Prices and specs last checked by Look Into on 23 October 2026 · next check 18 December 2026 · how we picked
The short answer
The government's Be Ready checklist (launched 22 October 2026) asks for "a battery or wind-up FM radio", with station frequencies written down.
- Cheapest radio that meets the checklist: Bush FM Portable Pocket Radio, £9.99 at Argos (23 October 2026). FM/AM, two AAA batteries, up to 10 hours per set. A four-pack of Argos Home AAA batteries (£2.50) is two sets, so about 20 hours of listening.
- Best wind-up with battery backup: Philips TAR1609 (sold by Amazon). FM/AM with a crank, solar panel and a slot for three AAA batteries, so you are never relying on cranking alone.
- Longest stated play time per pound: SOLARBABY 10000mAh AM/FM. It claims about 90 hours of radio on a full charge, which works out at about 56p per stated hour on the price we read.
- Skip any radio that sells a "NOAA weather band". It is a US government service. Four of the 20 radios we read list it.
What we found in 20 radio listings
We read the first-page organic (not sponsored) results for three wind-up radio searches on Amazon UK, plus Argos's battery FM radios, on 23 October 2026: 20 radios in all.
- 9 of 20 call themselves a "weather" radio, and 4 list the NOAA weather band (162.400 to 162.550MHz). NOAA Weather Radio is run by the US National Weather Service and broadcasts across the 50 states and US territories. There is no UK service on those frequencies, so that band will be silent here.
- 5 of 20 are DAB+/FM. Be Ready asks for FM. DAB models also receive FM, so they meet the checklist, but you pay for DAB.
- 16 of the 18 Amazon radios are sold by third-party sellers, most with unfamiliar brand names.
- Cranking is slow. Only one listing states its crank output: the SOLARBABY DAB+/FM 20000mAh says its crank gives about 1.5W and its solar panel about 0.3W. If its battery is a standard 3.7V lithium cell (the listing does not say), 20,000mAh holds about 74Wh. At 1.5W, filling it by hand would take about 49 hours of cranking; by the sun, about 247 hours. Working: 20,000mAh × 3.7V ÷ 1,000 = 74Wh; 74 ÷ 1.5 = 49.3 hours; 74 ÷ 0.3 = 246.7 hours.
- One capacity claim looks too good. A generic 7-in-1 radio claims a 12,000mAh battery. On the price we read, that is cheaper per amp-hour than every branded power bank in Argos's range (the cheapest branded 10,000mAh bank, the Anker PowerCore Slim at £17.99, is £1.80 per amp-hour). Treat very large capacity claims on very cheap radios with caution.
The crank is a backup, not a power station. For a three-day power cut, a radio that also takes ordinary batteries is the safer buy.
How we picked and ranked these
We kept radios that work without mains power (batteries, crank or solar) and receive FM. We noted bands, power sources, stated battery capacity, stated play time and seller. Where a listing states play time, we show price per stated hour. We did not handle or listen to any radio.
At a glance
| Radio | Where | Price 23 Oct 2026 | Bands | Power | Stated play time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bush FM Portable Pocket Radio | Argos | £9.99 | FM/AM | 2 x AAA | Up to 10h per set | 1-year guarantee |
| Bush FM Compact Portable Radio | Argos | £14.99 | FM/AM | Mains or 4 x C | Up to 12h per set | 1-year guarantee |
| Philips TAR1609 | Amazon (sold by Amazon) | Check the live price on Amazon | FM/AM | Internal battery, 3 x AAA, crank, solar | Not stated | USB-A output |
| SOLARBABY 10000mAh AM/FM | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | AM/FM | Crank, solar, USB-C | About 90h | About 56p per stated hour |
| ROCAM CR1009PRO DAB/FM | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | DAB+/FM | Crank, solar, USB, 3 x AAA | Up to 25h at 50% volume | About £1.84 per stated hour |
| DIWUEO D-12 DAB+/FM | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | DAB+/FM | Crank, solar, USB | Up to 150h | About 52p per stated hour; 1.01kg |
| OMUIETIO 2000mAh | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | AM/FM/NOAA | Crank, solar, USB-C | 7h radio | NOAA band will not work in UK |
| Generic 600mAh wind-up | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | AM/FM/NOAA | Crank, solar, USB | Not stated | 600mAh is a token phone charge |
The five we would shortlist
1. Bush FM Portable Pocket Radio: cheapest that meets the checklist
£9.99 at Argos on 23 October 2026. 1-year guarantee.
FM/AM with an LCD display and a headphone socket, running up to 10 hours on two AAA batteries. Nothing to crank, nothing to charge.
The catch: a small mono speaker, and no phone charging. Buy spare AAA batteries with it (Argos Home, £2.50 for four).
Best for: anyone who wants the simplest radio that does what Be Ready asks.
2. Philips TAR1609: best wind-up with battery backup
Price: check the live price on Amazon. Sold by Amazon.
FM/AM with analogue tuning, an internal rechargeable battery, a crank, a solar panel and a slot for three AAA batteries, plus a torch, SOS alarm and a USB-A port. It is the only wind-up radio in our pool from a major electronics brand.
The catch: the listing does not state play time or battery capacity. AAA batteries are not included.
Best for: a home kit where you want batteries and a crank as backup.
3. SOLARBABY 10000mAh AM/FM: longest stated play time per pound
Price: check the live price on Amazon. About 56p per stated hour of radio (90 hours claimed).
A 10,000mAh battery, crank, solar panel and USB-C charging, a torch, reading light and SOS alarm. The listing says it charges a phone "multiple times".
The catch: no replaceable batteries. If the internal battery is flat, you are cranking.
Best for: longer outages where the radio also tops up a phone.
4. ROCAM CR1009PRO DAB/FM: if you want DAB
Price: check the live price on Amazon. About £1.84 per stated hour (25 hours at 50% volume).
DAB+ and FM, a 5,000mAh battery, crank, solar, USB and a slot for three AAA batteries, with automatic switching between battery types.
The catch: you pay for DAB, which Be Ready does not ask for.
Best for: people who listen to DAB stations day to day and want one radio for both.
5. Bush FM Compact Portable Radio: louder, mains or battery
£14.99 at Argos on 23 October 2026. 1-year guarantee.
A bigger FM/AM radio that runs on mains or four C batteries, up to 12 hours per set.
The catch: C batteries are bulkier and dearer than AAA.
Best for: a kitchen radio that doubles as the emergency radio.
Live Amazon prices
The table below pulls live prices from Amazon's own feed, which can differ from the Amazon buy box. Not in it: the ROCAM CR1009PRO, which Amazon's product feed does not return (its Amazon link in the table above still works).
Prices in this table come from Amazon and are refreshed at least once a day, with the date of the last update under the table. The cost-per-use and running-cost figures on this page use prices Look Into read on 23 October 2026, so they can differ from today's price.
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 23 October 2026 and are subject to change.
Not worth buying
- Any radio sold on its NOAA weather band. That band only carries US broadcasts.
- The generic 600mAh wind-up radio. Its listing gives the battery as 600mAh, enough for only a token phone top-up.
Before a power cut
- Write down your local BBC and commercial FM frequencies on paper, as Be Ready advises.
- Test the radio and replace the batteries every six months, when Be Ready says to check the kit.
- Keep the power cut number on paper: 105 (England, Scotland, Wales) or 03457 643643 (Northern Ireland).
Questions people ask
Do I need a wind-up radio or will a battery radio do? Be Ready asks for "a battery or wind-up FM radio". A battery radio with spare batteries meets it.
What is a NOAA weather radio? A US network of National Weather Service stations. It does not broadcast in the UK.
Can a wind-up radio charge my phone? Many claim to, but cranking is slow. One listing's own figures imply about 49 hours of cranking to fill its battery.
DAB or FM for emergencies? Be Ready says FM. DAB radios also receive FM.
Sources
- Be Ready checklist (GOV.UK campaign), read 23 October 2026.
- NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards, US National Weather Service, read 23 October 2026.
- Argos and Amazon UK product listings for 20 radios, read 23 October 2026 (URLs in the source register).