No Grid Survival Projects Review: Worth It in 2026?

Most survival books tell you what could go wrong. NO GRID Survival Projects tries to give you something to build instead: 70 DIY projects for water, power, food and home security, printed in a thick colour paperback. In this no grid survival projects review we look at what is actually inside, how the sales page compares with reality, what it costs once you reach the checkout, and whether it makes sense for readers in the UK, Europe and Australia.

We have not built the projects ourselves. This evaluation is based on the publisher’s own description, the Digistore24 order form, retailer listings and the book’s published details.

No Grid Survival Projects review: who wrote it and what is it?

It is a 302 page illustrated paperback, sold with a digital copy, written mainly by Michael Major and published by Global Brother in 2022.

The publisher describes Major as a military veteran and self-taught DIYer, and the book also lists Amber Robinson, Claude Davis and James Walton as co-authors. Claude Davis is the name behind The Lost Ways, one of the best known survival titles sold through Digistore24, so this book comes from the same publishing family as several other popular prepper guides. It has a proper ISBN (9781735481548), and the paperback is also stocked by the online shops of Mother Earth News and GRIT, two long running American homesteading magazines. That does not make every project perfect, but it does show this is a real, physically printed book rather than a thin PDF.

What do you actually get?

The main purchase is the printed book plus instant access to the digital version. According to the publisher and retailer listings, it contains:

• 70 projects split across eight chapters, each with a materials list, sketches and step by step instructions
• Water projects such as rainwater harvesting and emergency water purification
• Power projects for generating and storing small amounts of electricity
• Food projects for growing, preserving and storing food without refrigeration
• Natural remedy, fuel storage and home security projects
• A note of the rough cost, difficulty and time needed for each project

The Digistore24 order form also promotes extras alongside the book, including a 30 day post EMP guide, a checklist of items to stockpile, a natural pharmacy guide and step by step videos. Depending on the version of the order form you see, some of these appear as bonuses and some as paid add-ons, so read each box before you tick it.

At a glance
Format	302 page colour paperback plus digital copy
Price	$37 (about £28 to £30, check at checkout)
Projects	70, across eight chapters
Refund	60 days, through Digistore24, and you keep the book
Best for	Practical DIYers with a garden or outbuilding

Does the book live up to the sales page?

Partly. The projects themselves are practical, but the marketing around them is far more dramatic than the content needs to be.

The sales material leans heavily on fear: economic collapse, EMP attacks, riots and war. The checkout adds a five minute countdown timer and a warning that only a few dozen books are left. Treat both as sales pressure, not as facts. The book has been on sale since 2022 and is stocked by several retailers, so there is no real reason to rush.

The bigger promise, that this is the only book you need to survive without electricity, is also overstated. Seventy projects is a lot, but no single book can replace practical experience, local knowledge and proper safety training. What the book can realistically do is give you a structured list of affordable weekend projects that make your home more resilient during a power cut, a storm or a water outage. Judged on that more modest goal, it looks like reasonable value.

Note: Any claim that a project will make you fully independent of the grid depends on your property, your climate, your budget and your skills. Small DIY solar or water setups help in an emergency, but they rarely replace mains services for a whole household.

Which projects are most useful?

The water and food projects are the most broadly useful, because they help in ordinary emergencies, not only in extreme scenarios.

Rainwater collection, simple water filtration and long term food storage are useful for anyone who has lived through a burst main, a flood or a long power cut. Food growing and preserving projects also save money in normal times, which is a better reason to build them than fear of a collapse. Small power projects can keep phones, lights and a radio running, but expect limited output from a budget DIY system.

Some of the security and self defence material, along with projects such as homemade black powder and certain animal traps, is aimed squarely at American readers. Those are the projects most likely to cause problems elsewhere, which leads to the most important section of this review.

Is it suitable for readers in the UK, Europe and Australia?

Yes for the water, food and storage projects, but some projects are restricted or illegal outside the US, so read with your local rules in mind.

• Explosives and powders: making black powder at home generally needs a licence in the UK and most European countries.
• Traps: many trap designs used in the US are banned or tightly controlled in the UK, the EU and Australia under animal welfare and wildlife laws.
• Electrics: connecting DIY power systems to your home wiring should be done by a qualified electrician and may need certification.
• Water use: collecting rainwater is legal in the UK, but treat it carefully before drinking and check local guidance.
• Units and shops: measurements are imperial and material lists refer to US stores, so expect to convert sizes and find local equivalents.

Warning: Skip any project that involves explosives, weapons or traps unless you have checked the law where you live. The rest of the book is still usable, but you should budget for that portion being off limits.

What does it really cost?

The headline price is $37 for the printed book and digital copy, which is roughly £28 to £30 depending on the exchange rate.

The US version of the order form we checked showed free shipping and an estimated delivery time of five to seven business days, plus local sales tax. International buyers may see a different shipping charge and VAT, and orders shipped from the US can sometimes attract import charges. Digistore24 shows the final total before you pay, so check it carefully. After the first order you are likely to be offered further products, as is normal for this publisher. You can decline all of them and still receive the book.

How do you get a refund?

You have 60 days from the date of purchase to ask for your money back, and the publisher says you can keep the book.

• Find the Digistore24 confirmation email and note your order number.
• Go to the Digistore24 order lookup page or reply through the support link in that email.
• Choose the refund option and give a short reason. The publisher asks for feedback but a reason is not a condition.
• Keep a copy of your request and check your card or PayPal statement for the refund.

Tip: If you bought add-ons as separate products, request a refund for each order number. Digistore24 handles payments and refunds for this vendor, which is helpful if the publisher is slow to respond.

Is No Grid Survival Projects legit or a scam?

It is a legitimate product. You receive a real printed book with an ISBN, it is sold through established homesteading retailers as well as Digistore24, and the 60 day guarantee is handled by the payment platform. The problems are with the marketing style, not with whether you get what you pay for.

Who should buy it?

What are the alternatives?

If you are more interested in growing food and making a small property productive than in emergency preparedness, our review of The Self-Sufficient Backyard covers a sister title from the same publishing group with a calmer, homestead focused angle. Free alternatives are worth checking too. Government preparedness websites, such as the UK government’s guidance on preparing for emergencies, cover water and food basics, and your local library is likely to stock general books on rainwater harvesting, food preserving and small scale solar power.

Our verdict

NO GRID Survival Projects is a genuine, well illustrated project book that offers fair value at $37 for practical DIYers who want their home to cope better with power cuts and water outages. Its weaknesses are the fear heavy sales page, the strongly American focus and a handful of projects that are restricted or illegal in the UK and Europe. Buy it for the water, food and storage projects, ignore the countdown timers, decline the add-ons you do not need and remember that the 60 day guarantee gives you a safe way out.