This is a comprehensive list of our favorite things that we use everyday living and working in our off-grid home. Some items can be purchased through affiliate links, which means we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. We only ever recommend products that actually work for us and that we trust to improve the lives of our readers.
Recommended Products:
BOROUX Water Filters
In the wake of the issues surrounding Berkey, I’ve often recommended folks to try out BOROUX water filters instead. I have an extensive review of our experience using the BOROUX Legacy filter system HERE and I highly recommend you check them out! Absolutely fantastic if you’re looking for a tested and cost-effective way to reduce your reliance on plastic bottled water. Paired with reusable bottles, I absolutely LOVE Boroux’s new filter system for reducing plastic waste and improving water quality.
BUY A BOROUX WATER FILTER SYSTEM HERE
Berkey Water Filter Systems
This is the system we’ve historically used in our off-grid home for safe drinking, toothbrushing, and cooking water. Berkey Filters are still a fantastic option IF you can get them. There are many reasons why availability may be difficult, and I go into all of the issues surrounding Berkey in this post. But if you’re still interested, we’ve absolutely loved our Berkey more than 7 years now.
- Our complete honest review of Berkey Water Filters
- “What’s Happening With Berkey?” A Look at Their Case and Alternative Water Filter Options
- Link to the Big Berkey, the system we chose for our family of 3
- Post: Basics of Rainwater Harvesting
Can’t get a Berkey in the US right now? No problem! Check over at Conscious Water, a Canadian distributor who, as of June 2024, says they will ship to the US. Prices listed in Canadian dollars.
Radiantec DIY Radiant Heating Systems
Our off-grid home uses both a wood stove AND in-floor radiant heat to warm the house in the winter time. While I prefer the feel of wood heat, the radiant system allows us to keep the house at a stable temperature if we’re gone for extended periods. It also has a more “pervasive” heat since it’s radiating through the floor and into your body from there. It feels a bit like being warmed from the inside out, which is pretty cool! You can read more about it below:
- Read our full review of our radiant heat system
- Visit the Radiantec website
Mr. Solar
This is the company we collaborated with when we first bought our off-grid system. Working with them was easy and hassle-free. That said, Mark has taken a solar certification course since then and we have learned quite a bit about improving our system design. We wonder what sort of details we all missed the first time around, particularly around sizing the batteries to the panels. When we go to upgrade our system, we may explore other wholesalers and put our improved solar knowledge to the test, but I give these guys a lot of credit for getting us started and providing us with quality equipment.
- MrSolar.com
- The base version of the system we got. We added and changed components to it before purchase.
- Post: Getting Started With Solar Power
- Post: How Much Solar Do You Need?
LG 14,000 BTU Dual Inverter Air Conditioner
For the first time, we’re able to run air conditioning for our home exclusively on solar power!
This unit is unique in that it doesn’t have a traditional compressor using a lot of power to kick on whenever it starts to cool. Instead, it uses a dual inverter variable speed compressor to slowly ramp up the power it uses to cool. This avoids the huge startup power surge that can be problematic for off-grid power systems.
If you aren’t off-grid but are still trying to watch your power consumption or avoid tripping breakers in an older home, this unit is fantastically efficient and comfortably quiet.
Ours is 14,000 BTU and can cool around 800 square feet, which is approximately the same size as our home (minus the loft upstairs). It comes in multiple sizes to custom fit your application.
Shop LG Dual Inverter Air Conditioner on Amazon
Shop LG Dual Inverter Air Conditioner at Home Depot
Ecofan Woodstove Fan
We use this in the winter when we’re running fires in our woodstove. It sits on top of the stove and generates power to turn the fan silently from the heat of the stovetop. It requires no additional power, making it great for off-grid applications like ours.
Woodstove Thermometer
If you have a wood stove, you must burn your fires hot enough to avoid creosote buildup. You also want to avoid burning super hot and creating a dangerous situation. In these cases, we recommend a magnetic thermometer placed on top of your wood stove to help you regulate your fires.
We have a Rutland that we got at Tractor Supply (it was the only one there). It’s worked well for us and is fairly accurate, but it has a lot of bad reviews on Amazon. This one has much better reviews. Give one or both a try!
Everyday Zero-Waste Items
There are several smaller items that we use around the house every single day that don’t need to be listed out on this page. Check out this article about things we use every day to keep our waste at a minimum!
Products will be added on an ongoing basis! Check back!