Home > Consumer Reviews > Midland ER102 Emergency Radio

First of all, I should mention, for those who don't know this, that there are TWO versions of this radio. One version (I believe it's the older version) comes with a set of different cell phone plugs so that you can charge your cell phone from the internal crank generator. It did not have the correct adapter for my Motorola Razor cell phone. The newer version has a USB connector on the back cover, and the radio does not come with any extra adapter plugs for cell phones. So, you need an adapter cord that charges your cell phone from the USB port on your computer. Then you can charge your cell phone with the crank generator. I was able to charge my cell phone through the USB connector with a standard USB adapter cord

Okay, now the things that I like about the ER 102. It has three bands: AM, FM, and WX (weather). The WX selection has 7 selectable frequencies. You should be able to find at least one of them that has a transmitting station in your local area. The digital display is very nice, the numbers are large, and the back-light feature is a definate plus!

Now comes the things that I don't like about the ER 102. I could do without the hand-crank generator. With the availability of rechargable batteries, a hand-crank generator is not a very useful feature, and it's not very user-friendly. By that I mean you have to crank for a very long time in order to charge the battery to give you enough play time. Also, the hand-crank generator has been designed with cheap plastic gears that strip very easily. So I suggest that you be very careful when cranking it because it doesn't take much to damage those Cheap plastic "junk" gears. I did it myself with the first radio that I bought and returned. The hand-crank generator is a cute concept, but it's not very useful, and it's not very well made at all.


The sound quality of that tiny speaker is HORRIBLE! When I bought my first ER 102, I noticed that the sound was very "tinny". I thought that there was something wrong with it, so I exchanged it for another one, and it sounded just as bad as the first one. If you want good sound quality from the ER 102, you need to plug in a pair of earphones into the rear phone jack, or use an external speaker that's in a large enclosure. The internal speaker apparently is just too small to reproduce the bass notes, and the cabinet is packed full of electronics, so there is no "space" to allow for good sound quality. If all you want to listen to is "talk radio" and weather reports, this radio is great. But if you expect to listen to soothing, good sounding music, then forget it if all you have is that crummy little built in speaker!

Except for those two major issues (the crank and the speaker), I'm happy with my ER 102, and will continue to use it mostly for weather reports and talk radio!

multiple weather channels ensure that one or more of them can pick up the forecast wherever you are. all the features work great. excellent "packaging". totally love it. and nothing else competes in this price range.

I own several weather radios of various brands. Both desktop models and portables. I feel the Midland ER102 is the very finest made of all of them. As well as being one of the best performing. The weather reception is as loud and clear as the come. (It has a very long, solid antennae. All Midland radios do.) And the quality of the FM reception is excellent. (The speaker on this unit is of an exceptional clarity in my opinion.) As for this units quality in manufacturing, I cannot disagree more with the reviewer here that referred to its as shabby and cheap. We can't possibly own the same radio. Either that, or he doesn't own as many different ones as I do. For trust me, this unit is as rugged as they come. Its heavy, solid, and could easily survive a sharp hit or fall to the floor. The buttons and selectors are tight and solid as well. ( I happen to own the camouflage version of this radio. Which is really cool by the way. Underneath they are the same). One other thing definately worth mentioning is the price of this radio. I have owned a weather radio since the days that weather radios were as big as small microwaves and had to be carried around in two hands. Even though my experience with the radios goes back several decades, I have never understood the high price tag applied to so many of them. Its like its an age old industry scam that weather radios have to be expensive, as weather reception is some kind of technological premium that comes at a price. The true fact is that adding a weather tuner to a radio is even less expensive than adding AM or FM. Yet still today so many weather radios here on Amazon have pricey tags on them just because they carry the "premium" weather. If you take the time to examine the line of portable units such as the Midland ER102, you will find this to be not only the best of the portables in my opinion, but also the most reasonably priced of them all. In fact compared to so many others it even qualifies as a down right bargain. Trust me, I own a line of both desktop and portables that could pass as a store. This Midland unit is in my opinion the very best in the portables.

The only small complaint I would mention as to this units design is the location of the earphone jack. Its in the back of the radio rather than on the side. Making it a little more awkward than some considering it limits one as to its placement. Up against a wall for example. Its minor, but worth mentioning.

I would recommend this unit for anyone that wants a good solid weather radio that will last for years. They don't come any better in a carry along unit....

I've used this radio daily from the time we purchased it and I really enjoy it. I gave it a 4 on sound quality only because the volume isn't as strong as I thought it should be, but the actual quality of sound is great. Knowing what I know now I would still buy this product again and not even hesitate.

Poor tadio reception. Didn't include the USB cable to charge a cell phone. Tuning radio is difficult. Tuning knob is small, volume knob is huge. Dial backlights nicely but you can't see the markings for the knob and slide switch selections.