Midland ER310PRO vs ER210: which emergency crank radio should you buy?

Specs side by side

Specs as each maker states them.

The key differences at a glance

Both radios are hand-crank, solar and USB rechargeable weather radios with an SOS flashlight. The ER310PRO adds Bluetooth streaming, a temperature display, an ultrasonic dog whistle and a 10,000 mAh battery that Midland says runs the radio for 200+ hours. The ER210 uses a smaller battery that Midland says runs up to 25 hours. Our Midland ER310PRO review covers the ER310PRO on its own, and the weather radio comparison sets both against other options.

Bands and weather alerts

Midland's ER210 manual lists seven weather channels from 162.400 to 162.550 MHz, the ER310PRO manual lists seven as well, and both radios include AM/FM. On a weather alert, each manual says the radio sounds an audible siren and flashes the flashlight and LCD backlight for 1 minute, though an FAQ on Midland's ER210 page says its alert sounds for 8 seconds. Midland says typical broadcasts reach 25-50 miles from the weather station, so reception depends on where you live. The ER310PRO also has Bluetooth, which Midland describes as connecting to other devices for music and more.

Power sources and charging time

Midland's ER310PRO manual says a 5V USB-C source takes between 6 and 10 hours to fully charge a depleted battery and a fast-charging source takes 3-4 hours. It says one minute of cranking gives up to 9 minutes of radio use, and one hour of optimal sunlight gives up to 45 minutes. Midland's page adds that the solar panel is meant to extend the charge of a full battery, not charge it from empty.

The ER210 ships with a micro USB cable. Its manual says a USB charge takes approximately 5.5 hours, and Midland's FAQ says solar charging extends the charge rather than fully charging it. Midland's own documents give the ER210 battery as 2000 mAh on the spec sheet, 2600 mAh in the key features list and 2,200 mAh in the manual, so check the label. The spec sheet calls the ER210 battery replaceable, while the ER310PRO manual calls its unit sealed with a battery that is not serviceable.

Charging a phone

This is the biggest difference. Midland's ER310PRO manual says that when fully charged the power bank can fully charge an iPhone 14 up to 3 times, with other phones slightly more or less, and an FAQ on its product page says most smartphones 2 to 3 times. The manual describes charging devices from the USB-C port, while that FAQ mentions a USB-A output, so confirm which cable your phone needs.

For the ER210, Midland describes a 2000 mAh power bank, but its FAQ says the radio was meant to provide an emergency-only charge, that newer iPhones (X and later) and Android devices draw too much power from it, and that it will not charge a device at the expense of its own battery. Both manuals say a radio that is on turns itself off and goes into charge mode when you plug in a device. Plan on a separate power bank if phone charging matters.

Which to choose

Pick the ER310PRO if you want one device for weather alerts, a large power bank for phones and a longer radio runtime. Pick the ER210 if you want the compact, simpler radio, with a weight of 0.93 lb on its spec sheet and a replaceable battery, and you will not rely on it to charge a modern phone. Either belongs in a kit with a plan from our power outage checklist.

Common questions

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