Doro 6820
Large physical buttons, an easy-to-use charging dock, and an emergency assistance button.
Rough price: £70–£110View at AmazonAffiliate link
The 30-Day Readiness Guide
Product picks from the book
Every piece of equipment recommended in The 30-Day Readiness Guide, chapter by chapter: a best overall choice, a best value choice and one for a particular need.
About these links. The products were chosen for the book on quality, value and particular needs, before any links were added, and no maker or seller has paid to be included. Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through one, Fenttiman Publishing may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Prices were checked in October 2026 and change often, so check before you buy. More about affiliate links and privacy.
- A simple mobile phone for an older relative
- Storage boxes
- Wind-up torches and lanterns
- Wind-up emergency radios
- Portable power stations
- Camping stoves
- Food-grade water containers
- Making water safe
- Fuel cans and stabiliser
- Inverter generators
- Folding bicycles
- First aid kits
- Rechargeable fans
- Pocket knives and multi-tools
- Walkie-talkies
Chapter 2
A simple mobile phone for an older relative
Nokia 2660 Flip
A light, simple flip phone with physical buttons and an assistance button on the side.
Rough price: £55–£70View at AmazonAffiliate link
Doro 5860
A straight “candy bar” design with no flip to open, a charging dock and an emergency assistance button.
Rough price: £70–£80View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for physical buttons, a large clear screen, a charging dock, an emergency button and long battery life.
Chapter 4
Storage boxes
Really Useful Box, 64 litres, clear
Very strong, with clip-lock handles that hold the lid firmly shut; stacks safely when full; made in Britain.
Rough price: £16–£35View at AmazonAffiliate link
IKEA SAMLA, 45 litres, with lid
Clear, light and stackable, at a very low price; clip locks can be added for 50p.
Rough price: £8IKEA SAMLA, 55 litres, low box with lid
Only 18cm high, so it slides under most beds; ideal for a flat.
Rough price: £14If these are no longer sold, look for clear plastic, a well-fitting lid (ideally with clips), and a box that stacks firmly when full.
Chapter 5
Wind-up torches and lanterns
Duronic Hurricane wind-up lantern
Wind-up or USB charged; works as a lantern to light a whole room, or as a torch; highly rated by thousands of buyers.
Rough price: £16View at AmazonAffiliate link
Decathlon Forclaz Dynamo 500
Wind-up or USB charged; bright enough to light a path; cheap enough to buy one for each member of the family; sold and guaranteed by Decathlon.
Rough price: £15Decathlon Forclaz Dynamo 900
Wind-up or USB charged, and brighter still; doubles as a small power bank to give a mobile phone an emergency top-up.
Rough price: £20If these are no longer sold, look for a wind-up handle, USB charging, an LED bulb, and good reviews from a large number of buyers.
Chapter 5
Wind-up emergency radios
Philips TAR3500
FM and AM; wind-up, solar and USB charging, with AAA batteries as a backup; a large battery that runs for up to 60 hours and can charge a phone; torch; dust and rain resistant.
Rough price: £50–£70View at AmazonAffiliate link
Philips TAR1609
FM and AM; wind-up, solar and USB charging, with AAA batteries as a backup; torch and SOS alarm; a socket to top up a phone.
Rough price: £35–£40View at AmazonAffiliate link
Sangean MMR-88 DAB+
DAB+ and FM; wind-up, solar and USB charging; torch with an SOS signal; from a long-established specialist radio maker.
Rough price: £85–£100View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for FM radio, all three ways of charging, a torch, a USB socket to charge a phone, and good reviews from a large number of buyers.
Chapter 5
Portable power stations
Jackery Explorer 1000 v2
1,070Wh capacity; long-life battery; a TechRadar pick; good value for its size.
Rough price: £350View at AmazonAffiliate link
VTOMAN Jump 600X
About 270Wh; light enough to carry easily; enough for lights, phones and a laptop.
Rough price: £170–£220View at AmazonAffiliate link
Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2
1,024Wh with 2,000W output, so it can run larger appliances for short periods; very highly rated.
Rough price: £500–£600View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for a capacity of at least 250Wh for lights and phones, or 1,000Wh for a fridge; a “LiFePO4” battery, which lasts longer; three-pin sockets; and the option to charge from solar panels.
Chapter 6
Camping stoves
Campingaz Camp Bistro 3
A well-made single-burner stove from a long-established brand, with a carry case; uses standard gas cartridges.
Rough price: £33View at AmazonAffiliate link
Marksman portable gas cooker
A simple single-burner stove with a carry case, at a low price; uses standard gas cartridges.
Rough price: £21View at AmazonAffiliate link
Campingaz Camping Kitchen 2
Two burners, so you can cook two pans at once; folds away into a case; runs on a Campingaz R904 or R907 gas bottle, not cartridges.
Rough price: £50View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for a stable stove with a wide base, automatic ignition, a carry case, and a design that takes standard 227g gas cartridges, which are easy to find.
Safety: Use a camping stove outdoors only. Never bring it indoors, or into a garage or tent.
Chapter 7
Food-grade water containers
Reliance Aqua-Tainer, 26 litres
Strong, food-grade plastic; a built-in tap and a hand-hold; stands upright on the floor or a low shelf; very highly rated by more than ten thousand buyers.
Rough price: £60View at AmazonAffiliate link
Milestone water carrier, 25 litres
A simple, sturdy jerry can with a handle and a pouring spout, at a low price.
Rough price: £15View at AmazonAffiliate link
Milestone water carrier, 10 litres
The same design in a smaller size, light enough for an older relative to carry and pour.
Rough price: £10–£11View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for food-grade plastic, a tightly sealing cap, a tap or spout, and a size you can lift when it is full.
Chapter 7
Making water safe
Oasis water purification tablets, 67mg, pack of 200
Each tablet treats 10 litres, so one pack treats 2,000 litres; keeps for years.
Rough price: £12View at AmazonAffiliate link
Oasis water purification tablets, 8.5mg, pack of 100
Each tablet treats 1 litre, ideal for a water bottle or a grab bag.
Rough price: £9–£10View at AmazonAffiliate link
Sawyer Squeeze water filter
Light and simple; removes most bacteria and parasites with no chemical taste; very highly rated by more than ten thousand buyers.
Rough price: £48View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for tablets that state how much water each one treats, or a filter that removes bacteria and parasites (protozoa).
Chapter 8
Fuel cans and stabiliser
Faithfull 20-litre metal jerry can
Strong steel, certified for petrol, with a locking cap; from a well-known British tool brand.
Rough price: £28–£33View at AmazonAffiliate link
Draper 10-litre plastic petrol can
Light, strong and approved for petrol, with a long spout; from a long-established British maker.
Rough price: £10–£11View at AmazonAffiliate link
STA-BIL fuel stabiliser
Added to stored petrol to keep it usable for longer; very highly rated by thousands of buyers.
Rough price: £12–£16View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for a can that is clearly marked as approved for petrol (often with a “UN” mark), with a secure cap and a spout, and never larger than the legal limit of 20 litres for metal or 10 litres for plastic.
Chapter 8
Inverter generators
Honda EU22i
Widely regarded as the most reliable of its kind; quiet and economical; from a long-established maker.
Rough price: £1,050View at AmazonAffiliate link
Hyundai 2.0kW inverter generator
Quiet, light and well rated, from a well-known brand, at a lower price.
Rough price: £425View at AmazonAffiliate link
maXpeedingrods 2300W inverter generator
Light and compact, with many good reviews from buyers, at a low price.
Rough price: £240View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for an inverter generator of around 2,000W, a low noise level (under 60 decibels), a fuel tank that runs for several hours, and a maker with a UK service network.
Safety: Run a generator outdoors only, well away from doors and windows, and never in a garage or shed. Its exhaust contains carbon monoxide.
Chapter 8
Folding bicycles
Brompton C Line Explore
Folds smaller than almost any other bicycle; six gears for hills; about 12kg; made in London and widely serviced.
Rough price: £1,350–£1,500B'Twin Tilt 500 (Decathlon)
Folds in about fifteen seconds; seven gears; about 13kg; sold and serviced in Decathlon stores.
Rough price: £350Raleigh Stowaway
20-inch wheels, larger than the Brompton's, and a comfortable saddle give a steadier ride, which suits older or less confident riders; about 14.5kg, so heavier to carry.
Rough price: £550If these are no longer sold, look for a folding bicycle that you can lift comfortably, with at least six gears, mudguards, and a rack or a mount for a bag. Try folding it in the shop before you buy.
Storing a full-size bicycle in a small space. A simple wall hook (under £10) holds a bicycle upright by its front wheel. A Steadyrack Classic (about £60 to £75) swings the bicycle flat against the wall, which suits a hallway, but does not fit bicycles with mudguards. A Hornit Clug (about £16) is a small clip that holds the bicycle by its tyre. Fix any wall mount into solid brick or the wooden studs of a stud wall, never into plasterboard alone, and if you rent, ask your landlord first.
Chapter 9
First aid kits
St John Ambulance Medium First Aid Kit
Made to the British Standard for first aid kits (BS 8599-1); from the first aid charity; comes with a wall bracket.
Rough price: £35–£45View at AmazonAffiliate link
Lewis-Plast Premium First Aid Kit, 160 pieces
A well-stocked kit with eyewash, cold packs and an emergency blanket, at a low price; highly rated by more than a thousand buyers.
Rough price: £14View at AmazonAffiliate link
General Medi First Aid Kit, 309 pieces
Very complete, in a compact bag with reflective strips; includes an emergency blanket; highly rated by thousands of buyers.
Rough price: £22View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for a kit made to the British Standard BS 8599-1, or one with a clear list of contents that includes dressings, bandages, gloves and an emergency blanket.
Chapter 10
Rechargeable fans
Beldray 3-in-1 Cordless Fan
Charges by USB and runs for up to twelve and a half hours; works as a desk fan or a full-height stand fan; a built-in light that helps in a power cut.
Rough price: £40Status 6-inch desk fan
Rechargeable, and charges by USB; folds away and extends to desk height; four speeds, at a low price.
Rough price: £15MeacoFan Sefte
Very quiet, with a night mode, and runs for up to 17 hours; ideal beside an older relative's bed. It charges from its own adaptor, so charge it while the power is on.
Rough price: £80If these are no longer sold, look for a fan with a built-in rechargeable battery, USB charging, several speeds and a long running time. A fan can also be run from a power bank or a portable power station (Chapter 5).
Chapter 11
Pocket knives and multi-tools
Victorinox Huntsman
The classic Swiss Army knife, with fifteen tools including scissors, a saw and a tin opener; non-locking blade under 3 inches; rated by tens of thousands of buyers.
Rough price: £30View at AmazonAffiliate link
Victorinox Spartan
A smaller Swiss Army knife with twelve tools, including a tin opener, bottle opener and screwdrivers; non-locking blade under 3 inches.
Rough price: £18–£22View at AmazonAffiliate link
Leatherman Wave Plus
A full multi-tool with pliers, wire cutters, screwdrivers and scissors; very strong; its blades lock, so keep it at home or in a toolbox.
Rough price: £100–£135View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for a well-known maker, a tin opener, scissors and screwdrivers, and, if you will carry it, a non-locking blade under 3 inches.
Chapter 12
Walkie-talkies
Motorola Talkabout T62, pair
Well made and simple to use, from a long-established maker; licence-free PMR446.
Rough price: £40–£55View at AmazonAffiliate link
Motorola Talkabout T42, pair
Small, light and very simple; runs on ordinary AAA batteries; rated by thousands of buyers.
Rough price: £21–£32View at AmazonAffiliate link
eSynic, pack of four
Four rechargeable handsets, enough to link several neighbouring homes; licence-free PMR446.
Rough price: £31View at AmazonAffiliate link
If these are no longer sold, look for “PMR446” or “licence free” in the description, a simple design with large buttons, and a choice of rechargeable or ordinary batteries.