Power outage kit
Days without power: light for every room, phone charging, a radio, and food and water that don't need the fridge.
📖 Read the guide: what to buy for a power outage
Amounts below are for 4 people, 3 days. They are planning estimates; change any of them on your list.
Saves the 13 must-haves, 4 easy-to-forget items and 6 things to do to a list on this device. Upgrades are up to you. Then shop the list item by item and tick things off.
At a glance
- 🛒 Flashlights4 flashlights
- 🛒 Headlamps4 headlamps
- 🛒 Batteries16 batteries
- 🛒 Lantern2 lanterns
- 🛒 Power bank4 power banks
- 🛒 Car phone charger2 chargers
- 🛒 Weather radio1 radio
- 🔎 Drinking and cleaning water12 gallons
- 🔎 Non-perishable food12 person-days
- 🛒 Manual can opener1 can opener
- 🛒 Cooler1 cooler
- 🔎 Fridge and freezer thermometers2 thermometers
- 🛒 First aid kit1 kit
🛒 10 exact products we picked · 🔎 3 Amazon searches, so you choose the brand and size.
Must-haves (13)
- Must-haveOur pick
Flashlights
GearLight S1000 rechargeable flashlights, 2-pack
Bright flashlights that charge by USB-C, so a power bank keeps them going.
Good for: Outages
Get about 4 flashlights
4 people × 1 = 4 flashlights
One per person, so nobody is left in the dark.
- Budget pick: GearLight S1000 flashlights, 2-pack (AAA) ↗The same light on AAA batteries, sold without batteries.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Our pick
Headlamps
Energizer LED Headlamp PRO, 2-pack
Light where you look, and batteries included.
Good for: Outages and camping
Get about 4 headlamps (2 × 2-pack)
4 people × 1 = 4 headlamps
- Upgrade: Black Diamond Spot 400 headlamp ↗Brighter and waterproof, from an outdoor brand.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Must-haveOur pick
Batteries
Amazon Basics AA batteries, 48-pack
A big pack of AAs for lights and radios.
Good for: Restocking
Get about 16 batteries
4 people × 4 = 16 batteries
Check sizes for your lights and radio.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Our pick
Lantern
Etekcity CL10 LED lanterns, 4-pack
Four battery lanterns for shared rooms. Batteries included.
Good for: Outages
Get about 2 lanterns
2 lanterns for the group
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Our pick
Power bank
Anker PowerCore Slim 10,000mAh power bank
Pocket-size backup charging for a phone.
Good for: Everyday bag
Get about 4 power banks
4 adults × 1 = 4 power banks
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Our pick
Car phone charger
Anker 323 car charger
Charges two phones at once: one USB-C, one USB-A.
Good for: Every car
Get about 2 chargers
2 chargers for the group
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Must-haveOur pick
Weather radio
Midland ER310 hand-crank NOAA weather radio
Weather alerts, plus hand-crank and solar charging.
Good for: Every home kit
Get about 1 radio
1 radio for the group
Ready.gov lists a battery-powered or hand-crank radio with NOAA alerts.
- Upgrade: Midland ER310PRO weather radio ↗The newer ER310 with a bigger battery and Bluetooth.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Must-have
Drinking and cleaning water
1 gallon per person per day is the Red Cross and Ready.gov amount. Hot weather, nursing and illness can need more.
Get about 12 gallons
4 people × 3 days × 1 = 12 gallons · official amount
Amazon search: “gallon drinking water”
- Must-have
Non-perishable food
One person-day is a day of food for one person. Pick food your household already eats.
Get about 12 person-days
4 people × 3 days × 1 = 12 person-days
Amazon search: “non perishable food”
- Must-haveOur pick
Manual can opener
Mebotem heavy-duty manual can opener
Big handles and an easy-turn knob. No power needed.
Good for: Every pantry
Get about 1 can opener
1 can opener for the group
Ready.gov puts one in the basic kit.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Must-haveOur pick
Cooler
Coleman 62-quart wheeled cooler
A big wheeled cooler for camp, games and outages.
Good for: Camping and outages
Get about 1 cooler
4 people × 0.15 = 1 cooler (rounded up)
Our rule: one large cooler for every six or seven people.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Fridge and freezer thermometers
Ready.gov: check food temperatures after an outage.
Get about 2 thermometers
2 thermometers for the group
- Must-haveOur pick
First aid kit
First Aid Only 298-piece all-purpose kit
A stocked kit to start from. Add your own medicines.
Good for: Home and car
Get about 1 kit
1 kit for the group
- Upgrade: Surviveware comprehensive first aid kit ↗A bigger, organized kit in a tough bag.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Easy to forget (4)
- Our pick
D batteries
Duracell Coppertop D batteries, 8-pack
D batteries for lanterns, fans and big flashlights.
Good for: Outages
Get about 4 batteries
4 batteries for the group
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Ice packs
Get about 4 packs
4 packs for the group
Amazon search: “reusable ice packs for cooler”
Extra blankets
Get about 4 blankets
4 people × 1 = 4 blankets
Amazon search: “fleece blanket”
Cash in small bills
Ready.gov: card readers and ATMs may be down.
Get about 1 envelope
1 envelope for the group
Amazon search: “cash envelope wallet”
Upgrades (5)
- Budget pick
Portable power station
Jackery Explorer 300 Plus
Runs phones, lights and a small fan. Light enough to carry.
Good for: Short outages
Get about 1 station
1 station for the group
- Upgrade: Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 ↗A large battery for small appliances in longer outages.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Rechargeable lantern
Get about 2 lanterns
2 lanterns for the group
- Our pick
Large power bank (20,000 mAh)
Anker 20,000mAh power bank
Twice a pocket bank's capacity, with three ports.
Good for: Outages and family trips
Get about 2 power banks
4 adults × 0.5 = 2 power banks
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Power outage alert plug
Get about 1 alert
1 alert for the group
Amazon search: “power outage alarm”
- Budget pick
Generator
Westinghouse iGen2200c inverter generator
A smaller inverter generator with CO shut-off. Outdoors only.
Good for: Fridge and essentials
Get about 1 generator
1 generator for the group
Outdoors only, far from windows. Ready.gov warns about carbon monoxide.
- Upgrade: Westinghouse 9500W dual-fuel generator ↗Runs on gas or propane, with CO shut-off. Outdoors only, 20+ feet from the house.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Spend less (2)
Instead of portable power station:
- Our pick
Power bank
Anker PowerCore Slim 10,000mAh power bank
Pocket-size backup charging for a phone.
Good for: Everyday bag
Get about 4 power banks
4 adults × 1 = 4 power banks
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Instead of rechargeable lantern:
- Our pick
Lantern
Etekcity CL10 LED lanterns, 4-pack
Four battery lanterns for shared rooms. Batteries included.
Good for: Outages
Get about 2 lanterns
2 lanterns for the group
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Things to do (6)
- ✅ Charge everything before the storm
- ✅ Freeze water bottlesThey keep the freezer cold longer and become drinking water.
- ✅ Turn the fridge to its coldest setting
- ✅ Know when to throw food outReady.gov: a full freezer holds about 48 hours if the door stays shut; throw out perishables above 40°F for 2 hours.
- ✅ Fuses or breakers labeledLabel your breaker panel so anyone can find the right switch.
- ✅ Plan for power-dependent devicesTell your utility if someone relies on powered medical equipment; many have priority lists.
Official guide: Ready.gov: Power Outages ↗
More in emergency preparedness
General planning information, not professional or medical advice. A list does not guarantee anyone’s safety. In any emergency, call your local emergency number and follow official guidance from local authorities.
As an Amazon Associate, PleaseBeReady earns from qualifying purchases.