The Best Budget Walkie-Talkie for Under $100

Walkie-talkies are some of the most useful devices to have during emergencies, but they’re also great for camping and other recreational activities. Unfortunately, a lot of them cost far too much money, especially if you’re only using them a few times per year. By setting a budget of about $100 or less, you’ll set yourself up to get a top-notch set.

The Cobra RX680 Rugged Walkie-Talkies are the best you can get without spending too much money. It comes in a set of two, and they each can stretch up to an incredible 38-mile range.

Throughout this article, you’ll also learn the following information:

• Details about the aforementioned walkie talkies
• What you should look for before buying anything
• FAQ about walkie talkies

The Best Budget-Friendly Walkie Talkie

Whether you’re building a survival kit or you just want to have some fun with family and friends, walkie-talkies provide a high level of communication. Getting your hands on the best low-cost pair of these handheld radios will ensure that you get your money’s worth. The Cobra RX680 Rugged Walkie-Talkies (Amazon Link) are undoubtedly the best deal around.

Perhaps the most important detail of a walkie-talkie is the signal strength. These ones have a 38-mile range that cuts right through trees and other obstacles that would usually severely impact the signal of other walkie-talkies. While dense forestry might restrict it just a tad bit, the mileage far exceeds the competition.

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Another notable feature of these radios is the 2,662 channel combinations. Most walkie-talkies in this price range only have about 22 to cycle through, but they don’t always provide the privacy that you want. By having access to thousands of channel combos, you and your family can communicate without interruption.

When it comes to emergency setups, the weather is an important factor to consider. The built-in NOAA alert system shows you when bad weather is around the corner, so you can always stay prepared for whatever comes your way. Turn on and off the radio stations whenever you want, or leave it on its default settings.

You’ll also enjoy the fact that these walkie-talkies are dustproof and waterproof. We live in a time when all of our technology should have some level of protection against the elements, so it’s nice to see Cobra create a next-generation product that goes above and beyond in the area of durability and longevity.

Finally, the 18-hour run time is one of the best of all walkie-talkies, including those that sit above the $100 price limit. Communicating for an entire day is as good as it gets. Charge them up with a USB cable and relax as they refuel in only a couple of hours to a max charge. All in all, you won’t find a better deal on the market.

Pros

• Comes with two walkie-talkies to pair and communicate
• Includes thousands of channel combinations to access
• Runs for 18 hours of talking, listening, and standby settings
• Perfect budget-friendly walkie-talkies for survival, emergencies, camping, and more

What to Look For

Before you jump the gun and buy the first walkie-talkie that you come across, you should think about certain requirements and personal preferences. For example, not everyone cares about color, size, or texture, but you might have your own thoughts about each of them.

Without further ado, let’s jump into a list of things to look for when buying a walkie-talkie under $100 below.

• How many do you get in a bundle? Believe it or not, tons of walkie-talkies are sold individually. They’re able to communicate with other radios, but it’s not quite worth the investment if you can’t use them with other people you know. Try to find walkie-talkies that come in sets of 2, 4, or 6.
• What is the mile range? This issue is perhaps the most common source of complaints from new buyers. While they all run on similar wavelengths, walkie-talkies have a wide range of mileage. Some can only travel two miles, while others (such as the one in this article) can stretch all the way up to 30+ miles.
• How do you charge them? Some walkie-talkies plug into a USB cable, others hook up to a charging dock, and some even use single-use batteries, like the kind I recommend from Amazon. AA and AAA are the most common types of batteries used in walkie-talkies, so make sure you factor them into your expenses and budget.
• What other features are there? While the main purpose of walkie-talkies is communication, it’s always nice to have other features to play with. For example, the Cobra RX680 comes with NOAA weather alerts, different ring tones, voice-detection services, a built-in flashlight, and more.
• Are they durable and life-proof? The walkie-talkies from Cobra are resistant to dust, and they come with a water-resistance rating of IP54, which means that water splashes won’t ruin them. These ratings are incredibly important because you never know if they’re going to short circuit from water exposure or overheat from excess dust buildup.

Common Questions and Concerns

Buying walkie-talkies is always a big deal, even if you’re not spending as much as others. Many potential buyers get overwhelmed by all of the choices to think about, so it’s a good idea to sit down and review the following five concerns to ease your mind:

1. Do all walkie-talkies work together? If you bought one set and your friends bought another, you shouldn’t worry too much. According to Tech Wholesale, you can pair almost any walkie-talkies with each other by following their suggested step-by-step pairing process.
2. Are high-quality walkie-talkies expensive? Some are, and some aren’t. Positive customer feedback and countless years of hard work have made the Cobra RX680’s a great product without being too expensive. However, there are plenty of other choices that cost far more than them.
3. Is the range of walkie-talkies limited by trees and houses? A walkie-talkie’s range is limited by the terrain. They work by using radio waves that move from one device to another. If you’re using them on flat land without any obstacles, you’ll be able to use them much further. Hills, trees, buildings, and other large structures will partially block and limit the signal, though.
4. How long do walkie talkies last? Walkie-talkies have two lasting characteristics: Battery life and overall replacement life. Most batteries last between 4 to 24 hours, while the walkie-talkie itself will need to be replaced only when it’s permanently damaged. Rechargeable, non-removable batteries last about 18 to 24 months, as stated by Highland Wireless.
5. Are walkie-talkies still worth buying? Despite the age of technology advancing to smartphones and tablets, nothing beats a radio wavelength from walkie-talkies. Smartphones die off and lose cell reception, whereas walkie-talkies still work for miles and miles.

Related 7 Best Ways for a Man To Carry a Cell Phone.

Conclusion

Walkie talkies are quickly becoming an essential part of every survival kit. Communication is key to thriving in a disaster scenario. You might also just want a set for fun experiences with your friends. Either way, you don’t need to spend a boatload of money to buy a high-quality walkie talkie set.

Here’s a quick recap of the post:

• Walkie talkies range in mileage reach, longevity, durability, and signal strength.
• The Cobra RX680 is the best walkie talkie set for under 100 dollars.
• This walkie talkie includes weather reports, a flashlight, and multiple communication settings to adjust.

Helpful Recommended Products

For your convenience, here are a few products mentioned in this post as well as a few others that you might find helpful:

• Recommended Walkie Talkie
• Single-Use Batteries
• Rechargeable Batteries
• Battery Charger
• Solar Charging Kit
• Hand Crank Solar Radio