We ranked every way to cook in a blackout. One wasn't close.
From the Novixa team · Storm-season guide · 5 min read. This article is written by Novixa, the brand that sells the stove ranked #1 below.
When Cyclone Alfred hit south-east Queensland in March 2025, more than 450,000 homes lost power. Three days later, 120,000 were still in the dark. Most of those homes had food. What they didn't have was a way to cook it.
Australian kitchens run on electricity: cooktop, oven, kettle, microwave. When the grid goes, all of it goes at once. So we lined up every backup people tell us they rely on and judged them the way it actually plays out: a dark kitchen, rain outside, hungry kids, dinner time.
5. Candles and tea lights
They make the room feel calmer. They do not cook dinner. Warming one can of soup takes a very long time, if it works at all.
Verdict: light, not a kitchen.
4. The BBQ
Great on a Sunday afternoon. During a storm, it's outside, which is exactly where you don't want to be. Wind, sideways rain and a deck in the dark make a simple dinner hard, and many apartments don't have one at all.
Verdict: works, if the weather lets you out.
3. A portable power station
Brilliant for phones, lights and the fridge. But cooking is the most power-hungry job in the house. A big unit costs $300 to $1,500, and running an induction plate or kettle drains it fast.
Verdict: expensive, and it runs flat when you need it most.
2. A gas camping stove
Real heat, real cooking. The catch: it lives in the garage with the camping gear, the canister is often half-empty from the last trip, and the box usually says outdoor use only.
Verdict: good gear, wrong place on the wrong night.
1. A small alcohol stove in the kitchen drawer
This is the old way: a small burner that runs on methylated spirits, the same fuel you can buy at Bunnings or the supermarket for a few dollars. No electricity, no gas bottle, no battery. It is small enough to live in a kitchen drawer, so it's there the night you need it.
You pour, you light, you put a pot on top. Soup, pasta, eggs, a cuppa, or warm water for a baby bottle.
Use it safely: on a stable, heat-proof surface, with a window or door open for fresh air. Never refill while it's lit or hot, never leave the flame alone, and keep kids and pets away.
Verdict: the only option that works inside, with no power and no gas, and costs less than a takeaway dinner.
The one we make: the Novixa Blackout Stove
We built Novixa for exactly this night. Burner, screw lid and folding pot stand: 71 × 43 mm, packs flat, about 150 g. Free shipping Australia-wide and a 15-day money-back guarantee.
Storm season runs November to April. The best time to sort this out is before the first blackout.
Outage figures: Queensland, March 2025, as reported by AFP. Prices are indicative.