In times of emergencies, natural disasters, or unforeseen events, maintaining communication is crucial.
When power lines go down, mobile networks become unreliable, or internet access is disrupted, having a reliable emergency radio can be a real lifeline.
In this article, we will explore some of the top emergency radios available in the UK, giving you the peace of mind that comes with being prepared.
Best Options At A Glance
Product Summaries
RunningSnail Emergency Dynamo Radio
- Brand - RunningSnail
- Dimensions - 14.22 x 7.62 x 6.1 cm
- Weight - 260 g
- Tuner Technology - AM/FM
- Special Feature - 3 Power Sources
Firstly we have the reasonably priced RunningSnail Emergency Dynamo Radio . It’s currently selling for £18/$22 on Amazon.
This radio from RunningSnail is an affordable way to keep your family informed in an emergency situation. It can be powered by the solar panel, the wind up crank, or a USB cable, allowing you to access the latest hazard and weather information no matter the scenario.
Another useful feature on this radio is the ability to charge your phone with the 2000mAh battery. The 3 different power sources ensure that you can charge your phone whenever it’s necessary.
It also has a useful 1W flashlight, so you have a source of light and a sense of security even if you don’t have access to electricity.
If you’re looking for a reasonably priced emergency radio, this radio from RunningSnail is a great option.
Buy the RunningSnail Emergency Dynamo Radio from Amazon for only £18/$22:
FosPower NOAA Emergency Radio
- Brand - FosPower
- Dimensions - 15.75 x 7.37 x 5.33 cm
- Weight - 310 g
- Tuner Technology - AM/FM/NOAA
- Special Feature - 2 Light Sources
Next we have the FosPower NOAA Emergency Radio. It’s currently selling for £27/$33 on Amazon.
This radio from FosPower will dependably receive emergency weather and news broadcasts from NOAA and AM/FM stations to the second. NOAA is only relevant for US users, as there’s currently no emergency broadcast system in the UK, but this is still a great model for the price.
It can be powered by the included solar panel, hand crank or micro USB cable, so you don’t need to worry about running out of juice.
Similarly to the radio from RunningSnail, this radio also gives you the ability to charge your phone. The 2000mAh battery has plenty of power to charge a small tablet or phone in an emergency situation.
FosPower also supply this radio with a limited lifetime warranty. What’s not to love?
If you’re looking for a reliable emergency radio for less than £30, this radio from FosPower might be the one for you.
Buy the FosPower NOAA Emergency Radio from Amazon for only £27/$33:
Tendak Emergency Radio with SOS Alarm
- Brand - Tendak
- Dimensions - 26 x 10 x 14 cm
- Weight - 460 g
- Tuner Technology - AM/FM/SW
- Special Feature - 5 Power Options
Next we have the Tendak Emergency Radio with SOS Alarm. It’s currently selling for £30/$37 on Amazon.
This emergency radio from Tendak gives you solid reception in AM, FM and SW stations, even when the antenna is down. You can read the data for your station on the large HD screen, which is far better than the trial and error you may experience with other systems.
It’s powerful 4000mAh battery can be powered using the solar panel, the hand crank, micro USB charging or 3 AAA batteries. This gives you viable charging options for any emergency scenario.
As with some of the other radios on this list, you can use this radio’s battery to charge your phone or mobile device. Even if you don’t have access to your phone, this radio has an SOS alarm that can be used to alert others that you’re in trouble.
If you’re looking for an emergency with a powerful battery and loads of useful extras, this radio from Tendak is an excellent choice.
Buy the Tendak Emergency Radio with SOS Alarm from Amazon for only £30/$37:
Greadio Emergency Radio
- Brand - Greadio
- Dimensions - 20.19 x 8.99 x 8 cm
- Weight - 508 g
- Tuner Technology - AM/FM
- Special Feature - 4 Power Options
Next we have the Greadio Emergency Radio. It’s currently selling for £40/$49 on Amazon.
This emergency radio from Greadio has a powerful 4000mAh battery, a large high-quality display, and great reception. The battery can be charged using the solar panel, hand crank, micro USB, or AAA batteries, so you’ll never be left with a dead radio.
In addition to emergency radio channels, you can also use this radio to play your favourite music using the included AUX port, which is a great bonus that’s missing from many of it’s competitors.
It has some other great features as well, including an emergency SOS alarm, phone charging, a bright flashlight, and an 18 month warranty!
Greadio have outdone themselves with this high-quality emergency radio. If you’re looking for a radio that’s both reliable and full of innovative extras, this might be the radio for you.
Buy the Greadio Emergency Radio from Amazon for only £40/$49:
Kaito KA500 Emergency Radio
- Brand - Kaito
- Dimensions - 21.08 x 5.84 x 13.46 cm
- Weight - 671 g
- Tuner Technology - AM/FM
- Special Feature - 5 Power Options
Finally we have the Kaito KA500 Emergency Radio. It’s currently selling for £63/$78 on Amazon.
The Kaito KA500 is a capable emergency radio focused on reliability and comprehensive radio coverage. It can access AM, FM, 2-band shortwave and 7 pre-programmed NOAA weather channels, so Kaito have you covered on all fronts.
This radio has been designed with dependability in mind, so there is a variety of different ways to power it. It can be powered by the solar panel, hand crank, 3 AAA batteries, a 5V USB input, or a 5V AC/DC input. It’s safe to say that you don’t need to worry about powering it!
It has loads of useful extras as well, including the ability to charge mobile devices, a 5 LED reading lamp, an LED flashlight, and a red SOS beacon light.
If you’re looking for an emergency radio that’s tough and dependable with plenty of useful extras, the KA500 from Kaito is an ideal choice.
Buy the Kaito KA500 Emergency Radio from Amazon for only £63/$78:
What is an emergency radio?
Emergency radios are designed to remain functional in power outages or serious emergency situations.
They can be a massive help when you’re in a pinch, allowing you to call for help or signal others regardless of your access to electricity.
There are a few different types, but the most important factors are charging methods and power consumption over time. The more charging options you have the less likely you are to not be able to power your radio in an emergency. The better your power consumption, the more usage time you have in between charges.
What is the best type of emergency radio?
The two most common types of emergency radio are wind up radios and solar powered radios.
As the names would suggest, solar powered radios are powered by the sun and the wind up radios are powered by manual winding.
Manual wind radios are a great choice because they can be wound in any condition, ensuring you’re never left without a way to charge. The downside is that continually winding a radio can be tiring or frustrating, especially if you choose a model with inefficient power usage.
Solar emergency radios can be more convenient because you can charge them just by leaving them in the sun. The drawback here is that if you need charge on a day with limited sunlight, or worse at night, you’re left without a way to charge your radio.
Either choice can be good, but the ideal choice is a hybrid system that has both a winding handle and solar panel. This means you can leave it out to charge automatically on sunny days, and manually wind it if you run out of power at night.
Are hand crank emergency radios worth it?
Hand crank radios are one of the most reliable types of emergency radio. While hand cranking may seem tedious, you can always guarantee that you can power your radio – the same can’t be said for alternatives like solar power radios that depend on external factors. That being said, it’s useful to shop for a radio that offers many different charging options (e.g a hand crank radio that also offers solar charging for sunny days).
Thanks for reading our article covering the best emergency radio UK.
If you’re interested in upgrading your security provisions, you may want to take a look at our article covering the Best Security Light With Motion Sensor.
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