This No. 10 can holds a bit over five pounds of Crisco and six candles. Light only the center candle when you need emergency lighting, or light all six when you need more heat for boiling water or cooking during a power outage. When everything is completely cool, cover it and store it right on a pantry shelf, ready to use at a moment's notice.

In this video, I'll show you how I made it, put it to the test and demonstrate a simple terracotta-pot setup that helps absorb and radiate the available heat. Could one homemade emergency candle really provide light for up to four months? Let's find out!

This could be a useful addition to your emergency supplies, camping equipment or RV gear when used outdoors—but would you trust it during a long power outage? Tell me in the comments!