FosPower A1 vs Midland ER40: Weather Band Radio or Weather Alert Radio?

Both are small crank, solar and USB emergency radios with a flashlight and a phone charging port, and both cover the NOAA weather band. But they do a different job when the weather turns dangerous. The FosPower A1 lets you listen to the weather broadcast; the Midland ER40 sounds an alert when the National Weather Service issues one, even when the radio is switched off. Here is the side-by-side, from FosPower's and Midland's own documents.

Editorial Research

Written by

Lena Thornton, Weather Station Analyst & CWOP Contributor

Based on

FosPower's A1 operating instructions and UL 2056 test report; Midland's ER40 owner's manual, spec sheet and product page (read October 20 to 22, 2026)

Hands-on testing

Not performed by The-Weather.com

Research last verified

October 22, 2026

This page contains affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you.

Side by Side

Feature	FosPower A1	Midland ER40
Weather alerts	None in the manual: you listen to the weather band	Siren and flashing light for NOAA alerts, also when switched off (if alerts are on and it is tuned to your station)
Bands	AM, FM and the weather band 162.400-162.550 MHz, which holds the same 7 NOAA channels (tuned by knob)	AM, FM and the 7 NOAA weather channels (tuned by button)
Weather reception range	Not published	Up to about 50 miles from the transmitter, depending on location, weather and terrain
Tuning and display	Tuning knob with "TUN" light, no screen	Buttons with backlit LCD and clock
Battery	2,000 mAh, 3.7 V, 18650 cell (test report); the manual shows a battery compartment but no replacement part	2,600 mAh, 3.7 V, 18650, replaceable with Midland part BATT26L
Battery level	No gauge described in the manual	Low-battery indicator
Backup batteries	AAA alkaline (not included)	None: Midland battery only
Charging the radio	USB (Micro-USB in the 2019 manual; USB-C on the current listing), hand crank, solar	Micro-USB, hand crank, solar
Charging your phone	USB-A, 5 V 0.6 A, rated 750 mAh output	USB output; no output figure published; no alerts while charging a phone
Run time per minute of cranking	About 20 min light or 10-15 min radio	Not published
Lights	1W / 20 lm zoom flashlight, 4-LED reading light, SOS alarm	Flashlight with low, high and SOS Morse beacon
Water	IPX-3, not waterproof	Water damage not covered by the warranty
Size	6.2 x 2.9 x 2.1 in, 0.68 lb	Not published for the radio (gift box 6.8 x 4.3 x 2.0 in, 1.0 lb)
Warranty	Limited lifetime	1 year (battery and cables 90 days)

All figures from the makers' documents and the A1 test report; nothing measured by us. Details and sources: our FosPower A1 review and Midland ER40 review.

The One Difference That Matters: Alerts

A weather band radio and a weather alert radio sound alike, but they are not. With the FosPower A1 you turn the band switch to WB, tune in your local NOAA Weather Radio station and listen. If a tornado warning comes in while the radio is off, or while you sleep, the A1 stays silent.

The Midland ER40 can stand by. According to Midland's manual, with alerts switched on and tuned to your local weather station, it sounds a siren and flashes its light when an alert is broadcast, even when the radio is off. Two limits from the same documents: no alerts while it is charging your phone, and no SAME county filtering mentioned. The National Weather Service lists the station for your county at weather.gov/nwr/counties.

When the FosPower A1 Makes More Sense

• Backup power options: AAA batteries keep it running when the internal battery and the sun are both gone; the ER40 has no battery alternative.
• Known crank run time: FosPower's manual tells you what a minute of cranking buys (about 20 minutes of light or 10 to 15 minutes of radio), so you can plan; Midland gives no such figure for the ER40.
• Warranty: limited lifetime vs one year.
• Simple controls: a knob and switches, no menu.

FosPower A1 on Amazon (choose a "Model A1" option; the listing also sells other FosPower radios)

When the Midland ER40 Makes More Sense

• Warnings while you sleep: the main reason to own a weather radio at home.
• Bigger battery (2,600 vs 2,000 mAh), with a named Midland replacement part.
• Screen, clock and low-battery indicator, with button tuning to the 7 weather channels.

Midland ER40 on Amazon

Our Take: Why Some Homes Keep Both

This is our opinion, not a maker's claim. The two radios cover different moments. An alert radio by the bed or in the kitchen wakes you for a warning. A light crank radio with a flashlight and AAA backup sits in the go-bag or car for when you have to leave or the outage lasts days. If you can only buy one for home safety, the alert function is the feature that protects you at night. More choices: our best emergency weather radios.

FosPower A1 vs Midland ER40 FAQ

Update Log

• October 22, 2026: First version, based on FosPower's and Midland's documents.

Sources

• FosPower: Solar Crank Radio operating instructions (PDF)
• SGS test report SZES190901540902, UL 2056, FOSPWB-2376 (PDF)
• Midland ER40 owner's manual (PDF)
• Midland ER40 spec sheet (PDF)
• Midland ER40 product page
• National Weather Service: NOAA Weather Radio coverage by county