FosPower A1 review

What it is and who it suits

FosPower's page calls this the Model A1, a 2,000 mAh emergency solar hand crank NOAA weather radio, with the part number FOSPWB-2376. It lists AM and FM reception, NOAA weather broadcasts, a 1-watt flashlight with zoom, a four-LED reading light, an SOS alarm and a built-in power bank that can charge USB devices.

It suits a household that wants a small, inexpensive listening radio for a drawer or go-bag, with a bit of light and a phone top-up. It is a radio you tune to NOAA yourself, not a bedside alert. This review is researched, not tested. It relies on FosPower's product page and the 2019 user manual it links, a scanned file with no text layer that we read page by page. FosPower's page showed the radio as sold out on the day we checked.

Power sources, as FosPower describes them

FosPower's page lists a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AAA batteries, a solar panel and a crank lever, and calls these four power sources. Another paragraph on the same page says three power options.

The product page gives no charging times, but the manual does: about 4.5 hours to fully charge the 2000 mAh battery over USB, and one minute of cranking for 20 minutes of light or 10 to 15 minutes of radio at medium volume. It describes solar as a way to maintain and extend battery life, and says to crank for 3 to 5 minutes if the radio has sat idle for over 60 days. Charge it from USB before you store it, and keep AAA batteries with it; the manual says alkaline only.

The power bank is a top-up

FosPower lists a 7400 mWh (2000 mAh) power bank and says it can provide emergency power to a small tablet or phone and works with most USB-powered devices. The page gives no figure for how much phone charge that gives, and the manual says the feature is for emergency use, not a normal power bank. For scale only: Midland's FAQ for its own ER310 radio says a newer iPhone could take 4000 to 8000 mAh, so a 2000 mAh bank would likely only top a modern phone up. For a dedicated charger, see our power bank comparison.

Weather reception and alerts

FosPower says the radio gives access to NOAA emergency weather broadcasts and to AM and FM stations. Neither the page nor the manual's radio instructions describe an automatic weather alert, a siren on warnings or county filtering, so treat it as a radio you tune to a NOAA channel and listen to. Ready.gov's kit list asks for a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, which this page does not describe, so pair it with a phone alert or a bedside alert radio.

The National Weather Service says NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts on seven VHF frequencies and needs a special receiver. For a dedicated alert radio, see our Midland WR120B review and our weather radio comparison.

Warranty, size and a cable mismatch

FosPower's page says in one place that the radio includes a limited lifetime warranty, which the manual repeats, and in another lists a 2-year warranty and a 90-day risk-free trial. Ask FosPower which applies to your order and keep the receipt. The page lists the radio at 6.2 by 2.9 by 2.1 inches and 10.9 ounces, rated IPX-3; the manual says it is water-resistant, not waterproof, and must not be submerged. The page says the box holds a USB-C to USB-A cable, while the 2019 manual lists a micro-USB cable and port, so check which port your radio has before you pack a cable.

Who should skip it

Skip it if you want a radio that wakes you for a warning, if you need a phone charger that fills a modern phone, or if you want published charging and run times before you buy. Our hand crank radio comparison lists other models. The power outage checklist shows where a radio fits in the wider plan.

Does the FosPower A1 have a weather alert?

FosPower's page lists access to NOAA weather broadcasts but does not describe an automatic alert or siren. Treat it as a listening radio and pair it with a phone alert.

Can it charge a phone?

FosPower lists a 2,000 mAh power bank that works with most USB-powered devices, and says it can power a small tablet or phone. It gives no charge figure, and 2,000 mAh is small next to many current phones, so expect a top-up.

How does it charge?

FosPower lists a crank, a solar panel, AAA batteries and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The manual gives about 4.5 hours for a full USB charge and 10 to 15 minutes of radio per minute of cranking, so charge it from USB before storing it.

What warranty does it have?

FosPower's page mentions a limited lifetime warranty in one place, as does the manual, and a 2-year warranty in another. Ask FosPower which applies and keep your receipt.