Most power outage advice starts with generators and portable power stations, and for keeping the fridge cold, that makes sense. But the first thing you need when the lights go out is light you can see by right now. Power for your devices comes next. Here's what a real power outage emergency kit should include, and why most household emergency kits get the lighting part wrong.
What's the most important thing to have ready for a power outage?
A light source you can find and turn on without needing to see in the first place. Flashlight apps on a dead or dying phone don't count, and a light buried in a junk drawer three rooms away doesn't either. The single biggest upgrade most people can make to their blackout emergency kit is simply keeping a charged light somewhere fixed and obvious, not wherever it happened to land last time.
Should a power outage kit have more than one light?
Yes, for two different jobs. You need something small and portable to carry room to room, and something that can sit in one place and light a whole area, like a kitchen, a living room or a hallway with stairs, without you holding it the entire time.
For the carry light, the LightRanger 500 works well. It's handheld, and it can hook, clip or stick magnetically wherever you need it.
A single flashlight covers the first job but leaves you in the dark the moment you set it down. This is where an area light earns its place in a power outage kit: set it up once, and it lights the whole room hands-free.
How long should emergency lighting actually last?
Longer than a typical outage, because you don't know in advance if it'll be an hour or three days. Look at the runtime on the lowest brightness setting, not the peak number, and aim for at least 20 hours on low.
The LightRanger 800 Mini runs up to 20 hours on low, and the LightRanger 2000 runs up to 42 hours on low. If you want more margin, a power bank like the AMPak 20 extends your LightRanger's runtime so you can keep going without a wall outlet.
Does a power outage lighting kit need to be rechargeable?
It should be rechargeable, and chargeable more than one way if possible. A light that only charges from a wall outlet is exactly as useless as the outlet it's plugged into during an actual outage. Look for something that can also charge from a power bank, a USB-C car charger or a solar panel, so a dead wall outlet doesn't leave you without light too. LightRangers charge over USB-C and work with solar panels and battery packs.
Can emergency lighting double as a device charger?
It's worth looking for a light that can. A light with a large enough battery and a USB-C output can top off a phone in an emergency, which is useful for checking outage updates or making a call, without needing a separate power bank taking up space in the same emergency kit for blackout situations. The LightRanger 2000 and LightRanger 500 both have USB-C output for charging small devices.
If you also want to keep a Starlink Mini or other larger devices running, that's where a dedicated battery like the AMPak 145 comes in.
What should actually go in a basic power outage lighting kit?
At minimum, a solid blackout survival kit needs:
- One portable light for carrying room to room
- One area light or lantern that can sit in a central spot and light a whole room hands-free
- A way to recharge both that doesn't depend on the power already being back on
That combination covers moving through a dark house safely and having enough light to actually function until the power comes back.
It's also worth keeping a second light in your vehicle. A roadside stop or an outage that catches you away from home is a lot easier to handle when you're not relying on your phone's flashlight.
Once your kit is built, keep it ready. Our 5-Minute Emergency Preparedness Check walks through what to charge and check every few months.
Ready-Made Kits
Emergency Light Kit
Two LightRanger 800 Minis with colored safety filters, packed in one grab-and-go bag, so you have a light for the house and one for the car.
Stay Connected Light Kit
A LightRanger 800 Mini paired with the AMPak 145 battery, plus a colored filter kit and carry bag, for households that want backup power for staying connected along with their light. Starlink Mini not included.
