Wind-up and solar radios with DAB and FM: what to buy for a UK emergency

Why a radio at all?

When the power goes, so does your broadband, and mobile phones can stop if the local mast loses power (Be Ready). A battery radio needs nothing at your end except a battery. That's why Be Ready's checklist includes a battery or wind-up FM radio, with the frequencies of the stations you use written down.

In the 2025 Iberian blackout, a Spanish internet exchange reported that mobile data lasted about two hours and calls about four, while national TV and radio stayed on air throughout. Some regional stations dropped.

The bands, in order of importance

If a product only says "DAB", check the maker's page before you buy. Norway's civil protection agency recommends a battery, crank or solar DAB radio because its emergency channel is on DAB; in the UK, FM is still the safe choice.

Power: get two ways to run it

• AA or AAA batteries. The most reliable. Keep spares, stored outside the radio so they can't leak into it.
• Hand crank. Useful when batteries run out. Check how many minutes of play you get per minute of cranking: makers' figures vary a lot.
• Solar panel. A small panel on top tops up slowly, and very slowly in a UK winter. Treat it as a bonus.
• USB charging in. Handy for charging the radio from a power bank.

"Phone charger" radios

Many crank radios have a USB socket to charge a phone. Cranking produces very little power, so expect enough for a short message or call, not a full charge (our view, from the physics: a few watts at most while you crank). A charged power bank is the real answer for phones. See how to keep your phone charged.

Other things worth having

• A built-in torch (one less thing to find in the dark).
• Water resistance if you live somewhere that floods. A number rating (for example IPX4) tells you more than "water-resistant".
• A headphone socket, to save battery and keep the room quiet at night.
• Simple controls that work in the dark, for older relatives.

Before you need it

1. Find your local stations now. Write the FM frequencies of your BBC local station and one national news station on a label on the radio, as Be Ready advises.
2. Test the crank and torch when you buy it, and every six months.
3. Keep it with your kit, not in the loft.
4. Put fresh batteries next to it and check their dates.

Our view on budget

You don't need an expensive radio. A basic battery FM radio plus a pack of AA batteries meets the official checklist. Spend more only for DAB+, a crank, a torch or water resistance. The examples below were in stock when we checked; we haven't tested them.

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Related guides

• Wind-up radios: what to look for before you buy
• Which radio station to listen to in a power cut
• Staying in touch when networks fail
• Power cut kit: what to keep in one box, and how long power cuts last

We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.

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