EmailBest Reviewed
Weather Radios
- Emergency crank radio Eton FR300 *Est. $50
- Best weather radio overall Midland WR-300 *Est. $50
- Handheld weather radio Oregon Scientific WR602 *Est. $65
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Best weather radio overall
- Public Alert certification
- SAME technology prevents false alarms
- Unwanted alerts can be blocked
- Electrical or battery power
- Excellent weather band performance
- No hand crank for emergency use
- Lousy AM/FM reception
- Unimpressive clock radio
The Midland WR-300 weather radio is the overwhelming top choice of experts and users alike. Public Alert certification means the Midland WR-300 meets certain technical standards and has all of the features that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) considers important in a top-performing weather radio, including Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) technology, which eliminates alerts for situations far removed from the listener's location. Defeatable alerts also keep false alarms to a minimum.
Reviewers say performance on the weather channels is excellent, but one fairly consistent negative is that the WR-300 doesn't perform well as an AM/FM receiver or clock radio. Also, the Midland WR-300 doesn't have a hand crank, although it can run on electrical power or on batteries; if you want a crank feature, you should consider the Eton FR300 (*Est. $50).
The Midland WR-300 weather radio is discussed and reviewed by numerous sources, including Home-Weather-Stations-Guide.com, online radio expert Richard Rhodes, enthusiasts on eHam.net and owners posting reviews to Amazon.com and RadioShack.com.
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Our Sources
1. Home-Weather-Stations-Guide.com
Geologist and amateur weather enthusiast Graham McClung offers a handful of recommended choices in this article on selecting a good weather radio. He writes that the Reecom R-1650, First Alert WX-167 and Midland WR-300 are all standout desktop choices, but he's most impressed with the WR-300's "extra options at little extra cost."
Review: How to Select the Best Weather Radio for Your Needs, Graham McClung
Texas-based ham radio operator Richard Rhodes provides an excellent weather radio roundup on his personal website. Rhodes compares the Midland WR-300 and the now-discontinued Radio Shack 12-262, giving the Midland the edge because it's easier to program.
Review: Weather Radio Update 2006 - by K5OQ, Richard Rhodes, June 1, 2009
3. EHam.net
This website for ham radio enthusiasts includes user reviews of weather radios. The Midland WR-300 fares the best among the radios discussed here, with more than a dozen reviews.
Review: Receivers: Weather Alert, Contributors to eHam.net, As of Oct. 2009
4. Amazon.com
About 500 owners posting Amazon.com user reviews give the Midland WR-300 high average ratings. In fact, 300 owners give it a perfect score.
Review: Midland WR300 Weather Radio, Contributors to Amazon.com, As of Oct. 2009
Two dozen owners have reviewed the Midland WR-300 on RadioShack.com, giving this model an average rating of 4.5 stars out of five. Reviews are brief but highly positive.
Review: Midland WR300 All-Hazard Weather Alert Radio, Contributors to RadioShack.com, As of Oct. 2009
Weather Radios Runners Up:
3 picks by top review sites.
2 picks by top review sites.
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R-1630 All Hazard - Weather Alert Radio
 from Amazon.com New: $119.99 In Stock.
Average Customer Review:   |
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