, small and low-power enough to run off a power station for about a day. Needs a monthly Starlink service plan, bought separately from Starlink, and a clear view of the sky.
Key spec: Built-in Wi-Fi 5 router; average power use 25–40 W; DC input 12–48 V, 60 W max; runs from a 100 W (20 V/5 A) USB-C PD port with Starlink's USB-C to barrel jack cable, sold separately; 2.43 lb dish (per Starlink). Service plan required, sold separately
Our guide: Satellite backup internet in an outage →
Starlink Standard Kit
Why: A whole-home satellite setup with a separate Wi-Fi 6 router for bigger houses. It draws more power than the Mini, so plan on the power station's AC outlet. Needs a monthly Starlink service plan, bought separately from Starlink.
Key spec: Average power use 75–100 W; Router 3 (Wi-Fi 6, tri-band) covers up to 3,200 sq ft; 6.4 lb dish; 49.2 ft Starlink cable included; runs on AC (per Starlink). Service plan required, sold separately
Our guide: Satellite backup internet in an outage →
Medical devices: talk to your doctor or equipment provider before relying on a power station. See backup power for a CPAP.