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Buying guides

Best Emergency Weather Radios & Lanterns

Hand-picked. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure · How we pick

Which emergency radio or lantern should I get?

Short answer, from the products we’ve featured and compared below:

  • Best for weather warnings: Midland WR120B
  • Best for the go-bag: FosPower A1
  • Best for lighting a room: Coleman Classic Rechargeable LED Lantern
  • Best for drawers and camping: LuminAID Nova

Updated

Two jobs when the power goes out: hear the warnings and see what you’re doing. These are the radios and lanterns we’ve featured, with specs from their listings. Always follow your local officials and utility first.

Quick picks

Side-by-side specs

Specs are from each product’s Amazon listing or manufacturer, as listed when we wrote this. No prices here, because they change daily. Check the retailer for today’s price.

ProductJobPower sourceLightKey features
Midland WR120BNOAA weather radioCorded and battery powerBacklit LCDS.A.M.E. county coding (up to 25 counties), 60+ hazard types, color-coded warning indicators
FosPower A1NOAA + AM/FM radio and phone top-upHand crank, solar panel or AAA batteries1W flashlight + 4 LED reading light7400mWh (2000mAh) power bank, SOS alarm, about 6.2 x 2.1 x 2.9 in
Coleman Classic Rechargeable LED LanternRoom lightBuilt-in 4800mAh rechargeable batteryUp to 800 lumens (300 and 100 settings)Up to 5 h on high, 45 h on low; USB port charges a phone; IPX4
LuminAID NovaPackable lanternSolar (about 10 h sun) or micro USB (1–2 h)75 lumens, multiple settingsInflatable, packs flat; IP67 waterproof; up to 24 h of light

How to choose

  • Program your county. A S.A.M.E. radio like the Midland only sounds for the areas you enter, so set it up before you need it.
  • Test the crank once. Learn the FosPower’s crank and tuning dial on a calm day.
  • Charge lanterns monthly. Keep them topped up during fire, storm and outage season.
  • Officials first. These are backups for hearing and seeing. Follow evacuation orders and your utility’s updates.

FAQ

What is a NOAA weather radio?

It receives National Weather Service broadcasts. Radios like the Midland WR120B can switch on automatically for warnings in the counties you program with S.A.M.E. codes.

Do I need a hand-crank radio if I have a phone?

Phones depend on battery and cell service. The FosPower A1 runs on a hand crank, solar or AAA batteries and picks up NOAA, AM and FM, so you can still hear local updates.

How bright should an outage lantern be?

For a kitchen or living room, a few hundred lumens is comfortable. The Coleman tops out at 800 lumens. The LuminAID Nova’s 75 lumens is enough for a table or a tent.

Can these charge my phone?

The Coleman lantern has a USB charging port, and the FosPower A1 has a small 2000mAh power bank. For several full phone charges, pair them with a power bank from our power station and power bank guide.

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