During the big blackout in New York, mine worked like a charm. The crank up radio/flashlight was the envy of my neighbors. The reception is especially nice since it has a coarse and a fine tuning knob.

The radio runs on regular batteries (AA's), but the crank actually charges a cordless phone-type battery. As a backup I bought a duplicate battery at my local office supply store which can be swapped out if the original ever dies.

I'd recommend it if you need to sit tight at home, or if you have a car. Since I live in New York City without a car, I have a more complicated problem. It seems lightweight for a radio its size (its plastic), but a little big for a backpack with other gear.