Best premium in radios and alerts
The tougher crank radio: IP55 against dust and splashes, USB-C charging, Bluetooth and three light beams, with NOAA alerts on the US (FCC) version.
Our score: 8.0/10 out of 10Researched, not lab-tested
- Radio type
- Portable crank/solar radio
- Battery capacity
- 2,600 mAh
- Charging input
- USB-C
- Water/dust rating
- IP55
Is it right for you?
Pros
- Rated IP55 against dust and splashing water
- Charges over USB-C, about 3 hours to full
- 2,600 mAh battery plus crank, solar and a USB-A port for a phone
- Three flashlight beams including red, plus an emergency siren
Cons
- Weather alert on the US (FCC) version only; no SAME filtering described
- About 900 g, heavy for a crank radio
- One minute of cranking gives only about 10 minutes of listening
- USB output is 1 A, so phone top-ups are slow
- Best for
- Households that want one sturdy radio to live in the kit for years: splash-resistant, USB-C, with Bluetooth so it doubles as a speaker in an outage.
- Not for
- Anyone who needs county-filtered bedside alerts, or a light radio for a backpack.
Our verdict
The MMR-99 is the crank radio to buy if you want it to last in a kit that gets knocked about. Sangean rates it IP55 against dust and splashing water, it charges over USB-C (about three hours to full from the supplied cable), and its 2,600 mAh battery can also be topped up by the crank or the solar panel. It adds Bluetooth, so it doubles as a speaker through a long outage, and three flashlight beams (white low, white high and red), plus an emergency siren.
The compromises: at about 900 g it is heavy for a crank radio, one minute of cranking buys only about ten minutes of listening, and the USB-A port gives 1 A, so a phone top-up is slow. Weather alerts work on the US (FCC) version, and Sangean doesn’t describe SAME county filtering, so for bedside warnings a tabletop SAME radio such as the Midland WR120 does that job better. If you mostly want a lighter go-bag radio, the Midland ER310 covers the same basics.
Setup and use
First charge. Sangean asks you to charge the built-in battery fully before first use, with the supplied USB-A to USB-C cable. The solar panel works only in natural sunlight (never under a sun lamp, which Sangean says can damage it for good) and is a top-up, not the main way to charge.
Keeping the IP55 rating. It is water resistant, not waterproof: the rubber covers on the USB-A, USB-C, aux and headphone sockets must be closed for the rating to hold. When you crank, don’t force it, and fold the handle back to its rest position afterwards.
Weather alert (US version). Hold the Weather Alert button for two to three seconds until ALERT shows. When an alert comes in, it sounds a 15-second siren and then plays the weather channel for 15 minutes. In an outage, use its flashlight beams and a lantern rather than candles, as CPSC advises.
In Canada? Environment and Climate Change Canada says Weatheradio Canada is no longer in service (it closed in March 2026), so the weather band only reaches a US NOAA transmitter near the border, with US alerts. For Canadian warnings use the free WeatherCAN app and Alert Ready. The radio’s AM/FM, light, crank and phone charging work anywhere. Compare it in our radios and alerts hub.
Specs
Sangean MMR-99 Multi-Powered Emergency Radio
Radio
| Radio type | Portable crank/solar radio |
|---|---|
| AM/FM radio | Yes |
Power
| Solar panel | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 2,600 mAh |
| Charging input | USB-C |
| Batteries | Built-in 18650 lithium-ion cell (3.7 V) |
| Charges a phone (USB out) | Yes |
Build
| Water/dust rating | IP55 |
|---|---|
| Flashlight | Three LED beams (white low and high, red low) |
| Weight | 900 g |
Other details
| Hand crank | Yes |
|---|---|
| NOAA weather channels | 7 |
Maker’s figures, checked 3 Nov 2026.
MMR-99 questions
Is the Sangean MMR-99 waterproof?
No, it is water resistant. Sangean rates it IP55, which covers dust and splashing water, and only with the rubber covers over the USB-A, USB-C, aux and headphone sockets closed. Don’t submerge it.
How long does the hand crank run it?
About ten minutes of listening per minute of cranking, according to Sangean’s instructions. That is enough for a news bulletin, not for keeping the battery full. Charge it over USB-C before it goes in the kit, and use solar in daylight to top it up.
Can it charge my phone?
Yes, from its USB-A port at 5 V and 1 A, using the radio’s 2,600 mAh battery. At 1 A a phone charges slowly, and each top-up drains the battery the radio and light also need. For several phones through a long outage, a larger power bank is the better tool.
