NOAA is the acronym for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Yet, when we talk about NOAA weather radios, we basically mean emergency radios that you take with you while going for a hike or camping.
These radios are of great use, especially in places where you have no Wi-Fi or phone signal so you will learn about the incoming weather conditions. An alarm automatically goes off when NOAA urges people about adverse weather conditions.
In addition to that, these radios usually have extra features such as reading lamps, flashlights, USB batteries, and so forth. Are you looking for radio but can’t decide between loads of different choices? You can check our list of best NOAA weather radios before buying yours!
1. AKRICCSO Emergency Solar Hand Crank Portable Radio
AKRICCSO’s emergency radio is not only a radio for NOAA weather alerts but also contains many other features in it. It does what it has to do successfully, which is giving you access to the emergency calls from NOAA. It also has AM/FM broadcasts so it can be your gateway to the real world to follow the news. The radio also includes a LED flashlight with zoom, an SOS alarm, a 2000mAH power bank and three different Power options for emergency moments. 11 ounces (310 grams) can be considered as a feather compared to its equivalents. 2000mAH lasts for about 10 to 12 hours of light or 15 hours of radio time. You can extend this by charging your radio with embedded solar panels.
The SOS alarm on the radio is quite handy especially when you are on a hiking trip, backpacking, or hitchhiking.
When unboxing, make sure that you have the radio itself, micro USB cable, instruction manual, and the 12-month warranty card.
Features
LED Flashlight
The radio’s embedded flashlight gives you quite a bright light so that you can irradiate dark spaces such as your tent or shelter. It works with 1W; therefore, it does not consume huge amounts of power.
Portable Charger
If you spend too much off the grid, one of the things that you are lacking is a charger. With AKRICCSO’s portable USB charger, you can charge your mobile devices in an emergency situation. You can also charge the radio through the USB cord even though the 2000 mAH power bank will be adequate for a long time.
3 Power Sources
AKRICCSO has a battery compartment along with a mini-solar panel and crank lever. Solar panel and crank level are regenerative thus, whenever you want to power up your radio, you have it!
Maintenance
When it comes to cleaning up your radio, you can wipe it with a damp cloth. However, do not wash it or immerse in water as it is not water-proof. If you have not used the radio for longer than 60 days, you should be charging the radio with the hand crank for 5 minutes.
2. AIRSSON NOAA Emergency Weather Radio
Our second choice here is Airsson’s model of Emergency Weather Radio. It also has quite several different features with some safety options. For example, Airsson automatically shuts down in case of overloading or a short circuit. If your radio cuts off suddenly, it can be because of the battery voltage being lower than 2.7V. It buzzes when there is an emergency alarm from NOAA. It is also IPX3 which means the radio is water-resistant. However; just like our first recommendation, it is also not water-proof. It is 0.66 lb (300 grams) so it is also very light.
In the package, you will be receiving the radio, an instruction manual, and a hard box as well as a hard box to protect the radio from breaking down.
The power bank’s capacity is 2000mAH which provides light for 10 to 12 hours. You can charge the radio in four different ways. These include solar panel charging, hand crank, micro USB, and AAA battery. Note that AAA batteries are not included in the pack so, make sure you buy your own batteries and substitutes before going on your trip.
Features
LED Flashlight and Reading Lamp
Airsson’s flashlight spends 0.5W which is light enough to drive away from the darkness at night. The reading lamp has a good design that makes reading easier in a tent. Compared to the other radio we suggested, its light is not as bright as expected. However, it is still radiant enough to light up your way.
USB Charger
The box contains a USB cable that you can use to charge your radio or charge your phone through the embedded power bank. Since this charger is the main energy source of the radio, try to charge your phone or other mobile devices only when you have to.
Batteries
The box has a battery compartment but the box does not have batteries. So, you should make sure that you have at least 3 AAA batteries. If you are away from power sources for a long time, you had better take substitute ones.
Maintenance
As the flashlights can be hazardous to your eyes, do not look at the flashlight or read the lamp’s light directly. Wipe the radio with a damp cloth to clean it. If you have not used your product for longer than 2 months, charge the internal battery with the hand crank first for about 5 minutes.
3. Sangean H201 Portable Waterproof Radio
The Sangean waterproof H201 radio is a portable radio that allows you to keep up with the real world when you are camping or fishing out in the wild. One of the distinguishing things that this radio has is that it is waterproof, unlike most other NOAA weather radios. So, you can take it with you on your boat trip. In addition to that, the Sangean H201 is going to float if you accidentally drop it on a water body. The reception quality is above average.
One downside is that it needs two D-cell batteries. It does not feature a solar panel or other charging options. However, D-cell batteries last for a long time thus, you will be just fine with some substitute ones.
Lastly, it has a timer which you can set as far as 2 hours. We think it is a useful tool to have it in your emergency kits, among your fishing gear or backpacks.
Features
Radio stations in Memory and NOAA Weather Channels
With Sangean H201, you can preset up to 20 stations in its memory. These 20 stations include 10 FM stations, 5 AM stations, and 5 WX stations as well as receiving all 7 NOAA weather channels and reports. It buzzes in an emergency situation.
Emergency LED Torch
The Sangean H201 presents a LED screen that you can use as a torch in case of emergencies. Additionally, this LED screen shows the time by default. For instance, if you change your radio station, it will show the radio frequency for 5 seconds before turning back to displaying the time.
Maintenance
As we mentioned, the radio is water-proof so, you need not worry about cleaning with water. Yet, you should wipe the screen with a proper solution. Before leaving, you should check the battery level with its battery indicator in order to avoid a lack of power.
4. CrazyFire NOAA Weather Radio
The CrazyFire NOAA Weather Radio is a hurricane radio that has credible and well-designed features. The radio has three ways of charging up: A solar panel, a hand crank and USB charging. For instance, if you crank for one minute, it will absorb enough power to produce 10 minutes of light and about 15 minutes of radio.
The radio has IPX3 code which means that it is resistant to water but not water-proof. The power bank it carries is standard 2000 mAH. However, you should note that the power bank should be used only for emergencies, not like a regular power source.
One negative thing about the radio is that it does not have a headphone port. It would be awesome with a headphone port, indeed.
Features
Flashlight and SOS Alarm
It has a 1W LED Flashlight that is so bright which means it produces up to 120 lumens. Just as a comparison, a standard light bulb that all of us employ at home produces 800 lumens. So, camping or hiking at night will not be terribly dark with the CrazyFire NOAA Weather Radio.
If you press the flashlight button for five seconds, there goes off the alarm and flashing light to inform the search and rescue team.
Warranty
CrazyFire comes with a 12-month warranty which is OK for such radios. When we checked the reviews online, the manufacturers try to solve the problem or refund. So, their customer service is quite friendly.
Maintenance
The radio is not waterproof so you should handle the cleaning part accordingly. A damp cloth needs to be used. For the lenses, you need to use screen cleaning solutions. In addition to that, when you use the hand crank charging your radio, you should not be attaching any device to the USB port as it could damage your mobile devices. Lastly, turning off the USB output button help acquire a better sound quality. Otherwise, the noise can interfere.
5. Midland WR120B/WR120EZ
There comes our superstar. The Midland WR120 series is a piece of equipment that everyone needs to have in their emergency kits. It not only receives signals from seven different NOAA channels but also shows those warning on its screen. Aside from that, it has diverse sirens and alerts for different threats. The radio diversifies more than 60 different disasters, including tornados, fires, thunderstorms, earthquakes, hurricanes and many more.
Furthermore, you can save up to 25 locations (25 counties) so you can preset your current or future locations while going for a hike, fish or camp. The emergency alerts will be shown on the screen as soon as NOAA alerts through their channels.
You cannot receive regular AM/FM signals. So, this might be the only thing that is bad about this. You also need an electrical outlet; however, in case of power outages, you can have it work with three AA alkaline batteries.
Features
More than 60 Emergency Alerts
The Midland WR120B/WR120EZ warns you of more than 60 weather hazards or other emergencies. Its warnings are ranging from tornados, hurricanes, and floods to power outages, earthquakes, and volcano eruptions. It even notifies icebergs and snowstorms.
Besides, you can customize the alerts, you can snooze some of them.
Batteries
If you are at home, you should plug it into an electric outlet. However, if you need to take the radio with you, you need to take 2 AA batteries with you. The last time I tried it, the radio lasted for about 6-7 days.
Maintenance
The radio is neither waterproof nor water-resistant. So, you should clean it with a dry cloth. The warranty is one year long and the accessories are under warranty for 90 days.
6. Vondior NOAA Weather Radio
Our second choice here is the Vondior’s model of Emergency Weather Radio. Vondior works with 2 AA batteries that will last several days after storms or hurricanes have passed. It also receives AM/FM signals so that you can listen to the radio all the way.
Its size is delightful as it fits in the hand. Thus, you can simply put it into your pocket or handbag and you will enjoy the small design that it has. The manufacturer has also upgraded DSP chip that will probably give you the highest reception with its 6-inch antenna.
Be sure to get one before it is the hurricane season.
This is one of the smallest radios in the market that just does what it is supposed to do. It does not have a gaudy look; conversely, it has the classical appearance of our radio from my childhood but it just receives signals from the stations I have never heard of. So, I liked its wise design.
Batteries
Only 2 AA batteries will be enough as a power source for about 5-6 days. Unless you are going for more than that, you do not even need substitutes. Compared to the other weather radios, its power consumption is quite low.