Home > Consumer Reviews > Midland WR100B Weather Radio

I have had this product for two weeks now. It seems to be working. There has been no violent weather yet, so I don't know for sure it works. The weekly test transmissions have been received, and I like the fact that the alarm did not go off. The only thing I would change on this radio is the light controls on the display. There are only two settings - on and off. I wish there was a way to set the intensity. The thing lights up the whole bedroom at night. I like the idea of having a clock you can see in the dark, but does it have to be so bright you can see it through your closed eyelids?

This particular unit does what it claims to do, and I guess that's the main thing. However, I don't think most people want to be awakened in the middle of the night for a garden variety thunderstorm watch or flash flood watch when they live on high ground. This radio dutifully receives and "calls out" all the weather events in your area. The problem is, that always means a loud, piercing alarm for all types of hazards, no matter how minor or inapplicable they are likely to be in your specific location.

I had this model and exchanged it for a WR300. The WR300 is programmable and configurable so that you can turn off the audible alarms for many weather events. The main reason we wanted a weather radio is for tornado warnings; most of the other events we get in this area aren't something we want to be awakened for. This model, the WR100B, is not programmable like that and alarms on everything it receives. But with the WR300 we were able to turn off the audible alarm for most hazards and only keep a few of the major ones. (At first I was puzzled at the lack of a setting for the tornado warning on the WR300, but realized later that the alarm for that one can never be turned off. And really -- who would want a radio like this and disable the alarm for a tornado warning in your area?)

Anyway, back to the WR100B here. Yes, it works, it picks up the events and warns just fine, and the reception of the weather radio is good -- but I can guarantee that if you buy this model, the first time you are awakened at 3 AM for a relatively minor weather hazard, you'll wish you spent the extra $15 and bought the WR300 instead.

Having moved to KS, we have come to realize that the storms here are BIG and often! This radio came highly recommended to us. You can set the counties around yours as well as yours and it will let you know when and what is coming. That's a vast help in our area of the country! It runs on both batteries as well as plugs in. It's good to keep the volumn up, so that if you're in another room, you are hearing what all is happening. I think this is a great value and buy. We found it at a store for more money..there again, Amazon always comes through!
We recommend this radio!

Works very well and the selective areas make it much better than all the general alarms going off.

Best emergency alert radio for the price. Has warned us several times of impending storms. Set just for the specific counties you are interested in to avoid unnecessary warnings. Excellent quality.