Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Hurricane Power & Blackout Essentials
28
items Backup power at more than one level: generators, portable power stations, phone-size battery banks, rechargeable fans, lanterns, flashlights, cords and batteries. The goal is layers, so one dead battery or one unavailable power source does not take y...
These are my new favorite emergency light. The power goes out, these flip on. And best of all you use them everyday in your lamps so they are always charged. No special lanterns needed. All your lights just WORK.
Emergency Rechargeable Battery Light Bulb
A rechargeable fan that also gives you light and emergency charging earns its storage space. During a hot-weather outage, moving air stops feeling optional very quickly.
Rechargeable 3-in-1 Camping Fan with LED Light | Portable Fan for Cooling, Lighting, and Outdoor Device Charging – Perfect for Camping, Hiking, and Emergencies
A bulk AAA pack is exactly the boring purchase you are very happy to have once the lights go out. Put it in the hurricane bin and leave it there.
Amazon Basics AAA Alkaline Batteries, 36-Count
This is the big AA stash for flashlights, radios and all the random emergency gear that suddenly becomes important during an outage. I would rather have too many batteries than start scavenging them from remotes.
Amazon Basics 48-Pack AA Alkaline Batteries
A phone-size power bank is the backup you can keep charged long before storm week. The built-in USB-C cable also removes one tiny thing you would otherwise discover you forgot at exactly the wrong time.
Anker Power Bank, 20,000mAh Portable Charger with Built-in USB-C Cable
I have this dual fuel genny and it is surprisingly quiet and packs a real punch. All the fridges, freezers and anything else you need along those lines are going to run on this.
WEN 6800W Dual Fuel RV-Ready Inverter Gen
Solar plus USB charging gives you another way to replenish light during a longer outage. Collapsible gear is also nice when the hurricane bin already looks like it is packing for a month.
Coleman Camping Lantern, Solar, 200 Lumens
This is the larger home-backup end of the list, with gasoline or propane flexibility and a CO sensor. Size a generator for what you actually plan to run, and always operate fuel-burning generators outdoors well away from doors, windows and vents.
Westinghouse 13,500/10,500-Watt Remote Electric Start Dual Fuel Gas and Propane Portable Generator w/ 50A Outlet, CO Sensor WGen10500DFc
Not every house needs the biggest generator in the aisle. This smaller dual-fuel option makes more sense when the goal is keeping selected essentials going rather than pretending the outage never happened.
Westinghouse 4,650/3,600-Watt Remote Electric Start Dual Fuel Gas and Propane Powered Portable Generator w/ Wheel Kit, CO Sensor WGen3600DFc
A strong rechargeable flashlight belongs where you can find it in the dark, not buried in a garage drawer. This one can also provide USB charging for another device.
Energizer Rechargeable Flashlight 2000 Lumens: LED, Impact & Water-Resistant, High/Low/Strobe Modes, 250m Range, Silver
An area light is much nicer than trying to light an entire room with one flashlight pointed at the ceiling. I like having at least one light meant to illuminate a shared space.
Energizer Rechargeable Area LED FlashLight Green: Emergency Light, Impact & Water-Resistant, 1200 Lumens, 50 Hr Run Time
The power indicator is useful because guessing how much lantern battery is left is not a fun blackout game. Charge it before storm day and keep it somewhere easy to grab.
Energizer Power Indicator Rechargeable Lantern: LED, Impact & Water-Resistant, 500 Lumens, Lithium Ion Battery Included
The generator is only part of the setup. Use cords and connections rated for the equipment and load you are running, and keep the generator itself safely outdoors.
VEVOR 20 ft. Generator Extension Cord 250-Volt 50 Amp UL Listed Generator Power Cord with Twist Lock Connectors FDJYCX20FTX50ACZ1V1
A portable power station fills the very useful gap between a phone battery bank and a gas generator. I have reviewed Jackery backup power, and I like having a quieter indoor-friendly layer for electronics and smaller devices.
Jackery E300New 290Wh Portable Power Station with 102W 3-Port Fast Charger, 300W LiFePO4 Battery for Camping, Travel & Backup
This is the heavier-duty portable-battery step for charging more demanding devices. “Backup battery” can mean very different things, so I like having more than one size in the plan.
Anker A1336011 Prime 20k Mah Power Bank [200w] 2 Usb C Ports
Rechargeable lanterns are great while the power is out, but charge them before the storm. I still keep battery-powered lighting too so one dead rechargeable does not leave the house dark.
Coleman Classic Recharge LED Lantern - 800 Lumens - Black
This gives you cooling, light and another small power-bank option in one piece of gear. The solar panel is backup charging, not magic, but extra ways to recharge are useful in a multi-day outage.
20000mAh Solar Camping Fan with Mist & Remote, Auto Oscillating Battery Operated Fan for Tent with LED Lantern, Tripod, Portable Outdoor Rechargeable Misting Fan Power Bank for Travel Hurricane
A higher-capacity rechargeable fan can make sleeping through a hot outage much more manageable. I would rather have two charged fans in different rooms than keep moving one around the house all day.
24000mAh Battery Powered Camping Fan - Portable Camping Fan with LED & 120° Oscillation,Built-in Power Bank, USB Rechargeable ,Portable for Tent Outdoor Patio Garage Hurricane Power Outage
One of the most versatile power stations that you can carry. Good for fans, lights, cpap, even a fridge if needed for a bit.
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power 1070Wh
A lot of power that is still portable. Fans, lights, CPAP, fridge, freezer, TV - all will usually run with this but not at the same time.
Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 Portable Power Station
The solar panels on this make it worth the price alone. Its a small unit but one you can recharge with the sun and it will run your electronics, fans, lights and things like that.
300W Portable Solar Generator with 60W Panel
Keep these out in your yard and you always have lights charged to bring in the house.
Mainstays Solar Powered Black Classic Halo Column LED Path Light, 2 Lumens, 6 Count
If a generator is part of your plan, safe approved fuel storage needs to be part of the plan too. Buy the can before storm week, and follow local storage and fire-safety rules.
Scepter 5 Gal. Smart Control Gas Can FR1G501
A transfer pump is much better than trying to muscle a heavy fuel can into an awkward pour. This one is battery powered, so keep the required AA batteries with the fuel gear.
DEWAY Fuel Transfer Pump, Battery Powered, 51 in. Hose with 2.4 GPM Basic Clip-On Nozzle and 3-Adapters WAYPUMP20B
Fuel that sits needs its own plan. A stabilizer can make sense for stored gasoline used with generators and other engines; follow the label directions for the amount and storage period.
STA-BIL Storage Fuel Stabilizer for Gasoline Engines, 16 Fluid Ounces (22207) Treats 40 Gallons.
If your backup cooking plan uses a propane grill, the fuel needs to be part of the plan before the storm. This tank is sold empty, so have it properly filled ahead of time and store propane according to safety guidance.
Bernzomatic 20 lbs. Empty Propane Tank 309791
Keep phones charged without touching your main power station. This one recharges itself in the sun, so it's ready even after a few cloudy days.
JIUMESS 42800mAh Solar Power Bank 15W Fast Charging with Cables, Solar Charger Compatible for iPhone/Android Phone
This is the backup we keep charged and ready in the closet. Enough capacity to run the fridge, lights, and fans without touching the generator.
DELTA 3 Classic (1024 Wh Capacity) Portable Power Station