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Cell phones are the easiest way to touch base with your family and friends when you’re on the go, but they’re not always an option. Walkie talkies are a backup option to ensure that you stay in constant communication with loved ones even when you’re in remote areas. To help you select the two-way radio that’s right for you, the This Old House Team researched the best walkie talkies on Amazon. Here are our top five recommendations.
Top 4 Walkie Talkies
- Best For Kids: Retevis RT628 Walkie Talkies for Kids
- Best For Hiking: Midland 50-Channel Waterproof GMRS Two-Way Radio
- Best Battery Life: Topsung M880 FRS Walkie Talkie
- Best On-the-Job Walkie Talkie: Retevis H-777 Two-Way Radios
Best For Kids
Retevis RT628 Walkie Talkies for Kids
- $21.99
- $24.99
- 12% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Comes with two radios
- Uses three AA batteries each
- Offers 22 channels
What Customers Are Saying
Those who were satisfied with this walkie talkie said that it had simple volume control, was easy for kids to understand, and provided clear audio from far away. However, those who were unsatisfied said that the batteries drained quickly.
Best For Hiking
Midland 50-Channel Waterproof GMRS Two-Way Radio
- $79.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Comes with two radios
- Uses one lithium battery each
- Has an 11-hour battery life
- Can be used up to 36 miles away
- Offers 50 channels
- Includes a three-year warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Those who liked this walkie talkie said that it withstood harsh weather conditions, had clear sound quality, and was lightweight and durable. However, those who didn’t enjoy this product claimed that it had a short range and insufficient volume levels.
Best Battery Life
Topsung M880 FRS Walkie Talkie
- $23.99
- $42.99
- 44% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Comes with two radios
- Uses three AA batteries each
- Has a four-day battery life
- Can be used up to 16 miles away
- Offers 22 channels
- Includes a 30-day replacement warranty
What Customers Are Saying
Those who were pleased with this product said that it worked well for both indoor and outdoor use, provided clear audio, and was simple to operate. However, those who weren’t happy with this walkie talkie said that its body was made from cheap material and that its instructions were difficult to follow.
Best On-the-Job Walkie Talkie
Retevis H-777 Two-Way Radios
- $119.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Comes with 10 radios
- Uses one lithium battery each
- Has a 12-hour battery life
- Offers 16 channels
What Customers Are Saying
Those who were satisfied with this walkie talkie said that it had clear audio, was durable, and provided a means of communication on worksites. However, dissatisfied customers claimed that this product stopped working properly after minimal use and that it was hard to program it to the right channel.
Buyer’s Guide
Here are some of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a walkie talkie.
Range
If you and your family only plan on using walkie talkies at home or in the yard, you can likely get away with a shorter range. However, those who plan on using the device on hiking trips or worksites will need to find walkie talkies with a longer range.
Remember that the listed range for a walkie talkie may not always be exact. Obstructions, such as buildings and trees, can decrease the range. Range can also be affected by other factors, such as altitude and weather conditions.
Type
Walkie talkies are typically divided into two types: business and consumer.
Business
Business radios typically have either a Ultra High Frequency (UHF) or Very High Frequency (VHF) designation. These devices are heavy-duty, working best for construction, police, security, warehouse, and military work. They have a larger range than consumer devices, but they’re more expensive.
Consumer
Consumer radios are most typically used for hiking and camping. These devices will have lower frequency levels, shorter ranges, and fewer features than business radios, but they’re less expensive and sufficient for recreational use.
Battery
Most consumer walkie talkies are battery-operated, but the type of battery that’s needed varies from model to model. Some devices accept standard AA or AAA batteries, while others require lithium or nickel batteries.
In addition to considering battery type, consider battery life. The life of most batteries is estimated to be 90% standby time, 5% reception time, and 5% transmission time. Consumer walkie talkies usually last at least 10 hours and have an indicator to alert you when your batteries are running low.
Channels
The more channels that a walkie talkie provides, the easier it will be to communicate with a large group or multiple groups at once. Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios typically have around 22 available channels.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you use walkie talkies?
You can use a walkie talkie by setting the channel and pressing the push-to-talk (PTT) button to speak into the device. This will transmit your message to others who are using the same channel.
Are walkie talkies waterproof?
Unless they’re specifically advertised as waterproof or water-resistant, most walkie talkies can be damaged by water. You can purchase a waterproof case or bag to store your walkie talkie in if you’re worried about water damage.
Can walkie talkies pick up police traffic?
Walkie talkies won’t pick up traffic on police radios, as officers use their own frequencies that are outside of the civilian band. To hear police, fire, EMS, or air traffic channels, you need a police scanner.
Should I have a walkie talkie for emergency use?
It’s smart to have fully charged walkie talkies at home for emergencies. This can be useful if the power goes out from a storm, and you don’t want to drain your cell phone battery.
Why Trust The This Old House Team
This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.
We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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