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Summary: |
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The Mpow Radio Alarm Clock is an inexpensive clock radio with a compact design. It would fit easily on a bedside table, and has a large LED display that displays the time.
This is one of the most popular clock radios in the UK at the moment, but how does it perform? Find out in this review…
Features
- AM/FM radio with 20 presets on both bands
- Dual alarm clock (set 2 separate alarms) with snooze function
- Dimmable LED display
- Sleep timer (10-90 minutes)
Dimensions: 13.5 cm wide x 6 cm high x 6 cm deep
Weight: 399 g
Performance and use
The Mpow Radio Alarm Clock is easy to set up and use, and the alarm in particular is straightforward and easy to set and change. Many clock radios have complicated procedures for setting and changing the alarm, but on this unit it’s quite simple.
The alarm is reliable and the time will remain accurate in the event of a power cut if you put batteries in it. You can set the alarm to use the radio or a buzzer sound, and it starts quietly and gradually gets louder. One disappointing thing about the alarm is that you can’t program it to sound on particular days.
While it has a digital display, it’s important to note that it doesn’t have digital radio, only AM and FM. The radio has a wire antenna which can be uncoiled and taped to the wall to improve the reception. Reception isn’t great, and it might pick up fewer stations than the average radio would. You might need to extend the wire antenna and experiment with positioning it in different places.
The radio has a sleep timer which can be set from 10 to 90 minutes so you drift off to sleep without having to worry about switching the radio off. Unfortunately there isn’t a headphone socket on this radio so you can’t listen privately.
The LED screen is large and easy to read, and it can also be dimmed so it won’t keep you awake at night. Rather than using auto-dimming you have to manually adjust the brightness of the LED screen using the dimmer button.
The time is displayed in 12-hour format only, with no option to set it to 24-hour format. This might be an issue if you’re used to reading the time in 24-hour format.
Pros
- Good radio reception
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
- Clock display is large and easy to read
- Display can be dimmed so it’s not bright at night
- Feels sturdy and well made
Cons
- No DAB radio
- Alarm can’t be set to specific days
- No headphone jack
- Clock is only available in 12-hour format
Verdict
The Mpow Radio Alarm Clock
Alternative clock radios
One very similar clock radio is the Aeterna FM Radio Alarm Clock
If you’d prefer a clock radio with DAB radio you should consider the Majority Fulbourn
For some more options see our roundup of the best clock radios in the UK.