Kaito KA600 review: a solar and crank radio with shortwave for long grid-down outages

This is a research-based review, based on manufacturer specs and published data. We do not test products. The features below come from Kaito's KA600 product page, checked November 1, 2026, and from the National Weather Service's NOAA Weather Radio pages.

Most crank radios do one thing: keep NOAA weather alerts and local AM/FM coming during a storm outage. The KA600 Voyager Pro does that and adds longwave and shortwave reception. Kaito describes it as both a bedside radio and an emergency-preparedness receiver.

In a regional, multi-week grid failure, that extra reach has a purpose. Local broadcasters may lose power or fuel for their own generators. Shortwave signals travel much farther than AM or FM, so a shortwave receiver can pick up news from outside the affected region. What you hear depends on the time of day, the season and conditions, so treat it as a supplement to NOAA and local radio rather than a replacement.

Who should buy it

• Households planning for outages of weeks rather than days, who want more than one source of news.
• People who already store AA batteries: the KA600 accepts three as a backup to its built-in Ni-MH pack.
• Anyone who wants a radio that can run straight off its solar panel. Kaito says the panel powers the radio even when no battery is installed.
• Buyers who want an Alert mode that switches the radio on by itself when the National Weather Service sends an alert.

Who should skip it

• Buyers who want a phone charger built into the radio. Kaito's product page does not describe phone charging, so do not plan on it. Use a power bank such as the Anker 737.
• People who want the smallest radio for a go-bag. Kaito positions it as a full-size receiver; a pocket radio fits that role better.
• Anyone who needs published runtime figures before buying. Kaito's page does not list battery capacity, runtime, weight or dimensions.

Strengths

• Widest band coverage here. AM, FM, longwave, shortwave and all seven NOAA weather channels.
• Five ways to power it. Built-in Ni-MH battery, hand crank, solar, three AA batteries, or an AC/DC adapter or computer.
• Solar without a battery. Kaito's description says the flip-up panel provides power for the radio even when no battery is installed, a useful fallback if the internal pack fails after years in storage.
• Adjustable panel. The panel flips up and adjusts through 180 degrees, so you can aim it at the sun instead of laying the whole radio in a window.
• Simple weather tuning. The seven weather channels are pre-programmed and numbered 1 to 7 and selected with a switch.

Drawbacks

• Thin manufacturer specs. Kaito's page lists no battery capacity, runtime, weight, dimensions or flashlight output. We cannot compare those numbers, and neither can you before buying.
• Accessories cost extra. The AA batteries are not included, and Kaito calls the AC/DC adapter optional.
• Unknown battery capacity. Kaito lists the internal battery only as rechargeable Ni-MH, with no capacity or storage-loss figure, so top it up on a schedule instead of assuming it holds a charge for a year.
• No county coding described. Kaito does not describe SAME county-specific alerting, so the Alert mode may sound for alerts covering nearby areas.

How it compares

Alternatives for a household's main emergency receiver. Midland figures are from Midland's product pages; Eton from Eton's page.

Using it in a long outage

A listening schedule that saves power

A radio that plays all day drains even a large battery. Set fixed listening times: the NOAA forecast in the morning and evening, local AM news at the top of the hour when crews and officials give updates, and shortwave after dark, when distant signals tend to come in. Leave the radio in Alert mode between sessions, so the National Weather Service can wake it if a warning is issued.

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards broadcasts official warnings, watches and forecasts 24 hours a day from the nearest NWS office, over more than 1,000 transmitters covering all 50 states, according to the NWS. Working with the FCC's Emergency Alert System, it also carries non-weather emergency information. Look up your local transmitter on the NWS station listing and note which of the seven channels it uses; on the KA600, that is one turn of the weather switch.

Keep it powered for weeks

1. 01Before storm season, charge the internal Ni-MH battery from the adapter or a computer USB port, and recharge it every few months in storage.
2. 02Buy three AA batteries with the radio, date them and keep them in a bag with it. Rechargeable Ni-MH AAs such as eneloop can be swapped in and recharged from a power station.
3. 03In daylight, flip the solar panel up and aim it at the sun. Use the panel to run the radio during the day and save the stored batteries for night.
4. 04Use the hand crank as the last reserve.

Listening is not talking

The KA600 is a receiver only. To reach family across town when phones are down, you need two-way radios, and most of those require an FCC license. Our Midland GXT67 PRO review covers GMRS, and the Yaesu FT-65R review covers ham radio. Anyone may listen to NOAA Weather Radio, AM, FM and shortwave broadcasts without a license.