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How to prepare for a power outage

Last updated: February 2026 · 8 min read

Power outages feel unlikely — until a hurricane, ice storm, or overloaded grid leaves you in the dark for two days. The good news: a modest amount of preparation turns an outage from an emergency into an inconvenience. This is a practical checklist, plus the part most guides skip — how to figure out how much backup power you actually need to keep the essentials running.

Match your prep to the length of outage

Over-preparing wastes money; under-preparing leaves you stuck. Think in three tiers:

• A few hours — flashlights, phone battery banks, and not opening the fridge. Most outages end here.
• One to two days — this is where a portable power station earns its keep, keeping your fridge, phones, Wi-Fi, CPAP, and a fan or light running.
• Three or more days — extended outages (common after a major hurricane) call for a larger battery you can recharge with solar, plus a deeper supply of water and food.

The power-outage checklist

Cover these categories and you are ready for the vast majority of outages:

• Water — one gallon per person per day, at least three days' worth.
• Food — non-perishable food and a manual can opener; a cooler and ice to protect the fridge's contents.
• Light — LED flashlights and lanterns plus spare batteries. Skip candles — they are a fire risk.
• Communication — a battery or hand-crank emergency weather radio with NOAA alerts, for when cell networks and power are down.
• Power — battery banks for phones, and ideally a power station for larger loads (more below).
• Medical — a first-aid kit, a week of any prescriptions, and a plan for any device that needs electricity (CPAP, oxygen, insulin cooling).
• Cash — ATMs and card readers go down with the power.
• Fuel — a full tank in your vehicle, which can also charge phones through a USB adapter.

Backup power: keeping your essentials running

This is the part most people get wrong — either buying far too much, or a noisy gas generator they cannot safely run indoors. For most homes, a portable power station (a large battery with AC outlets) quietly runs the things that matter: your refrigerator, phones, internet, medical devices, and some lights and fans. No fumes, no noise, safe indoors.

The key question is capacity, measured in watt-hours (Wh), and it depends entirely on which appliances you want to keep running and for how long. Rather than guess, size it:

Once you know your target capacity, two well-regarded options: Bluetti's power stations span everything from grab-and-go units to whole-essentials backup and offer strong capacity-per-dollar, and DJI's new Power line is another solid choice. For outages longer than a day, pair one with solar panels so you can recharge from the sun and effectively run indefinitely.

How much power do common essentials use?

Here is roughly what the things you'll want to run during an outage draw, and how that adds up:

*Approximate, allowing for typical inverter losses. A fridge is the trickiest because it cycles — it only draws power part of the time, so a 1,000–2,000 Wh station can keep one cold for a day or more. Run the calculator with your actual appliances for a real number.

Hurricane-specific prep

If you are in a hurricane-prone area, the difference between a stressful outage and a manageable one is what you do in the 48 hours before the storm:

• Charge everything. Top up your power station, battery banks, phones, and laptops while grid power is still on.
• Freeze water. Fill containers and freeze them — they keep your freezer cold longer and become drinking water later.
• Fill your tanks. Gas up the car and fill water containers before the rush.
• Pre-chill the fridge. Set it colder a day ahead so it holds temperature longer once the power is out.
• Confirm your medical plan. If anyone relies on powered medical equipment, make sure your backup battery can run it for the expected outage — size it deliberately.

During the storm, unplug sensitive electronics to protect against surges, and keep the fridge and freezer closed. Afterward, never run a gas generator indoors or in a garage — carbon monoxide is a leading cause of post-storm deaths, which is exactly why a battery power station is the safer indoor choice.

Frequently asked questions