image – pixabay.com (CC0)

1. Flashlights/Rechargeable Flashlights
A flashlight is one of most common light source we can think of when the power is out. If the flashlights in your home haven’t been used for over a year now, you better check them if they are still in good condition especially their batteries.

There are also manually-rechargeable type flashlights. They have a crank in them which is used for changing. However, you can’t use them long term because you need to charge them to maintain their power. Unlike the ones that are battery powered which you can easily change the batteries.

There are numerous survival flashlights on the marketplace nowadays, including some pretty fancy ones. Most LED flashlights has a shelf life of more than 25,000 hours. They might be a bit expensive than the others but you can assure that it’s of good quality.

2. Head Lamps
The primary advantage of using a head lamphead lamp is that it is hands-free. You can just turn the power on and put it on your head then do the things that you need to do.

3. Candles
Candles are among the primary options we think of when the power goes out. They are inexpensive, they have no expiration date, and are easy to use. However, candles come with danger. They could set your house on fire so be sure that the candles you store for emergency situations have the proper non-flammable holder and are not left unattended.

4. Kerosene Lamps
Kerosene lamps are a great source of light that use kerosene as a fuel. They are like candles which are open flame so you need to take extra care when you use them.

5. Propane Lamps
Propane lampsPropane lamps are lamps that are usually used in camping. These are great to use when there’s power outage in your place because they give out abundant light. Just be sure to put them in a well-ventilated area.

6. Battery Powered Lights
Flashlights are not the only battery powered light source. There are also lanterns, folding lights, and (amusingly) candles. Yes, there really are battery powered candles. If you choose this way, you need to have a stock of batteries with you.

7. Rechargeable Blackout Lights
This is a super clever idea. You leave it plugged into a wall socket when the power is on and it senses when the power has gone out and the light comes on. You can then grab it and use it as a flashlight. Blackout Buddy (from the American Red Cross) got super reviews on Amazon. These are not recommended for long term power outages.

8. Solar Indoor and Outdoor Lamps
These are great for emergency situations. Solar lamps are charged by sunlight or by using the dynamo included. There is also a type that has a port for phone charging. Check out this one on Amazon.

On a single charging during summer, solar lamps will last 6-8 hours and during winter, 4 hours.

9. Glow Sticks
Glow sticks are also for short term use only. These are great to keep kids calm and entertained during power outage. They are inexpensive.

Graphic © off-grid.info. Images: Amazon (with permission), Pixabay (PD)