Gift guidePart 2 of 4 · The Useful Gift List
Power Outage Gifts: Backup Power in Three Sizes
A backup-power gift is easy to get wrong in both directions: too small to matter, or a heavy box nobody asked for. The size depends on what the house needs to keep running.
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The lights go out at dinner, three phones are under 20 percent, and nobody knows when the power is coming back. That evening is what this gift is for.
Our pick is the Anker SOLIX C300, a small power station that Anker rates at 288 watt-hours and 300 watts. That suits small loads such as phone chargers, a lamp and a router. Check the watts on each one.
If the house needs more than 300 watts, give the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2. If you want something small for a stocking, give the Anker 20,000mAh power bank.
Two items on Ready.gov's outage list are not picks on this page: flashlights and medical devices. They are in the gift check below.
What we recommend
BetterThe one giftMost people should start hereSmall loads, up to 300 wattsAnker SOLIX C300 Portable Power StationCheck price
BestFor loads above 300 wattsThree outlets and 1,500 watts, for bigger loadsJackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power StationCheck price
GoodThe stocking-size giftKeeps phones charged, USB-C cable built inAnker Power Bank (20K, 87W, Built-In USB-C Cable)Check price
In this guide9 sections
What a power outage takes away
Ready.gov's outage advice is a short list of things to arrange before the power goes. It tells households to plan for "batteries and other alternative power sources," names "a portable charger or power bank," and says to "have flashlights for every household member."
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission adds the safety half. Its January 2026 winter release says to use battery-powered flashlights or lanterns instead of candles, and to run a portable generator "outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the home." CPSC estimates that about 750 people died from carbon monoxide poisoning associated with generators alone from 2012 to 2022.
CPSC's outdoors rule is written for portable generators. A power station runs on a battery, and what limits it is endurance. Two numbers size one: watt-hours say how long it runs, and watts say what it can run at once. Divide the first by the load and you have hours on paper, before conversion losses take a share.
Watt-hours say how long it runs. Watts say what it can run at once.
| What the house needs | What covers it | Gift on this page |
|---|---|---|
| Phones kept charged | A power bank | Anker 20,000mAh power bank |
| Phones, a lamp, a laptop, a router | A small power station, up to 300 watts | Anker SOLIX C300 |
| Bigger loads, up to 1,500 watts | A larger power station | Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 |
| A light for each person | A flashlight per person (Ready.gov) | None: see the gift check |
| A medical device | A plan made with the medical provider (Ready.gov) | None: don't size this one by guess |
Our pick: Anker SOLIX C300
BetterThe one gift
Small loads, up to 300 watts
Anker SOLIX C300 Portable Power Station
A small power station that Anker rates at 288 watt-hours, with AC outlets that deliver up to 300 watts and a 140-watt USB-C port. Anker says it recharges to 80 percent in 50 minutes from a wall outlet.
- Capacity (Anker)
- 288Wh
- AC output
- 300W (600W surge)
- USB-C
- 140W, in and out
- Recharge
- 80% in 50 min from the wall
- Noise (Anker)
- 25dB at 3.3 ft
- Cold limits
- None listed on the product page
Specs: Anker SOLIX product page
Small loads fit under its 300-watt limit. Check the watts printed on each charger, lamp or router against it. Anker gives it a 140-watt USB-C port that works in both directions, so that port can power a device or refill the station.
It is ready again quickly. Anker lists a recharge to 80 percent in 50 minutes from a wall outlet, and says it can also charge from a car or a solar panel.
Anker publishes a noise figure. Anker says it emits 25 decibels from 3.3 feet away. It doesn't say under what load that was measured, but it's a number you can hold other stations to.
If the gift has to run something bigger than a lamp and a laptop, buy the Jackery below.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- 300 watts is the ceiling. Anker gives that as the most its AC outlets deliver, and a 1,500-watt space heater asks for five times as much.
- It runs for hours, not days. 288 watt-hours divided by a 30-watt load is about 9.6 hours on paper, and conversion losses take a share of that.
- Anker's page says the carrying strap is sold separately, and that the car and solar charging cables can be purchased separately.
- Anker's product page lists no operating or charging temperature. Treat it as an indoor item.
If they need more than 300 watts: Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
BestFor loads above 300 watts
Three outlets and 1,500 watts, for bigger loads
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station
A larger station that Jackery rates at 1,500 watts across three AC outlets, with a 3,000-watt surge peak. Its spec table lists a lithium iron phosphate battery and a life of 4,000 cycles to at least 70 percent capacity.
- AC output (Jackery)
- 1,500W rated, 3,000W surge peak
- Capacity (two figures)
- 1,070Wh spec table, 1,024Wh headline
- Outlets
- 3 AC, USB-C at 100W and 30W
- Weight
- About 23.8 lb
- Charges at
- 32°F to 113°F
- Runs at
- 14°F to 113°F
Specs: Jackery product page
It runs what the small one can't. Jackery rates it at 1,500 watts across three AC outlets, five times the C300's limit.
At 100 watts it works out to about ten hours. At that load, either of Jackery's capacity figures works out to about ten hours on paper, before conversion losses. That is arithmetic, not a runtime Jackery publishes.
Its cold limits are published, which decides where it lives. Jackery lists discharge from 14°F to 113°F and charging from 32°F to 113°F. Jackery's figures put a 20°F night inside the discharge range and outside the charge range.
If the refrigerator is the reason for the gift, read our refrigerator sizing guide before you order. If a few charged phones are all they need, the power bank below is enough.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Jackery's page gives two capacities. Its spec table says 1,070 watt-hours, and its headline and store menu say 1,024. Plan on the lower figure.
- Jackery lists charging only from 32°F to 113°F, so it belongs in the house and not in an unheated garage.
- It weighs about 23.8 pounds by Jackery's table. Check that the person you're buying for can lift it.
- A space heater empties it fast. A 1,500-watt heater is its whole rated output, which works out to about 40 minutes on paper.
For a stocking: Anker 20,000mAh power bank
GoodThe stocking-size gift
Keeps phones charged, USB-C cable built in
Anker Power Bank (20K, 87W, Built-In USB-C Cable)
A 20,000mAh power bank with a USB-C cable built in. Anker lists its output at 87 watts.
- Capacity (Anker)
- 20,000mAh
- Output
- 87W
- Cable
- USB-C, built in
Specs: Anker product page
It is the item Ready.gov names. The outage page lists "a portable charger or power bank" among the power sources to plan for.
The cable can't go missing. The USB-C cable is part of the power bank, so there is nothing to hunt for in the dark.
If you're giving one bigger gift, make it the C300, and tuck this in beside it.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- It is a USB power bank. A lamp or a router that needs a wall plug is a job for the C300.
- It only helps if it's charged before the outage. Put a reminder on the card.
Who this is for, and who should skip it
Parents in a house that loses power in storms. The C300. It suits small loads up to 300 watts, and it stays indoors.
A household that needs more than 300 watts. The Jackery, kept indoors and charged.
A student or a renter. The power bank, for keeping a phone charged.
Someone who depends on a medical device. Don't choose the size for them. Ready.gov says to talk to the medical provider about an outage plan for devices powered by electricity.
Someone who wants to run a furnace or the whole house. Skip this page. The largest gift here is rated at 1,500 watts (Jackery's figure).
Before you wrap it
Ask what they'd plug in. A lamp, a router and phones fit the C300. Anything over 300 watts needs the Jackery.
Charge it first. Anker lists 50 minutes to 80 percent from the wall for the C300. A station that arrives empty is no help on the first night.
Write where to keep it on the card. Indoors. Jackery lists charging from 32°F up, and Anker lists no cold limits for the C300.
Add a flashlight for each person. Ready.gov says to have flashlights for every household member, and CPSC says to use them instead of candles.
Leave generators to their own rules. CPSC says to run a portable generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the home, and never in a home, basement, shed or garage.
How we picked
Every pick here comes from records you can check: Ready.gov's power outage page, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's January 2026 winter safety release, and the product pages from Anker and Jackery.
We looked for gifts that match what Ready.gov tells households to plan for: batteries and other power sources, such as a portable charger or power bank. One pick per size of need, each with its capacity and output published by its maker. Sizing for a refrigerator or a medical device is left to our power station guides, so this page stays one gift deep.
- Picks
- 3
- Sources cited
- 5
- Records checked
- November 11, 2026
Questions people ask
What is a good gift for someone who loses power often?
A small power station. Our pick is the Anker SOLIX C300, rated by Anker at 288 watt-hours and 300 watts, which suits small loads such as phone chargers, a lamp and a router. For loads above 300 watts, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is rated at 1,500 watts.
Is a power station or a power bank the better gift?
A power bank charges phones over USB. A power station has AC outlets, so it also runs a lamp, a router or a laptop charger. If the house needs light and internet during an outage, give the station.
Can a power station be used indoors?
CPSC's outdoors-only rule is written for portable generators, which it says to run at least 20 feet from the home. A power station runs on a battery. Follow the maker's manual for where to place it.
How long will a small power station run a lamp and a router?
Divide its watt-hours by the watts you plug in. The Anker SOLIX C300's 288 watt-hours at a 30-watt load is about 9.6 hours on paper, and conversion losses take a share of that.
Sources
- Ready.gov - Power Outages (plan for batteries and a power bank; flashlights for every household member; medical devices; generators outdoors only)
- U.S. CPSC, January 23, 2026 - Keep Warm and Safe This Winter (flashlights instead of candles; generators 20 feet from the home; about 750 CO deaths 2012-2022; alarms with battery backup)
- Anker SOLIX - C300 product page (288Wh; 300W, 600W surge; 140W two-way USB-C; 80% in 50 minutes; 25dB at 3.3 ft; strap sold separately)
- Jackery - Explorer 1000 v2 product page and spec table (1,500W rated, 3,000W surge peak; 1,070Wh in the table, 1,024Wh in the headline and store menu; 23.8 lb; charge 32-113°F, discharge 14-113°F; 4,000 cycles)
- Anker - Power Bank (20K, 87W, Built-In USB-C Cable) product page
Free checklist
Gift check before you wrap it
Eight checks before you order. Screenshot them.
From Power Outage Gifts: Backup Power in Three Sizes, blackboxsupplies.com
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