I am surprised to see how highly rated this radio is. This product has plenty of positive attributes: durable, decent reception, very convenient tuning functions, cross-functional power sources, bright emergency light, etc.
However, this radio was not designed to be used regularly. The battery life is so limited that I can't listen to my radio without using batteries (something I was hoping to avoid by purchasing a crank-able radio). I have left the radio outside for a whole sunny day to get <5 mins of battery life. Cranking for 5 minutes yields only 10-15 minutes of radio listening. Even using high quality alkaline batteries I have found that battery life rarely exceeds 10 hours. This is not a purchase that I would recommend to a friend unless his/her intent was to purchase a product intended for use strictly in an emergency.
I love electronic toys. I really enjoy the digital tuner on this radio as well as the reception. My first radio stopped working about two months after purchase. LL Bean made it simple to return and a new one was here within a week.
I ordered the Emergency Weather Radio when I moved back to Florida after being gone several years. I was looking for something reliable that had its own power source. The first radio that arrived did not work at all. Customer service walked me through the operation of it by phone to check all possibilities, and then offered to replace it. Proper return label was sent, and new radio came timely. So far, I have been experimenting with it and using it daily to be sure that it keeps functioning. If it keeps working well, then I am satisfied that I have found the right radio and emergency light for my needs.
