Emergency Radio Review: Battery Free Crank Radio from Innovage Outdoor

Are you ready for a world without power? In the aftermath of the winter blizzards of 2010, many Americans had to go without power for several days. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans residents went for weeks without power. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti devastated the infrastructure of an already poor nation and left residents without power and basic services. In many less developed countries, electricity is not something you can take for granted. Are you ready for a blizzard, hurricane, or other natural disaster? How would you receive news and information during a long power outage? How would you receive news and information during a long power outage? It's up to every American family to prepare for a disaster.

Unless your family has an inexhaustible supply of batteries, it makes sense to have some basic emergency equipment that doesn't need batteries or household electricity. The Innovage Outdoor Battery Free Crank Radio operates for 20 minutes after 1 minute of manual cranking. In addition to the hand crank, this AM/FM/Weather Band portable radio can also run off of two AA batteries or an optional 6V AC Adapter. If you ever need to live "off the grid," the Innovage Outdoor Battery Free Crank Radio can help you get important news and weather information.

Perhaps the nicest feature of the Innovage Outdoor AM/FM/Weather Battery Free Crank Radio is its low price. At only $10, Innovage Outdoor's hand crank Radio is affordable for nearly everyone. While more sophisticated hand crank radios are available for more money via the internet or electronics stores, the Innovage Outdoor Battery Free Crank Radio is available at your local CVS drugstore. Availability makes this radio a excellent impulse buy for families shopping for other necessities at their local drugstore. If you are assembling an emergency supply kit, bug out bag, or hurricane evacuation kit, this radio is a nice addition for a very small investment.

Of course, any hand crank radio actually has to work to be a worthy buy. I put the Innovage Outdoor AM/FM/Weather Battery Free Crank Radio to the test. Using the hand crank alone, the radio worked well without batteries installed. The radio delivered excellent reception, good sound quality, and strong volume. The handcrank, antenna, and manual tuner all seemed to be of solid construction. However, when I plugged the supplied earphones into the earphone jack, the volume was muffled and nearly inaudible. Fortunately, when I tried another pair of earphones at home, the Innovage Outdoor AM/FM/Weather Battery Free Crank Radio delivered sound perfectly. The cheap earphones were simply defective. This hand crank emergency radio received AM, FM, and Weather Band radio signals without problem.

The government recommends that every American household get a kit together with emergency supplies. I'd highly recommend the Innovage Outdoor AM/FM/Weather Battery Free Crank Radio for any family emergency kit. Overall, I was very pleased by this inexpensive hand cranked radio's excellent reception and versatility.