Specs & Ratings
Bottom Line
The Baofeng UV-21R is a bit of a bland entry into the already long list of Baofeng radio offerings. We're not entirely sure why you'd get this one over the many better offerings from Baofeng. While it is one of the few with an IP54 rating... we're not sure how legitimate that is. The price is good on the radio as well, but for a negligible amount more you can get a far better UI and identical form factor out of the Baofeng UV-7B
Pros
- IP54 rated
- Rugged construction and rubberized case
- Decent battery life
- Reasonable RX and TX
Cons
- Utilizes Baofengs most dated UI despite having the same form factor as other radios with their updated UI.
- Features a charging dock... but can charge with USB-C. Seems like a waste?
Who This Is For
If you want a VERY cheap radio that is IP-54 rated at least by the manufacturer and is a ruggedized case, all for as cheap as possible, the Baofeng UV-17R is your radio. While other radios have better UI's or better form factors, or sometimes both, this radio may be the ideal size that you are seeking with the rugged construction you may be after.
Testing Notes
We judge all Handhelds based on their ability to operate in the field. Whether that's surviving life outdoors, or being able to program and work with the radio when out and about, that's the criteria by which we judge these radios.
Detailed Review
We picked up the Baofeng UV-21R, and honestly put it away pretty quickly. At this point we've got over a dozen different Baofeng radio offerings in our possession, and we could quickly tell the UV-21R wasn't going to impress it. It's got fine TX and RX, just as good as any other models, but it has the same old school mediocre display as the UV-22, but without the improved form factor. The more we looked at the radio, the more we realized it's just a meh version of the UV-7B. Outside of the price difference, we didn't see anything else going for this radio, and consequently relinquished it to a backup or buddy radio after a few short days of testing.
We wouldn't hate it if it was all that we had, but if we're going to recommend you a radio, this isn't it. Get the nearly identical but vastly superior Baofeng UV-7B for just $3 more.
Final Verdict
This radio really isn't a standout in the Baofeng lineup, and thus we don't heavily endorse it. If for some reason you prefer the older style menu UI and want a rugged radio though, grab up the Boafeng UV-17R. Otherwise, consider the Baofeng UV-7B for the same construction and look, but with the modernized UI. Another options is the Baofeng UV-5R Mini, which is just as capable with similar RX and TX and we've tested it as rugged out and about, but costs less and is notably more compact.