Emergency Weather Radios
An emergency radio receives the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards network alongside ordinary broadcast bands, and usually carries more than one way of being powered.
Specifications are manufacturer-published figures compiled in August 2026. We have not independently tested this equipment. A dash means the figure could not be confirmed with the manufacturer.
Choose by brand
6 brands make emergency weather radios. Each brand page lists only that brand's models.
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Midland
US two-way and weather radio maker; the ER-series crank sets and the WR-series SAME desktops.
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Eton
US brand; makes the American Red Cross-branded emergency radios under licence.
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Kaito
Multi-band crank radios, most with shortwave alongside NOAA.
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Sangean
Taiwanese manufacturer with both portable crank sets and SAME desktops.
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C. Crane
US brand known for receiver sensitivity rather than power-source count.
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RunningSnail
Budget crank radio brand sold largely through online retail.
Every model compared
Two different things get called an alert. A weather-alert radio sounds for any warning on the channel it is tuned to. A SAME radio is programmed with your county code and sounds only for your own area — fewer false alarms, and the reason desktop SAME sets and portable crank sets are usually bought as a pair rather than as alternatives.
| Model | Bands | NOAA alert | Power sources | Battery | Charges a phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland ER310 | AM / FM / NOAA (7 ch) | Weather alert — not SAME | Crank, solar, 6× AA, USB | 2,600 mAh Li-ion | Yes |
| Midland ER210 | AM / FM / NOAA (7 ch) | Weather alert — not SAME | Crank, solar, USB | 2,000 mAh Li-ion | Yes |
| Midland WR120 | NOAA (desktop) | SAME, county-programmable | Mains, 3× AA backup | — | No |
| Midland WR400 | NOAA (desktop) | SAME, county-programmable | Mains, battery backup | — | No |
| Eton American Red Cross FR1 | AM / FM / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, USB | 2,000 mAh | Yes |
| Eton Sidekick | AM / FM / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, USB, AA | 2,600 mAh | Yes |
| Eton Odyssey | AM / FM / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, USB | 2,600 mAh | Yes |
| Kaito KA500 Voyager | AM / FM / SW / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, 3× AA, USB, mains | NiMH pack | Yes |
| Kaito KA600 Voyager Pro | AM / FM / SW / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, AA, USB, mains | NiMH pack | Yes |
| Sangean MMR-88 | AM / FM / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, USB | 850 mAh Li-ion | Yes |
| Sangean CL-100 | AM / FM / NOAA (desktop) | SAME, county-programmable | Mains, battery backup | — | No |
| C. Crane CC Skywave SSB 2 | AM / FM / SW / NOAA / Air / SSB | Weather alert | 2× AA, USB | — | No |
| C. Crane CC Solar Observer | AM / FM / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, 3× AA | — | Yes |
| RunningSnail MD-090 | AM / FM / NOAA | Weather alert | Crank, solar, USB | 4,000 mAh | Yes |
A dash means the figure could not be confirmed with the manufacturer. Compiled August 2026.