The best gadgets to help you survive a power outage

Kobo Libra 2 or Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 5 Signature Edition e-readers

A power outage that takes away your internet connection is a great opportunity to catch up on your reading. But while books don’t require electricity, they don’t work in the dark, which is when you’re most likely to reach for them. An e-reader is a better alternative. Their electronic displays use minimal power and can go days between charges, and most models available today, including the $190 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 5 Signature Edition and the $220 Kobo Libra 2, have soft lighting on the back or front so you can read even with the lights out. Just be sure to preload a few titles before you lose power.