Tough, Dependable, Energy Saver with Good Range and Sound
Pros:
No wasted batteries, good sound, small, amazingly durable.
Cons:
Cranking mechanism could be stronger.
The Bottom Line:
Great for campers, outdoor and rugged portable use especially for AM reception. Makes you work for music and saves on energy costs.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
What can you say about Grundig? For years i've been using an antique Grundig shortwave in my workshop - it comes in beautifully and looks great. When it comes to electronics, Grundig is a very reliable name.
It was then an easy decision for me to pick up the new FR-200 "recycle power" Grundig AM/FM/SW1, 2 Radio. I purchased this small, unit in January 2006, for approximately $40. Even though this has been given much abuse (left out in the rain, dropped, stained with at least 3 different colors of paint) I've found it to be a wonderful little radio that I can transport around the house and yard.
The "recycle power" comes in the form of a small hand crank on the left-side of the unit. For approximately 1-2 minutes of cranking, you'll receive about twenty minutes of radio play, and 3-5 minutes of illumination from the small light on the front of the radio. You can also put 3 AA batteries in the unit (highly encouraged: use re-chargeables if you have them!) for those times when you just can't muster up the time or strenght to crank the radio.
After about a year of use, the antenna broke off this radio (my fault!) at the base. Regardless, the AM band still work ed excellent. Another 2 years into weekly use, the small crank began to fail - the metal pin had begun to wear away the durable plastic. This necessitated slower, cranking, to ensure the crank didn't slip off. But the overall performance was still, very good.
Now, after 3+ years, the crank itself snapped - so i'm using rechargeable batteries to power the radio.
Reception: Very strong AM signal, good FM signal (before I lost the antenna) and the SW signal is also nice to have if you want to catch Armed Services, Radio Netherlands, or any number of international bands.
The market for these "crank" powered devices have really skyrocketed - while you may be tempted to grab just any crank radio in the $20-50 price range, I would highly suggest that you stick with a Grundig.
While mine has certainly begun to fail, its current state is due to hard, weekly if not daily use. If you want a pristine emergency radio, for the car, home or work, a good Grundig is certainly going to wear better, and be sturdier to operate than a no-name brand that is placed within feet of the home hardware store check-out line.
Highly recommended.
