Weather Radios: Reviews

Updated March 2012

Tornadoes and other violent weather can strike with little warning, but a weather radio can help you stay one step ahead of the elements. ConsumerSearch reviews weather radios that can give you a head start when conditions turn stormy and can provide a lifeline when the power is gone. Owner feedback and professional reviews of the most dependable weather radios are considered in making our recommendations.

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Best weather radio overall

Midland WR-300

*Est. $65 Compare Prices

The Midland WR-300 is the overwhelming choice of experts and users. Public Alert certification means this desktop unit meets certain technical standards and has all the features that the NOAA considers important in a… expandtop-performing weather radio. That includes SAME technology, which eliminates the problem of receiving alerts for situations far removed from your location. Defeatable alerts keep false alarms to a minimum, and performance on weather channels is widely regarded as excellent. However, the WR-300 often fails to perform as well when used as an AM/FM receiver or clock radio. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Home-Weather-Stations-Guide.com: Geologist and amateur weather enthusiast Graham McClung offers a handful of recommendations in this article on selecting a good weather radio.

Richard Rhodes: Texas-based ham radio operator Richard Rhodes provides an excellent weather radio roundup on his personal website.

EHam.net: This website for ham radio enthusiasts includes user reviews of weather radios.

Amazon.com: More than 775 owners posting to Amazon.com give the Midland WR-300 an overall rating of 4.1 stars out of 5.

RadioShack.com: More than 30 owners comment on the Midland WR-300, giving it lower ratings than at other user review sites -- just 3.1 out of 5 stars.

Bestcovery.com: The Midland WR-300 is named one of five best picks here, although the write-up is brief and places more emphasis on features than performance.

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Buy from Amazon for $44.62
eBay for $72.02	REI for $64.95	Sonic Electronix for $55.99

Handheld weather radio

Sangean DT-400W

*Est. $55 Compare Prices

The tiny Sangean DT-400W gets positive feedback from professionals and owners alike. Most users say it's highly portable and more durable than other handheld weather radios, making it ideal for outdoor enthusiasts and… expandtravelers. Reception is said to be very good, especially on weather-band frequencies. Digital tuning is also a plus. A big downside is the lack of SAME support and an internal antenna, although an external antenna is included. While a set of earphones attached to the radio can also serve as an antenna, the earbuds that come with the DT-400W are often called uncomfortable. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

WeatherRadioGuide.com: Geologist and amateur weather enthusiast Graham McClung gives the Sangean DT-400W a decent review, noting its strengths and weaknesses in some detail.

Amazon.com: The Sangean DT-400W does well among portable weather radios at Amazon.com, where more than 175 owners give it an overall score of 4.3 out of 5 stars.

RadioShack.com: Although the Sangean DT-400W doesn't get as much feedback as some of the other weather radios listed here, more than a dozen owners give it 4.4 stars out of 5.

Bestcovery.com: Josh Tuliano names the Sangean DT-400W as his No.

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Buy from Amazon for $51.99
REI for $65.00	eBay for $67.04	eBay for $69.95

Best emergency crank radio

Eton FR160

*Est. $30 Compare Prices

The Eton Microlink FR160 is one of the best crank radios available, reviewers say. Even though it isn't SAME capable or Public Alert certified, most owners don't count these shortcomings against the unit. Features aren't… expandplentiful, but do include reception of AM/FM and weather band broadcasts, a flashlight and an emergency cell phone charger. The FR160 can't be powered by standard batteries or electricity, but most users say the crank-powered dynamo and solar cells do a good job of juicing up the internal rechargeable batteries, which provide plenty of run time. While the Microlink FR160 is a potential lifesaver in emergencies, its light weight and compact size make this weather radio a great hiking or camping companion, as well. It's also sold under the American Red Cross brand. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Amazon.com: More than 275 Amazon.com posters give the Eton FR160 in its various color offerings an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.

RadioShack.com: A handful of recent comments ding the Eton FR160 for poor sound quality and durability issues, but most owners say they're happy with its sound quality, features and ruggedness.

SurvivalistBoards.com: This user review focuses on the value of the Eton FR160, as well as its performance as a piece of survival gear.

EHam.net: One user's comments on the FR160 are more positive than negative, but the radio is rated a 3 out of 5, presumably due to the cranking required to charge a cell phone via the dynamo.

TopTenReviews.com: Although editors don't seem to do any testing, their somewhat brief features-based review includes a helpful list of this radio's pros and cons.

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Buy from Amazon for $30.00
BuyDig.com for $79.99	eBay for $53.15	QVC for $39.39

Budget desktop weather radio

Midland WR-120

*Est. $35 Compare Prices

The Midland WR-120 draws positive feedback as a good performer and a great value. It's no more expensive than many portable weather radios, but offers more features. Like the WR-300, the WR-120 is Public Alert certified… expandand SAME-enabled. Users can program it with up to 25 county codes and choose to be alerted with a siren, a beep or a flashing light. One distinct disadvantage compared to the WR-300 is that the WR-120 doesn't allow the disabling of unwanted alerts, but it costs about half the price of its well-regarded cousin. collapse

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Expert & User Review Sources:

Amazon.com: Amazon.com offers all varieties of this weather radio, but the WR-120 gets the most feedback.

Walmart.com: Walmart.com lets users post reviews or ratings-only feedback for products they own.

Wave 3 Weather: This very brief review of the Midland WR-120C doesn't go into much detail, but Richard Kimber highlights some pros and cons of its use and setup.

Weather Radio Reviews: The Midland WR-120 is one of three editors' favorites included in a sidebar to this article, which focuses on the general function of weather radios.

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