Ready-made emergency kit or build your own?
DRAFT: This product guide, its products and prices is waiting for review. Figures and wording may change before launch.
Most homes already own much of what Be Ready suggests, such as water bottles, tinned food, a torch, blankets and a first aid kit, so building your own kit is often the simplest start. A ready-made kit can save time if you want everything in one bag, but you will still need to add your own medicines, documents, cash and anything for babies or pets. We have not tested any ready-made kits yet, so the pick below is a placeholder.
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Our picks
Placeholder: ready-made household emergency kit
Best if you want everything in one bag
You may already own this. You may already own most of this: water bottles, tinned food, a torch, blankets and a first aid kit are in many homes already.
- Tested in hand
- No, not yet. We have not used this product ourselves.
- Test notes
- DRAFT: Not yet tested. When it is in hand we will unpack it, list every item, compare the contents with the nine Be Ready categories, and note what is missing and what you would still need to add yourself.
- Good points
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- Everything arrives together, ready to store
- Comes in one bag or box, which is easy to grab
- Things to check
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- Contents vary a lot, so read the full contents list before buying
- Will not include your own medicines, documents or cash
- May not suit your household, such as babies, pets or special diets
- Food and water in it still have dates to check
See Placeholder ready-made 72-hour household kit at Placeholder retailer (affiliate link) Price when checked: £89.00 on 29 October 2026.
Be Ready suggests having supplies to last 3 days at home, across nine areas: water, food, hygiene, light and warmth, communication, money and documents, medical, baby products and pet products. You can buy a kit, build your own, or mix the two. There is no wrong answer.
What a ready-made kit usually includes
Kits vary a lot, so always read the full contents list. Common items include some of these:
- a torch and batteries, or a wind-up torch
- a radio, sometimes combined with a torch
- basic first aid items
- emergency blankets
- water in pouches or bottles
- long-life food bars
- hand sanitiser and wet wipes
- a bag or box to keep it all in
What a ready-made kit cannot include is the personal part. You will still need your own medicines, a list of regular medication and doses, copies of documents, cash, important phone numbers and anything for babies or pets.
Building your own from what you own
Start by walking round your home with our
Answer 7 quick questions and get a checklist sized for your home, with costs.
- bottles you can fill with tap water
- tins and packets your household already eats
- a torch, blankets and warm clothes
- hand sanitiser, wipes and bathroom products
- a first aid kit or the basics for one
- a battery radio and a power bank
Put them together in one place, then fill any gaps a little at a time. Our guide to building a starter kit from what you own goes through it step by step.
Cost and convenience compared
The cost ranges below are rough DRAFT estimates only. They are not based on products we have checked, and will be replaced with checked figures before this page is published.
| What to compare | Ready-made kit | Build your own |
|---|---|---|
| Cost (rough DRAFT estimate) | One-off cost, likely tens of pounds or more, depending on the kit | Often little or nothing for what you own, plus small costs to fill gaps |
| Time to put together | Quick: it arrives ready | A few hours, spread out if you like |
| Fits your household | General contents; you add personal items | Built around your household from the start |
| Checking and replacing | Check dates on food, water and batteries | Check dates on food, water and batteries |
| Storage | One bag or box | You choose: one box, or a few places |
Which suits you
Building your own may suit you if you like to use what you already have, want to spread the cost, or have particular needs such as a special diet, a baby or pets.
A ready-made kit may suit you if you want something quick, or if you are setting up a kit for someone else, such as an older relative, and want a simple starting point.
Many people do a bit of both. Whichever you choose, add your personal items, keep everything together and check it every few months. For what goes in a full kit, see our guide on what to put in an emergency kit.
Common questions
Do I need to buy an emergency kit?
No. Be Ready lists supplies for 3 days, and many homes already have most of them. Buying a ready-made kit is optional.
What would I still need to add to a ready-made kit?
Your own medicines and a list of doses, copies of important documents, cash, important phone numbers, food your household normally eats, and anything for babies or pets.
Have you tested this kit?
Not yet. This is a draft page and nothing on it has been tested in hand. We will update it when we have looked at real products.
Related guides
Prices change often. We show the price and the date we last checked it. Read our editorial and testing policy to see how we choose products.