Best DAB Radios with Bluetooth 2023

With a Bluetooth DAB radio, you can stream music from YouTube, Spotify and other sources via your phone or tablet. This means the radio doubles as a Bluetooth speaker.

Bluetooth is now quite a common feature in radios, so if you want a radio with Bluetooth there are a lot of choices. In this article, we’ve reviewed some of the best options on the market right now, including radios with CD players, USB ports and other useful features.

Read on for reviews of the best Bluetooth DAB radios on the market plus some information about how Bluetooth radios work.

Best DAB Radios with Bluetooth

After researching the market, we’ve picked out some of the best DAB radios with Bluetooth available. We hope these reviews help you choose the right radio for you.

1. Roberts Revival RD70

The Roberts Revival RD70 is a stunning retro radio based on the classic Roberts radios of the 1950s. It’s a portable radio with a leather-effect carrying handle, though it can also be plugged into the mains.

Features

Dimensions: 25.2 x 16 x 10.4 cm
Weight: 1.65 kg

Bluetooth details

It’s very easy to pair this radio with a Bluetooth device such as a phone or a newer iPod.

When pairing, it’s best to position your device quite close to the radio (within 3 metres).

The Bluetooth range is up to roughly 10 metres, though walls and other physical obstructions can reduce the range.

This radio isn’t NFC enabled, so you have to manually pair a device with it rather than just tapping it against the radio.

Summary

The Revival RD70 is quite expensive given its features, but if you want something with a classic vintage design and great sound quality, it’s a good buy.

 

Also consider: Roberts Revival iStream 3

 

The Roberts Revival iStream 3 has almost exactly the same design as the Revival RD70, but it has a few extra features: internet radio, a built-in battery charger and a USB port for charging a phone or playing MP3s.

It’s a bit more expensive than the Revival RD70 (at the time of writing), but could be worth it for the extra features.

The Bluetooth function works in essentially the same way in both models.

 

2. John Lewis & Partners Aria

If you want a mid-priced DAB radio that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, the Aria from John Lewis & Partners could be a good choice.

It has a stylish wood-effect finish and a space-saving vertical design that would make it a good choice for a kitchen countertop or bookshelf.

Features

Dimensions: 19 x 11.8 x 11.8 cm

Bluetooth details

Pairing this radio with a Bluetooth device is quite easy if you follow the instructions in the user manual.

This radio isn’t NFC enabled.

Summary

If you want a straightforward and reasonably priced DAB radio with Bluetooth, this is a great option. It’s not as flashy as some alternatives such as the Roberts Revival iStream 3, but it’s not as expensive either.

 

3. Ruark R1 Mk3

Ruark make some of the best-sounding DAB radios on the market, and the R1 MkIII offers amazing sound quality for a radio of its size. The radio sounds crisp and clear with a good amount of bass, and looks fantastic too.

Features

Dimensions: 17 x 13.5 x 13 cm
Weight: 1.5 kg

Bluetooth details

This radio is quite easy to pair with a Bluetooth device. It can save up to 7 devices, so you don’t need to pair your phone again each time you use it.

The Bluetooth range is up to 10 metres, though obstructions such as walls can reduce this. This radio doesn’t have NFC.

Summary

The Ruark R1 MkIII is expensive, but you’d be hard pressed to get better sound quality for the price. The design is also stunning; it’s a beautiful piece of furniture and not just a radio. Read our full review of the Ruark R1 MkIII here.

 

4. Pure Evoke H3

The Pure Evoke H3 is one of the newest additions to Pure’s Evoke range of digital radios. It’s a very stylish radio with a real wood finish and a minimalistic design.

Features

Dimensions: 18 x 11.5 x 11 cm
Weight: 939 g

Bluetooth details

Connecting a device to this radio via Bluetooth is very straightforward. You just need to press the ‘Source’ button on the radio until Bluetooth is selected, and then switch the Bluetooth on your phone or other device on and select the Evoke H3. If you’re asked for a passcode, just enter ‘0000’.

This radio doesn’t have NFC.

Summary

The Pure Evoke H3 is an attractive and well made radio from a trusted British brand. It’s worth noting that the battery pack isn’t included, and buying it as an add-on will significantly increase the overall price.

Read our full review of the Pure Evoke H3 here.

 

5. Majority Little Shelford

The Majority Little Shelford is a very affordable and compact DAB radio with Bluetooth. It’s one of the cheapest Bluetooth radios on the market and performs well for the price. Despite being cheap, it has a stylish retro design and looks great.

Features

Dimensions: 17 x 13.5 x 13 cm
Weight: 1.5 kg

Bluetooth details

This radio’s Bluetooth function lets you stream audio from a device up to 10 metres away, as long as there aren’t any obstructions between the radio and the device.

It’s quite easy to pair the radio with a device. Once you’re listening to something, you can change the volume on the radio itself or on your device.

This radio isn’t NFC enabled.

Summary

The Little Shelford offers great value for money. While it doesn’t have the highest build quality and may not last forever, it’s perfect if you want a cheap, compact and stylish DAB radio with Bluetooth.

 

6. Majority Sidney

The Majority Sidney is a great radio, with Bluetooth and stereo speakers. Like the Majority Little Shelford reviewed above, it offers great value for money and packs in a lot of features for the price.

Features

Dimensions: 40 x 20 x 13 cm
Weight: 1.2 kg

Bluetooth details

You can pair a device by using the ‘Mode’ button on the radio or the ‘Mode’ button on the remote control.

Pairing a device is quick and straightforward, and the radio makes a quick sound to let you know you’ve paired something successfully.

Once you’re listening to a playlist or album, you can use the ‘Previous’ and ‘Next’ buttons on the remote control to change tracks.

This radio isn’t NFC enabled.

Summary

If you want a DAB radio with Bluetooth and some great added features, the Sidney is one of the best value options available. It looks and sounds as if it should be more expensive.

 

7. John Lewis & Partners Cello

The Cello from John Lewis’s own-brand range of digital radios is quite similar to the Majority Sidney reviewed above, but with a slightly more classic design. This lets you connect the radio to your WiFi network to stream thousands of radio stations from the UK and around the world.

Internet radio is great if you want more choice of things to listen to or if the FM and DAB reception where you live is poor.

Features

Dimensions: 35 x 21.5 x 12.4 cm
Weight: 4.8 kg (boxed)

Bluetooth details

It’s quick and easy to pair this radio with a Bluetooth device. It doesn’t have NFC compatibility.

Summary

The Cello is a quality mid-priced sound system that offers pretty much all the features you could ask for including internet radio, a CD player and useful remote control. Read our full review of the John Lewis Cello here.

 

Bluetooth Radios With Particular Features

CD Player

Here’s a list of DAB radios that feature both Bluetooth and a CD player:

• John Lewis & Partners Cello – Features stereo sound and internet radio. A good mid-priced product.
• Majority Castle – A budget radio CD player with an alarm clock and remote control.
• Majority Huntingdon – An affordable product with a CD player and 2 USB charging ports.
• Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K – A stylish slim mini HiFi system.
• Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS – A micro HiFi with Bluetooth and a CD player.
• Pure Evoke C-D4 – A compact and stylish product that is relatively expensive.
• Pure Evoke C-D6 – Similar to the Evoke C-D4, but with stereo sound.
• Roberts Blutune 200 – An attractive but quite pricey stereo radio.
• Ruark R4 Mk3 – Has excellent sound quality, but is very expensive.

USB Port

Here’s a list of DAB radios that feature both Bluetooth and a USB port for charging devices or playing MP3s:

• AZATOM Multiplex – An inexpensive radio with a USB port for charging phones.
• John Lewis & Partners Cello – Features a USB port for playing MP3s.
• Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K – A slim wall-mountable micro HiFi with a USB port for playing MP3s.
• VQ Retro Mini – A stylish retro-style radio with a USB port for charging devices.

If you’re looking for a DAB radio with Bluetooth that can be powered via a USB cable, you should check out the Majority Little Shelford. This radio can be powered using a mini USB cable, which is handy for travelling and caravanning.

Can You Use a DAB Radio with Bluetooth Headphones?

The short answer to this question is “no”. Unfortunately, Bluetooth radios only have Bluetooth receivers, not transmitters. This means they can’t be used with Bluetooth headphones.

If you wanted to use a radio with Bluetooth headphones you could attach a separate Bluetooth transmitter to the headphone jack.

 

Bluetooth Radio FAQs

What is a Bluetooth DAB radio and how does it work?

A Bluetooth DAB radio is like a regular DAB radio but with the addition of a Bluetooth receiver. This allows you to wirelessly stream music or other audio from your smartphone, tablet or laptop through the radio’s speakers.

This effectively turns the radio into a Bluetooth speaker. Audio data is transmitted wirelessly and then decoded and played back by the radio.

When you first use Bluetooth on your radio, you have to ‘pair’ the radio with the device you’re streaming audio from (your phone or laptop etc.) For example, you will turn on Bluetooth on your phone and it will search for Bluetooth devices.

If you’re in range it will find your radio, which you can connect it to. Once this is done, selecting the Bluetooth mode on your radio should allow you to stream music wirelessly from your phone.

Most Bluetooth radios will remember the last device that was connected to them, so you won’t need to pair your device each time.

A Bluetooth DAB radio will pick up radio in the same way as a regular DAB radio, so you don’t need to use Bluetooth to listen to the radio. Bluetooth is an additional feature you can use to stream internet radio, MP3s and music on online services such as Spotify and YouTube.

Can you get a pocket DAB radio with Bluetooth?

At the moment, there aren’t really any pocket DAB radios with Bluetooth available. We’ve explored this topic in more depth in this article.

Can you listen to the radio with Bluetooth headphones?

The radios reviewed here have a Bluetooth receiver rather than a Bluetooth transmitter, so you can’t use them with Bluetooth headphones. The only way to use a radio with Bluetooth headphones is to buy a Bluetooth transmitter such as this one from TaoTronics which attaches to the radio’s headphone jack and transmits a signal to the headphones.

Why get a radio with Bluetooth?

With a Bluetooth radio, you can quickly and wirelessly connect the radio to your phone, tablet or laptop to turn the radio into a wireless speaker. Some of the things you could use Bluetooth for include:

• Listening to Spotify and other music streaming services
• Listening to music or other content from YouTube
• Listening to internet radio
• Listening to audiobooks from Audible or other services

DAB Radio Brands

Here’s some more information about the brands whose radios feature in this article:

• AZATOM – AZATOM are a British audio technology brand owned by 4Cool Technology Ltd. They make a range of products including headphones, radios and speakers. AZATOM products tend to offer good value for money and have modern-looking designs.
• Majority – Majority are a Cambridgeshire-based digital radio brand who produce a large range of highly affordable radios. Their products usually offer very good value for money.
• Panasonic – Panasonic are a Japanese electronics brand that produce a large range of products including televisions, cameras and microwaves. They sell a range of hi-fi systems as well as standalone radios. Their products usually have modern designs and offer good value for money.
• Pure – Pure were one of the pioneers of digital radio in the UK. They are a British brand most famous for their stylish Evoke range of DAB radios. One of the best things about Pure products is that they are all available with a generous 3-year warranty. Pure’s products are relatively expensive, but tend to be high quality and reliable.
• Roberts – Roberts are one of the most famous British radio brands, and have a long history dating back to the 1930s. While the company does produce modern-looking radios, they are best known for their retro designs. Roberts products tend to be more expensive and have a luxury feel to them.

 

Conclusion

The radios reviewed above are all different, so which is the ‘best’ for you will depend on your personal preferences and budget. However, if we had to pick just one to recommend for most people it would be the Roberts Revival RD70 as it’s made to a high standard, has a stunning retro design and sounds great. The Bluetooth feature is easy to use, and you can pair your device almost instantly.

 

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