Kaito KA500 5-Way Solar-Powered Emergency Radio with Multiple Power Sources

Eric W Haag: I like the two battery system it has good sound and does what is supposed to do for the money. Reception will always depends on what area you are in and terrain. No emergency radio is perfect. I say it is a good choice for the money

United States on Sep 22, 2023

Dave Marshall.: Just a superb well designed radio, it just works and dose the job it was designed for really well indeed, the reception on all of the bands is exceptionally good-its up there with the very best receivers at a fraction of the price that one of those would cost , for me being a shortwave radio enthusiast this little radio is brilliant-it cover's all of the mainstream frequencies superbly, im able to listen to stations from all over the world even without an antenna extension-to be truthful i wasn't expecting it to be so good, sw1 i use at night for the American stations , sw2 for the European stations throughout the daytime it's just brilliant-and you can get them in a colour of your choice-there well made good quality and very sensitive, tune slowly and you will be rewarded, well worth the money, all in superb.

United Kingdom on Aug 17, 2023

Ray Yuen: The weather channels aren't available in Australia. Otherwise the sound is clear in FM and AM. I preferred this model to the KA500L, as this model can be powered by three AA batteries (readily available in an emergency). The later L model only has a 18650 battery, which will last longer, but you lose the option of external alkaline batteries.

Australia on Aug 02, 2023

Malcolm D: An essential bit of kit in case of a real and dire emergency and this is one of the better models to go for so go get one . . . . 😎 MD

United Kingdom on Jun 29, 2023

Rob WRob W: Perfect and often recommended radio for emergencies. Built in rechargeable power pack with facility for powering with non-rechargables. Can also be powered from its solar panel or by the hand-crank, though I cannot say how good either of these are in the real world.

The aerial extends to about 35 cm, but cannot be oriented other than directly up.

There are several bands and a manual tuning dial on the side. Reception on all bands, FM, AM, SW1 and SW2 is good, though shortwave reception is of course better at certain times depending upon atmospheric conditions. There is no facility of extending the aerial further to increase range which might prove useful for SW in particular.

There is a so-called weather band, but outside the US this is redundant. NOAA Weather Radio stations broadcast on one of seven frequencies in the VHF Public Service band: 162.400 megahertz (MHz), 162.425 MHz, 162.450 MHz, 162.475 MHz, 162.500 MHz, 162.525 MHz, and 162.550 MHz. Essentially the NOAA Weather Radio is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the National Weather Service (NWS) offices across the United States. The...

United Kingdom on Apr 14, 2023

EV: Very good radio with lots of functions, especially the alternative power sources (which anyway should be a main objective emergency equipment). Radio receiving capacity is good. Construction quality does not look amazing, but sturdy enough. Very happy with my choice. Mind you, the very handy NOAA button is not relevant for outside the US, so don't get carried away by this feature.

Netherlands on Jan 29, 2023

G-ManG-Man: I have to say, when this radio arrived I was initially excited. Having gone through Irma, and scrambling to find a radio that was battery operated, I was determined to be better prepared for the next time. I saw this radio, and was intrigued. Five-way power, *including* solar?? Shut up and take my money!

Well, the reality was like being slapped in the face with a big wet fish. The delivery arrived on time, so it had that going for it. But a sharp curve is coming up, and the disappoints are just around the bend! (Yes, I typed disappoints)

Unpacking:
Unpacking it revealed a bright yellow radio in bubble wrap. Also in the box, was a smaller box containing a set of cheap ear phones, and micro USB cable. (Wall wart sold separately.) For $50 (okay, $49.99), I would expect a wall plug if the unit is capable. But alas, there were none to be found. (Again, sold separately.)

The Top:
The top of the unit has a sliding switch to control which light is on in the unit. The reading light, SOS light, or the dial/side flash light. The SOS light is a misnomer, as it actually does not flash an SOS, but continuously flashes a red light on the right side of the unit. While...

United States on Nov 12, 2017

PM: There's lots to review on this radio because of its many features, so for people who don't like long reviews, the short story is that it's WAY better than I'd ever hoped, that I highly recommend it both for emergency and for everyday use, and that readers should at least scroll down to the part where I tell how I messed up the initial charge, just in case they are no more observant than I am. It does everything they say it will, and does it better than any radio I've had.

Other condensed points for readers who are pressed for time:
** Keep the box in a 2 gallon Ziploc bag--it may come in handy some day (see below)
** If you want to listen to the radio, I *think* the manual says the radio works better NOT plugged in to the AC adaptor (if you ordered one) because it will cause some interference. True, not too much but some. Usually it's just a little hum and I often play the radio plugged in, but I think you're supposed to unplug it when you turn it off so the battery doesn't overcharge.
** Check the date on critical reviews, and look for reviews elsewhere on the net. I did and decided the current radio would probably be good, and I'm happy.
** READ THE MANUAL....

United States on Aug 27, 2015