The Radio Solar weighs 1 pound 0.95 ounces and measures 6.25 inches long by 3.25 inches high by 2.25 inches deep. It comes equipped with a 3,600mAh lithium-ion battery that is charged via micro USB cable or the built-in hand crank; a larger-than-average solar panel can boost the battery during power outages, and it also works with three AA alkaline batteries. The smaller-than-average battery (800mAh) powered 13 hours of continuous radio play. Charging the depleted battery for 1 minute with the hand crank added about 5 minutes of radio time. Like the other small-battery radios we tested, this one should only be relied upon for a minimal cell phone boost—not for a significant recharge. Hand-crank radios might seem old school, but the newer products on the market feature modern technology that makes them more versatile than ever before. Read on to discover several of the most important considerations to keep in mind while shopping for the best hand-crank radio, from supported frequencies to weatherproof qualities to portability and more. Power

Hand crank radios have helped many people through fires, hurricanes, and storms. They’ve also helped those in places without electricity and areas to charge. Today’s hand-crank radios are all about usable power. In fact, many of the best hand-crank radios can charge or run using several power-source options, such as accepting replaceable batteries and featuring onboard batteries that charge via a solar panel or a USB port. Most of these devices can also charge cell phones or flashlights in a pinch.

Which Emergency Radio Should I Get?

It lets you listen to AM/FM radio and all seven NOAA weather channels, with an automatic scan feature that finds the strongest weather channel to get emergency information for your location. It also has a handy alert feature that sounds an alarm to indicate severe weather risks in your area. The majority of modern weather radios these days will feature more than one way to generate power. This can include through batteries, or rechargeable batteries and even solar power as well as the hand crank. Therefore, if you have a radio which includes all four methods of generating power and some of them fail, at least you will always be able to use the hand crank in emergency situations. The 14.5-inch telescoping antenna increases reception. And the LED signal strength indicator lets you dial in your tuning. It also offers an “Alert” mode, which automatically turns the radio on when it receives emergency weather alerts from NOAA weather stations. Those who want more functionality and a broader range of reception may be considering a shortwave radio option. Shortwave radio frequencies are transmitted over much longer distances of hundreds or thousands of miles, and are often used by international broadcasters and audiences. The Kaito KA500 hand-crank radio offers the AM, FM, and NOAA Weather Radio bands that are locally important during power outages and emergency situations, as well as two shortwave radio bands, 3.2 to 10.0 megahertz and 10.0 to 22.0 megahertz, for curious listeners. We considered the overall operation to be good for local emergencies. The radio received stations within 40 to 50 miles but not the weak or distant signals that some of the other radios detected. Rural users may need to seek an elevated or unobstructed location for best reception. The sound quality was adequate for emergency use, but not great for casual listening.

During our review of this radio, we loved the fact that it’s made to ensure you can communicate with your loved ones, even during a power outage or when you can’t access AA batteries. But how is that possible?

What Makes Hand Crank Radios Different from Regular Radios?

Hands-on testing: The core of our review process involved putting each wind-up radio through its paces. Our experts rigorously tested these radios in real-world scenarios, paying particular attention to ease of cranking, suitability for emergencies, channel connectivity, recharge options, and audio output quality.