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Be prepared for emergencies with this Eton solar radio, charger and flashlight for $20

Normally $30, it's something every home (and survivalist) should have. And there's another option that's just $15.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
eton-hand-turbine

The radio that can run indefinitely, provided there's still sunlight or you can find enough survivors to crank the handle.

Eton

When the apocalypse finally comes, the first thing to go will be internet. So how in the world will you keep tabs on the news? Good old-fashioned radio, that's how. And because batteries will likely become scarce as well, you should own a receiver that can run on other sources of power.

Like this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Amazon has the Eton FRX2 solar hand-crank AM/FM/NOAA radio for $19.99. Regular price: $29.99.

The FRX2 can run off sunlight (it has a small solar panel built into the side) or human power: Just turn the built-in hand crank for a minute to generate 10 to 15 minutes' worth of radio reception or flashlight use. There's also a standard Micro-USB input if you prefer to charge the battery using conventional means (assuming they're still available, what with the apocalypse and all).

However you power the thing, there's a standard USB port you can use to emergency-charge a phone or similar device.

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The radio's digital tuner can pull down AM, FM and NOAA weather stations, and it has both a speaker and a headphone jack for listening. Make no mistake, this is just as good for, say, camping or working in the yard as it is for surviving storms, zombie outbreaks and the like.

Indeed, it's a great little radio that also happens to look pretty cool. For $20, I'd say it's something just about every household should own.

Want something similar that costs even less? This Leaton emergency radio offers most of the same features (but with an analog, rather than digital, tuner) and costs just $14.90.


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