Guides & How-Tos
Everything Jeff has written — buying guides, how-tos, and practical plans for a more resilient home.
Power & Energy
Solar generators, portable power, and backup options
Best Portable Generator for Home 2026: What Jeff Actually Recommends
Honda EU2200i is Jeff's top portable generator for home backup — quiet, reliable, inverter-safe. Petrol vs dual-fuel vs inverter: which type you actually need.
Read morepowerBest Solar Generator for Home Backup 2026: EcoFlow, Jackery, and Bluetti Compared
EcoFlow DELTA 2 is the best solar generator for home backup for most families. Jackery wins if camping too. An honest comparison — and what most families actually need.
Read morepowerJackery 1000 v2 vs Anker SOLIX C1000 (2026)
Jackery 1000 v2 vs Anker SOLIX C1000: the Anker wins on output, outlets and price; the Jackery wins on weight and surge. Here is the honest call.
Read morepowerAnker SOLIX C1000 vs Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro (2026)
Anker SOLIX C1000 vs Jackery 1000 Pro: the Anker wins on LiFePO4 longevity, output and price; the Jackery wins on weight. Here is the honest call.
Read morepowerWhat to Do in a Power Outage: Jeff's Family Protocol
First 30 minutes are critical. Here's exactly what to do in a power outage — Jeff's tested family protocol, including the prep work before it happens.
Read morepowerHome Backup Power Explained: Solar Generator, Gas Generator, or Battery Pack?
Solar beats petrol for most homes on home backup power: quieter, no fumes, no fuel cost. Jeff's verdict — EcoFlow for essentials, Honda for heavy loads.
Read morepowerBest Home Battery Backup System 2026: Whole-House Options Jeff Actually Considered
A solar generator beats fixed home battery backup systems for most homes on cost. Jeff's Powerwall alternatives comparison — when a portable unit wins instead.
Read moreFood & Growing
Food storage, preservation, and growing your own
Best Heirloom Seeds 2026: Varieties Jeff Grows and What to Order First
Real Seeds wins in the UK; Baker Creek wins in the US. Jeff's guide to heirloom seeds — why open-pollinated beats F1 hybrids for long-term food security.
Read morefood-and-growingHow to Build a 3-Month Food Pantry USA (Without Spending a Fortune)
Add $30–50 to your weekly shop — that's how to build a food pantry usa families can actually maintain. Jeff's rotation system, first buys, and layout guide.
Read morefood-and-growingBest Food Dehydrator 2026: Our Top Pick and Why It Earns Its Counter Space
Excalibur 3926TB is the best food dehydrator for serious preservers; COSORI wins on price. Jeff explains what dehydrated food lasts and which to skip.
Read morefood-and-growingBest Pressure Canner 2026: Presto vs All American vs Ball — Jeff's Verdict
Presto 23-Quart is the best pressure canner for most beginners — affordable, US-made, accurate. All American for the long haul. Jeff's honest comparison.
Read morefood-and-growingHow to Build a 3-Month Food Pantry (Without Spending a Fortune)
Add £20 to your weekly shop — that's how to build a food pantry over 6 months without panic-buying. Jeff's rotation system, first buys, and pantry layout.
Read morefood-and-growingBest Freeze-Dried Food Storage 2026: ReadyWise, Mountain House, and UK Alternatives
Mountain House wins on taste; ReadyWise on price. For best freeze dried food storage with a 25-year shelf life, both beat tinned food. Jeff compares 3.
Read morefood-and-growingAre Home Freeze Dryers Worth It? 2026 Cost & Payback
Are home freeze dryers worth it? If you preserve food often, yes. The Harvest Right Medium Pro is the family pick. Here's the real cost and payback.
Read morefood-and-growingHow to Start a Vegetable Garden for Food Security: Jeff's First-Season Guide
Start with courgettes — impossible to fail. Jeff's first-season guide on how to start a vegetable garden for food security: top 5 crops by yield per m².
Read morefood-and-growingHow to Preserve Vegetables at Home: Canning, Freezing, and Fermentation
Freezing is quickest; dehydrating stores longest. Here's how to preserve vegetables at home — Jeff's method guide across canning, drying, and fermentation.
Read morefood-and-growingBest Mylar Bags for Food Storage 2026: Sizes, Oxygen Absorbers, and What Jeff Stores in Them
Wallaby 5-gallon bags with 300cc O2 absorbers: Jeff's mylar bags for food storage pick. Here's the sealing method, sizes by dry good, and 25-year shelf life.
Read morefood-and-growingHow to Can Food at Home: Jeff's Beginner Guide to Pressure and Water Bath Canning
Water bath for high-acid foods; pressure for low-acid. That's the first rule of how to can food at home. Jeff's beginner guide — method, equipment, safety.
Read moreEmergency Planning
72-hour kits, family plans, and emergency essentials
Best Emergency Kit for Families 2026: Pre-Built Bags vs Build Your Own
Sustain Supply 4-Person is the best emergency kit family pick for pre-built convenience. Build your own for £180 and beat it on quality. Jeff's breakdown.
Read moreemergency-kit72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist USA: What Your Family of Four Actually Needs
Most 72 hour emergency kit list usa guides are under-stocked. Jeff's real version for a US family: 12 gallons water, real food, and the missing items.
Read moreemergency-kitBest Emergency Radio 2026: Hand Crank, NOAA, and Solar — Jeff's Pick for the Kitchen Drawer
Midland ER310 is the best emergency radio for most families: hand-crank, solar-charged, NOAA alerts, under £50. Jeff's shortlist of 3 and what to skip.
Read moreemergency-kit72-Hour Emergency Kit Checklist for Families: What a Family of 4 Actually Needs
The official 72 hour emergency kit list leaves out half of what families need. Jeff's real list — food, water, documents, and what most guides miss.
Read moreemergency-kitHow to Make a Family Emergency Plan (And Get the Kids Actually Involved)
Assign one job per person — that's the family emergency plan the kids will actually remember. Jeff's guide, 2-page protocol, and printable template.
Read moreLearn
How-tos, techniques, and practical guides
The Complete Home Resilience Guide 2026: Where Jeff Started
Water before power — that's the self sufficient sequence most families get wrong. Jeff's 4-pillar framework builds real home resilience in 12 months.
Read moreeducationalUK Off-Grid Living: What's Realistic for Suburban Families (Not What YouTube Shows)
Full off grid living uk suits a lifestyle goal, not just a resilience strategy. Most suburban families do better choosing the partial route. Jeff's breakdown.
Read moreeducationalThe Cost of Living Crisis Resilience Plan: 10 Things to Do This Year
A food pantry and lower energy bills give the best ROI in any cost of living resilience plan. Jeff's 10-step guide — what to do first, what to skip.
Read moreWater
Water filters, storage, and purification for home security
Best Gravity Water Filter USA 2026: Alexapure Pro, ProOne, and Berkey Alternatives
Alexapure Pro is the best gravity water filter USA buyers need while Berkey's elements sit under an EPA stop-sale. ProOne Big+ is the certified backup pick.
Read morewaterHow to Store Drinking Water Long-Term: US Containers, Rotation, and What Jeff Learned
How to store water long term usa-style: 5-gallon HDPE jugs, cool storage, 6-month rotation. Jeff's complete guide for American households and climates.
Read morewaterBest Gravity Water Filter 2026: Berkey Alternatives, British Berkefeld, and Sawyer
British Berkefeld is the best gravity water filter for UK homes while Berkey's elements sit under an EPA stop-sale. Alexapure Pro wins for US buyers.
Read morewaterHow to Store Drinking Water Long-Term: Containers, Rotation, and What Jeff Learned
Food-grade HDPE containers and 6-month rotation — that's how to store water long term at home. Jeff's containers, schedule, and the year-one mistakes to avoid.
Read morewaterWater Purification Methods Compared: Filters, Tablets, Boiling, and UV
Gravity filter plus boiling covers 95% of home emergencies. Jeff ranks all water purification methods: filters, tablets, UV, boiling — what to use and when.
Read morewaterLifeStraw vs Sawyer Squeeze 2026: Which Water Filter Wins
Sawyer Squeeze wins for most kits: finer, backflushable, more versatile. The LifeStraw wins on weight. LifeStraw vs Sawyer Squeeze, settled with a verdict.
Read morewaterBerkey vs Clearly Filtered 2026: Which Should You Buy
Clearly Filtered wins on NSF certification and PFAS lab data; Big Berkey wins on gravity-fed capacity. Berkey vs Clearly Filtered, supply caveat explained.
Read morewaterHow Much Water Should Your Family Store? The Real Calculation
Answering how much water to store emergency supplies: 5–6 litres per person per day, 2-week target. The 1 litre/day official guidance is dangerously low.
Read morewaterRainwater Harvesting: What's Legal, What Works, and Is It Worth It?
Worth it for gardens; not for drinking — Jeff's verdict on rainwater harvesting in the UK and US. Legal rules by state and country, what equipment works.
Read morewaterBest Water Storage Containers: Barrels, Tanks, and Stackable Jugs Compared
WaterBOB for 100 gallons in a bathtub; 25-litre stackable bricks for daily rotation — Jeff's guide to water storage containers by household setup.
Read moreWarmth
Backup heat and staying warm without central heating
How to Stay Warm Without Central Heating: Jeff's Winter Resilience Protocol
Insulation first, heat source second — that's how to stay warm without central heating safely. Jeff's layered approach, safe heater types, and what to avoid.
Read morewarmthBest Portable Wood-Burning Stove 2026: Camping, Outbuilding, and Backup Heat
Anevay Frontier is the best portable wood burning stove for UK outbuildings and winter backup. Designed for indoor use — Jeff's sizing guide and safety check.
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