Best Reviewed
Weather Radios
- Best weather radio overall Midland WR-300 *Est. $50
- Handheld weather radio Oregon Scientific WR602 *Est. $45
- Best emergency crank radio Eton FR160 *Est. $30
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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
- Does not automatically shut off at end of alert
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 FR160 (*Est. $30). Though the FR160 is short on features, reports indicate that it does the essential job of providing radio reception -- including reception of weather channels -- in an emergency very well.
The Midland WR-300 weather radio is discussed and reviewed by numerous sources, including Home-Weather-Stations-Guide.com, online radio expert Richard C. Rhodes, enthusiasts on eHam.net and owners posting reviews to Amazon.com and RadioShack.com.
Etón FR160B Microlink Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (Black)
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| MIDLAND WR300 Weather Radio | |
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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, March 21, 2009
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 WR-300 the edge because it's easier to program.
Review: Weather Radio Update 2006, Richard Rhodes, June 1, 2009
3. EHam.net
This website for ham radio enthusiasts includes user reviews of weather radios. The Midland WR-300 doesn't get the most reviews, but fares the best among the radios discussed here with more than a handful. Overall, the WR-300 scores a solid 4.2 stars out of 5 after more than a dozen reports.
Review: Reviews Summary for Midland WR-300 S.A.M.E. Weather/All Hazard Radio, Contributors to eHam.net
4. Amazon.com
Nearly 600 owners posting Amazon.com user reviews give the Midland WR-300 a high overall rating -- 4.3 stars out of 5. Impressively, well more than half posting here give the WR-300 a perfect score. A few discouraging words are heard, however, including some who complain that the radio does not automatically shut itself off after an alert.
Review: Midland WR300 Weather Radio, Contributors to Amazon.com
Roughly two dozen owners have reviewed the Midland WR-300 on RadioShack.com. Ratings here are lower than at other user review sites -- just 3 out of 5 stars overall. Complaints follow the familiar pattern -- poor AM/FM radio reception and a failure to shut itself off after the end of an alert message. Some report reliability problems. Still, we find more happy owners than unhappy ones.
Review: Midland All Weather/Hazards Alert Radio with AM/FM Tuning, Contributors to RadioShack.com
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2 picks by top review sites.
Midland WR100B SAME Weather Alert Monitor withAlarm Clock
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Etón FR360R Solarlink Self-Powered Digital AM/FM/NOAA Radio with Solar Power, Flashlight and Cell Phone Charger (Red)
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Sima Products WX-150 Emergency Alert Radio
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