Transitioning into off-grid living is a huge (and amazing!) undertaking, whether you’re doing it to bolster independence and self-sufficiency, or otherwise.
Things can go wrong at any time, which is why you need to be prepared for anything off-grid life might throw at you – including extreme weather, difficulty accessing community services, and beyond.
Fortunately, there are some essential off-grid appliances that will make this lifestyle so much easier, no matter what happens.
13 Off-Grid Appliances for Everyday Living or Emergency Preparedness
Whether you need these appliances for day-to-day life, or to make sure you’re prepared for a potential emergency situation, these appliances are a must-have for self-sufficient living.
1. Water Heater
A properly equipped off-grid property will have a functional water system and a nearby water source.
However that might look, your next step should be acquiring a water heater. A water heater will provide water for bathing, dishwashing, cleaning, and laundry (if you have an off-grid washing machine).
There is a variety of water heater models that will fit different electricity setups and are perfect for off-grid living, including:
The heater you choose will depend on your off-grid situation. For example, wood-burning heaters are cost-effective and off-grid in the truest sense of the word, requiring no electricity source, but they are also slower and less efficient than other types.
2. Solar Panels
There’s a reason most off-grid Americans use solar panels as their main source of electricity – it is convenient for remote locations, readily available in most areas, and one of the cheapest sources of energy according to the World Economic Forum.
Using a solar panel system to generate your electricity works best for households with low energy consumption, or those living in very remote locations.
Once you’ve decided, you need to figure out your energy needs and the power potential of your site.
For a basic 100 to 200-watt off-grid solar panel setup you’ll need:
- Panels
- Solar batteries or generator for backup power
- Inverters
- Performance monitor
- Adaptor and extension cables
- Charging controller
- Mounting equipment
- Tray and inverter cables
- Safety equipment
These days complete systems like this are more commonly used as they have an inbuilt inverter and are plug and play.
3. Off-Grid Generator
Even if you’ve decided on solar panels, you will still need backup power.
That may come in the form of rechargeable solar batteries, or it may be in the form of a generator.
Or, perhaps you’ve decided against solar power and want to use a generator as your main form of electricity. Either way, a generator is a must when you’re off the grid.
Even if you don’t live off-grid, it’s an amazing tool for emergency situations where you lose access to grid power – especially in winter when temperatures can be dangerously low if you cannot use your electrical heaters.
Depending on what you plan to use it for, you will need to decide how many watts you’ll need, and the kind of fuel power that will suit you best.
Off-grid lifers typically use diesel, gas, or propane – and some even use a solar generator to match their panel system.
4. Wood Stove
Nothing makes a house as homely as a fireplace or wood stove. For a classic off-grid touch, consider a wood-burning stove that provides heat and a way to cook your meals.
It’s an excellent off-grid appliance for saving fuel, space, and electricity costs. Wood stoves are also safe and often portable.
I recommend purchasing a stove with a flat top or griddle for cooking and heating water. You have plenty of options: a potbelly, an airtight stove, catalytic or non-catalytic, an expensive cook stove, or a super affordable DIY drum stove.
It all depends on your space and needs.
5. Propane Heater
Many off-grid lifers rely on fireplaces and wood-fired stoves for heat in winter, but this isn’t an option for everyone. If that applies to you, a propane heater that doesn’t rely on electricity will be the best option to keep your home toasty.
While a propane furnace for a full-sized home will set you back a pretty penny, a single heater will be much more affordable and generate enough heat to warm a large room.
A single propane heater will set you back anywhere from $40 to $700, not including the cost of fuel.
6. Slow Cooker
If you have limited space or funds for a full off-grid kitchen setup, a slow cooker could be a true lifesaver for you.
No matter what situation you’re in, having a slow cooker means you can cook filling, healthy meals with no need for an oven, stovetop, or any other cooking utensils.
They also tend to be very affordable – the average slow cooker will set you back around $30 to $100, but you can find a brand-new cooker for as low as $20 from outlets like Walmart.
7. Off-Grid Refrigerator
Speaking of food… no kitchen, off-grid or on, is complete without a refrigerator. Yes, the initial cost is substantial, but it might be the most essential off-grid appliance on this list.
There is a huge variety of refrigerator models that suit an off-grid living situation. You can purchase differently sized models depending on your needs, fridge/freezer combinations, and refrigerators that will fit your power source.
There are solar-powered coolers, propane refrigerators, refrigerators that run on a combination of solar, generator, and DC power, and more.
Whichever model you choose, in my eyes a refrigerator is a non-negotiable for off-grid living!
8. Off-Grid Chest Freezer
When you’re living in an off-grid situation – especially in a remote area with limited access to grocery stores and supermarkets – being able to safely store food long-term is essential.
I would strongly advise anyone living off-grid to buy a chest freezer for this purpose, especially since a standard refrigerator/freezer combination is often not large enough.
A freezer isn’t just for those of us living off-grid – it’s essential in an emergency situation where you may be cut off from your usual food supply, and need to rely on your stored food for a significant period.
9. Air Conditioner
An AC unit may not be the first thing you think of when you’re kitting out an off-grid home, but if you live in a hot climate, it’s going to be essential.
AC tends to use up a ton of power, but it doesn’t have to.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options for air conditioners that won’t drive up your wattage use. One of the best examples is an evaporative cooler, also known as a swamp cooler, which uses water evaporation to cool your home.
It’s super affordable and efficient; evaporative coolers take half the costs of a conventional AC unit to install, and use approximately one-quarter as much energy, according to the US Department of Energy.
There are also absorption AC systems, generator or solar-power units, and even solar-powered ceiling fans.
10. Composting Toilet
Your toilet situation may be the last thing you want to think about when setting up your off-grid home, but it should be one of the first. A composting toilet has to be one of the best choices for off-grid living.
Composting toilets are waterless toilet systems that use decomposition to break down waste instead of flushing, so they don’t rely on a sewage system.
They are built in various ways, including portable models and ones with fans and electricity usage. Even the simplest composting toilets are entirely odorless and eco-friendly.
Not only are simple composting toilet setups cheaper than a conventional toilet, but it is fairly easy to set up your own DIY system for even less.
It all depends on what you need from your off-grid bathroom.
11. Solar Shower
Your off-grid life may include living freely in nature, but you still need to keep yourself clean!
If you’re not content with a wood-fired tub (which is a popular choice for off-grid life but often inefficient) or a bucket of warm water, consider a solar shower.
A solar shower is a typically lightweight, portable piece of equipment with a cistern that stores water and absorbs heat, and a hose and showerhead to release it.
The most common type is a gravity-fed shower, which requires you to hang it vertically so gravity can force the water through the hose and showerhead. This is a super affordable option and common in camping setups.
You can also purchase more expensive water pump solar showers, and pressurized solar showers which include a mounted rooftop tank for water storage and may be a better long-term option for your home.
12. Off-Grid Washing Machine
Some are content to wash their clothes the old-fashioned way, using tubs and washracks. But for most of us, our convenient washing machine will be hard to leave behind. Thankfully, you don’t have to.
Washing machines are still an option even off-grid. You can opt for a small portable top loader that you often see in apartments, or a compact traditional machine if you have a medium-sized solar setup, among others.
You can even opt for a more authentic “old school” hand-cranked washer. It’ll take extra work, but it is amazingly eco-friendly and will save a ton on electricity costs.
13. Off-Grid Dryer
Wind-drying your clean clothing in the great outdoors is always the cheapest and easiest method of doing laundry, but it’s not accessible for everyone, especially during the coldest months of the year.
If you live in a climate where drying your laundry the old-fashioned way isn’t always possible, you may need to obtain an off-grid dryer.
The best options for off-grid dryers are propane and solar-powered models, or a smaller portable dryer that won’t use too much electricity and can be powered by a generator.
