Cooking Without Electricity –
Stay Self-Sufficient in Any Situation
Why Cooking Without Electricity Matters
Power outages usually catch us off guard. In many households, all cooking options rely on electricity – from ceramic hobs to induction cooktops. When the power goes out, one question quickly becomes crucial: How do I prepare hot meals?
Whether due to rising energy prices, potential blackouts, or simply the desire for more independence, more and more people are exploring self-sufficient cooking.
For adults, switching to cold meals for a short time may not be a problem. But children, babies, elderly, or sick individuals need warm meals – not only for comfort but also for their health.
🔥 Boiling water can also be life-saving in an emergency if the drinking water supply is disrupted.
Cooking without electricity is not just about crisis preparedness – it’s also a matter of quality of life. Those who can cook independently of the power grid live more relaxed – both in everyday life and in emergencies.
Ways to Cook Without Electricity
There are several ways to cook during a power outage or intentionally cook off-grid:
1. Mobile Camping Stoves
Gas or spirit stoves are lightweight and affordable, but they are not suitable for indoor use due to increased fire and suffocation risks. They are a good emergency solution for outdoors, but should never be used inside the home.
2. Grills & Open Fire Pits
Many households already have gas or charcoal grills. Even a fire bowl in the garden can help temporarily. However, these options only work outdoors and depend on fuel availability (gas bottles, charcoal).
3. Civil Protection Association Emergency Stove
The Austrian Civil Protection Association offers a compact emergency stove suitable for individuals and families:
- Safe, stable, tested
- Operates with fuel paste
- Officially recommended by the Civil Protection Association
4. Indoor Wood Stoves – Everyday Self-Sufficiency
A wood stove in the home offers the most reliable and versatile solution:
- Cooking & baking without electricity
- Room heating included – keeps rooms warm in crises and supports daily heating systems such as heat pumps or central heating
- Sustainable use of locally available, price-stable wood
- Traditional & modern at the same time – cook like in the past, with today’s technology
🔥 Discover Our Indoor Wood Stoves
5. Outdoor Wood Stoves (“Fred”)
Our garden stove Fred is a fully functional wood stove for terraces or gardens:
- Ideal for off-grid outdoor cooking
- Stable, durable, stylish
- Does not require a chimney
Benefits of Wood Stoves at a Glance
- Safe for indoor use (unlike gas or spirit stoves)
- Multifunctional: cook, bake, keep food warm, and heat a room
- Sustainable: uses locally sourced wood
- Everyday & emergency: independent from the power grid – during blackouts and in daily life
Tips for Your Personal Emergency Preparedness
- Keep a stock of non-perishable food
- Store sufficient fuel (wood, coal, gas, spirit)
- Consider children & elderly who rely on hot meals
- Make sure you have a way to safely boil water
- Learn from official recommendations and checklists:
- Austrian Civil Protection Agency – Crisis-proof home, Blackout-Info & Emergency Stove
- Austrian Ministry of Defence – Blackout-Information
- Austrian Armed Forces – Blackout Cookbook
Conclusion
Whether in everyday life, camping, or a real crisis situation: cooking without electricity is possible – the question is only how comfortable and safe it is.
- For short outages, camping stoves or grills can help.
- For long-term independence, wood stoves are the best choice – safe, versatile, and sustainable.
- With solutions like the Civil Protection Emergency Stove or the Garden Stove Fred, you’re well prepared for any situation.
🔥 One crucial point is often overlooked: crises are always stressful situations. It’s not only difficult to find emergency devices quickly, but operating them can be complicated if you rarely use them in daily life. Devices you use regularly – like a wood stove indoors or in the garden – are much easier to handle in an emergency. They reduce uncertainty and anxiety because the routines are familiar.
🔥 Learn more about our indoor wood stoves and the Garten Stove Fred.