A big part of living a preparedness lifestyle is being ready for any event that may occur with little or no notice. Severe weather events can sometimes spring up unexpectedly and it is important to have up-to-date information when these events occur. Having access to the best weather radio available will allow you to be on top of rapidly changing conditions.
Let’s face it:
Very few of us keep our eyes on the weather at all times unless we are planning an event that is dependent on it. This is fine for everyday life because we rely on our cell phones, or the television to give us information about weather. But what happens if the power goes out? What if a severe weather event knocks out lines of communication leaving you quite literally in the dark?
This is where a weather radio comes into play. Having a weather radio with a reliable source of backup power can mean the difference between life or death. How else will you know if there is a tornado bearing down on your community when you have no power?
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) – The Midland ER310 Emergency Crank Weather Radio is the all around the best emergency radio on the market. Several power options (including solar, and hand crank) as well as additional features like an emergency beacon flashlight and ultrasonic dog whistle make the ER310 a clear winner.
What is a Weather Radio?
To find the best weather radio for you it is important to know what a weather radio does. There are two types of weather radios: weather band radios, and weather alert radios.
Weather band radios are somewhat limited in their functionality because they must be physically turned on and tuned to a weather alert frequency to work. If the power goes out in the middle of the night, or you simply don’t have it turned on, you will never be alerted to severe weather events.
Weather alert radios are a little different. They will automatically turn on and alert you to any severe weather alerts issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). If they also have a battery backup they will still alert you if the power is out.
What Style of Weather Radio is Right For Me?
Weather radios come in three distinct styles and understanding what they are is important to determining the best weather radio for you and your situation. Weather radios can be either desktop, portable, or emergency hand crank styles.
Desktop models are great for the home or office where you would like to be aware of severe weather situations, but will most likely be indoors. Portable weather alert radios are a great option for those that are spending time outdoors for shorter periods of time such as campers, or those that are in their vehicle.
Emergency hand crank weather radios are the ideal choice for serious outdoor enthusiasts, preppers, backpackers, survivalists, or folks living off-the-grid. Anyone that is planning to be on the move and away from electrical power for extended periods should have access to a hand crank type weather alert radio.
| Product | Power Options | NOAA Alert Capable | Additional Features | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland ER310 Emergency Weather Radio | 3 Sustainable Ways also AA batteries | Yes | Signal Flashlight Ultrasonic Dog Whistle |  |
| Kaito KA500 Emergency Weather Radio | 6 Ways | Yes | LED Flashlight LED Reading Lamp LED Signaling Light |   |
| RunningSnail Solar Emergency Radio | 4 Ways | No | Table Lamp LED Flashlight |   |
| Midland ER210 Emergency Weather Radio | 3 Sustainable ways also with AA batteries | Yes | 130 Lumen Flashlight |   |
| Kozo NOAA Emergency Radio | 4 Ways | Yes | Phone Charger Flashlight |   |
Top Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Weather Radio
Weather radios can be very basic in their design or they can incorporate a multitude of features. Understanding what the features are and what you require is the first step in your journey to finding the best weather radio for you.
Features
Alert – An alert function is vitally important if you are looking for an emergency weather radio. This may not be an important feature if you just want to stay up-to-date on current weather conditions. You need to decide if you want to be alerted to an emergency or if you plan on listening in frequently.
Channels – Having access to several weather broadcast channels is an important aspect of a good weather radio. If you also want to use the radio for listening to regular AM/FM broadcasts you will want more channels at your disposal as well.
SAME – This stands for Specific Area Message Encoding. It is a fancy way of saying that the radio will only alert you for weather warnings issued for your specific area and will ignore warnings for other locations. This is an important feature to reduce false alarms and the need to listen closely for location specific details of the broadcast.
Third-Party Standards Compliance – The best weather radios will have the “NOAA NWR All Hazards” and “Public Alert” logos on them. This means that they have been certified by the programs developed by NOAA and the National Weather Service to alert in to area specific emergency notifications.
Top Choice – Midland ER310 Emergency Crank Weather Radio
Midland has become one of the top manufacturers of emergency radios and the ER310 is the best emergency radio on the market right now. In addition to a highly user friendly interface the ER310 has the ability to alert you to incoming weather threats. It’s light weight and small size makes it extremely suited for portable uses and is a great addition to any bug out bag. It has 3 different methods of being powered: built in solar panel, hand crank, and rechargeable 2600 mAh battery. A great addition to this radio is the ability to also charge your portable devices from it’s included USB charging cable. All of these capabilities, along with the 130 lumens emergency signal light and ultrasonic dog whistle make this radio a must have.
Runner Up – Kaito KA500 5-way Powered Emergency Radio
This radio has multiple ways to power it up so it will never be dead when you need it. The Kaito KA500 can be powered by built-in solar panel, hand crank generator, 3 AA batteries, 5V USB input, or 5V AC/DC power wall adapter. This unit is also capable of powering up your portable devices from it’s built in 5V USB charging port so you can keep all of your mobile devices powered up and ready to go as well. This radio is Public Emergency Alert System capable so it will alert you to any immediate threats in your area. It is highly suited for outdoor use due to its impact resistant and water resistant design. In addition to the 7 weather channels this radio is also suitable for use as an every day radio with its capability of tuning into AF/FM and shortwave frequencies. The Kaito KA500 is another solid choice for a weather radio capable of everything that you could want in a weather radio.
Budget Option – RunningSnail Solar Crank NOAA Radio
Like many of the other weather radios this one has multiple ways to charge it including a built-in solar panel, and hand crank. The biggest drawback to the RunningSnail radio is that it lacks the capability of weather alerts. This means you have to keep in turned on and tuned into a weather channel to pick up on weather forecasts and any severe weather threats. If you have it turned off you will miss out if there is a severe weather warning. Other than that downside this is a great option if you want the capability to listen in to weather reports while on an extended outdoor adventure. This is not the best choice if you are at all concerned with tornadoes or sever thunder storms, but it will work just fine if you are not planning to be in an area prone to these conditions. The RunningSnail radio also has a flashing signaling light and table lamp for reading maps for navigation or other important documents in the dark.
Good Option – Midland ER210 Compact Emergency Weather Radio
The smaller brother of the Midland ER310, this weather radio comes with all the options you need and not all the frills of the more expensive version. The biggest difference between the two radios is that the ER210 has a shorter battery life. The ER210 is only capable of 6 hours of use versus the 18 hours of the upgraded version. Otherwise, most of the features are exactly the same. The ER210 has multiple charging options including solar and hand crank, is capable of receiving NOAA weather alerts, and is suitable for outdoor use. The advantage the ER210 has over the ER310 is that one minute of cranking will keep the radio operational for up to 45 minutes which is much longer than the 10 minutes you can get out of the bigger version.
Good Option – Kozo NOAA Emergency Weather Radio
The Kozo NOAA weather radio is another good option if you are looking for a full featured radio, but don’t want to break the bank. The Kozo has multiple charging options including solar and hand crank. It is also capable of receiving weather alerts so that you don’t miss any major events that could put you in danger. This radio is also small in size and lightweight making it ideal for throwing into a backpack when you are headed out in the bush or during an emergency bug out scenario. Equipped with a 15″ antenna it has a great range of reception so that no matter how far into the woods you happen to be you will not miss a severe weather alert. While it doesn’t get the most radio use from one minute of cranking the handle you will be able to get a solid 18 minutes which is better than some other choices. Overall, for the price this is another solid option.
Conclusion
It is important to have access to the latest severe weather alerts in your area during any emergency. Having access to a capable emergency weather radio can make all the difference. If the power goes out you need multiple ways of charging your weather radio so that you can get up-to-date reports and can take appropriate action.
Any of the radios in this list will keep you safe and informed of weather dangers in your area including floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, chemical spills, wildfires, etc. This information can be invaluable in understanding what areas are dangerous and what areas should be safer.
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