On 28 April 2025 most of Spain went dark. Lifts stopped, phones ran out of battery, fridges warmed up and there was no way of knowing what was going on. Since then many people have realised they don’t even have a decent torch at home.
That’s why this year we’re suggesting a different kind of gift: peace of mind. Useful things that get used all year round (camping, in the car, during a breakdown) and that make the difference on the day the power goes. We’ve sorted them by budget, from a Secret Santa present to the big Three Kings (Reyes) gift.
Choose by budget
Under €25
Secret Santa: torch, radio, lantern.
Go →02€25 – 100
Power bank, stove, complete light kit.
Go →03€100 – 300
Small portable battery and gifts for the home.
Go →04Over €300
The big Three Kings gift: real autonomy.
Go →05Who for?
Ideas depending on who you’re giving to.
Go →06Questions
Delivery, returns and common doubts.
Go →Approximate price bands: the real price is whatever Amazon shows when you buy.
Gifts under €25
Perfect for Secret Santa or a stocking filler. Small, cheap and appreciated the first day they’re needed.
Rechargeable head torch
Who for: anyone. It’s the first thing people look for in a blackout.
- Hands free for cooking, going down the stairs or finding the fuse box
- USB-C charging: charges with your phone charger or a battery
- Look for a red light mode and at least 200 lumens
Solar and hand-crank emergency radio
Who for: parents and grandparents. With no power or internet, the radio is the only source of information.
- Charges by sun, crank or USB
- Built-in torch and power bank to give a phone a boost
- Look for one with FM/AM and a battery of 2,000 mAh or more
LED camping lantern
Who for: anyone living in a flat. It lights a whole room, not just one spot.
- Ambient light with no fire risk (goodbye candles)
- Many recharge by USB and work as a power bank
- Ideal for the living room or kitchen
Water purification tablets
Who for: anyone living in a building with pumped water (no power, no water upstairs).
- Purify water in an emergency
- Take up as much space as a pack of gum
- Long shelf life: buy them and forget them
Gifts from €25 to €100
The band with the best usefulness-to-price ratio. These are the gifts that really get used.
20,000 mAh power bank
Who for: teenagers, travellers and anyone with a phone (so, everyone).
- Charges a phone 4-5 times: days of autonomy in a blackout
- Look for fast USB-C PD charging
- Useful all year on trips and at festivals
Campingaz Camp Bistro 3 gas stove
Who for: anyone with a ceramic or induction hob: no power, no cooking.
- Real cooking with a gas cartridge
- Compact, with carry case, stores in a cupboard
- Always use it with the window open (carbon monoxide risk)
LifeStraw Personal water filter
Who for: hikers and families who plan ahead.
- Filters bacteria and parasites as you drink
- Very light: fits in any backpack
- Useful in the mountains, travelling and emergencies
72-hour emergency backpack
Who for: anyone who doesn’t know where to start. It’s the ready-made kit.
- Groups the basics: foil blanket, first-aid kit, torch, whistle
- The EU recommends having a 72-hour kit
- Check the contents and add water and food
Gifts from €100 to €300
This is where real electrical autonomy starts: keeping lights, phones, the radio or a computer running for hours.
BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 (288 Wh)
Who for: anyone who works from home or lives in a flat: the most compact power station with guarantees.
- LiFePO4 battery (the safest, longest-lasting chemistry)
- Works as a UPS: if the power goes, whatever is plugged in stays on
- Keeps lights, radio and phones going for hours
100 W foldable solar panel
Who for: anyone who already has a power station, or as a bundle with one.
- Recharges the battery on the balcony even if the blackout lasts days
- Foldable: stores behind a door
- Check the connector is compatible with the battery
Rechargeable batteries + USB charger
Who for: anyone with battery-powered torches, radios or remotes.
- The batteries you’ll never run out of in a blackout
- USB charger: recharges from the power bank
- Look for low self-discharge AA and AAA
The big gift: over €300
To give as a group, or for someone who has something at home that can’t stop working.
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (1,070 Wh)
Who for: homes with a fridge, CPAP or other essential equipment.
- Over 1 kWh with a LiFePO4 battery and 1,500 W output
- Runs a fridge, an occasional microwave or a laptop all day
- Full charge in about an hour from the mains
Power station + solar panel bundle
Who for: anyone who wants total autonomy: the gift nobody forgets.
- Battery + panel: power even if the blackout lasts days
- Usually cheaper than buying separately
- Make sure the panel gives at least 10% of the battery’s Wh
→ Torn between models? See the full comparison of portable power stations and balcony solar panels.
Which gift for whom?
| Recipient | Ideal gift |
|---|---|
| Parents or grandparents | Emergency radio + LED lantern + rechargeable batteries |
| Student in a shared flat | Power bank + head torch + stove |
| Remote worker | Large power bank or BLUETTI Elite 30 V2 |
| Camping lover | Stove + LifeStraw + foldable solar panel |
| Home with electrical medical equipment | LiFePO4 power station of 1 kWh or more |
Make sure it arrives before Christmas and Reyes
Power stations and panels are heavy and bulky: order them with time to spare. Check the estimated delivery date on Amazon before buying and, if it’s for Three Kings Day (6 January), don’t leave it until the last week of December. Amazon usually extends the return period for Christmas purchases, which gives you leeway if the gift misses the mark.
Frequently asked questions
Is an emergency kit a good gift?
Yes, if it’s well chosen: the best are things used all year (torch, power bank, stove) that also help on blackout day. That way they don’t end up forgotten in a drawer.
Which power station to give someone who lives in a flat?
A compact 250-500 Wh one with a LiFePO4 battery and UPS function, like the BLUETTI Elite 30 V2. It fits on a shelf, it’s silent and it keeps lights and phones going for hours.
Can a camping stove be used indoors?
Only with care: with the window open, away from curtains and never to heat the home. Gas stoves produce carbon monoxide. For a closed-up home, a power station with a low-power kettle is better.
Which is better, a power bank or a power station?
A power bank charges phones and little else; a power station has 230 V sockets and powers lights, a fridge or a laptop. For a small present, a power bank; for real autonomy, a power station.