Best for bedside alerts in radios and alerts
The bedside NOAA alert radio for US homes: SAME county codes, a 90 dB siren and AA backup. US only: Canada has had no Weatheradio signal since March 2026.
Our score: 8.3/10 out of 10Researched, not lab-tested
- Radio type
- Tabletop alert radio
- NOAA weather channels
- 7
- SAME locations stored
- 25
- Alert siren
- 90 dB
Is it right for you?
Pros
- SAME codes for up to 25 counties: it sounds only for your area
- Public Alert certified, the NWS-backed receiver standard
- Siren, voice or text-only alert modes, with an Alert Test
- Jacks for an external antenna and a strobe or bed shaker
Cons
- US only now: Weatheradio Canada stopped broadcasting in March 2026
- Backup needs 3 AA cells (not included); no crank or solar
- No AM/FM radio and no phone charging
- Midland's manual gives two different warranty terms
- Best for
- US households, especially in tornado, flood or hurricane country, who want a radio plugged in by the bed that sounds only for their own county.
- Not for
- Canadian homes (there is no Weatheradio signal left to receive), and anyone who needs a radio to carry out the door in an evacuation.
Our verdict
For a US home, this is the radio to leave plugged in by the bed. The WR120 receives NOAA Weather Radio, and its SAME coding means you enter the codes for your own county (up to 25 locations), so it wakes you for warnings that apply to you rather than for every alert on the transmitter. It is Public Alert certified, the receiver standard the National Weather Service developed with the industry, and its siren is rated at 90 dB.
Three AA cells (not in the box) keep it listening when the power fails, and jacks on the back take an external antenna and a strobe light or pillow shaker for anyone who may not hear the siren. What it doesn’t do: there is no AM/FM, no crank, no solar and no phone charging, so it is an alarm, not a go-bag radio. Pair it with a portable one such as the Midland ER310. It is listed for the US only.
Setup and use
First setup. Midland’s manual has you switch it on, extend the antenna fully, fit the three AA cells, plug in the AC adapter, then pick a language (English, French or Spanish) and follow the menu. Choose your state and county from the list, or type the SAME code from the NWS county list by hand.
Alert modes. Display shows the alert as text only (any strobe or shaker still fires), Voice plays a short tone then the broadcast, and Tone sounds the alarm for up to three minutes. The menu’s Alert Test runs the siren and any external device as if a warning had come in: worth doing once after setup and again before storm season. It stores the last ten alerts.
When it stays silent. An “INVALID SAME” message or no alerts usually means weak reception: extend the antenna, move it near a window or add an external antenna, and check that your local transmitter issues alerts for the codes you entered. Holding WEATHER/SNOOZE while switching on resets it to factory settings. Replace the AA cells now and then: the backup only helps if they are fresh when the power goes.
In Canada? Environment and Climate Change Canada says Weatheradio Canada is no longer in service (it closed in March 2026), so a weather radio there picks up alerts only from a US NOAA transmitter, if you live close enough to the border. For Canadian warnings use the free WeatherCAN app and Alert Ready, which reaches TV, radio and compatible phones. See every radio we compare in our radios and alerts hub.
Specs
Midland WR120 NOAA Weather Alert Radio (WR120B)
Radio
| Radio type | Tabletop alert radio |
|---|---|
| AM/FM radio | No |
Alerts
| SAME county alerts (US) | Yes |
|---|---|
| NOAA weather channels | 7 |
| Public Alert certified | Yes |
| SAME locations stored | 25 |
| Alert siren | 90 dB |
| External alert jack | Yes |
Power
| Solar panel | No |
|---|---|
| Batteries | 3 × AA alkaline (not included); mains adapter in the box |
Other details
| Hand crank | No |
|---|---|
| Warranty | 1 year |
Maker’s figures, checked 3 Nov 2026.
WR120 questions
What does SAME mean on a weather radio?
SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) tags each NOAA alert with the counties it covers. A SAME radio like the WR120 sounds only for the location codes you store, up to 25 here, so you are not woken for a warning two counties away. You find your codes on the National Weather Service county list.
Does the WR120 work during a power outage?
Yes, if you fit three AA alkaline cells, which are not included. The radio runs from its AC adapter and switches to the batteries when the power fails. It has no crank, solar panel or rechargeable pack, so keep spare AA cells in your outage kit.
Can it alert someone who is hard of hearing?
Yes. The back has a jack for an external alert device, and Midland sells a strobe light (STR180) and a pillow shaker (SHKR100) for its weather radios. The Display mode shows alerts as text, and connected devices still fire. Run the Alert Test to check the setup works.