Best Flat-Friendly Power Cut Kit

A 20,000mAh bank with a USB-C cable built into the body, so there is one less loose lead to lose in a grab bag. The capacity is enough for several phone recharges, and the higher-wattage output will also top up a tablet or small laptop. A practical middle-ground bank for a power cut or a weekend off-grid.

• Roughly four to five phone charges from a single fill
• Built-in USB-C cable means one less lead to misplace
• Fast enough output to charge tablets and small laptops

A rechargeable LED lantern that throws a wide, even light rather than the narrow beam of a torch, which makes it the better tool for lighting a room or a tent during a power cut. It runs off its own built-in battery and recharges over USB, with brightness and runtime settings so you can trade light output for a longer burn. A sensible backup to keep charged on a shelf alongside your torches.

• Wide 360-degree light for rooms and tents, not just a spot beam
• USB-rechargeable so there are no batteries to buy
• Adjustable brightness to stretch runtime when it matters

A hand-crank and solar emergency radio that adds DAB to the usual FM, so you can still pick up digital broadcasts during a power cut. It doubles as a torch and a small power bank for topping up a phone, and the wind-up handle means it keeps working when the batteries and grid are both gone. The kind of thing you set aside for a storm and forget about until the day you need it.

• DAB and FM tuning, not just FM, so you catch digital-only stations
• Three ways to power it: hand crank, solar panel and USB charging
• Built-in LED torch and USB output to trickle-charge a phone

Air-activated single-use warmers that put out roughly 10 hours of gentle heat once you open the packet. A bulk box like this is the sort of thing you want stashed in a coat pocket, glovebox and grab bag before winter, especially if you're stuck at a cold bus stop, a match or a breakdown. They're disposable rather than reusable, so treat them as a backup rather than your only plan for staying warm.

• Around 10 hours of heat per pair, no charging or fuel needed
• 40 pairs means you can spread them across bag, car and coat
• Air-activated — just open and shake, works straight from storage

A pair of 10-litre rigid jerry cans for putting by a household drinking-water reserve ahead of a burst main, supply fault or planned outage. Stackable and fitted with a spout, they hold a sensible reserve without relying on flimsy bottles — roughly a fortnight of drinking water for one person across the two. Keep them dedicated to water only (never mix with the fuel these cans are also sold for), and refresh a few times a year.

• 20 litres total — a meaningful household reserve for outages
• Rigid, stackable cans store more tidily than loose bottles
• Spout makes dispensing water easy without spills

A workplace-standard HSE first-aid kit in a wall-mountable box, sensible as the anchor kit for a home, office or workshop. It covers the everyday cuts, grazes and dressings you actually reach for, rather than trauma-only contents. Buy it as your base kit and add bleed-control items separately if you need them.

• Meets HSE workplace first-aid guidance
• Wall-mountable box keeps contents organised
• Covers common cuts, grazes and dressings