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The choice of portable DAB radios in the UK is growing all the time, so it can be overwhelming trying to choose the right one.
We’ve done the research for you and put together this roundup of the top 10 portable DAB radios available in the UK.
In this article, “portable DAB radio” refers to small (but not pocket-sized) DAB radios that either have a built-in battery or can be used with batteries.
If you’re looking for a pocket DAB radio, we’ve picked out the best here.
Best Portable DAB Radios in the UK
1. Majority Little Shelford
No two people have the same needs, taste and budget, so there’s no single portable DAB radio that will be best for everyone. However, if we had to pick out one to recommend to most people it would be the Majority Little Shelford.
At the time of writing, the Majority Little Shelford is one of the most popular portable DAB radios in the UK.
It’s a very affordable and compact DAB radio with a retro design. The Little Shelford comes in a choice of two colours: duck egg blue or cream.
The Little Shelford is convenient as a portable radio as it weighs less than a kilogram and features a useful carrying handle. The radio can be powered with a mini USB cable or
The radio can be powered by the mains or with 4 x AA batteries. It doesn’t have a built-in battery charger, so you will need to recharge the AA batteries yourself. The mains lead uses a mini USB connection, so you could use a phone charger to power it.
Batteries are unlikely to last for more than about 10 hours, which is a bit disappointing.
If you use this radio with batteries you should take them out when the radio is switched off to prevent it from draining the batteries.
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- Bluetooth
- Dual alarm clock
- Sleep timer
- Carrying handle
- Headphone jack
Dimensions: 17 x 13 x 10 cm
Weight: 760 g
Battery type: 4 x AA
Pros
- One of the cheapest Bluetooth DAB radios
- Compact and easy to carry
- Nice retro design
- Simple to use
Cons
- Quite cheaply made
Summary
The Majority Little Shelford is a cheap, stylish and straightforward portable DAB radio.
The build quality isn’t especially high though, so you can’t expect it to last forever.
Read our full review of the Little Shelford here.
2. Roberts Play
The Roberts Play is a small portable radio that features a built-in battery charger so you can charge the batteries while it’s plugged in. It has a decent battery life (roughly 10-15 hours on DAB radio) and takes four AA batteries.
This radio is very easy to use and has an intuitive layout.
You can save 5 preset stations on FM and 5 on DAB and access them quickly using the dedicated preset buttons. This means you don’t have to scroll through a menu like you do on many other DAB radios.
The Play has a simple design and comes in a choice of colours: white, black, grey and blue. It has a rubberised exterior which helps protect it from knocks.
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- 10 preset stations
- Headphone socket
- Built-in battery charger
Dimensions: 16 x 10.5 x 3.5 cm
Weight: 386 g
Battery type: 4 x AA with built-in battery charger
Pros
- Easy to use; intuitively designed
- Built-in battery charger
- Good DAB reception
Cons
- Distorts when you turn it up loud
- No alarm clock
Summary
When it comes to features, the Roberts Play is quite basic, and it doesn’t have an alarm clock unlike many other portable DAB radios. However, it’s a dependable portable DAB radio that offers good value for money.
Read our full review of the Roberts Play here.
3. Roberts Revival Mini RD60
This stylish retro-style radio from Roberts has a very similar design to the Majority Little Shelford, but with higher build quality (and a much higher price).
One of the best things about this radio is that it has a built-in battery charger that will recharge batteries (provided they’re rechargeable) while the radio is plugged into the mains.
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- Line-in socket
- Built-in battery charger
- Carrying handle
- Headphone jack
Dimensions: 18 cm high x 14.5 cm wide x 14.5 cm deep
Weight: 1.1 kg
Battery type: 4 x AA
Pros
- Compact size
- Classy 1950’s-style design
- Easy to use
- Warm sound with good amount of bass
- Charges batteries while in standby mode
Cons
- Expensive given its features
- No alarm clock
Summary
This radio doesn’t have a tonne of features, but this makes it straightforward and easy to use. The sound quality is very good for something so small, and the nostalgic retro design looks great.
However, this radio is quite pricey, especially since it doesn’t have any advanced features such as Bluetooth.
4. John Lewis & Partners Spectrum Solo
The John Lewis Spectrum Solo could be a good choice if you want something very affordable.
The Spectrum Solo doesn’t have a lot of features. For example, it doesn’t have Bluetooth or an alarm clock.
However, it’s straightforward and easy to use. Tuning into your favourite stations is particularly easy as there are 5 dedicated preset buttons on the front.
While the Spectrum Solo doesn’t have a carrying handle, it’s easy to carry around as it weighs just 350 grams and is very compact (16.6 x 9.6 x 9.6 cm).
Like with many portable DAB radios, the batteries don’t last very long (about 10 hours) before they need recharging. This radio takes 4 AA batteries, so it’s not a good choice if you don’t have an AA battery charger.
Unsurprisingly, the Spectrum Solo doesn’t have as good sound quality as good as more expensive alternatives such as the Pure Evoke H4. However, given its small size and low price, it sounds decent.
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- Headphone jack
- 5 preset buttons
Dimensions: 16.6 x 9.6 x 9.6 cm
Weight: 350 g
Battery type: 4 x AA batteries
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Simple and easy to use
- Available in a choice of colours
Cons
- Sound quality could be better
- No alarm clock
- Batteries don’t last very long
Summary
The John Lewis Spectrum Solo is one of the best budget portable DAB radios on the market. It’s quite basic, but it’s cheap and easy to use.
Read our full review of the Spectrum Solo here.
5. Roberts Play 10
The Play 10 is a popular portable DAB radio from respected British brand Roberts.
The Play 10 is one of Roberts’ most affordable digital radios and is a very simple and straightforward product with only the most essential features.
Unlike some of the other radios reviewed here, the Play 10 doesn’t have Bluetooth or an alarm clock. Instead, it focuses on offering the basics and doing them well.
The Roberts Play 10 can be powered with the mains or with 4 AA batteries.
Unlike the Roberts Play reviewed above, it doesn’t have a built-in battery charger. This means that you’ll either need a separate battery charger or you’ll spend a lot of money buying new batteries.
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- Carrying handle
- Headphone jack
- Dedicated preset buttons
Dimensions: 18 x 10.5 x 5.5 cm
Weight: 349 g
Battery type: 4 x AA
Pros
- Simple and easy to use
- Light and easy to carry around
- Good sound for the size
Cons
- Only the most essential features
- Doesn’t charge batteries, unlike the Roberts Play
Summary
The Roberts Play 10 is less convenient as a portable radio than the Roberts Play reviewed above as it doesn’t feature a built-in battery charger.
However, it offers great value for money and is a good choice if you want something small, simple and reliable.
Read our full review of the Play 10 here.
6. AZATOM Spitalfields
The Spitalfields from budget electronics brand AZATOM is a retro-style DAB radio that offers lots of features for the price.
The Spitalfields has several features you won’t find on many other portable radios including independently adjustable bass and treble controls and the ability to set four separate alarms.
Features
- FM/DAB/DAB+ radio
- Built-in rechargeable battery