Ever since I got a robot vacuum, I've been obsessed with using the pet-finding mode just to check what my boy is up to at home 😂 Vacuuming and mopping honestly feel like a bonus at this point 😂
We get 3-4 power outages a year here in central Florida, and I'm finally looking into a portable battery backup mainly to keep the fridge running.
My biggest concern is not running the whole house, just keeping food from going bad during longer outages. I’d like something that can handle the fridge, maybe charge phones, and keep a few basic things going if needed.
I’ve been looking at a couple of ~2kWh battery units. One of my friends has been using one and recommended it, but I found another option that’s around $400 cheaper and I’m trying to understand what I’d actually be paying extra for.
Both have similar battery capacity, so I’m wondering what matters more in a real outage:
inverter reliability
startup surge handling for compressors
standby power usage
battery expansion options
long-term durability
For those who already use portable power stations for emergencies, what features ended up mattering most? Anything you wish you had considered before buying?
She's a 2 year old mutt from the shelter. I was not prepared for how much my routine would change. I wake up at 6 now because she needs to go out. I go to the park every evening. I eat on a schedule because she starts staring at me if I don't feed her at the same time every day.
I work from home so I've started bringing my laptop to the park while she runs around in the dog area. I just sit on a bench with my macbook and a power bank and get a couple hours of work done while she plays. It's become the best part of my day honestly. Fresh air, she's happy, I somehow focus better outside than I do at my desk.
She's sleeping on my feet right now. I think we're going to be fine
I have a friend's bachelorette weekend in Montreal next month and baby will be 7 months. It's 2 nights. I've never been away from him overnight.
The pump logistics stress me out more than leaving the baby. I'm using a wearable pump, which has made it a bit easier to stay consistent while I'm out since I don't need to set up a full pumping station every time, but I'm still trying to figure out how to handle hotel pumping, restaurants, and maybe even a bar.
I'll probably need to pump and either store with a cooler or pump and dump depending on the situation, which feels like a whole separate planning exercise on its own.
Have you done an overnight trip while EP? How did you handle it?