The RF-D20BT is a budget-priced FM/DAB radio from well-known Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic. It offers Bluetooth and a splash-proof design, which set it apart from many other radios in this price range. Find out more about what the Panasonic RF-D20BT can do and how it performs in this review…

Features

Dimensions: 15 cm high x 10 cm deep x 9 cm wide
Weight: 600 g

Performance and use

The RF-D20BT has good sound quality for a small radio and offers a choice of 5 EQ settings: Heavy, Soft, Clear, Vocal and Flat. It also has a decent amount of volume when plugged into the mains. You can power it with 3 AA batteries, but the volume when running on batteries is substantially lower.

The battery life is quite poor, which is a common problem with portable DAB radios since DAB radio uses more power than FM radio. This can be quite inconvenient since the RF-D20BT doesn’t have a built-in rechargeable battery and won’t recharge the AA batteries it uses, so you need to recharge them or replace them yourself.

This radio has a Bluetooth receiver, which means you can stream audio from a phone, tablet or laptop through the radio’s speakers. According to the user manual (available online here), the Bluetooth range is 10 metres. The radio doesn’t have a Bluetooth transmitter though, so you can’t use it with Bluetooth headphones or Bluetooth speakers.

The controls are located on top of the radio and include a rotary dial for the volume and 5 dedicated buttons for accessing preset stations. Saving a preset station is easy: you just hold down one of the preset buttons while listening to the station you want to save. There’s also a Bluetooth button that you can use to easily pair up to 8 Bluetooth devices.

The buttons aren’t very responsive and require quite a lot of pressure to press down. This means the radio isn’t ideal for those with arthritis or rheumatism. The volume control wheel also isn’t very responsive, and the quietest volume settings are still a bit too loud for listening to in bed without disturbing other people.

The Panasonic RF-D20BT has an alarm clock that lets you choose to wake up to either an alarm buzzer sound or a radio station. There’s also a sleep timer which can be set from 30 to 120 minutes.

The radio has an extendable antenna which you can adjust to improve the reception. The display also has a signal strength indicator.

This radio has an IPX3 water resistance rating. This means it should be able to withstand being sprayed with 60° C water at a rate of 10 litres per minute and a pressure of 80-100kN/m for 5 minutes. You should still avoid getting it wet, but it should be fine to keep in the bathroom when using batteries.

Verdict

The Panasonic RF-D20BT has an attractive design and good sound quality for its size. It can also be turned up quite loud when plugged into the mains, and the splash-proof design is a nice feature. However, it does have some serious flaws. The controls aren’t very responsive and require quite a bit of force to use. The battery life is also poor, which means it’s not ideal for using in the bathroom (where you wouldn’t want to have it plugged into the mains).

For the price, the Panasonic RF-D20BT is a good radio, but be aware of its limitations before buying it.

Similar radios

Another affordable portable DAB radio from a well-known brand is the Roberts Play 10. It doesn’t have an alarm or Bluetooth, but it performs very well as a basic portable radio for listening to around the house.

One option with a few more features is the AZATOM Multiplex which has Bluetooth, stereo sound, a USB charging point and a dual alarm clock. The AZATOM Multiplex also has a built-in rechargeable battery, which is more convenient than having to use AA batteries.

For some more options see our roundups of the best portable radios and the best bathroom radios.

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The Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K is a stylish micro hi-fi with FM and digital radio, Bluetooth and a CD player. This hi-fi offers a lot of features for the price, but how does it perform? Find out in this review…

Features

Dimensions: 40 cm high x 19.7 cm wide x 10.7 cm deep
Weight: 1.9 kg

Performance and use

The Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K is modern-looking and has a compact design, so it can easily fit in a small space. It’s easy to set up, and comes with an instructions manual (available online here).

This hi-fi doesn’t have a lot of bass, and sounds a bit tinny. There are a few preset EQ options available, but none of them have much bass. The sound is fine for a kitchen or bedroom, but the hi-fi doesn’t have much power so it’s not ideal for a bigger room.

The aerial for the radio is a cable rather than a metal telescopic aerial, and some people will prefer to replace this with an external aerial. The DAB reception can be hit and miss, and you might need to adjust the position of the hi-fi to get the best reception. You can save 30 preset radio stations, though setting and accessing them is quite fiddly.

This hi-fi has lots of useful features including a remote control, a CD player and a USB port, which can be used to play MP3 files from a USB drive (but not a smartphone). The hi-fi also has Bluetooth so you can stream audio through the hi-fi’s speakers from your phone or other device.

One major drawback to this hi-fi is that it doesn’t have a headphone jack, and you can’t use it with Bluetooth headphones either.

Verdict

The Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K looks great and offers a lot of features for the price. However, it has some serious flaws such as the lack of a headphone jack and limited bass. If you want a versatile and compact hi-fi for the bedroom or kitchen, this product is a good choice, but be aware of its limitations.

Similar Products

One of the most similar products to the Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K is the Panasonic SC-HC195EB-K, which is essentially a cheaper version of the SC-HC297EB-K with fewer features. The major difference is that the SC-HC297EB-K has DAB/DAB+ radio and Bluetooth whereas the SC-HC195EB-K does not.

One of Panasonic’s best micro hi-fi systems is the Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS, which is a very affordable hi-fi with DAB radio, Bluetooth, a CD player and a compact, modern design.

Another popular option is the Sony CMT-X3CD Micro Hi-Fi System, which has a sleek and thin design, offering a CD player, Bluetooth and FM radio all packed into a small box.

For some more options see our roundup of the best radio CD players.

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The Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS is a popular micro hi-fi system with DAB radio, a CD player and Bluetooth. The SC-PM250BEBS offers a lot of features for the price, but how does it perform? Find out in this review…

Features

Dimensions: 18.4 cm wide x 12.3 cm high x 22.8 cm deep (unit), 22.3 cm high x 13.8 cm wide x 13.7 cm deep (speakers)
Weight: 1.1 kg

Performance and use

The Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS is very small and compact, so if you’re expecting a full-size hi-fi you will be disappointed. The compact size make it a good choice for the kitchen or bedroom, but the 20 watts of power mean it should have enough volume for any room in the house.

The sound quality is very good for the price, with plenty of bass and a lot of detail in the higher frequencies. You can adjust the bass and treble to get a sound you like, and the hi-fi includes Panasonic’s XBS Master technology which helps boost the bass.

The CD player responds quickly and doesn’t make any noticeable noise while playing discs. The tray feels a bit flimsy, but that’s common with hi-fis in this price range.

This product is quite versatile with FM/DAB/DAB+ radio, a CD player, a USB port for playing music from an external drive and Bluetooth. Bluetooth is easy to use, and it pairs easily with a phone. You also get a remote control, though it is small and only has a few buttons so its functionality is limited.

One area where the Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS falls behind is in radio reception. The aerial is below average quality, and you might need to invest in a separate aerial to pick up DAB stations with a good signal. Having said that, lots of people find the Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS’s aerial works well, and if you live in an area with strong reception it will probably be fine.

Verdict

The Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS packs in a lot of features for the price, and has great sound quality for a budget hi-fi. This product is great for CDs and Bluetooth but the DAB aerial is below average quality. The hi-fi also lacks a headphone jack. However, if you can live with those two big drawbacks, this is a great entertainment system for the price.

Similar products

One similar micro hi-fi system from Panasonic is the SC-HC297EB-K. It has similar features to the SC-PM250BEBS including a CD player, Bluetooth, a USB port and digital radio. The big difference is that the Panasonic SC-HC297EB-K has a much slimmer design, and can be mounted to the wall to save space.

Another good alternative is the Majority Oakington, which is a budget-priced radio CD player with lots of features including Bluetooth, two USB ports and an alarm clock. The Oakington also has a headphone jack, unlike the  Panasonic SC-PM250BEBS .

For some more options see our roundup of the best radio CD players in the UK.

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The Panasonic 2400EB-K is a simple and inexpensive portable AM/FM radio. It could be a good choice for people who want a traditional AM/FM radio rather than a digital radio. This radio can be mains powered or used with 4 x AA batteries. Let’s see what it can do…

Features

Dimensions: 23.4 cm wide x 12.2. cm high x 8.2 cm deep
Weight: 680 g

Performance and use

The Panasonic 2400EB-K is very easy to use. Unlike modern DAB radios, it uses an analogue tuning knob that will be instantly familiar to anyone born before 1990! There’s also an LED light that shows when you’ve found the right frequency. Reception is very good, and it’s great for picking up AM stations.

This radio feels sturdy and well made, and has a reassuring weight to it without being too heavy to carry. The design isn’t particularly unique, but it’s not unattractive.

The Panasonic 2400EB-K sounds very good for an inexpensive small radio. It’s crisp and clear, and can be turned up fairly loud.

Verdict

The Panasonic 2400EB-K is ideal if you want a straightforward, no-frills AM/FM radio for less than £30. Provided you don’t want a digital radio, you will likely be very satisfied with this radio. This radio is great for elderly people or anyone else who wants a simple analogue radio.

Similar radios

If you’re not sure about the Panasonic 2400EB-K, you could consider the Roberts R9993. Like the Panasonic radio reviewed here, it’s a straightforward analogue radio. One difference is that the Roberts R9993 also offers LW.

For some more AM/FM radios to consider, check out our roundup of the best AM/FM radios.

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The Panasonic RF-D10EB-K is a small portable FM/DAB radio that can be plugged into the mains or used with 4 x C batteries. It’s a moderately priced radio with an attractive metallic design. Let’s take a closer look…

Features

Dimensions: 24.4 cm wide x 14.2 cm high x 9.2 cm deep

Performance and use

The Panasonic RF-D10EB-K is easy to set up—you simply plug it in, turn it on and it will automatically scan and find digital radio stations. This radio generally has better than average reception on DAB and FM, though this varies a great deal depending on where you use it.

On FM, the radio uses RDS to display the station name, which DAB does by default anyway. This is useful as you instantly know what station you’re listening to.

One of the best things about this radio is that it has 10 individual buttons on the top that let you instantly access your 10 saved preset radio stations. Many radios let you save more than 10 stations, but you normally have to access them by scrolling slowly through list. The Panasonic RF-D10EB-K makes it quick and easy.

This radio sounds clear, and has 5 EQ presets to choose from, so if you’re not happy with the default tone you can change it. The radio also goes quite loud for a radio of its size, though there isn’t much bass or depth to the sound.

Verdict

The Panasonic RF-D10EB-K isn’t the most attractive DAB radio, but it offers dependable performance at a fair price. It holds DAB reception well compared to similar radios, and sounds crisp and clear. If you’re looking for something functional and reliable, the Panasonic RF-D10EB-K is a good buy.

Similar radios

One similar radio is the Sony XDRS60. This radio is more expensive than the Panasonic RF-D10EB-K, but has more bass and can be turned up louder. This makes it a good buy if you’re looking for something more substantial that can fill a larger room.

If you’d like something cheaper, you could consider the Roberts Radio Play10, which is one of the most popular portable DAB radios in the UK at the time of writing. It takes AA batteries, which are cheaper and more readily accessible than the C batteries used by the Panasonic RF-D10EB-K. It’s smaller and less powerful, but is a good choice if you’re looking for something cheap and compact.

For some more options, see our roundup of the best portable DAB radios.

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