Checklist · 18 picks · 3 categories
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When the power goes out, the first hour is about light and the next day is about staying charged and informed. Keep a flashlight where you can find it in the dark, a headlamp for hands-free jobs, and a lantern that lights a whole room. A crank or solar weather radio keeps you in touch with alerts when cell service and internet drop, and a charged power bank keeps your phone alive. A portable power station is the optional upgrade for running a lamp, router or small fridge. Every pick won an award from Outdoor Life or OutdoorGearLab. Never run a gas generator or grill indoors.
Who this is not for. Skip this if you already keep a full emergency kit; the winter car kit covers the car.
Tell me what you can spend. I pick a tier for every item, essentials first, and show what is left. The first amount covers everything you need at the cheapest tier.
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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Oct 29, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrunite Archer Mini Flashlight | budget | $25-50 | a flashlight in every drawer | 1 outlet |
| Sofirn IF23 Flashlight | mid | $50-100 | lighting up the house or yard | 1 outlet |
| Petzl Tikkina Headlamp | budget | $15-25 | hands-free light around the house | 1 outlet |
| Nitecore NU25 UL Headlamp | mid | $25-50 | a rechargeable headlamp | 1 outlet |
| Black Diamond Storm R Headlamp | splurge | $50-100 | the brightest, toughest headlamp | 1 outlet |
| UST 30-Day Duro LED Lantern | budget | $25-50 | long outages | 1 outlet |
| Goal Zero Crush Light Chroma | budget | $25-50 | a light that charges from the sun | 1 outlet |
| Goal Zero Lighthouse 600 | mid | $50-100 | lighting a whole room | 1 outlet |
| BioLite AlpenGlow 500 | splurge | $50-100 | a lantern that feels like a lamp | 2 outlets agree |
Best flashlightbudget pick · Pocket-size
Best for a flashlight in every drawer
Outdoor Life's best budget compact flashlight: small, easy to carry, with a good clip.
Heads up. Constant-on only, with no momentary mode
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best budget compact flashlight.
$25-50
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mid pick · Handheld
Best for lighting up the house or yard
Outdoor Life's best flashlight for home: a very bright, wide beam for lighting up a whole room or yard.
Heads up. Not pocket-friendly, and its colored lights aren't very useful
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best flashlight for home.
$50-100
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budget pick · Pocket-size
Best for hands-free light around the house
Hands-free light for cooking or fixing things in the dark. OutdoorGearLab's Best Buy for general use: light, simple, with excellent battery life.
Heads up. Its beam doesn't reach far
1 outlet. OutdoorGearLab best buy headlamp (general use).
$15-25
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mid pick · Pocket-size
Best for a rechargeable headlamp
Outdoor Life's best value headlamp: ultralight, simple and affordable, and it recharges over USB.
Heads up. Outdoor Life gives no drawback detail for this one
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best value headlamp.
$25-50
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splurge pick · Pocket-size
Best for the brightest, toughest headlamp
Outdoor Life's best overall headlamp: bright, waterproof and comfortable, with a dimmable red mode.
Heads up. Its tap-to-brighten feature can jump to full blast by accident
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best overall headlamp.
$50-100
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budget pick · Compact
Best for long outages
OutdoorGearLab's top pick for power outages and emergencies: its runtime beat the maker's claim in reviews.
Heads up. Batteries are hard to swap, and the handle isn't very sturdy
1 outlet. OutdoorGearLab top pick lantern for power outages.
$25-50
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budget pick · Collapsible
Best for a light that charges from the sun
OutdoorGearLab's best budget lantern: charges by solar or USB, lasts a long time and collapses flat.
Heads up. Small, and it can't charge your phone
1 outlet. OutdoorGearLab best buy lantern.
$25-50
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mid pick · Compact
Best for lighting a whole room
OutdoorGearLab's best overall lantern: bright, easy to use and rechargeable, with a USB port to charge your phone.
Heads up. Questionable durability, and weak emergency lights
1 outlet. OutdoorGearLab editors' choice lantern.
$50-100
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splurge pick · Compact
Best for a lantern that feels like a lamp
Outdoor Life's best overall lantern, with great color choices and a long-lasting built-in battery.
Heads up. Expensive
2 outlets agree. Outdoor Life best overall lantern. Switchback Travel best overall.
$50-100
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FosPower Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radio | budget | $25-50 | a backup radio on a budget | 1 outlet |
| Midland ER210 E+READY Emergency Crank Weather Radio | mid | $50-100 | most households | 1 outlet |
| Eton FRX3+ Emergency Weather Radio | splurge | $50-100 | a Red Cross-endorsed radio | 1 outlet |
Best weather radiobudget pick · Compact
Best for a backup radio on a budget
Weather alerts when the internet is down. Outdoor Life's best value emergency radio: easy to use, with a clear signal.
Heads up. The solar panel is small, so it charges slowly
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best value emergency radio.
$25-50
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mid pick · Compact
Best for most households
Outdoor Life's best overall emergency radio: NOAA-certified, simple, and it can charge a phone over USB.
Heads up. Built only for emergency listening
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best overall emergency radio.
$50-100
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splurge pick · Compact
Best for a Red Cross-endorsed radio
Outdoor Life's best-reviewed emergency radio, endorsed by the American Red Cross, with a crank that works well.
Heads up. Pricier than the Midland, and the solar panel is weak
1 outlet. Outdoor Life top emergency radio (red cross endorsed).
$50-100
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miady AS-TPB21 Power Bank (2-Pack) | budget | $25-50 | keeping two phones charged | 1 outlet |
| INIU Power Bank BI-B6 | mid | $25-50 | several phone charges in a blackout | 1 outlet |
| Scosche PowerUp 32K Power Bank | splurge | $100+ | phones, tablets and a laptop | 1 outlet |
| Oupes Mega 1 Portable Power Station | mid | $100+ | backup power on a budget | 1 outlet |
| Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station | splurge | $100+ | running bigger appliances | 1 outlet |
| EcoFlow DELTA 2 Portable Power Station | splurge | $100+ | whole-house essentials during long outages | 1 outlet |
Best power bankbudget pick · Pocket-size
Best for keeping two phones charged
Outdoor Life's best budget power bank: a two-pack that performed well in reviews.
Heads up. Less durable; the case showed wear after a drop test
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best budget power bank.
$25-50
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mid pick · Pocket-size
Best for several phone charges in a blackout
Outdoor Life's best power bank for phones: an easy-to-read display, several phone charges and a built-in flashlight.
Heads up. Can take a few tries to start charging out of the box
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best power bank for phones.
$25-50
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splurge pick · Compact
Best for phones, tablets and a laptop
Outdoor Life's best overall power bank: a clear battery display, an AC outlet and the brightest flashlight in its test.
Heads up. Powered only one device at a time in reviews
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best overall power bank.
$100+
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mid pick · Large
Best for backup power on a budget
A big battery with wall outlets for lamps, a router or a small fridge. Outdoor Life's best value power station: strong output for the price.
Heads up. Less efficient, and it loses a lot of power with the AC port on
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best value power station.
$100+
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splurge pick · Large
Best for running bigger appliances
Outdoor Life's pick for solar generator setups: compact, and the best performer on its big power-draw test.
Heads up. Slower to recharge, and pricey per usable watt-hour
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best power station for solar generators.
$100+
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splurge pick · Large
Best for whole-house essentials during long outages
Outdoor Life's best overall power station: strong in every test, fairly light and easy to use.
Heads up. Not water resistant
1 outlet. Outdoor Life best overall power station.
$100+
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Flashlights or headlamps with spare batteries, a lantern, a battery or crank weather radio, charged power banks, water, shelf-stable food, a first aid kit and warm blankets. A portable power station is a helpful extra for longer outages.
Battery or rechargeable lights are safer. Candles are a common cause of house fires during outages, especially around kids, pets and blankets.
No. Gas generators, grills and camp stoves give off carbon monoxide, which can kill. Run generators outside, far from windows and doors, and keep a working carbon monoxide alarm.