Best Weather Radios in 2022

Last update: December 6, 2022

Are weather radios worth it?

A weather radio can be a valuable tool to have in your emergency preparedness kit. Weather radios are designed to receive emergency alerts from the National Weather Service, which can include warnings for severe weather conditions like hurricanes, tornadoes, and flash floods. They can also provide information on non-emergency weather conditions, like forecasted snowfall amounts. While weather radios can be a helpful addition to your emergency preparedness plan, they are not necessary for everyone. Some people may prefer to receive weather alerts via their phone or another type of device. Others may live in an area where severe

Can I get NOAA radio on my phone?

Yes, you can get NOAA radio on your phone. There are a few different ways to do this. One way is to download a NOAA radio app. There are a few different NOAA radio apps available for both iPhone and Android. Another way to get NOAA radio on your phone is to use a streaming service like TuneIn Radio. TuneIn Radio has a NOAA radio station that you can listen to.

Do old weather radios work?

Old weather radios may work, but they may not be as accurate as newer models. The National Weather Service recommends that people upgrade to a digital weather radio, which will give you the most accurate and up-to-date information about severe weather in your area.

Do weather radios turn on by themselves?

When a severe weather event is imminent, do weather radios turn on by themselves? Most weather radios have a “silent” or “standby” mode in which they do not emit any sound. However, when a severe weather event is detected by the National Weather Service, the radios will automatically turn on and emit a loud tone followed by a voice message that alerts people to the impending danger. Weather radios are an essential tool for anyone who lives in an area that is susceptible to severe weather. They can provide vital information that can help keep


[2019 Upgraded Version] Portable Radio, Weather Radio with LED Flashlight, SOS Alarm Solar Hand Crank Emergency Radio, 2000mAh Power Bank for Smart Phone, AM/FM NOAA Radio, 6 LEDs Reading Lamp Review:


Any emergency can use this portable radio. also at any moment. Set the radio to alarm mode and place the alarm on the front. have a radio antenna. This radio is very portable and comes with a wrist strap to make carrying it around even easier. It is an excellent thing to have in your home in case of an emergency. There are four ways to power the radio and all of its features: via USB charging, solar charging, manual hand cranking, or batteries (not included). In my opinion, the manual hand crank and solar charging options are not necessary. Have two lights, one strong enough for a flashlight and the other dim enough to read or do something similar. Radio operates flawlessly. Additionally, once charged, you can utilize a USB connector to recharge devices like your phone or others. The radio is gorgeous in its red hue. WB might be AM or FM. both a tuner and a battery indication comes packaged nicely. also nicely wrapped. The construction of this radio is excellent. high caliber. It's a nice item to have in the event of hurricanes, blackouts (when the power goes out), poor weather, and just every day for listening to the radio wherever. Recommended!



[Upgraded Version] RunningSnail Emergency Weather AM/FM NOAA Solar Powered Wind up Radio with LED Flashlight, 2000mAh Power Bank for Cell Phone and SOS Review:


Undoubtedly, this item would be fantastic in an earthquake rescue kit. It allows you to listen to any channel because it has the three radio frequencies AM, FM, and W. Recognize that when trying to tune in, location plays a significant role. If you are in a bad location, you could not get all the stations you desire. The wonderful thing about this is that when you actually tune into a station, a green light that reads tuned will illuminate and signal for you to stop. It can be charged using the crank, but for the greatest results, I suggest charging it against a wall with the micro USB cord. Be mindful that it will be about 75% battery-powered when it comes. The device features a solar panel on the top, which is another thing I should mention. Although I tried holding it up to the sun, I wouldn't count on it to fully charge your iPhone. I did not advise leaving it out in the sun for the whole of the day; all it did was become extremely hot. The switches and settings appear to be in good shape. You must push and hold the button in order for the SOS to function. This, in my opinion, is a safety measure to prevent accidental button pressing and sound activation. For this product, the sound quality is actually quite good. Although the sound quality isn't great, you can still hear the music and sound rather clearly. It undoubtedly broadcast an SOS that is audible from a distance. Although you only get one charge and are probably not going to be able to use the other features after that, I would say that this can charge your phone in an emergency. Light is adequate. Although it isn't the best light, it gets the job done. Overall, this is a fantastic product, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to add to their emergency kit.



RunningSnail Solar Crank NOAA Weather Radio for Emergency with AM/FM, Flashlight, Reading Lamp and 2000mAh Power Bank(Orange) Review:


The Running Snail radio is something I bought for my emergency gear. Knock on wood, I haven't had an emergency yet to utilize the radio for, but I did thoroughly check it out of the box. I reside in the Seattle/Tacoma area and among others, I tried the 3 stations I would most utilize in an emergency: KIRO FM (CBS affiliate), loud and clear; KOMO AM (ABC affiliate) loud but some static, and KHB-60 (NOAA Weather Seattle), clear, not as loud as KIRO FM. The Running Snail is not to blame for the static from KOMO AM because I have two more expensive radios and their reception is similar to that of the Running Snail. Both the hand crank and three AA batteries work excellently with the radio; just be gentle when using the crank. The radio was slightly charged when I got it, but I haven't yet tested the battery life. The LED flashlight and reading lights are bright, emergency siren is loud, flashing red light works nicely. I have not tried utilizing the solar panel to charge the radio but between the hand crank or the batteries, I probably will not use it. Due to a technical difficulty with my phone, I cannot use the accompanying USB cord to connect to the radio to charge it, however it was included in the packaging along with a little manual. Seems like a really fine radio, it do great for emergencies and fits nicely into my kit.



FosPower Emergency Solar Hand Crank Portable Radio, NOAA Weather Radio for Household and Outdoor Emergency with AM/FM, LED Flashlight, Reading Lamp, 2000mAh Power Bank USB Charger and SOS Alarm Review:


This little item is decent, especially if you're building a bug-out bag on a tight budget. This radio has a lithium ion battery that can be crank- or solar-charged and can use three AAA batteries. Additionally, this radio has two lights, one of which is moderately bright and the other two are both present. For $20, the radio is actually rather decent; it can even connect to AM or FM radio stations and local weather reports. Overall, this tiny device gives a lot for $20 and can even charge USB devices. Because it has an SOS mode, you may use it to produce a loud siren and a flashing red light if you become separated from your group, making it ideal for a bug out bag or even trekking and camping.



Kaito KA500 5-way Powered Solar Power,Dynamo Crank, Wind Up Emergency AM/FM/SW/NOAA Weather Alert Radio with Flashlight,Reading Lamp and Cellphone Charger, Yellow Review:


Due to living on Florida's east coast and hurricane Matthew causing me pucker and sweat, I acquired this useful item. Before a buddy of mine inquired whether I had one and was surprised that I hadn't already, I had forgotten about hand crank radios and flashlights (which this is both and more). Everything is in this item! Makes you wonder if Kaito employs MacGyver or Doc Brown from Back to the Future. It effortlessly picks up the shortwave, weather, and local radio frequencies. (Now that I can listen in on truckers) Even is a good sound. The reading light is an excellent balance of not being too bright nor too dim, and the LED light is rather bright. Although the red S.O.S. light's blinking pattern isn't actually Morse code, who the hell can read Morse code anyhow? It charged perfectly using the solar panel and hand crank (Pipe down military veterans). The hand crank is also simple to turn. Even after finishing all of your alcoholic beverages during a hurricane party to prevent spoilage when the power goes out. The answer that most people are probably interested in is that it DID charge my iPhone 6 (long pause for impact). Nothing extraordinary, but 2% every 5 minutes. The beautiful part is that you can just turn the phone's battery booster up if you need additional power. The Kaito Voyager KA500 got me through a hurricane, and I would highly recommend it, to cut a long story—er, review—short.



[2019 Upgraded Version] RegeMoudal Emergency Solar Hand Crank Radio, NOAA Weather Radio for Emergency with AM/FM, LED Flashlight, Reading Lamp, 2000mAh Power Bank and SOS Alarm Review:


According to my investigation, the majority of these "all-in-one" crank radios with chargers, flashlights, solar power, alkaline options, and crank radios all seem to be built in China, but with varied cases, buttons, and logos. Because even emergency radios with USA branding do not state "Made in USA," it is reasonable to assume that they also likely contain components made in China (although, they may have prettier cases and name-brand LED lights).Once I realized that, I needed to choose one that would work best for the circumstance. I would most frequently employ a light-producing device using a "crank/solar" design: As a portable reading lamp and a basic night light that can be used for tasks like finding equipment in the dark, lighting a fire in the dark, taking late-night bathroom breaks, etc. You know, the kinds of jobs that don't involve 200-yard deer spotlighting. The quality of my crank emergency radio is probably the least of my concerns if I use this item as my primary flashlight, which is the case for most people who purchase this device.The majority of the emergency crank, solar, battery, charging, light, and radio gadgets I discovered either lacked a reading lamp or had one but it did not operate at all. Anyone who has ever been abandoned in the wilderness will quickly discover that a simple, soft reading or area light is the most frequently utilized non-life-essential equipment.The reading lamp configuration on this device is the best available: a straightforward panel with a gentle light.Furthermore, IT'S NOT DIGITAL! Trust me when I say that LCD/digital displays are your adversary in survival scenarios. They dim, occasionally just stop showing, if you misplace your glasses, etc. Somebody who's anyone is aware of how annoying outdated or malfunctioning digital displays can be. Yes, most digital displays today function perfectly, but you won't need something "sexy" to use one of these; you'll only want it to function. In a survival situation, you want basic, yet functional.This does the job.



Midland - ER310, Emergency Crank Weather AM/FM Radio - Multiple Power Sources, SOS Emergency Flashlight, Ultrasonic Dog Whistle, NOAA Weather Scan + Alert (Red/Black) Review:


Overall, a fantastic purchase.I have read all of the reviews and description for a new item for my emergency kit. I already own a Realistic DX-440, but I wanted a model with alternative power. (The DX-440 requires 2 AA and 6 D cells.)I'm glad I made the decision to take action on this one.This size is ideal for me. The buttons are conveniently spaced apart and big enough to use without difficulty. When the button is pressed, the display backlights in 5 seconds and can be set to be always off or always on. When the battery is being charged via cranking or solar power, the battery gauge blinks. Additionally, an LED shows that the device is charging.The crank appears to be sturdy enough as long as it is not misused. It operates easily and is not too small to resemble a hamster cage.The solar panel continues to charge even in surprisingly lower light conditions (cloudy / dusk to sunset).The FM band arrived very clearly, and the audio is of high quality. Although the AM reception is of lower quality, it is adequate for information gathering and basic listening. With some minor aerial adjusting on a few of the frequencies, the WX band came in clear. Seven frequenciesEven though the aerial itself is easily bendable, using normal caution should prevent this.Even on the low setting, the flashlight emits a good amount of light. The blinking mode is okay, if a little of a gimmick. Dog whistle: When the whistle is activated, an icon appears; when I try it again, I'll see if the neighbor's dog freaks out.Although the provided cord does not fit my phone, it did fit and charge my Kindle. The cord is also neatly wrapped and fits where the AA Batteries go.Of course, the case is made of plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap. If you anticipate any water, put it in a ziplock bag even though it isn't waterproof. It's a good idea to have a handle at the end.



[Upgraded Version] RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank Self Powered AM/FM NOAA Solar Weather Radio with LED Flashlight, 1000mAh Power Bank for iPhone/Smart Phone Review:


I'm happy with this tiny thing, actually. Although it might not be ideal, it only costs $20, thus it receives five stars. The supplied handbook states that it has a 1200 mAh power bank, despite Amazon's claims to the contrary. It's probably between 1000 and 1100 mAh, in my opinion.Overall feelings:Although not very bright, the flashlight is enough for the majority of everyday work in the dark. There are only the two options: on or off, with no brightness or flash modes.The radio is functional enough; using the volume control, the volume increases quite quickly; at 10%, it is already pretty loud. All the way up, I haven't tried it yet. Although the tuning is extremely sensitive (tuning changes rapidly with slow dial rotation), it is not too sensitive to allow for station tuning with care. Who cares if the sound quality is narrow and bright if this isn't for listening to music? There is no jack for headphones. The antenna is a bit short but aids in reception and works well for FM and wideband.The charging crank works just fine, but it requires effort. My hands get drained and a little uncomfortable after just a minute of cranking. Cranking for five minutes is a lot of labor! Finding a comfortable spot to hold the device while cranking without having to grip it more tightly than necessary is a part of the challenge. The knob you grasp on the crank is also a little bit undersized. But for a moment at a time, everything is fine.The provided cable allows you to charge the device via USB, which is undoubtedly the most convenient option. The inbuilt battery can also be used to charge external devices. It charges my iPhone 5 but I'm not sure what the output current is. Below are further details.For your information, I ran a few tests:I spun the gadget 130 times, or around one minute, until the battery was entirely depleted, and then I lit the flashlight. The first 20 minutes were typical, but after that, the light gradually faded. But the light persisted. and gleaming. and gleaming. After more than nine hours of continuous dim lighting, I turned on the radio at the same time, and everything abruptly went out. Who knows how long it would have continued to shine. Remember that practically all of those nine hours were spent in very poor light, but even in complete darkness, it was still very helpful to avoid tripping over objects when looking at your feet and to carry out routine chores when looking at what you were doing. good in times of need.I then cranked the device 130 times before turning on the radio with the unit once more entirely depleted. It played for 12 minutes at a moderate volume before it stopped.How about phone charging? My iPhone 5 is quite a little older. It was no minor achievement for me to crank 1300 spins in 10 minutes while the flashlight was fully dead. I connected my phone to the device and let it start charging. Before it stopped charging, my phone's battery had increased by roughly 2%. I then dialed a number (all with no cellular data, wifi, or location services on, and in low battery mode). Up until those 2% were consumed, my call lasted for about 5 to 6 minutes. Remember that my phone's battery isn't as good as it once was, so your results may differ.I also put the device through a full USB charge to assess its capacity. Although I'm unsure of the timeframe, it was undoubtedly less than six hours. Afterward, I charged my iPhone 5. (again with the battery saving settings in place). Before it finished charging, the battery in my phone had increased by 75%. Over an hour was spent on that.Another thing I tested was connecting my phone while the device was completely charged. My phone was getting a charge as it turned.Although I haven't tested the solar charging explicitly, I did place it in the sun and it appeared to be charging. Actually, it appears to be charging even under intense inside lights.



Esky [Upgraded Version] Portable Emergency Weather Radio Hand Crank Self Powered AM/FM/NOAA Solar Radios with 3 LED Flashlight 1000mAh Power Bank Phone Charger (Red) Review:


This is a fantastic device for the car or for when the power goes out. The tuning knob on mine is challenging to turn, but if you persevere, it does function. As far as I can tell, everything else functions normally. To keep everything in it moving, I will switch it on and utilize it once a month for at least a few minutes. I also find it useful when walking the dog in the evening with the flashlight and music, plus it is more cost-effective than using a phone if it should drop (whether that helps or not I have no idea).



RunningSnail Solar Crank NOAA Weather Radio for Emergency with AM/FM, Flashlight, Reading Lamp and 2000mAh Power Bank Review:


Here's a big movie junkie. From opening weekend till the last weekend, we went there once a week on average. Having said that, I have destroyed four of my car's alternators and batteries in the past eight years. So the voice of reason began to speak softly in my ear, suggesting that I purchase a radio rather than use the car. Brilliant! till I started looking for one after months of looking. No matter how hard I looked for boom boxes or portable music players, they all require "D" batteries, and I'm not having it. Other varieties were available to me through similar searches. Although the batteries in sports radios were the proper size, they seemed too little and perhaps weren't the ideal for movie sound. The results of my radio search included several good ones, and since I already have one of those in my garage and know the sound will be good, what is holding me back? They also had the proper size battery. Do I really want to deal with yet another device that requires batteries, possibly on a weekly or even biweekly basis depending on how often I use it? The answer is no. So I sighly peek in each month to see if anything catches my attention, and then one week this little fella appears. Right speakers, right batteries, solar power is nice, and hand cranking manually is really nice.When the first attempt came around, the drive-in had been solar charging all week. Once turned on, the sound is excellent and I had no problems getting through two movies. The second week, when we arrive, it is not turned on. My youngest says, "Sorry mum, I wanted to see how it worked. I didn't realize it was already in the on position. I had neglected to save some extra batteries in the car, but it's all honey, we'll just have to manually crank it. As a result, we exert ourselves for 30 minutes before we pass out. It did, however, almost complete the first film before failing. The sound becomes progressively weaker. But as we watched, I was able to crank it, and it worked flawlessly.


Do you need WIFI for a weather station?

Most weather stations will come with the ability to connect to WiFi, but it isn't a necessary feature. Some weather stations will use your home's WiFi connection to send data to a remote server, but this isn't required for the device to function. If you're looking for a weather station that doesn't require WiFi, there are many options available on the market.

Does the NOAA app cost money?

NOAA does not currently have an app, but there are many free weather apps that use NOAA data.

How long will a hand crank radio last?

A hand crank radio will last as long as you have the batteries to power it. Most hand crank radios come with a backup battery that will last for up to 12 hours.

How long will a hand crank radio play?

How long will a hand crank radio play? A hand crank radio can play for as long as you have the energy to keep cranking it.

Is NOAA a free app?

NOAA is a free app that you can use to check the weather forecast for your area. It is a great tool to have on your phone, especially if you live in an area that is prone to severe weather.

Is NOAA data free to use?

NOAA data is free to use for any purpose, except for commercial purposes. NOAA does not allow the sale or redistribution of its data for commercial purposes. NOAA does allow the use of its data for scientific and educational purposes.