Best Solar Radios 2026

Solar radios promise a lot. They offer the ability to listen to the radio and use additional features such as flashlights and phone chargers without requiring batteries.
But do solar radios actually work? Which are worth buying?

We’ve researched the market to find the best solar radios available in the UK right now. We analysed the top-selling products to select 5 of the best based on features, price and performance.

Best Solar Radios in the UK

1. RunningSnail MD-088

The RunningSnail MD-088 Wind Up Solar Radio offers an impressive combination of features and can be charged in three ways: solar, via the hand crank, or by attaching a USB cable.

It’s a small yet robust device that would be very useful when camping or travelling.

Features

Design, use and performance

The RunningSnail MD-088 is bright red, making it easy to find if you’re camping. It’s very compact, measuring just 14 x 8 x 6 cm and weighing 260 grams, and can easily be held in one hand if you’re using it as a torch.

This product offers plenty of features that make it a handy device for a “grab bag” or emergencies. The three charging options mean you should always be able to keep it charged up without batteries. Even if it’s dark or cloudy, you can charge it using the hand crank.

The MD-088 does feature a phone charger, but you can’t really rely on it to keep your phone charged up for whole a weekend away camping. This feature is best thought of as an emergency last resort—you will still need a separate portable charger for your phone.

The radio itself has decent sound quality for something so small, and can work for 4-5 hours on a full charge.

Summary

Given its versatility and range of features, this radio is an excellent choice for camping or an emergency “go bag”. However, don’t expect too much from the phone charger feature unless you are prepared to wind the hand crank for hours!

 

2. DEGEN DE13 Solar Radio

The DEGEN DE13 is very similar in terms of features to the RunningSnail MD-088 reviewed above. One of the main differences is that it can also take 3 X AAA batteries, which offer an extra way to power the device.

Features

Design, use and performance

The bright green DEGEN DE13 isn’t particularly attractive, but it is very functional and packs a lot of features into a small device.

The DE13 measures 13.3 cm long by 6.2 cm high and 4.7 cm wide, so it fits comfortably in the hand. It only weighs 256 grams, so it’s easy to carry around or take with you on your travels.

This radio offers a convenient selection of charging methods (hand crank, solar panel or USB), plus the option to power it with batteries. Battery life is impressive—you can expect the radio to work for at least 7 hours on a full charge.

It also has a bright LED torch and FM, MW and SW (shortwave) radio. However, the shortwave receiver isn’t very powerful, so you are unlikely to pick up any stations clearly.

Summary

This is a handy little radio that could be very useful when camping, fishing or in emergencies. The battery lasts a long time and the product feels quite sturdy for the price. However, the controls are small and fiddly, and the phone charging function isn’t compatible with all modern phones.

 

3. FosPower Emergency Solar Radio

The FosPower Emergency Solar Radio (model number FOSPWB-2376) is another solar radio that offers multiple charging options. It has a few extra features that make it stand out from the crowd, including a reading light and an emergency alarm.

Features

Design, use and performance

The FosPower Emergency Solar Radio has a very functional look to it, with an orange and black design.

You can charge it using the solar panel, via the hand crank or with a USB cable. You can also insert 3 AAA batteries.

This radio has some interesting features that might make it a better option than the alternatives depending on what you are looking for.

It has a loud SOS alarm, so could be useful in emergencies or when camping or hiking in remote areas. There are also 2 lights, a torch and a reading light, so you can use it to read after it goes dark!

Summary

The SOS alarm function makes the FosPower Emergency Solar Radio a good choice if you want something you can rely on in emergencies. The addition of a reading light is another nice function. However, as a radio this product is quite disappointing as the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired.

 

4. KAYINOW Portable Hand Crank Solar Radio

The KAYINOW solar radio (model number 580-11) is one of the few solar radios on the market that can be used as a Bluetooth speaker. This makes it a good choice if you want to play music from your phone instead of listening to the radio.

Features

Design, use and performance

Design wise, the FosPower Emergency Solar Radio looks very similar to most other solar radios on the market. The blue and black finish is subtler than some of the more garish alternatives.

This radio has good sound quality for its size, and offers a decent amount of bass. It can be turned up quite loud without distorting.

However, the radio reception isn’t great due to the small aerial. This isn’t an issue if you are using it primarily as a Bluetooth speaker.

The ability to stream music from your phone and turn the volume up quite loud mean this product could be a good alternative to expensive jobsite radios from brands such as Makita. It’s also water resistant.

This product has a lot of features, including a micro-SD card for playing MP3s. There’s also a compass, though it doesn’t work very well.

Summary

If you want a cheap Bluetooth speaker with solar charging and a few extra features, the KAYINOW solar radio is a great choice. As a radio though it leaves something to be desired, as the reception is unreliable.

 

5. Roberts SolarDAB 2

The Roberts Digital Solar Radio is one of the few solar-powered radios to offer DAB radio as well as FM. As it’s larger than most solar radios and can be powered using mains power, this radio is more suited to use around the house than taking on camping or fishing trips.

Features

Design, use and performance

The SolarDAB 2 is a bit different to the other solar radios reviewed here. It’s clearly designed more for use at home than for camping or emergencies.

There’s no flashlight, phone charger or hand crank here. Instead, you get DAB radio and the option to power the radio via the mains.

This makes the SolarDAB 2 a good choice for keeping on a sunny window sill at home. It’s quite pricey, but the solar charging function will save you on energy bills and batteries in the long run.

As you’d expect from Roberts, the sound quality is good. However, it can start to distort or vibrate if you turn the volume up high.