Bread, eggs, milk. Forget all that stuff the next time natural disasters and power outages approach. One, even after growing up in Hurricane Alley, I've never understood why the default is to rush out and buy perishable food right before you figure your power might go out. And two, you should be focusing on stocking up on other things long before you need it. The problem is that as soon as you read in the news that you're going to need emergency gear, everyone else around you is going to read it, too, and there's never enough of anything once everybody in town wants the same things. Demand overruns stock and most people leave empty-handed, without enough flashlights, batteries, or cookware to ride out the approaching hurricane, blizzard, or wildfire. It's better to stock up in advance and avoid the battle royal. We've rounded up all the essentials for your emergency kit.
Be sure to check out more guides to keep your home stocked and yourself prepared, such as How to Build a Home Tool Kit, Best Multi-Tools, and How to Winterize Your Home.
Updated January 2023: We've replaced our favorite lantern, which is now discontinued, with a new pick. We've also swapped out recommendations for disposable medical masks and sleeping bags, and updated all Uniqlo clothing to current versions.
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The Fenix E20 V2 for $45 is my top pick for an affordable emergency flashlight, but the ThruNite Archer 2A V3 for $24 is another solid choice. At 350 and 500 lumens, respectively, they're bright enough while remaining compact, and they last long on lower-light settings—200 hours at 5 lumens for the Fenix and 51 hours at 17 lumens for the ThruNite. Both use two AA batteries, and in an emergency your main concern is to have a good supply of replacement batteries.