It takes a lot of equipment, gear and supplies to live off grid, especially if you want to live off the land by growing all your own food or selling surplus. I’ve compiled a long list of off grid supplies you may need and broken it down into categories.
Depending on what type of lifestyle you want to live while off grid, you probably won’t need all of these supplies. To make your own customized supplies list, first, make a list of all the systems and things you want while living off grid (hydropower, raising animals, beekeeping, canning, harvesting firewood…). Then make a list of all the supplies you would need for these activities.
By the time you are done, you should have a complete list of what you’ll need to live off grid.
Worried about how you will pay for all of this? See these posts on How much it costs to go off grid and How to make money while living off the grid.
Power Equipment
- Solar panels plus mounts
- Charge controllers
- Deep cycle batteries
- Power inverter
- Backup generator
- Transfer switch
- AC and DC load center
- Wind turbines
- Hydropower system
- Extension cords
- Fuel containers
Water
- Water storage tanks
- Piping
- First flush diverter
- Wire mesh/leaf screens
- Mounting hardware
- Water filtration and purification systems
- Well hand pump + backup power for electric pumps
- Submersible pump
- Buckets
- Tarps/plastic sheeting
Machinery
*You can often rent these instead of buying
- ATV
- Tractor
- Saw mill
- Woodchipper
- Backhoe
- Plow
Appliances, Kitchen Supplies and Other Home Necessities
- Propane stove
- Woodstove
- Solar oven – see other off-grid appliances
- Propane, solar and/or tankless water heater
- Propane refrigerator – read more about off-grid refrigeration options
- Eco-friendly dishwasher
- Solar shower – off-grid shower options
- Hand-powered clothes washing machine – bucket washing machine and off-grid washing machines
- Smoker
- Dehydrator – best food dehydrator options and guide to food dehydrating
- Canning jars and lids – water bath canning guide
- Fermenting crocks – best fermenting crock options
- Meat grinder
- Grain mill – best manual grain mill
- Cast iron cookware
- Chimney brushes
- Sewing machine
- Internet connectivity supplies – off-grid internet options
- Emergency radio – best emergency radio for preppers
- Washing basins
Lighting
- Energy-efficient lights – survival lighting options
- Lanterns and oil – best emergency lanterns
- Candles – emergency candles
- Outdoor solar lights
- Flashlights
- Headlamps – best survival headlamp
Tools
- Hand tools
- Electric tools
- Saws – folding saw
- Axes – survival hatchet reviews
- Felling wedge
- Tool sharpeners
- Gardening supplies
- Hard hat
- Safety glasses
- Work Gloves – survival glove reviews
- Workboots – survival boots reviews and how boots should fit
- Work clothing
- Ladder
- Shovels
- Buckets
- Spotlights
- Rope
- Welding equipment
- Staple gun
- Tow chains
- Ratchet and lashing straps
- Bungee cords
Garden, Animals and Land Supplies
- Wheelbarrow
- Pruning shears
- Rake
- Hoe
- Pickaxe
- Pitchfork
- Tiller
- Watering cans
- Mower
- Power blower
- Hoses
- Irrigation supplies
- Animal crates and cages
- Feed pans
- Water troughs
- Fencing
- Post hole digger
- Fence post driver
- T-posts
- Compost bins
- Beekeeper suit
- Milking stand
- Hayfork
- Storage bins
- Wagon/trailer
Other Supplies
- How-to books
What other off-grid supplies would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments section below.
Thank you very much for the fantastic coverage of costs and things one needs to be aware of before taking the plunge! Food for thought…