Crank it up: Your guide to the best wind up radio

Want to make sure that you can always tune into your favourite radio shows? Perhaps it’s time to explore wind up radios…

Having a rechargeable DAB radio is a great start. Rechargeable devices mean that you don’t have to worry too much about spending a fortune on batteries. Additionally, you can usually access a wider selection of radio stations with DAB too. 

But, what do you do if you’re nowhere near a wall outlet, and you’ve run out of power?

If you don’t have any batteries on-hand, you could be left without entertainment for the rest of your journey or camping trip. 

The best wind up radios eliminate that problem.

Designed for outdoor explorers, hikers, and survivalists, the wind up radio gives you an environmentally-friendly way to listen to your favourite music or shows. Not only do wind up radios ensure that you can always access a source of power for your favourite gadget, they also save you a fortune on batteries too. 

Rather than relying on a plug socket or a set of double A’s for energy, your wind-up radio comes with a hand crank that you can use to keep your radio fully-charged. Most of these devices can also be charged using other methods too – like USB cables or even solar power when necessary. 

Because these devices are very limited in what they can do, there’s a good chance you won’t find many wind up DAB radios or digital devices. However, your wind up device could easily double-up as an alarm clock, flash-light, or even a source of charging for your smartphone.

Ready to get shopping?

Here are the best wind up radios to try in 2020.

1. Duronic AM/FM hybrid wind up radio

Simple, versatile, and compact enough to take with you on any adventure. The Duronic AM/FM hybrid radio give you three ways to keep your device charged. You can either create crank-based energy using the wind up handle on the device, or solar charge the tool by leaving it in direct sunlight. There’s also the option to plug your radio into a USB cable so you can charge it by the mains at home.

One of the more affordable wind up radios on the market today, the Duronic hybrid is available for less than £15, and comes with a number of useful features. Aside from connecting to AM and FM signals, the Duronic also comes with a headphone jack for private listening, and an LED torch built-in. You can also use this device as an alarm clock on your next camping trip.

Features include:

• Lightweight and portable design
• LED light indicator
• 7 hours of battery life (fully charged)
• Crank power or solar power options
• Deceptively small but offering plenty of volume
• AM/FM connectivity
• Durable extendible aerial
• 300mAh battery 
• Headphone jack
• Alarm clock

This is a very basic radio system, so you probably shouldn’t expect something as robust as the Roberts Unologic, for instance. Duronic have clearly created something that their customers will feel comfortable throwing in a back-pack for a last minute camping trip. 

However, if you’re looking for something cheap, cheerful, and reasonably reliable, this is a fantastic piece of kit. It does need winding up pretty frequently if you’re relying on the crank charge alone – but the same can be said for most wind up radios.

3. CZAING solar wind up radio

When you imagine a wind up radio, there’s a good chance that you picture something like the CZAING solar wind up radio. It’s compact, lightweight, and designed for portability. What’s more, the CZAING might not be a wind up digital radio with access to Wi-Fi and DAB channels, but it does come designed for the modern marketplace. 

For instance, as well as giving you a way to power your radio through cranking alone, the CZAING also comes with a smart phone charger and power bank built-in. There’s also an emergency flashlight for survivalists that’s enough to give you a burst of illumination when you need it most. 

Available for just under £20, this solar and wind up radio features:

• Lightweight and portable design
• Hand cranking or solar panel charging
• USB charging available
• AM/FM radio supported
• LED flashlight
• Built-in 300 MAH battery
• Smartphone charging and power bank
• Built-in charging protection

Overall, the CZAING is a very robust feeling piece of technology, particularly when you compare it to some of the other, more lightweight options on the market today. Once again, it’s lacking a few things, like the option to connect to DAB channels – but that’s something you’re not likely to find in most wind up products today.

Additionally, one thing we noted when conducting our wind up radio reviews, is that this product doesn’t come with a headphone jack, which is a bit of a problem for those who want private listening options.

7. Duronic Apex wind up radio

Whenever we do a top 10 review here at Radio Fidelity, there’s often one brand that seems to excel in a specific category more than others. That seems to be the case for Duronic in the world of wind up radios. Although we haven’t been able to find a DAB wind up radio from Duronic, we’ve found a number of reliable and powerful options from the company, including the Duronic Apex. 

The Duronic Apex is the AM/FM three-way charging radio for the person on the go. Designed for portability and convenience, the Apex comes with a built-in LED torch and an alarm function. There’s also a clock display, so you can keep track of the time on your next hike or camping trip. 

Available for just over £16, the Duronic features:

• Small and lightweight design
• 3 charging options including wind up and solar power
• Easy to use tuning dials
• USB adapter option
• Torch included
• AM/FM radio
• Easy-to-use screen
• Up to 7 hours of playback
• Strong and durable 

Although the Duronic Apex still isn’t the best wind up radio we’ve seen for durability, it’s a lot tougher in design than the other Duronic models. Compared to the Ecohand and Hybrid, the Apex feels immediately more robust from the moment you take it out of the box.

We liked how simple it was to use this device, particularly with the convenient back-lit display. Additionally, the LED light was surprisingly bright for such a small product. The biggest issue we had was trying to tune the radio properly.

9. Odoland AM/FM wind up radio

Finally, we come to the last option on our list of the best wind up radios to try this year. The Odoland lightweight AM/FM radio is a very simplistic device, small enough that you might confuse it with a torch at first glance. You can use this device to tune into a wide range of radio signals – even during the worst weather conditions, thanks to its ramped-up signal. 

There’s a solar panel built into this device, although we found that it wasn’t as efficient as some of the other products that we looked at with our wind up radio reviews. However, you’ll still be able to use this device easily in a range of scenarios, from camping and festivals to tapping into entertainment when you’re in the garden. 

For just under £18, features include:

• AM/FM NOAA signals
• Signals that withstand various weather conditions
• Super-bright LED light built-in
• Three recharging options, including solar and wind up radio
• USB charging available
• Excellent emergency radio performance
• Up to 20 minutes of radio from one minute of cranking

Although this particular wind up radio is very lightweight and convenient, it’s worth noting that it’s somewhat limited in what it can actually do. After all, you’re dealing with a very small and basic device here. Once again, there’s no DAB radio connection, and we couldn’t find a headphone input either – so you won’t be able to listen to music privately.

Another downside of this radio is that it’s quite limited in volume. If the weather is blowing a gale outside, you might have a hard time hearing your radio inside of your tent.

How to choose the best wind up radio

If you’re looking to crank up the entertainment value of your next big adventure, then a wind up radio could help you to do just that. With the right wind up radio, you’ll ensure that you always have access to your favourite channels, wherever you go. Plus, you can rest assured that you’re not contributing anything negative to the environment either. 

So, how do you make the right choice for the best wind up radio? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, but there are a few features that you may want to look into. 

For instance:

Torch

It’s helpful to have an LED light on your windup radio, particularly if you’re going to be using the device as a tool for camping and hiking. Some of the lights that are available with today’s wind up radios are more effective than others – so check the reviews to learn more.

Phone charging features

Some of the latest wind up radio options come with smartphone charging features. You can even use the hand crank to add a bit of extra power to your phone when you desperately need to get in touch with someone back home. Remember that you might need to spend quite a lot of time winding to get anywhere though.

Durability

A wind up radio is usually designed for use on the go. That means that most of the best products out there come with durability built-in. However, you should always keep an eye out for knock-proof radios, as well as devices that can continue to work when exposed to rain and other sources of moisture.

Additional charging options

You won’t necessarily want to rely on nothing but wind up charging to use your radio. Many of the best wind up radios on the market will come with extra charging options available. For instance, you might have the option to power your radio via some included solar panels, or a USB cable that attaches to the mains. 

Alarm clocks

Many wind up radios also come with clocks and alarm features so you can use your radio to handle your schedule, just like you would at home. This is a convenient feature to have if you don’t want to drain the battery on your smartphone too.

Finding your wind up radio

There’s no perfect wind up radio that will appeal to everyone. However, the good news is that there are a number of great choices to pick from.

If you’re looking for something with the widest range of features as well as exceptional durability, we’d probably recommend the RunningSnail, with its amazing 4000 MAH battery. 

However, if you need something a little more simplistic, the Duronic Ecohand is a great way to take your radio with you on the go without harming the environment. 

Which wind up radio will you be trying in 2020?

Radio Fidelity: For the love of radio.

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