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Power cut backup generator: what you can actually run

Updated: October 2026

The lights have gone and you want a power cut backup generator to keep a lamp, a phone, and the broadband box alive. In a flat that is often the whole job, because you cannot put a petrol engine outside. A battery station from the amazon.co.uk set in our [backup generator comparison](/hub/electrical-equipment/backup-generator) can cover that evening if the watts fit. It will not heat the house, and it is not a medical supply. Products Compared did not time a fridge. A purchase through our links can earn a commission. Which box matches the job is on [best backup generator UK](/hub/electrical-equipment/backup-generator/sub/backup-generator-best).

The lights have gone and you want a power cut backup generator to keep a lamp, a phone, and the broadband box alive. In a flat that is often the whole job, because you cannot put a petrol engine outside.

Our top picks

FOSSiBOT FOSSiBOT F2400 2,048 Wh

Best overall

FOSSiBOT FOSSiBOT F2400 2,048 Wh
9.4/10about £649.00
View offer
VTOMAN VTOMAN Jump 600X 268.8 Wh

Best value

VTOMAN VTOMAN Jump 600X 268.8 Wh
9.0/10about £239.99
View offer
MARBERO MARBERO M82 88.8 Wh

Rank 3

MARBERO MARBERO M82 88.8 Wh
8.2/10about £93.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Lights, phones, and the router
  2. 2.Whether a fridge is even in range
  3. 3.Report the cut, then the Priority Services Register
  4. 4.What to power first, and what to leave

Lights, phones, and the router

A torch is safer than candles. Citizens Advice treats candles as a fire risk. LED lighting is the sort of load UK reviewers already hang on a Jump 600X. A router is worth powering only if the wider network is still up. A lit router is not an internet connection if the cabinet or the mast is down. The hand crank, about 20 W while you turn it, is not an evening of stored light. The MARBERO M82 lists 88.8 Wh at 80 W, which is a couple of hours for a small lamp and a router on a rule of thumb, not a tested runtime. VCLPOWER’s title says 75 Wh and does not describe an AC socket. Do not plug the station into a wall socket to light the rooms. Charge habits stay on how to use a portable power station.

Whether a fridge is even in range

The gate for a fridge is continuous watts, not a hopeful hour count. The small cluster is about 80–150 W. A compressor can want more than its running watts at start-up. This page will not claim a named fridge, or a number of hours, for the Jump 2200, the F2400, or the FlashSpeed bundle. Keep the door shut. Citizens Advice makes that the practical step. Medication that must stay cold follows the pharmacist’s advice, not a watt-hour sticker. The M168 Plus says it does not support loads over 100 W. A larger inverter may run a fridge an 80 W box cannot, only until the pack is empty and only if the start-up fits.
FOSSiBOT FOSSiBOT F2400 2,048 Wh

Testsieger

FOSSiBOT FOSSiBOT F2400 2,048 Wh
9.4/10about £649.00
View offer

Report the cut, then the Priority Services Register

In Great Britain, report a power cut on 105. That number reaches your local distribution operator. National Grid also publishes 0800 6783 105 for its own licence areas, and textphone users dial 18001 before those numbers. This page will not invent a Northern Ireland number. The Priority Services Register is free, and registration does not guarantee a supply. A station is not cover for medical equipment. If you smell exhaust from a petrol generator in a garage, get outside, and use NHS 111 or 999 if breathing is difficult, someone is confused, or someone loses consciousness.

What to power first, and what to leave

When the power returns, Citizens Advice says to unplug sensitive electronics that a surge can hurt, and it does not tell you to unplug a fridge, except a smart fridge. A battery still ends when the watt-hours are gone.

Common questions

What should I power first in a cut?
Lights you can trust, then phones, then the router if the network is still there. A torch beats candles, which Citizens Advice treats as a fire risk. LED lighting is a realistic load for the small and mid stations in this set. A kettle or a heater is not the first load on an 80–150 W box. Leave the fridge door shut.
Will the broadband router still have an internet path?
Only if the network beyond your flat is up. The station can feed the router’s plug if the watts allow and the router uses a socket you actually have. It cannot repair a downed cabinet or a dead mast. If pages will not load, you may be powering a box with nowhere to connect.
Can a small station run a fridge?
Often no. The small AC listings here are about 80–150 W continuous, and a fridge compressor can want more than its running figure at start-up. The M168 Plus says it does not support loads over 100 W. A larger 2,200 W or 2,400 W inverter may be in range for some fridges. This page will not state hours for a named model.
Should I keep opening the fridge to check it?
No. Citizens Advice says keep the door shut so the cold stays in. Each check warms the food. If you need something, take it in one go and close the door. Medication that must stay cold follows the advice you were given with that medicine.
How do I report the cut in Great Britain?
Call 105, which routes you to the local distribution operator. In National Grid’s own areas you can also use 0800 6783 105. Textphone users put 18001 in front of the number. Have your postcode. Reporting tells them you are off. It does not put watts into your station.
Does the Priority Services Register keep my medical machine on?
No. Ofgem describes a free register for extra help, including where possible notice of planned cuts, if you rely on powered medical equipment. The Energy Networks Association says registration does not mean a faster restore and does not guarantee supply. Join if you are eligible. A power station is not that agreement.
What if I live in Northern Ireland?
You are in scope as a UK reader, and this page will not give you a phone number this research did not verify. Do not assume the Great Britain 105 route is the Northern Ireland route. Use the outage contact from your supplier or network operator. The watt limits do not change at the Irish Sea. A petrol generator is still an outdoor machine.

Related pages

Backup generator vs petrol

Backup generator

Best backup generator UK for phones, laptop, or more

Backup generator buying guide: watts before runtime

How to use a portable power station without backfeed

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file, saved on 20 October 2026.

  1. Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, regulation 35 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. GOV.UK plug-in solar consultation (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. SI 2026/848, regulation 2 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. OPSS product safety report: AFERIY portable power station 2505-0172 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. OPSS product safety report: VTOMAN FlashSpeed 1000 2506-0145 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. National Grid: power cut safety (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. National Grid: how to report a power cut (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. HSENI: safety tips for a portable generator (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  9. Ofgem: Priority Services Register (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  10. Anker SOLIX UK: portable power station or generator (retrieved 20 October 2026)