Windup radios/torches

[Happyhatter]

With prospect of power cuts/black out on the cards this winter been looking into windup radios/torches, does anyone know if they're any good? Seem to be few on the market at varying prices and wondering they're worth buying

[Frnc]

I have one but no idea how effective the wind-ip is. All I know is the handle is quite long, which means you have to more or less use your whole arm rather than just your wrist, which would be easier and quicker. However it has two 18650 batteries, so they would last ages anyway. Also it has solar panels. And I think in theory you can use it to charge a phone.
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B087JC3DBP/
Note: you need a very small cross head screwdriver to get the battery compartment open. I keep one with it, although I'm waiting to buy spares when these are a bit older.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Get a budget friendly am/FM battery radio and some rechargeable batteries/ usb charger and a few packs of alkaline


Never had much luck with wind up radios the inbuilt battery's usually die quickly.. tye raddy I got is nothing spectacular it's the same by the looks of what frnc linked to above

[jansman]

We have a wind up job.However… I’m not that impressed tbh. IF society went totally wrong,and all the batteries had gone,and the rechargeables no longer worked ,cos the solars panels had had it,then the wind up would be useful perhaps,if someone was still transmitting.

In the meantime,we have two x Sony pocket radios that are superb - ten quiddish a shot. I have one in the kitchen that goes with me to the workshop and greenhouses,and one spare.

[billy56]

I have had a sangean windup radio for nearly 3 years and can't rate it high enough, in the time I have it I have only recharged it about a dozen times on mains mostly the solar panel keeps it well charged and the occasional hand crank when I'm bored

[Rusty74]

i bought one off ebay £16.99 Dynamo Wind Up, Solar, & USB Rechargeable Portable AM FM Radio,seems ok but was bought as a back up if all else fails

[Yorkshire Andy]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SW3-4000mAh-Em ... B08HV7W46G

This is what I bought the other year, and it came just before I replaced the bathroom suite ...

So it got used for a few days....

Sound quality erm is ok for the news but music sounds flat and tinny ... Not sure about most but poor sound quality just aggravates me ..

The tuning frequency doesn't match the "dial" it's about 5mhz out which is the difference between local radio and radio one.....

The knobs are numb no direct feel between that and the stations and a bit knotchy ...

The antenna typically to small radios just seems fragile


The torch lights up but it's a set of cob chips so no real throw of light more of a flood regardless of setting..

The reading light is ok and the motion sensor sort of work but is a bit hap hazard

The SOS button is a pita too easy to catch and set off in a bag or pile of kit .

The solar panel seems to keep it topped up on the windowsill


Not used it as a power bank but 4000mah isn't going to charge much


It's a basic radio which is a bit expensive for what it is imo... My £8 Lidl special sounds better and had digital tuning with a station memory

[Frnc]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SW3-4000mAh-Em ... B08HV7W46G

This is what I bought the other year, and it came just before I replaced the bathroom suite ...

So it got used for a few days....

Sound quality erm is ok for the news but music sounds flat and tinny ... Not sure about most but poor sound quality just aggravates me ..

The tuning frequency doesn't match the "dial" it's about 5mhz out which is the difference between local radio and radio one.....

The knobs are numb no direct feel between that and the stations and a bit knotchy ...

The antenna typically to small radios just seems fragile


The torch lights up but it's a set of cob chips so no real throw of light more of a flood regardless of setting..

The reading light is ok and the motion sensor sort of work but is a bit hap hazard

The SOS button is a pita too easy to catch and set off in a bag or pile of kit .

The solar panel seems to keep it topped up on the windowsill


Not used it as a power bank but 4000mah isn't going to charge much


It's a basic radio which is a bit expensive for what it is imo... My £8 Lidl special sounds better and had digital tuning with a station memory

Looks very similar to mine. Regarding the tinny sound, to me personally, there are two ways I can listen to music. A decent amp, speakers (on stands preferably), with decent cable, playing decent quality files, or not. But I don't have a massively expensive system, the speakers I use are only £119 a pair now, they are Q Acoustics 3020 (with an Onkyo amp). Also I don't use the highest quality lossless audio files on Apple Music, as the volume was all over the place using those, so I use the High Quality AAC. TV and mac both run through this setup.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I used to do mobile DJIng so I'll name drop wharfdale, carlsbro and denon the neighbor only had one silly noisy party late one night 2am wailing like something from Ghostbusters into a microphone 7:30am the other neighbours left for work classic FM works a treat at 800w RMS ... speaker in each bedroom with their party wall

But it's daft that a £8 brandless radios sound beats the expensive one hands down I'm thinking too many functions causes cost cutting on components across the radio as a detriment of what it's supposed to be/ do


Bit like a cheap multitools the pliers are naff the knife is poor and it drops to bits within months

[Frnc]

I used to do mobile DJIng so I'll name drop wharfdale, carlsbro and denon the neighbor only had one silly noisy party late one night 2am wailing like something from Ghostbusters into a microphone 7:30am the other neighbours left for work classic FM works a treat at 800w RMS ... speaker in each bedroom with their party wall

But it's daft that a £8 brandless radios sound beats the expensive one hands down I'm thinking too many functions causes cost cutting on components across the radio as a detriment of what it's supposed to be/ do


Bit like a cheap multitools the pliers are naff the knife is poor and it drops to bits within months

I did have a radio when I used to be a tradesperson. But it was background, not something I actually listened to. It was a Sony, and sounded pretty horrible. I don'y even really like my headphones, and they are decent Yamaha ones, never use them these days. I got some very expensive earphones once, and I can't bear to listen to them, too harsh. I have cheaper ones I prefer, although I've never found any I'd say are really great. For cycling I use an old LG one, the type that go round your neck.