How to help your family get through blackouts in Cuba
Rechargeable fans and lamps, cookers and power stations, from small to large budgets.
5 min readUpdated on
Blackouts are one of the biggest everyday problems in Cuba today: hot nights without a fan, food that spoils and phones without charge. You can help a lot from abroad, and it doesn't always take hundreds of dollars. Here are the options from smallest to largest budget.
1. Light: the first and cheapest step
Rechargeable bulbs screw in like a regular one, charge while there's power and keep shining when it goes out. For a few dollars, the home isn't left in the dark. Rechargeable or solar lamps are great for moving around the house or studying.
3 rechargeable 9 W LED bulbs
Screw in like a normal bulb and keep shining when the power goes out.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$4.47
32 cm rechargeable lamp
Rechargeable LED tube to hang or stand on a table (Rudenkov).
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$6.54
51-LED solar lamp
Charges by sun or USB; portable and bright.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$13.66
Multi-function rechargeable flashlight
LED flashlight with side light and USB charging.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$12.47
2. Staying cool to sleep
A rechargeable fan changes blackout nights. They have their own battery lasting several hours, and many include a light. If the home gets little power, pick one with a solar panel to charge it by day.
Blackout kit: fan, 2 bulbs and solar panel
Rechargeable fan, two rechargeable bulbs and a small solar panel to charge them.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$43.68
ColdSky 7" twin-blade rechargeable fan
Two 7-inch blades and a 20,000 mAh battery (HY-8136S).
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$58.17
16" pedestal fan with solar panel
Rechargeable 16-inch stand fan with its own solar panel for daytime charging.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$60.06
2 Rudenkov 18" rechargeable fans
Pair of white 18-inch rechargeable fans, one for each room.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$115.50
3. Cooking without power all day
When power comes and goes you need to cook fast. An electric pressure cooker makes beans and meat in a fraction of the time. To avoid depending on power at all, a two-burner gas stove is the safest option.
6 L electric pressure cooker
Digital electric pressure cooker: beans, meat and rice in less time.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$55.34
2-burner gas stove
Stainless steel tabletop stove (Rudenkov GS-SS246).
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$22.02
5 L multicooker
Cooks rice, stews and soups; keeps warm (YAMY).
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$28.00
Infrared hot plate
Electric burner that works with any pot (All Novu).
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$29.40
4. The complete solution: a power station
If you can spend more, a power station keeps the fridge, fans, TV and phones running during a blackout, with no noise or gasoline. We have a guide to choose one: which power station to buy for Cuba.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 (256 Wh, 300 W)
256 Wh portable power station with 300 W output. For blackouts: phones, lights, a fan and the router for several hours. Charges from the wall or a solar panel.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$199.92
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic (1024 Wh, 1800 W)
1024 Wh portable power station with 1800 W output. Runs the fridge, fans, lights and TV during blackouts; handles a rice cooker and coffee maker. Charges from the wall or a solar panel.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$471.24
EcoFlow RIVER 2 + 110 W solar panel
RIVER 2 power station (256 Wh, 300 W) with a 110 W foldable solar panel: recharges by day without the grid.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$385.56
Anker SOLIX C1000 (1056 Wh, 1800 W)
1056 Wh portable power station with 1800 W output. Runs the fridge, fans, lights and TV during blackouts; handles a rice cooker and coffee maker. Charges from the wall or a solar panel.
Arrives in 1 to 3 days in La Habana
$471.24
5. Protecting appliances
When power returns, voltage surges burn out fridges and TVs. A voltage protector costs little and saves an expensive appliance.
Frequently asked questions
What's most useful for blackouts in Cuba?
To start, rechargeable bulbs and fans. If the budget allows, a power station that keeps the fridge running.
How many hours does a rechargeable fan last?
It depends on the model and speed; those with large batteries last several hours on low speed.
Are appliances delivered to every province?
Yes, with the same delivery times as other products.
