Category
Power Outage
Keep the lights on and food fresh when the grid goes down
The bare minimum for power outage
Most outages last hours, not days — but the fridge doesn't care. These six things keep food safe, phones alive, and the dark manageable.
0 of 6 ready
Bare minimum, not the full kit — the guides below cover the rest. Prices and availability change; the linked picks show current details.
5 Best Satellite Communicators for Emergencies in 2026
Cell towers fail in every major outage. Five satellite messengers compared from $49 to $324, plus the true subscription math nobody puts in the headline.
Best Space Heaters for Winter Outages (2026)
Four space heaters for winter outages, $33 to $184: two fuel heaters that need no electricity plus two electric picks for when the grid or generator is back.
Heat the Person, Not the Room: Heated Throw vs. Central Heating Costs
A 50-watt heated throw costs about a penny an hour; a 1500-watt heater costs 30 times more. The tiered personal-warmth ladder for winter home power outages.
How Long Can a House Stay Warm Without Power? (2026)
An average house stays livable 8 to 12 hours after the heat dies. What sets that clock, how to stretch it room by room, and backup heat that is safe indoors.
How Long Does a 20 lb Propane Tank Last? Appliance Math (2026)
How long does a 20 lb propane tank last? About 18 to 20 hours on a medium grill or 14 on a 30,000 BTU heater. One simple division covers every appliance.
How Long Will a Generator Run on Propane? Runtime Math (2026)
How long will a generator run on propane? A full 20-pound tank gives most portables 7 to 10 hours at half load, and the tank-size math covers the rest of it.
When the Power Goes Out and You Depend on Medical Equipment
A power outage is a medical event when you depend on oxygen, a CPAP, dialysis, or refrigerated medicine. The plan: registration, tested batteries, cold chain.
What Size Generator to Run a Refrigerator and Freezer (2026)
What size generator runs a refrigerator? Size from the compressor starting surge, not the running watts, then pick the right generator class for your own home.
What to Do When a Power Line Is Down: Distance, Live Wires, and Electrocution Risk
A downed power line can energize the ground around it, up to 35 feet. Stay back, keep others away, call 911, and never touch anything the wire touches.
Generator Carbon Monoxide Safety: Placement, Distance, and Symptoms
Run a generator outside, 20 feet from every door and window. The carbon monoxide symptoms to catch early, why a garage is never safe, and the rain rule.
How Long Does a Generator Run on a Tank of Gas? Fuel Math and Runtimes
How long does a generator run on a tank of gas? Most portables last 5 to 12 hours at half load. Burn-rate math, real runtimes, and how to stretch a tank.
Power Outage with a Baby: Formula, Warming, Diapers, and Sleep Safety
A power outage with a baby: how to mix formula safely, warm bottles without power, change diapers in the dark, and keep safe sleep rules exactly as they are.
Power surges and brownouts: protecting electronics, the UPS layer, and what actually dies
Surge protector or UPS? What brownouts do to fridge motors, what dies when the grid comes back, and the protection stack that can save your electronics.
Can a Portable Power Station Run a Space Heater?
A 750W space heater sits above a 245Wh station's X-Boost ceiling, and even smaller heaters drain in minutes. The winter runtime math, and what to use instead.
How to Store Gasoline for a Generator Safely (2026)
Store gasoline for a generator without spoiled fuel or fire risk: approved cans, stabilizer dosing, real shelf life, and storage spots away from living spaces.
Whole-Home Solar Backup Kit Guide (2026): Portable, Battery, and 5kW Tiers
A whole-home solar backup kit runs from a $259 panel up to a $3,100 grid-tied 5kW system. Here is how the tiers stack and what each one actually powers.
Best Home Generators for Power Outages (2026): Inverter vs Standby, Sized Right
The best home generators for outages in 2026: inverter picks for essentials, standby for whole-house, real wattage math, and the safety rules that matter.
Cook Stored Food Without Power: Butane Stoves and No-Cook Meals (2026)
How to cook stored food when the power is out: which butane stove is safe outdoors, outdoor-only CO rules, and no-cook meals that need no heat at all.
Day 5 Without Power: What Matters, Costs, and Weighs
By day 5 without power the small gaps get expensive. Here is what held, what failed, and the true cost and weight of every fix that actually mattered.
How to Start a Fire in an Emergency: Ferro Rods and Matches That Work When Wet (2026)
Start a fire when everything is wet: which ferro rod and waterproof matches actually work, how to prep tinder, and the step-by-step method that works cold.
How Long Will a Portable Power Station Run a Fridge? Runtime Estimates for 2026
How long will a portable power station run a fridge? A 120W fridge on 245Wh runs about 4 to 5 hours at 35 percent duty. Real runtime table and worksheet inside.
Stay Cool Without AC: How to Keep One Room Survivable in a Summer Blackout (2026)
Stay cool without AC in a summer blackout: keep one room survivable with cross-ventilation, reflective barriers, battery fan run-time math, and when to leave.
What to Do When the Power Grid Goes Down: First Hours to Week One (2026)
What to do when the power grid goes down: the first-hour checklist, the day-one assessment, and the week-one routine that keeps your household running.
How to Light Your Home Without Power: Emergency Lighting Guide 2026
How to light your home without power: LED run-time math, why a battery station beats candles, and the radios with built-in lights that carry a 2026 outage.
Best Portable Power Stations for Home Backup in 2026
Portable power stations for home backup, compared from published specifications and capacity math. EcoFlow RIVER 3 has 245Wh, 300W output, and solar input.
What to Do When the Toilet Won't Flush: The Emergency Bucket System
Toilet won't flush during an outage? The one-flush bucket trick, the 5-gallon twin-bucket emergency toilet, and safe waste disposal for weeks, not days.
How Long Does Food Last Without Power? Fridge, Freezer, and Safe List
How long does food last in a fridge without power? Around 4 hours unopened; a full freezer holds 48. The 40°F rule, what stays safe, and what to toss.
Power Outage Survival Guide 2026: Gear, Food Safety, and the 72-Hour Rule
The systems and gear that carry a household through a multi-day outage: food safety, water storage, power stations vs generators, and the 72-hour margin.