Best Emergency Radios

The Kaito KA500YL is as much of an emergency radio as it is a powerhouse of useful features. But before we talk about those, we thought it would be best to mention your power source options. Since a number of features are all well and good but they can drain the battery and you wouldn't want to wind up in an emergency situation without any way to actually use your emergency device. In addition to the ability to power this model with 3 AA batteries, you'll have at your disposal a 5V USB input, 5V AC/DC input with a wall power adapter, a hand-crank generator, built-in NiMH rechargeable battery, and a surprisingly powerful solar panel.

Now, as for those features, we could certainly talk about the 7 pre-programmed NOAA weather channels that will allow you to get your hands on hours of entertainment, sports, talk shows, breaking news all around the globe, and, most importantly, a 24/7 real-time weather forecast with PEAS (Public Emergency Alert System).

The emergency radio also comes equipped with a telescopic antenna that you can extend up to 14.5" in order to get higher sensitivity reception that is being assisted by the device's high-end semiconductor circuitry. There's also an LED signal strength indicator, a nice little feature you can use to achieve pinpoint tuning accuracy. Finally, the built-in speaker will provide you with a loud and crisp sound. The LED flashlight and a red LED S.O.S. beacon light will prove to be useful in some scenarios and a blessing in no disguise in others.

Again, the Kaito KA500YL may very well be described as the best emergency radio because it isn't just a radio but a powerhouse full of useful features. Among other things, the model won't just provide you access to AM, FM, and WB frequencies but also to a couple of ShortWave bands.

The model from the amusingly named company RunningSnail won't cost you more than your average emergency radio. Despite that, "average" is the last word we would use to describe this device. Of course, just like any emergency radio, it will allow you to receive AM/FM and NOAA weather alert radio. You'll also be able to tune in broadcast emergency weather alerts for your particular area like hurricanes, tornadoes, and serious storms.

But, in addition to the usual stuff, the model also comes equipped with a red LED S.O.S. beacon light. You can use that flashing red light to ask somebody for help in an emergency situation or to warn a person about any upcoming problem from a distance.

Quite a lot of manufacturers forget or simply refuse to add an LED flashlight and we can't say that we agree with this train of thought. Fortunately, the people behind this emergency radio aren't one of them, so you'll be able to use a flashlight to light up a dark space or to keep a room bright if a storm happens to cut off the power. To help in the latter scenario, the aforementioned folk behind this model have also incorporated a 5-LED reading lamp, a nice little tool that will allow you to read in the dark or to further improve the lighting in a room. Other than that, the device offers 5 different power source options and, with 0.68 lbs in weight, it is surprisingly light considering the number of features it supports.

All in all, the RunningSnail MD-090 will prove to be a particularly good pick for those individuals who cannot imagine spending a long weekend or a vacation lying somewhere on a beach and would rather go camping, hiking, or simply explore just about any seemingly interesting location that the surrounding area has to offer.

It is often difficult to find that perfect middle ground between functionality and simplicity. An emergency radio has to be simple and reliable but you can never know which of the countless possible features could prove to be useful in an emergency situation. Which is why Esky ES-CR01 is such a popular choice among all kinds of different customers. First of all, the model is surprisingly cheap. For less than 20 bucks, you'll get yourself a device you could rely on in an emergency scenario but also a device that will provide you with quite a few additional features.

For starters, you'll get a USB output port that you can use to bring your smartphone's dead battery back to life. And it is hard to overestimate a feature like that since a modern cell phone isn't just a source of entertainment but an often imperative and indispensable device that could literally be the difference between life and death.

Speaking of underrated features, this portable emergency radio also comes equipped with an LED flashlight and we don't need to tell you how crucial of a role it may get to play in a number of different scenarios.

Now, moving on from the extra features, we would certainly be remiss not to mention that you can power this device with 3 AAA batteries, a hand-crank generator, a small but often reliable solar panel, a Li-Ion rechargeable battery with a 1000 mAh capacity, and a 5V mini-USB port. And last but not least, the model in question features an impact- and water-resistant housing, and we cannot stress enough how important a rugged frame is for an emergency device that could potentially end up in the harshest environments.

In conclusion, there's a lot to like about this portable emergency radio. Despite the fact that this is one of the most affordable radios on the market, the model comes equipped with a decent number of extra features, a solid construction, and, most importantly, 5 different power source options.

The Sangean DT-400W is one of the better models for people who need an emergency radio but also like to listen to the radio in general. It isn't the most versatile option out there but it does make up for the shortcomings in the versatility department with a heavy focus on the radio features.

On top of your usual functions, you'll get the so-called Auto Seek Station feature that skips the stations with a bad reception and only searches through ones that have a good reception. The My Favorite Station feature will allow you to add stations to a favorite list, so you'll be able to instantly tune in to those instead of searching through numerous stations. A built-in speaker that features the Dynamic Bass Boost technology will enhance the sound of this device and provide you with a nice opportunity to enjoy your favorite music stations with more of an oomph to them.

That said, we have some mixed feelings about this product if you judge it strictly as an emergency radio. On one hand, with 2.52" x 4.19" x 1.18" in overall dimensions and 0.23 lbs of weight, the model is really compact. Add to that the removable belt clip and it would seem that we're dealing with a great camping and hiking device.

But on the other hand, it doesn't include a flashlight (though the LCD screen features backlighting) and a couple of AA batteries is your only power source option. That means you're screwed if you get yourself in a bit of a pinch, the batteries are dead and you don't have a spare set in your emergency kit.

With that in mind, we would recommend the Sangean DT-400W to the kind of people who would like to acquire a radio first and foremost and the fact that it can serve as an emergency radio is just a cherry on top. But if you're looking strictly for the most reliable emergency device, you might want to look somewhere else.

If you like going on all kinds of camping and hiking trips and you absolutely hate dealing with batteries, you might want to give this model from Eton a shot.

Of course, the fact that The American Red Cross FRX2 does not run on batteries isn't necessarily an advantage in and of itself. Sure, lots of people hate carrying around a spare set of batteries as you never know when the ones that are in the device are going to run out of steam. But you do have to power the radio someway. And the model in question has you covered on that front.

You can get yourself up to 15 minutes of radio and flashlight if you use the hand-crank dynamo generator for no more than a minute. The 3-LED flashlight that we've just mentioned doesn't just last for a really long time but is also really bright, so you'll be able to light up a pretty sizable area. You can also put the panel in the sun and let the solar panel do its job, though the latter isn't really quite as effective as one might hope for. On top of that, you have a DC power option with a 5V mini-USB port. And the last but not least, there's the NIMH rechargeable battery that most people tend to rely on most of the time.

Aside from that, the model comes equipped with a USB output port that you can use to charge up your phone and a 3.5 mm jack for a pair of headphones. So, to bring this thing to a logical conclusion, The American Red Cross FRX2 includes just about everything you would want out of an emergency radio. You can take it with you to a mountain or bring the model on your upcoming backpacking trip. Rock climbing, caving, hunting, you name, the device is suitable for any type of outdoor activity.