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Midland WR-300

*Est. $50

Reviewed October 2009
Midland WR-300

Best weather radio overall

pros
  • Public Alert certification
  • SAME technology prevents false alarms
  • Unwanted alerts can be blocked
  • Electrical or battery power
  • Excellent weather band performance
cons
  • No hand crank for emergency use
  • Lousy AM/FM reception
  • Unimpressive clock radio
 
 
Where to Buy
  • eBay

    for $52.88

  • Staples

    for $59.99

 
 
 

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.

Where To Buy
 
 
Featured StoresStore RatingNotesTotal Price
eBayeBay rated 4.00 (1176 reviews)1176 store reviewsIn Stock. $52.88
StaplesStaples rated 3.00 (116 reviews)116 store reviewsIn Stock. $59.99
 
 
 

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

2. Richard Rhodes

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

5. RadioShack.com

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:

Midland WR-100 *Est. $30

3 picks by top review sites.

Reecom R-1630 *Est. $60

2 picks by top review sites.

     
 
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