If it's a one-off, sure. But we only need it if the electricity's off yet prefer to have a traditional whistler hung up 'in case' because you end up with a pan losing water through steaming away because you haven't noticed it's boiling, etc.

Yeah we have one of those. I'm a great one for having gas to cook on, wood to heat and candles in reserve for light. OK, when the power goes out it's a bugger not having TV, but the rest of life carries on easily.

Our house has a veritable 'trail' of candle lanterns in various rooms ready for the inevitable, with matches in strategic points too. With lanterns I'm happier about 9yo not being likely to set the house ablaze while finding the loo at night! and since it's usually in winter, the candles add to the heating too

It's a good idea to have a reliable torch at a couple of strategic locations THAT CAN EASILY BE FOUND IN THE DARK.

My OH installed emergency lighting in the bathroom and on the stairs and we have torches everywhere but do not seem to have the power cuts that we did when we first moved here.

Remember that when we had our first power cut in the dark that we looked out of the window and spoke to the old lady across the road. She asked if we had candles and we said no we have torches but she could not have been listening after we said no because she appeared at our door with a huge candle for us. Whilst the lights were all still out an ambulance arrived for another neighbour and OH stood on our terrace with one of those very powerful torches to help them see their way.

Rosemary

Rosemary