The 7 Best Emergency Radios of 2023
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Stay tuned with the latest weather updates with these radios
The Spruce / Lecia Landis
Fact checked by Yoona Wagener
A good emergency radio is an essential component of any emergency "go bag" or disaster-preparedness kit, ensuring your family's ability to receive severe weather updates and other critical information.
We researched radios across price ranges and considered options that receive National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather alert broadcasts at a minimum and offer other emergency features like flashlights and charging. We also consulted preparedness expert John Ramey, founder of The Prepared and a leader of the "sane prepper" community, about the benefits and key features of these devices. "Emergency radios are near the top of the priority list," Ramey says. "Communication during a crisis is essential." Even during a brief power outage, an emergency radio can be a great tool to use to better preserve your mobile phone battery.
Best Overall: Midland Emergency Crank Weather AM/FM Radio
The Midland lets you know loud and clear about weather emergencies in your area and stays powered on when you need it.
What We Like
Alarm for weather alerts
Multiple power/charging options
Bright LED light
Durable, water-resistant
What We Don't Like
No SAME technology for local alerts
On the pricey side
The Midland ER310 E+Ready Emergency Crank Weather Radio, our Best Overall pick, can be a valuable tool in emergencies for numerous reasons. First and foremost is its ability to let you know loud and clear about weather emergencies in your area. Besides tuning to NOAA weather stations (along with traditional AM/FM radio), the ER310 automatically scans for alerts from the National Weather Service and sounds an alarm if severe weather is detected.
One downside, though, is that the ER310 lacks the Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) functionality that lets you program codes specific to your county, so you may get alerts that don't necessarily affect you.
Also crucial for an emergency radio is staying powered when you need it, and the ER310 can run on six AA batteries, solar power, or a manual hand crank. Its rechargeable internal battery has a solid 2600-milliampere hour (mAh) capacity, enough for over 30 hours of radio use or just remaining on standby mode to wait for weather alerts. You can even use it to charge your phone or other devices through USB.
In general, the ER310 is well-built, with a sturdy, water-resistant exterior, easy-to-press buttons, and an easy-to-read display. An ultrasonic dog whistle and a bright LED flashlight with an SOS signal add extra emergency benefits.
Price at time of publish: $60
Dimensions: 9.61 x 2.95 x 6.85 inches | Power Options: 6 AA batteries, solar panel, hand crank | Transmission Type: NOAA, AM/FM | Durability: Water resistance
Best Budget: RunningSnail Emergency Radio (Upgraded)
Get the same features as other high-end brands for a fraction of the price.
What We Like
Four battery power options
SOS alarm
Flashlight and reading light
What We Don't Like
Non-premium construction
Tuning may be difficult
While it's certainly not the most sophisticated radio on the market, the RunningSnail MD-090P Emergency Crank Radio does receive the standard AM/FM and NOAA weather radio reception. It also has lighting options similar to more expensive models. You can switch between the 1-watt flashlight beam or the reading lamp, which is underneath the top solar panel.
We also appreciate that this model has four different battery power options: Use AAA batteries, charge it via the solar panel, use the hand crank, or charge it through the USB plug. When charged through the USB, you should expect it to take up to 6 hours for a full charge. Despite the thoughtful design and resourceful charging options, we do want to point out that this radio does not have any waterproof rating listed with it. Tuning to the correct radio station may also be tricky because of the small dials. Still, we think it's makes a perfect Best Budget pick!
Price at time of publish: $30
Dimensions: 6.3 x 2.48 x 3.19 inches | Power Options: 3 AAA batteries, micro USB, solar panel, hand crank | Transmission Type: NOAA, AM/FM | Durability: Not listed
Best Shortwave Radio: Kaito KA500 Emergency Radio
The Kaito Voyager KA500 offers ample value and versatility with multiple power options and long-distance shortwave radio signals.
What We Like
Excellent power and charging options
Reliable durability
Dial preset to 7 NOAA stations
What We Don't Like
Small battery capacity
Flimsy hand crank
The Kaito Voyager KA500, our Best Shortwave Radio option, offers a lot of value through versatility, starting with its ability to pick up various radio signals. A dial is dedicated to presets for all seven NOAA weather stations, along with tuning for AM/FM radio. More notably, it's one of the few radios of its type that picks up long-distance shortwave radio signals, which often include informational international broadcasts.
The KA500 also provides extra options when it comes to its power supply. You can insert three disposable AA batteries, recharge the internal battery through a Micro USB cable, plug in an AC adapter from a wall outlet, or use the built-in solar panel. A hand crank is available if those other options fail you, though the mechanism isn't the sturdiest. Still, the radio's overall construction feels durable enough thanks to its somewhat water-resistant, rubberized casing.
Rounding out the KA500's features are a headphone jack and three varieties of LED lights you can use for reading or in flashlight modes. Finally, a 5-volt USB output can charge devices like your phone, but you won't get too much mileage from the radio's meager 600mAh battery. It's not powerful enough to replenish other devices fully, but you may be able to use it to raise the charge level on smartphones and other gadgets—as long as they still have a little battery life.
Price at time of publish: $50
Dimensions: 8 x 2.6 x 5 inches | Power Options: 3 AA batteries, AC adapter, Micro USB, solar panel, hand crank | Transmission Type: NOAA, AM/FM, shortwave | Durability: Water resistance
Best for Preppers: Eton Sidekick Weather Alert Radio with Bluetooth
What We Like
Bluetooth ready
Large ambient light
Headphone jack
Receives SAME alerts
What We Don't Like
Not fully waterproof
Expensive
In addition to receiving AM/FM and NOAA signals, the Eton Sidekick Radio, our Best for Preppers pick, also receives Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) signals, so you’ll always be up-to-date on the weather that’s impacting your area. The Sidekick also has a durable, yet compact, exterior, which makes it ideal for camping trips. The digital tuner and display are easier to read than other radios that have traditional dial displays. However, we do recognize that this radio is one of the more expensive models available. Despite its high price point, this radio could be an excellent choice for anyone who frequently hikes or camps alone, or anyone who is dedicated to emergency preparedness.
Whether you choose to keep this radio powered via the solar panel or the hand crank, you’ll be able to charge your phone through the USB port and even plug in headphones to this radio for private listening. It’s also Bluetooth-compatible, so you can even use it as a speaker to play your favorite tunes. The giant light on the back not only doubles as a camping light, but also can be used to easily illuminate any dark trails. There’s also an LED flashlight beam if you prefer a more concentrated output. Best of all, this radio is Rugged1 and IPX4 rated to withstand water splashes.
Price at time of publish: $130
Dimensions: 12.7 x 7.8 x 2.9 inches | Power Options: 2600 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery, solar panel, hand crank | Transmission Type: NOAA, AM/FM, SAME | Durability: Rugged1 and IPX4 splashproof
The Best Flashlights to Illuminate Your Path
Best Battery-Powered: OnLyee NOAA Emergency Weather Radio
What We Like
5 power options
Durable carrying strap
Includes shortwave radio
Pre-set dial for all 7 NOAA channels
What We Don't Like
Knobs may be hard to tune with
While some emergency radios come with multiple ways to power the rechargeable battery, not all radios come with a backup alternative using standard AAA batteries. The OnLyee Emergency Weather Radio has not one but five ways to keep it powered. You can choose to use the hand crank or power the radio with the solar panel, but it also has a 5000 mAh rechargeable large-capacity battery, plus a micro USB port and a spot for AAA batteries.
On top of all those options, we also love that this radio can pick up shortwave stations along with AM/FM and NOAA. There's even a dial with 7 preset options for each of the NOAA channels, so you don't have to worry about incessantly tuning in to pick up alerts. However, we will point out that the other knob used to tune for shortwave and AM/FM stations is rather small, so tuning in to the correct channels may be slightly more challenging.
Despite this frustration, we love that this radio also comes with other helpful extras like a durable carrying strap and a compass. The flashlight and reading light are also extra bright compared to other models on this list at 3 and 2.5 watts respectively. No matter how you use this radio you can expect the backup battery to make it last at least 12 hours when using the different settings.
Price at time of publish: $50
Dimensions: 6.69 x 2.36 x 3.74 inches | Power Options: 3 AAA batteries, 5000 mAh rechargeable battery, Micro USB, solar panel, hand crank | Transmission Type: NOAA, AM/FM, SW | Durability: IPX6 rated
Best Portable: Midland ER10VP Weather Radio
What We Like
Pocket sized
Impressive battery life
Easy to operate
What We Don't Like
Only one battery source
The Midland ER10VP Weather Radio is an even more portable version of our Best Overall pick. This weather radio, which is our Best Portable pick, can tuck into your pocket and even has a wrist strap. Despite its compact size, it also has an impressive battery life of 26 days when in alert standby mode. If you're using it on a low volume, expect about 40 hours of battery life.
However, this flashlight's battery is also its weakest design point. Unlike other emergency radios that offer several ways to power in an emergency, this compact model only takes AA batteries, so it's best to have extra batteries in your go bag at all times. The flashlight also has three modes: high, low, and emergency strobe. You also don't have to worry about fussing over tuning dials thanks to the buttons that make changing stations effortless.
Price at time of publish: $25
Dimensions: 5 x 3 x 1.2 inches | Power Options: 3 AA batteries | Transmission Type: NOAA, AM/FM | Durability: Not listed
Best Desktop Radio: Sangean CL-100 Weather Alert Table-Top Radio
This desktop weather alert radio also functions as an AM/FM radio and allows you to save several preset stations.
What We Like
Weather alerts with SAME
Good reception and sound
Battery option
What We Don't Like
Not rechargeable
No light, hand crank, or other features
While portable emergency radios are the more convenient, affordable option for many households, desktop weather radios can also offer several advantages. One is that it's easier to find desktop radios that support the SAME technology for NOAA weather alerts, and that's the case with the CL-100 from Sangean. It also gets AM/FM radio and allows you to save several preset stations.
On the back of the device are ports for various outputs, including an external antenna for better reception and external alert devices like outdoor sirens or flashing lights for the hearing impaired. The CL-100 also comes with a 3.5-millimeter auxiliary input if you want to feed in audio from an external player.
Designed to stay stationary on a tabletop, the CL-100 works well as a radio alarm clock with the benefits of a full emergency weather station. At the same time, it's fairly compact and easy to move around at a little over 1 pound, and it can run on replaceable AA batteries if you need to take it elsewhere and don't want to keep it plugged in.
Price at time of publish: $73
Dimensions: 7.16 x 2.49 x 5.19 inches | Power Options: AC adapter, 4 AA batteries | Transmission Type: NOAA, AM/FM | Durability: Not listed
Final Verdict
The Midland ER310 E+Ready Emergency Crank Weather Radio is our Best Overall pick because of its overall build quality and impressive feature set, which includes loud weather alerts, a bright flashlight, and a decent-sized battery with multiple ways to charge it. If you're looking for a radio with shortwave, our Best Shortwave Radio pick, the Kaito Voyager KA500 is another well-rounded option. While it doesn't deliver automatic weather alerts, it offers even more power supply options.
What to Look for in an Emergency Radio
Power Options
An emergency radio's power source is essential because you can't be sure what power options will be available to you during emergencies. The most basic radios may use two or three disposable AA batteries that you need to have on hand. More reliable, though, are models with a rechargeable internal lithium-ion battery that support multiple options for powering it up. These options often use some combination of a Micro USB cable that you can plug into a wall adapter or computer, a solar panel to draw energy from the sun (use this guide to learn more about other uses for solar panels), or a manual hand crank you can use if you don't have any powered sources. Our Best Battery-Powered pick, the OnLyee NOAA Emergency Weather Radio, can be powered in five different ways. Whether you choose to keep backup AAA batteries with you or charge it via the solar panel and hand crank, you can feel prepared with multiple alternatives to a wall outlet.
Alert Types
Emergency radios, at minimum, allow you to tune in to AM and FM stations as well as the U.S. government's NOAA weather radio (usually all seven of its broadcast frequencies) to listen for severe weather or natural disaster updates. Certain radios can stay on standby mode and automatically alert you if there's a warning about dangerous weather in your area—a feature made more useful when paired with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology to specify the location you want to receive alerts about. Our Best for Preppers pick is the Eton Sidekick Weather Alert Radio, which receives SAME alerts and has Bluetooth connectivity, so you can even connect your phone to it as a speaker.
"Imagine how you'd be able to receive information, such as updates about a natural disaster when you don't have the internet, TV, mobile networks, et cetera," says John Ramey, founder of The Prepared. "Radio is the only dependable way normal folks can communicate without the [power] grid—a grid which we're becoming more dependent on over time, not less, and has proven over and over again to be vulnerable."
Emergency Features
Emergency weather radios often come equipped with additional functions that could be useful in disaster situations, such as an LED flashlight, sometimes accompanied by a reading lamp, and the ability to signal SOS in Morse code. Many emergency radios can also double as a portable power bank, allowing you to plug in a USB cord to output power from the battery to phones or other rechargeable gadgets.
"Radios are one of the products where manufacturers tend to jam lots of features in, such as flashlights and phone chargers and so on," Ramey says. "We favor products that do a few things well, rather than the Swiss Army knife versions. It's okay if an otherwise-good radio has these features, but they are nice-to-have backup extras, not something you should rely on."
Frequently Asked Questions
How do emergency radios work?
Emergency radios are generally also weather radios since they can tune in to NOAA weather radio broadcasts for 24/7 updates about severe weather, natural disasters, and other hazards. Almost all models also pick up AM/FM radio stations, with some also receiving shortwave signals, aviation frequencies, and more. The idea is that you'll be able to hear live, valuable information from various sources, no matter what's going on around you—even if you can't use the radio to communicate back.
"A one-way receive-only radio, like a typical NOAA emergency radio, is fine for most people," Ramey adds. "One-ways are cheap and easy, but you won't be able to reach out to other people like you can with a two-way radio that both transmits and receives (a 'transceiver'). Two-ways, like a classic CB radio, can do the same things one-ways can but with extra complexity and cost. They often require more training and government licenses, too."
What is the SAME standard for emergency radios?
Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology is a feature on some receivers that allows them to give alerts only about your relevant location. You would find the SAME code for your county, as an example, and then program that code into your radio. You will only be alerted if the National Weather Service broadcasts a warning that includes your county's code, reducing the number of alerts you might get (potentially in the middle of the night) about weather updates that don't apply to you.
How effective are hand-crank radios?
Hand cranks on emergency radios are a useful option for generating a bit of power even if you don't have access to batteries, electricity, or sunlight. For radios that can serve as a USB charger, it means you could also transfer just enough juice to your phone to make a lifesaving call. Hand cranks on most emergency radios are simple and effective enough to operate, but they're not always very reliably built, especially on more budget-friendly models.
"Hand cranks are common, but experts don't like them because they tend to break too easily and quickly," Ramey notes. "So it's okay if a radio has a crank, but it should be a second or third backup power source, not the main one."
Why Trust The Spruce?
Anton Galang is a freelance contributor for The Spruce and Lifewire who researches and reviews household products with a technology focus, from battery chargers to tablets to all manner of smart home gadgets. He has a background in magazine journalism and has covered tech and education since 2007.
In narrowing down the top emergency/weather radios, Galang considered offerings from more than a dozen manufacturers, seeking out products with useful features in various situations and favoring options with demonstrated reliability and value. He also brought in the expertise of John Ramey, founder of The Prepared and a pioneer of the "sane prepper" mindset. Ramey has taught over 10 million people and helped bring preparedness into the mainstream over the last decade.
Emma Phelps, as associated editor for The Spruce, updated this roundup to include new emergency radio picks that have both emergency features and weather alerts like SAME technology.
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