AZATOM Spitalfields Retro DAB Radio Review

Summary: Could be improved but is functional, inexpensive and stylish

Buy it online: See price on Amazon.co.uk

The Spitalfields is a small radio with a large number of features. It’s an inexpensive portable DAB radio from budget brand AZATOM and is available in either white or black. Find out what the Spitalfields can do and how it performs in this review…

Features

Dimensions: 19 cm wide x 14 cm high x 9 cm deep
Weight: 748 g

Performance and use

The AZATOM Spitalfields has clear sound quality and a surprising amount of volume for such a small radio. The maximum power output is 18 watts, so it can go quite loud. One issue though is that the volume is changed in leaps rather than with a gradual change, and the volume dial is quite sensitive. It would be good to have more control over the volume, especially if you want to listen to the radio in bed at night without disturbing others.

The radio has a built-in battery that the manufacturer states will last for 10 hours, though this is likely to be less in practice. Having a built-in battery is very convenient as you don’t need to worry about replacing or recharging separate batteries. You can also listen to the radio with it plugged into the mains, which will recharge the battery at the same time.

This radio’s compact size and stylish design make it a good choice for the kitchen. The remote control is a useful added feature if you’re using it in a larger room.

You could also use the Spitalfields as a bedside radio since it has a sleep timer and lets you set 4 separate alarms. However, the alarm isn’t as convenient as it could be as turning it off requires you to press a sequence of buttons rather than just being able to push one button, which would be easier when you’ve just woken up. The lowest screen brightness setting is also quite bright, so it might keep you awake at night.

Most people find that this radio works well, though it should be noted that some buyers have found that their radio stopped working properly after a few weeks or months.

One thing to be aware of with this radio is that it doesn’t have a headphone jack, so you can’t listen to it privately through headphones.

Verdict

The AZATOM Spitalfields Retro DAB Radio performs very well for the price and offers plenty of features. The stylish design and surprising amount of volume make it a good choice for the kitchen. It’s not ideal as a bedside radio for several reasons: the alarm could be easier, there’s no headphone jack and you can’t dim the display completely.

Overall the Spitalfields is a very good portable DAB radio for the price.

 

Similar radios

One of the most similar radios to the Spitalfields is the AZATOM Blackfriars. It has almost exactly the same features and price tag as the Spitalfields, just with a different design. The Blackfriars has a vertical design reminiscent of the VQ Retro Mini, whereas the Spitalfields has a more horizontal design. Which design you prefer will depend on your taste, though the Blackfriars is better if you have limited space since it has a smaller footprint.

One option from a better-known brand is the Roberts Play 10, which is a very reliable and straightforward radio with only the most essential features. Like the Spitalfields, the Play 10 is very affordable. It doesn’t have as many features as the Spitalfields, but it does have one important feature that the Spitalfields lacks: a headphone jack.

For some more options, see our roundups of the best portable DAB radios and the best DAB radios under £50.