The Best Emergency Radios of 2024

The lightweight, ergonomic ER210’s ($50) 2,000 mAh battery offers 25 hours of continuous use. And when that runs out, it can be recharged via a hand crank or direct sunlight with its solar panel. The wealth of features and usability puts this one at the top of our list. 

This radio receives the standard AM/FM signals as well as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) channels. And it has a handy auto-scan that will find the best weather channel signal for your location. You can also set it to alert you to severe weather risks in your area. The large backlit LCD display can show the radio station, time, and weather channels.

We especially like the attention to small details, like the SOS emergency flashlight. The 130-lumen LED light has an SOS strobe to call for help in emergency situations. Also, the loop on the end makes it easy to fix onto a backpack and lets the solar panel soak up the sun during a hike.

Even if the ER210 doesn’t contain a dog whistle for that extra level of shrill emergency sound, it has enough features to keep you engaged and learning. With several power options and additional features that can help in an emergency, we think the ER210 is the best emergency radio available today.

It would be hard to find an emergency radio that provides more bang for your buck. This RunningSnail Solar Crank NOAA Weather Radio provides a wide range of emergency features for $46 MSRP.

The radio tunes in to all of the NOAA weather stations and AM/FM radio. Plus, it can be set to alert you to severe weather, hurricanes, and tornadoes in your area.

When the weather does hit, an SOS alarm with a flashing red light lets others know that you need help. The LED flashlight brightens up dark areas, and the USB port lets you charge smartphones and other small devices.

We love the table lamp feature, which functions as an LED reading light and lights up dark rooms efficiently when the power goes out. This can provide a lot of comfort during an emergency.

If the 2,000 mAh battery of the RunningSnail NOAA Weather Radio runs out, it can be replaced with three AAA batteries, powered up via a solar panel (albeit slowly), or manually charged with the crank arm. You may want those batteries handy because that solar panel isn’t as powerful as we’d appreciate. 

The low price on this option provides a great entry into the emergency radio world with a mixed focus on both weather and creature comforts. 

At under half a pound, the CC Solar Observer survival radio ($80) is a top pick for hiking and travel, making it one of the best emergency radios we tested. 

Being one of the lightest on our list doesn’t mean it’s a lightweight when it comes to power, though. Eight hours in the sun powers the battery for 4-6 hours. And 90 seconds of cranking will get you up to 30 minutes of listening time.

However, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever need to use those options, as this radio will run for a whopping 60 hours on three AA batteries. This means a 12-pack of batteries will keep it going for 10 days straight in an emergency situation. The radio tunes into AM/FM radio and weather bands via a backlit analog tuner. A USB adapter will charge external devices. And the LED flashlight lights the way.

With no automatic alert function built into the lightweight travel companion, you may need to keep this tuned — thankfully it has the power to do so — when concerned about incoming weather or hazards. At just over 6 ounces, there’s no excuse not to take the CC Solar Observer with you when adventuring.

Weighing in at 1.4 pounds, Kaito’s Voyager radio ($50) is a behemoth when it comes to features, but it can stand up to almost any beating you give it. The radio sports a range of band reception that includes AM, FM, shortwave, and NOAA weather stations, with all seven NOAA channels pre-programmed for easy switching.

The 14.5-inch telescoping antenna increases reception. And the LED signal strength indicator lets you dial in your tuning. It also offers an “Alert” mode, which automatically turns the radio on when it receives emergency weather alerts from NOAA weather stations.

The AC/DC and USB chargers are useful for day-to-day use, but the Voyager really shines when the power goes out. The Voyager runs on three AA batteries or the 600 mAh rechargeable battery pack. If you run out of batteries, the Kaito Voyager can run on solar power. And in overcast conditions, you can use the hand crank to charge up the battery pack.

Don’t expect a powerful battery for charging other devices, though. You may want to rely on a small portable for that task. 

This radio literally shines as well, with its included reading lamp, flashlight, and red blinking emergency light. It also sports a USB port, so you can charge up your smartphone and small devices as well. If durability is your top concern, this might be the best emergency radio for you.

Midland’s ER310 Emergency Radio ($70) sports a variety of charging options — rechargeable and disposable batteries, solar power, and hand cranks — when wall charging isn’t an option. This variety gives the battery plenty of versatility, even if the whopping 2,600 mAh battery will last for up to 32 hours before you need to use secondary charging options.

When it goes down, the efficient hand crank sports a 10:1 listening-to-cranking ratio. This means you’ll get an hour of listening after 10 minutes of crank time.

It lets you listen to AM/FM radio and all seven NOAA weather channels, with an automatic scan feature that finds the strongest weather channel to get emergency information for your location. It also has a handy alert feature that sounds an alarm to indicate severe weather risks in your area.

The onboard LED flashlight helps you find your way when the lights go out, and the USB output will charge small electronic devices, including smartphones.

Our favorite features on the ER310 are designed to help rescuers track you down. The SOS strobe beacon and the ultrasonic dog whistle make it easier for search-and-rescue teams to hone in on your location.

With all this focus on emergency — it is an emergency radio, after all — don’t expect to find creature comforts such as a reading light. And the lack of waterproofing should be noted. 

Features like this should be standard with emergency tech, and if you ever get stuck somewhere, you’ll be glad you have it.

Considering that it’s about the size of a smartphone, the amount of features that FosPower ($40) has packed into this radio is impressive. The 2,000 mAh battery provides a full charge to smartphones, and a four-LED reading light and zoomable flashlight keep the dark at bay.

When the battery dies, the radio charges via a hand crank, solar power, or AAA batteries. It tunes in to the standard AM/FM radio and NOAA stations, and it provides emergency alerts when severe weather is approaching. The ergonomic shape makes it easy to grip when turning the crank or using it as a flashlight.

Even with the emergency alerts, don’t expect any emergency beacon capabilities. 

We loved the FosPower for its water resistance as well. Its IPX3 rating makes it resistant to rain, making it ideal for storms and flooding emergencies (as long as you don’t submerge it).

Made to act as a base station emergency radio, the Midland WR210 NOAA Weather Alert Radio ($40) can be mounted to your wall and powered by an AC adapter, making it the ideal home alert system.

While all the radios in our lineup feature NOAA Weather Alert reception, the WR210 takes it one step further with S.A.M.E. localized reception capabilities, which allows it to filter out alerts from areas that don’t affect you. You’ll need to program in your unique county code, but once you’re set up, this radio will alert you to over 60 different kinds of weather hazards and emergencies in your area.

Made to be powered from a wall outlet, this radio also hosts backup battery power for when the grid is down, and has ports for an additional antenna and external alerts such as a strobe. The radio display hosts color-coded alert indicators, and can even be toggled through three different languages — English, Spanish, or French. And when an alert comes through, we can confirm that it will get your attention! The 90-decibel tone alert can easily be heard throughout a home.

While this radio won’t receive AM/FM frequencies, it does bundle in an alarm clock, and will provide you with a weather alert whenever you’d like with the push of a button. For folks that live in areas that are often frequented by tornados or other severe weather, the Midland WR210 is a wise choice.

With almost everything you could want in an emergency radio, the Eton Odyssey All Band Weather Radio ($80) gives the Midland ER210 a run for its money. While technological advancement isn’t exactly happening at lightspeed with emergency radios, it’s safe to say that the Odyssey nails a future-forward design with choices like USB-C recharging, multiple power sources, and a Bluetooth speaker functionality that we’ve yet to see in any other option.

The ‘All-Band’ in the title isn’t joking around on this rig — the Odyssey tunes into AM/FM, NOAA channels, and shortwave radio, meaning you’ll be pulling in channels from around the globe. Besides listening in to the news of the world, the speaker on the radio is linked up with Bluetooth, so you can bring in your own tunes.

Powering the Odyssey depends on a multitude of sources, including the rechargeable 2000 mAh Li-ion cells, hand crank, solar panel, or subbing in your own AAA batteries. It’s this versatility that hedges your bets in an emergency situation, and will keep the radio plugging along for hours on end. We also appreciate the USB output on this unit, which will ‘dump charge’ to your device at a higher than normal rate to top off your phone faster.

All emergency radios look a little utilitarian, and the Eton Odyssey All Band Weather Radio is no different with a rubberized exterior that absorbs bumps and a generous grab handle for clipping off to your pack. At around a pound and a half, the Odyssey is a bit on the heavier side. But for the number of features it packs in, we’re willing to see past it. This radio should be a contender for anyone looking for the best emergency radio on the market today.

With 70 hours of runtime on batteries, 400 memory presets, and ultralight weight, there are plenty of reasons to love the Skywave Pocket Radio ($80). But its ability to tune in to the aviation band makes this radio really stand out.

The aviation band lets you listen to nearby aviation personnel: commercial and general aviation pilots, ground crew, and air traffic controllers as they perform their high-pressure duties. In addition to the aviation band setting, the Skywave tunes in to AM/FM stations, shortwave radio stations, and weather alerts.

A lighted digital LCD display and presets let you dial in your preferred stations quickly and accurately, and the auto-scan feature finds the clearest stations for you.

Besides access to the weather bands, the Skywave doesn’t offer many emergency features (no flashlight or beacon lights), but it does offer weather alerts and excellent NOAA weather radio reception. With no alternative power sources, you’ll need to have access to batteries. 

With its compact size, insane battery life, and aviation band accessibility, it’s a great all-around emergency radio.

Fair warning: the Baofeng BF-F8HP ($63) isn’t your typical user-friendly emergency radio nor is it for everyone. This is a fully functional dual-band radio that requires a license from the FCC to broadcast. Still, its broad frequency reception range makes it a popular scanner for those wanting to listen to not only the NOAA weather bands but also local emergency services. Just don’t hit the big button if you’re not licensed.

While this radio certainly won’t be as easy to navigate or operate as turn-key emergency radios like the Midland ER210 or C.Crane Solar Observer, the trade-off is pure ability. The 136-174 and 400-520 MHz range is broad enough to receive all of the NOAA stations, AM/FM stations, marine VHF, and local EMS and search and rescue frequencies. You’ll need to search out these channels and plug them into the radio, but a channel memory functionality means you can save your favorites.

Our Senior Editor Nick Belcaster (a licensed amateur operator) uses this radio for backcountry travel, and frequently scans the NOAA weather bands during extended stays outdoors. “Not the easiest radio to learn to use but dang functional,” he said. “I’ve listened to ski patrol organize rescues, and caught wind of incoming storms that snuck up on us.” 

Besides the impressive reception ability, the BF-F8HP also plugs in a few additional emergency features. A single LED provides enough light to rummage through your garage to find your fusebox should the power go out. There’s also an alarm mode that flashes and emits a tone to hail help.

The radio itself is powered by a 2,000 mAh rechargeable battery pack, and while the radio doesn’t come equipped to also be powered by AA batteries, an alternate battery pack is available to give you the ability. If you fancy yourself tech-savvy and have the desire to be able to receive more than the average emergency radio, the customizable Baofeng BF-F8HP has the chops to do so.

Designed in collaboration with the American Red Cross, Eton’s FRX3+ survival radio ($70) comes in handy in and out of emergencies, as the 2,600 mAh battery is also useful on camping trips.

It’s bolstered by hand-turbine and solar charging for multiday use and provides 1.5 charges to a smartphone. Also, the loudspeaker provides clear sound whether you’re listening to music or weather alerts.

The radio receives AM/FM stations with digital tuning as well as all seven NOAA weather bands. And the alert function will let you know if severe weather is heading your way. Also, an LED flashlight is useful if your headlamp goes out, and the red flashing LED beacon makes you visible to search-and-rescue teams.

The Eton FRX3+ is larger than most of the radios we’ve seen, which does mean the solar panel charges slower than other models, but the rugged build and carrying handle make it one of our favorites. And the glow-in-the-dark indicator is a head-slappingly simple feature, but it’s a lifesaver when you’re groping around in the dark looking for your radio.

One look at the MMR-88 ($70), and you can see that it’s built to take a beating. The black rubber bumpers on the sides protect from drops and bumps, and the IPX3 rating makes it water-resistant, which is handy during the occasional downpour. This Public Alert-certified radio sports a digital AM/FM tuner, receives all seven NOAA stations, and has 19 preset stations.

While not as powerful as some of the other radios on the list, the 850 mAh lithium-ion battery can be recharged via solar or hand-crank power (one minute of cranking gives you 5 minutes of listening time). And the auto-off feature turns the radio off after 90 minutes of play to help stretch its battery life.

Besides the radio’s durability, we also like the emergency features. The triple LED light has four available patterns — low, high, blinking, and SOS — while the loudspeaker and emergency buzzer reveal your location to search parties.

The only drawback we’ve found other than the small battery life is that it doesn’t take standard disposable batteries. But you can swap out the rechargeable battery for other lithium-ion batteries, so you can still double or triple the radio’s life before you need to start cranking away.

Enjoy the durability of the MMR-88 while experiencing some of the key features that help make this part radio, part emergency beacon.