Buyer's guide · Cooking & heat

Best emergency stoves for a UK power cut

Most power cuts don't need a stove at all — but if one runs into a second day, a hot drink and a hot meal make a real difference. These are the outdoor options we'd keep, with the safety rules that matter.

UK guidance · Last reviewed September 2026

Independently selected for UK households. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links — it never changes what we recommend.

Autumn & winter 2026 update

Winter outages are the ones that run long. Before the next named storm: fill flasks when a warning is issued, check your stove's fuel actually fits, and test your carbon monoxide alarm. Never bring a camping stove or barbecue indoors to cook or keep warm — carbon monoxide kills people in the UK every winter.

Our pick

Green Haven Portable Gas Stove with Carry Case & 4 Canisters

A simple single-burner outdoor back-up for a hot drink or a pan of soup when the electric hob is dead. The carry case keeps it together between uses.

Safety: Use outdoors only, away from buildings and flammable materials. Never use inside a home, tent, garage or vehicle, even with windows open: carbon monoxide can kill. Follow the stove instructions, pan-size limits and fuel requirements; never use it as a heater.

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Side by side

Every option below is one we'd genuinely put in a UK household kit — the difference is budget and how long you need it to last.

LiteBest overall

Green Haven Portable Gas Stove with Carry Case & 4 Canisters

A simple single-burner outdoor back-up for a hot drink or a pan of soup when the electric hob is dead. The carry case keeps it together between uses.

Single-burner tabletop stove
Carry case included
Comes with canisters
Outdoor use only
Outdoor use only—not an indoor emergency hob

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PlusBest outage bundle

Green Haven 3-in-1 Outdoor Cooking Kit — Stove, Fuel & 2.5L Kettle

Stove, fuel and a 2.5L whistling kettle together, so you're not hunting for a suitable pan in the dark. Good for families who want everything in one box.

Stove, fuel and kettle together
2.5L whistling kettle
One box to store
Outdoor use only
More storage space than a stove alone

Safety: Use outdoors only. Never use in a home, tent, garage or vehicle, even with windows open. Carbon monoxide, fire and scalding are serious risks. Follow the appliance's fuel and pan-size instructions and keep children away.

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LiteFuel reserve

Campingaz CP250 Butane Gas Cartridges, Pack of 4

A four-pack of CP250 cartridges for a stove that specifically takes them. Check your stove's instructions before ordering — similar canisters don't automatically fit.

Four CP250 cartridges
Compact fuel reserve
Check compatibility first
Weaker in cold weather
Compatibility must be checked for your exact appliance

Safety: Store and use exactly as directed on the cartridge, away from heat, ignition sources and children. Never puncture or refill. Change cartridges outdoors with the appliance off and cool, and only use the specified cartridge type.

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Not sure how much you actually need? Score your household in three minutes and see exactly which gaps to close first.

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Want the whole kit in one place? The Power Outage Pack bundles these picks with the checklist items most households still miss.

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How to choose

No-cook food comes first

For a typical UK outage of a few hours, you don't need to cook at all. Stock three days of food that needs no heating and fill flasks before a storm. A stove is for the rarer multi-day outage.

Outdoors only, every time

Plan your cooking spot now: a stable, non-flammable surface outside, well away from doors, windows and anything that burns. If you have no outdoor space — a flat with no balcony, for example — skip the stove and lean on no-cook food.

Fit a carbon monoxide alarm

Any home with a gas or solid-fuel appliance should have a CO alarm. It costs less than a takeaway and is the single most important safety purchase on this page.

Practise once before you need it

Light the stove in the garden on a dry afternoon, boil a kettle and pack it away again. You'll find out whether the fuel fits and where the instructions are long before a cold, dark evening.

Reading guides is the easy half. Check your household score first — three minutes, no signup, and it shows you which of these gaps actually apply to you.

Common questions

Can I use a camping stove indoors during a power cut?

No. Gas camping stoves, barbecues and storm kettles produce carbon monoxide, which is odourless and can kill — even with windows open. Use them outdoors only, away from the house, and never in a garage, tent, porch or car. Indoors, rely on no-cook food and flasks.

How do I cook in a power cut without a stove?

Most UK power cuts last hours, not days, so no-cook food covers you: tins with ring pulls, bread, nut butter, oatcakes, fruit and long-life milk. Fill flasks with hot water as soon as a storm warning is issued. An outdoor stove is a back-up for longer outages, not a first resort.

What fuel should I store for an emergency stove?

Only the exact cartridge type your stove's instructions specify — similar-looking canisters are not interchangeable. Store them cool, dry and away from heat and children, and remember butane performs poorly in cold weather.

Do gas hobs work in a power cut?

Often, yes — many gas hobs can be lit with a match if the electric ignition fails, but check your manufacturer's guidance first. Hobs with electronic safety controls may not work at all without power.

Can I use a stove to heat the house?

Never. A cooking stove is not a heater, and using one to warm a room is a common cause of carbon monoxide deaths. Keep warm with layers, blankets, hot water bottles and by gathering in one room.

Go deeper

Emergency Kit UK: the complete checklist How to prepare for a power cut in the UK Best power banks for a UK power cut Best wind-up and emergency radios Three weeks without food: what to store

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