The risk of blackouts is growing —our national power grid is aging, our demand for electricity is increasing, and the climate is becoming more volatile. The most common solution people think of is a gas or propane generator. These big, heavy machines provide a ton of power, but they come with some drawbacks. They require fuel and can’t be operated indoors, making this a problematic solution for folks who live in apartments or townhomes without outdoor space (and you’re supposed to run generators at least 20 feet from any structures, so you need a lot of outdoor space to use them).

That’s why everyone should probably have what’s called a portable power station. These are essentially enormous batteries that can store electricity and power a range of devices and appliances when the lights go out. If you can’t run a gas generator or want power that’s a little more portable than those 100-pound behemoths, this is a no-brainer.

Why do you want a portable power station? Let’s use a popular model as an example: The Bluetti EB55 . While these stations vary in terms of cost (the EB55 retails for about $500), features, and capacity, this is a pretty typical portable power station in a lot of ways:

The way it works is simple: You charge the station to full power, then wait until you need it. When the lights go off, 700W is plenty of power to charge phones and laptops multiple times and run lights or small appliances—as long as the power being drawn is less than 700W, the station can handle it (it can handle surges, which often happen when you initially plug power-hungry appliances in, up to 1400W—but if you exceed the 700W limit for more than a few seconds it will shut off automatically to prevent damage).

There are a lot of benefits to having one or two of these in your house:

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The bottom line: A portable power station isn’t a whole-house power solution, but it will make your next blackout a lot more comfortable.

Choosing a portable power station depends on your specific needs and lifestyle. A few things to consider:

A portable power station is often a better choice than a traditional gas-powered generator, and at the very least offers a lot more flexibility during an emergency. Hey, you can even live stream the next catastrophic event in your area like a star.