Best Wind-Up Radios for Camping and Power Cuts

This is the radio to choose if you want something useful beyond the occasional power cut. USB-C charging is convenient alongside newer phones and travel accessories, while the frequency display takes some of the guesswork out of finding a station. The headphone socket is a welcome extra when you would rather listen without disturbing anyone else.

The lighting arrangement is another reason it takes our top spot. There is a torch for a directed beam and a separate reading lamp for a book or map. With a 4000mAh battery and USB output, it also offers a reserve for a compatible device when needed.

It is a more expensive option than the small analogue radios below, so the extra outlay makes most sense if you will use the display, headphones or reading light. For camping weekends and regular listening around the house, that combination makes this the most appealing all-round choice in our selection.

The SolarDAB 99 is the most appealing upgrade if you want a wind-up radio that also earns a place in your everyday routine. DAB/DAB+ opens up digital stations, while 40 presets save you from searching for favourites each time. Bluetooth adds your own music and podcasts when you have a phone with you.

USB-C charging is convenient at home; the solar panel and hand crank provide backup options away from a socket. Its IP55 protection is another useful extra for outdoor use, alongside the torch and USB power-bank function.

The price is the main hurdle. Choose it if digital radio and regular listening matter enough to justify the extra spend. For an occasional AM/FM backup, the smaller models here are easier to justify.

For an inexpensive radio to keep within reach, this compact 2000mAh model makes a persuasive case. It combines AM/FM listening, a built-in LED torch and a USB output in a body small enough for a drawer or travel bag. You get the useful basics without paying for a digital display or separate reading lamp.

The physical tuning and volume controls keep the layout straightforward. At approximately 228g, it is also easier to justify packing when space and weight matter. USB charging is the easiest way to prepare it for use, with the crank and solar panel there to add charge when needed.

Its smaller battery is the tradeoff. Sharing that charge between listening, lighting and a phone top-up will use the reserve more quickly, so prioritise what you need. As a simple, affordable backup radio, it is our value pick; for longer trips with more lighting needs, consider one of the larger-battery models.

A reading light is one of the most useful extras on a wind-up radio, and it is the main reason to choose this 4000mAh model. The fold-up lamp gives you a way to illuminate a book or nearby surface while keeping your hands free. A separate three-mode torch covers more directed lighting.

The radio uses physical tuning and volume controls, with a battery indicator to help you keep an eye on the remaining charge. It has a larger body than the pocket models, but that is a reasonable tradeoff if it will spend most of its time on a bedside table or with your camping equipment.

The version recommended here is Style 1 with the 4000mAh battery; the green option is shown first. The product page also offers a different Style 2 radio, so keep Style 1 selected when ordering. This is an appealing middle-ground choice if you want a larger battery and reading lamp without stepping up to the digital-display models.

The ER300 Pro suits a camping kit with room for a larger radio. Its 10,000mAh battery offers more nominal capacity than the smaller Shopsta picks, making it worth considering if you expect to use the light or share some charge with a phone. Bluetooth also gives it a role when you fancy a playlist instead of a broadcast.

USB-C makes charging straightforward, and the headphone socket is useful when other people are asleep. Solar and hand-crank charging are backups for the internal battery.

This is the ER300 Pro, rather than the older ER300. It remains an AM/FM radio, so the Roberts is the better fit for DAB stations. Choose the Midland for its larger battery and combination of radio, lighting and device-charging features.

The Sandberg strikes a useful balance between a pocket radio and a bulky camping device. It combines a 5000mAh battery with AM/FM reception, Bluetooth, a torch and a reading lamp, yet weighs around 300g. That makes it a practical option when you want extra functions without filling your bag.

Bluetooth is handy for saved music or podcasts, while the USB output can top up a compatible device. The digital display lets you see the tuned frequency, and USB-C is the sensible way to charge before a trip.

Its small solar panel and crank are for gradually adding backup charge. Pick it for compact versatility; choose a DAB model if digital stations are a priority.

The Roxicosly is worth a look if you want DAB and plenty of practical extras in one radio. Its colour display and station presets make it easier to find digital broadcasts, while Bluetooth, dual alarms and a sleep timer give it uses beyond camping trips.

The 12,000mAh battery is a sizeable reserve on paper. USB-A and USB-C outputs offer flexible device charging, and the separate reading lamp is useful beside a book or inside a tent. Sharing charge between those functions will reduce listening time.

There is more to learn here than with a pair of analogue dials, and the body is less convenient for a small bag. It suits buyers who will use the screen, lighting and digital-radio features regularly.

The J-369 is a sensible choice if you like having another way to keep listening. Alongside its rechargeable battery, it can run on three AA batteries, so a spare set gives you an option when recharging is inconvenient. USB-C is the easiest everyday charging method, with the crank and solar panel available as backups.

The torch and fold-up reading lamp cover different jobs, from finding something in a bag to illuminating a book. There is also a USB output for a compatible device.

Pay attention to the power switch: phone charging uses the internal lithium battery, rather than the AA supply. It is an AM/FM model, best suited to straightforward listening and flexible power options instead of digital stations or Bluetooth.

The Duronic Hybrid keeps the emphasis on listening. It is small enough to fit easily in a travel bag, with a simple band switch, tuning dial and volume control. The headphone socket is particularly useful if you want to follow a programme quietly.

You can recharge it through USB, the solar panel or the hand crank. Its modest 300mAh battery makes it a different proposition from the large power-bank radios: buy it as a compact receiver, and bring a separate power bank if phone charging is important.

There is no DAB or digital frequency display. For occasional AM/FM listening and a low-cost radio to keep nearby, that simplicity is part of its appeal.

The MMR-77 takes a more traditional approach than the radios packed with screens and charging ports. Its backlit tuning scale, physical controls and headphone socket keep the focus on finding a station and listening. It is a good fit if you prefer a familiar layout to menu-driven features.

Two AA batteries provide a convenient power option, with the built-in hand-crank system offering an alternative. The rounded body is designed to be held while winding, and the crank can turn in either direction.

It does without DAB, Bluetooth and a solar panel. At its price, choose it for the straightforward radio controls and AA flexibility, rather than for the greatest number of extras.