Recommended equipment

You do not need much gear, but what you buy has to work when you need it. For each type we explain what to look for, what to avoid and where to find it.

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Buying guides

• Home Equipment Home security How to make your house or apartment harder to break into, which alarm system to choose, which cameras keep working without power and the simple habits that deter burglars.
• Energy Equipment Portable power stations What a 500, 1,000 or 2,000 Wh power station can run, how long it keeps a fridge, boiler or router going, LiFePO4 vs NMC, and when a solar panel is worth it.
• Energy Equipment UPS backup for a gas boiler Why a gas boiler shuts down in a power cut, what kind of UPS it needs (pure sine wave, power rating, battery), how to work out how many hours you get, common installation problems and when a portable power station is the better choice.
• Energy Equipment Home generators Conventional or inverter, gasoline, diesel or propane? How to size a generator, how to connect it to your house legally and why you never run it in the garage.
• Home Equipment Indoor air quality City pollution, mold, wildfire smoke and dust after an earthquake. When you need a HEPA air purifier or a dehumidifier, and how to choose one.
• Home Equipment Essential home tools The tools you need to fix small things yourself and cope after a storm, flood or earthquake. The basic list, what to buy first and what to leave for later.
• Health Equipment Home medical devices Which medical devices are worth having at home, how to choose them and how to read the results correctly. How they help you decide whether to call a doctor, especially in a crisis.
• Water Equipment Water filters: what to choose Filter jug, under-sink filter, reverse osmosis, portable or gravity filter. What each removes, what it costs to maintain and which make sense in a crisis.
• Food Equipment Cooking without power Camping stove, induction hob on a power station, passive cooking in a thermos and no-cook meals. What to choose for an apartment, and the rules that prevent poisoning.
• Energy Equipment Light and communication without power Which flashlights and lanterns are worth it, why you need a battery radio, how to keep your phone alive for days and how to stay in touch when the mobile network is down.

All equipment, by topic

Emergency kit

• 40-50 liter hiking backpack from The 72-hour emergency kit
• Rechargeable head torch from The 72-hour emergency kit
• Emergency radio with hand crank and solar panel from The 72-hour emergency kit
• 20,000 mAh power bank from The 72-hour emergency kit
• Emergency foil blankets from The 72-hour emergency kit
• Jump starter or jumper cables from Car emergency kit
• 12 V tire inflator from Car emergency kit
• Folding shovel from Car emergency kit
• Carbon monoxide alarm from Winter preparedness checklist
• Rechargeable LED lantern from Winter preparedness checklist
• Winter windshield washer fluid from Winter preparedness checklist

Emergencies

• Smoke alarm from House and apartment fires
• ABC dry powder extinguisher, 2-6 kg from House and apartment fires
• Kitchen fire blanket from House and apartment fires
• Carbon monoxide alarm from House and apartment fires
• Portable power station, 500-1,000 Wh from Power outage (blackout)
• Rechargeable LED lantern from Power outage (blackout)
• Crank, solar and battery radio from Power outage (blackout)
• Folding car snow shovel from Stuck in a car in snow
• Car emergency blanket or compact sleeping bag from Stuck in a car in snow
• Snow chains from Stuck in a car in snow

Water

• Portable water filter (straw or pump) from Emergency water purification
• Water purification tablets from Emergency water purification
• Gravity water filter for home from Water filters: what to choose
• Portable straw or bottle filter from Water filters: what to choose
• Under-sink reverse osmosis system from Water filters: what to choose
• Activated carbon filter jug from Water filters: what to choose

Food

• Camping stove with gas canister from Cooking without power
• Single induction hob from Cooking without power
• Food thermos or thermal cooker from Cooking without power
• Food dehydrator from Dehydrated and freeze-dried food
• Freeze-dried emergency meals from Dehydrated and freeze-dried food
• Vacuum sealer and bags from Dehydrated and freeze-dried food

Energy

• Cold-weather sleeping bag from Heating without power
• Carbon monoxide alarm from Heating without power
• Thermal base layers from Heating without power
• Inverter generator, 2-3.5 kW from Home generators
• Conventional generator, 5-7 kW from Home generators
• Approved fuel can from Home generators
• 100-200 W folding solar panel from Home solar and alternative energy
• Solar lantern from Home solar and alternative energy
• Portable solar phone charger from Home solar and alternative energy
• Rechargeable head torch from Light and communication without power
• Rugged handheld flashlight from Light and communication without power
• LED room lantern from Light and communication without power
• Multi-source emergency radio from Light and communication without power
• NiMH AA batteries and charger from Light and communication without power
• Compact station, 300-500 Wh from Portable power stations
• Mid-size station, 1,000-1,500 Wh from Portable power stations
• Large station, 2,000 Wh or more, expandable from Portable power stations
• 100-200 W folding solar panel from Portable power stations
• Pure sine wave UPS for heating systems, 300–600 W from UPS backup for a gas boiler
• Deep-cycle AGM or gel battery, 12 V 100 Ah from UPS backup for a gas boiler
• LiFePO4 portable power station, 1,000 Wh or more from UPS backup for a gas boiler

Health

• Complete family first aid kit from First aid kit checklist
• Tourniquet from First aid kit checklist
• Foil blankets and nitrile gloves from First aid kit checklist
• Automatic upper-arm blood pressure monitor from Home medical devices
• Fingertip pulse oximeter from Home medical devices
• Digital thermometer from Home medical devices
• Blood glucose meter (for diabetics) from Home medical devices

Home

• Battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm from Carbon monoxide
• Combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm from Carbon monoxide
• Cordless drill-driver from Essential home tools
• Screwdriver and bit set from Essential home tools
• Multi-tool from Essential home tools
• High-security lock cylinder or deadbolt from Home security
• Wireless alarm system with cellular backup from Home security
• Battery camera with local storage from Home security
• Video doorbell or intercom from Home security
• True HEPA air purifier from Indoor air quality
• Dehumidifier from Indoor air quality
• FFP2 or N95 masks from Indoor air quality
• Digital hygrometer from Indoor air quality