A short power cut is usually an inconvenience. A longer one can affect lighting, communications, heating controls, refrigeration and the ability to charge essential devices.
The sensible goal is not to recreate the national grid in your spare room. It is to cover the few functions that matter most for a short interruption.
Start with lighting
Keep at least one dependable battery torch somewhere everyone in the household can find it in the dark.
Useful options include:
- a normal LED torch;
- a head torch for hands-free use;
- a battery lantern for a room;
- spare batteries where the device uses replaceable cells.
Candles can work, but they add a fire risk. Battery lighting is usually simpler for routine household preparation.
Keep phones useful
A charged power bank can keep a phone available for calls, messages, maps and official updates.
Capacity matters less than maintenance if the power bank is always flat. Check and recharge it periodically.
For a household with several phones or other small USB devices, two modest power banks can be more flexible than relying on one unit.
Know what needs electricity in your home
Before buying backup equipment, make a quick list of what actually stops working during an outage.
Examples may include:
- broadband router;
- mobile phones;
- boiler controls;
- medical or mobility equipment;
- fridge and freezer;
- electric cooking appliances;
- lights;
- garage doors or gates.
This tells you what problem you are trying to solve.
Fridge and freezer basics
Keep fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible during an outage. Opening them repeatedly lets cold air escape quickly.
If food safety is uncertain after a prolonged outage, use conservative judgement and follow official food-safety guidance rather than relying on smell alone.
A fridge thermometer can make decisions easier because you know the actual temperature rather than guessing.
Warmth in winter
If your heating system depends on electricity, a power cut can also stop the boiler or controls.
Start with low-tech measures:
- layers;
- blankets;
- closing curtains;
- using one room rather than heating the whole home where safe and practical.
Never use a barbecue, charcoal burner or outdoor combustion appliance indoors for heating or cooking. Carbon monoxide can be fatal.
Communication
Write down important phone numbers so they are not stored only in a phone that may run flat.
A small battery or wind-up radio can provide an additional information route if internet and mobile data are unavailable.
Do you need a portable power station?
Not necessarily.
A higher-capacity battery power station can be useful if you genuinely need to run several devices or support equipment for longer periods, but it is a more expensive second or third layer of preparation.
Before buying one, check:
- The devices you need to power.
- Their wattage and approximate runtime.
- The battery system's usable capacity.
- Maximum continuous output.
- Recharge time and charging options.
- Whether the device can be stored and maintained safely.
Do not buy on headline battery capacity alone.
A sensible three-level setup
Level 1 — cheap essentials
- torch;
- spare batteries;
- written emergency numbers;
- warm layers and blankets;
- keep phones reasonably charged.
Level 2 — useful backup
- one or two charged power banks;
- room lantern;
- battery or wind-up radio;
- fridge thermometer;
- household-specific backup items.
Level 3 — higher-capacity power
Consider a portable power station only when you know exactly what you need it to run.
This is where future Wild & Well comparisons will look at capacity, output, battery chemistry, recharge options, warranty, portability and total cost rather than simply choosing the biggest unit.
Link it to your wider household plan
Power is only one part of resilience. A good household setup also covers water, food, communication, medication and hygiene.
Start with our UK 72-Hour Household Emergency Kit and Practical Resilience hub.
If water supply is your main concern, see the 72-Hour Household Water Plan.
The Wild & Well rule
Back up important functions, not every appliance.
A torch, charged phone and sensible household plan solve more real-world problems than expensive equipment bought without a clear use-case.
Make the next decision easier
Occasional Wild & Well notes with practical actions, useful comparisons and no-pressure product guidance.
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Related reading
Keep learning — then choose the simplest next step.
InsightUK 72-Hour Household Emergency Kit: What You Actually Need
A calm, practical UK checklist for three days of short-term disruption: water, food, lighting, power, communication, first aid and hygiene.
Insight72-Hour Household Water Plan (UK): Storage, Filtration and What to Do in an Outage
A practical UK guide to keeping enough drinking water for 72 hours, storing it safely, and understanding when filtration can and cannot help.
InsightUK 72-Hour Food Plan: What to Keep at Home Without Stockpiling
A practical UK guide to keeping three days of familiar, shelf-stable food at home without panic buying or specialist survival meals.
InsightIndoor Air During Smoke or Pollution Events (UK): A Practical Home Guide
Practical UK steps for reducing indoor smoke and particle exposure: ventilation timing, HEPA filtration, room setup and what air purifiers can and cannot do.
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