The best wind-up radios

The kitchen-drawer emergency radio done well: charge it by USB, on a sunny windowsill or with the crank, or drop in AAA batteries, and it doubles as a torch and reading lamp.

• AM/FM
• 5,000mAh battery, charges a phone by USB
• Solar panel, hand crank or 3 × AAA
• Torch and reading light
• SOS alarm and compass

What owners say: Owners are impressed by the battery life, find it compact and sturdy, and say the siren is seriously loud.

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A closer look: Charge it fully by USB when it arrives, then keep it topped up on a windowsill. Flip up the solar panel and it becomes a reading light. The crank is the last resort for when everything else is flat, so expect to wind for a while.

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A retro-looking radio with a rotary tuning dial and a big 12,000mAh battery that can top up a phone when the power’s out.

• AM/FM, rotary dial tuning
• 12,000mAh battery, USB-C charging
• Large solar panel and hand crank
• 57mm speaker
• 120dB SOS alarm and torch

What owners say: Owners say it sounds great and goes loud, like the bright SOS alarm and the big solar panel, and find it sturdy.

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A closer look: A tuning dial is far easier to use in the dark than tiny buttons. At 850g it’s heavier than the others, better for the house or the car than a rucksack. The long crank handle makes winding less of a chore.

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Most wind-up radios are FM only; this one gets DAB+ as well, with a colour screen and Bluetooth.

• DAB+, DAB and FM with RDS
• 12,000mAh battery
• Solar panel and hand crank
• 2.4-inch colour display
• Bluetooth, alarms, sleep timer and torch

What owners say: Owners praise the sound, the solar panel and phone charging, find it solidly built and say it’s simple to operate.

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A closer look: It stores up to 40 DAB and 40 FM stations, so set your favourites once. DAB reception depends on where you live, and the long aerial helps. It also works as an everyday bedside radio, with alarms and a sleep timer.

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Analogue tuning and volume knobs, a long aerial and a light that doubles as a torch: an emergency radio anyone in the family can pick up and use.

• AM/FM, analogue tuning
• Internal rechargeable battery
• Solar, hand crank or 3 × AAA
• USB-A port to charge a phone
• LED light, torch and SOS alarm with strobe

What owners say: Owners find it well built and loud, like the light and alarm and say it charges quickly; several mention it comes in a sturdy zipped case.

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A closer look: The knobs make it easy for anyone, including older relatives who don’t want menus. Charge it before it goes into the emergency kit, then check it every few months. The extendable aerial helps in weak-signal areas.

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A small, retro-styled radio in bright yellow, easy to spot in a dark cupboard, with four ways to power it.

• AM/FM
• 3,000mAh battery, USB-C charging
• Solar, hand crank or 3 × AA
• Torch, reading lamp and SOS alarm
• Charges a phone in an emergency

What owners say: Owners find it good quality and value, compact enough to travel with, and say all four charging methods work well.

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A closer look: When running on AA batteries, flick the switch to AA mode, as the instructions explain. The internal battery can’t be removed, so keep it topped up by USB-C. Small enough for a glovebox or a weekend bag.

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