Cheap Radio

Information

Buying a new radio usually isn’t a big investment, but if you’re going to listen to it every day for the next few years, you want to make the right choice. Whether you’re buying a radio for yourself or as a present, the choice and range of features available can be overwhelming.

Radios used to be fairly simple, but now many offer advanced features such as WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. So how do you know which radio is right for you?

Where can I Find Cheap Radio?

Currys radio deals

You can save a lot on your budget for a cheap radio here at Latest Deals. We have the latest radios for sale, price drops and offers as well as voucher codes and discount codes from online retailers such as Argos, Currys, Amazon and Tesco. So if you’re looking to save on DAB radio, portable DAB radio, pocket DAB radio and retro radio, you will surely find a deal here to suit your budget.

The cost of DAB radios has come down a lot in recent years. It used to be hard to find a DAB for less than £100, but in 2017 there are dozens of DAB radios on the market for less than £50. In fact, there’s almost too much choice, and it can be overwhelming. Our team of money saving experts and community of bargain hunters are always on the lookout to find the best possible deals online to ensure you will get the best savings around.

Argos radio deals

Here are some the best budget radios out there today:

• Roberts Radio Play10, £39 at Amazon. The Play10 is a straightforward, no-nonsense DAB radio that will be fine for most people. It’s affordable and easy to use, and has decent sound quality.
• Goodmans Canvas, £39 at Amazon. The Goodmans Canvas is a great choice if you want an inexpensive yet reliable portable DAB for listening to speech programmes, Radio 4 etc. It doesn’t sound so great for music, so you might want to invest more if you’re a real audiophile.
• Arbury DAB Digital FM Portable Radio, £19.95 at eBay. The Arbury DAB radio is an impressive radio for the price. The Majority brand might not be so well known as brands like Roberts, but this radio offers very good value for money in terms of the features and performance you get.
• MoreAudio Desire DAB Radio, £29.95 at Amazon. The MoreAudio Desire is generally a good product, though there are better alternatives out there. While most people find the MoreAudio desire to be fine, some have had issues with certain features not working properly, though you can use the warranty if you are unlucky with the product you receive.
• Sony XDRS40 Digital Radio, £29.99 at Argos. The Sony XDRS40 offers great clarity of sound for the price. The radio also has better reception on DAB than average. The main drawback with this radio is that it doesn’t have an alarm function.
• KitSound Jive 1950s Style Retro Portable DAB Radio, £68.27 at Amazon. The KitSound Jive is one of the cheapest retro-style DAB radios you can buy. It offers good value for money for the sound alone, though the sound quality could be improved.
• AZATOM Horizon DAB Radio, £34.95 at Amazon. The AZATOM Horizon is one of the best value DAB clock radios you can buy. It offers decent sound quality, some useful alarm functions and even Bluetooth.

Things to Consider When Buying a Radio

Digital radio in the UK, reasons why people choose it over analogue

Budget

The first thing most of us consider when making a purchase is our budget. What can you get for your money?

• Budget Radios. The cost of DAB radios has come down a lot in recent years, so you can now get lots of DAB radio for less than £30. Radios you can get for less than £30 are often good for listening to speech programmes, but probably won’t offer great sound quality unless you use them with high-quality headphones.
• Low to Mid-Priced. If you spend a bit more you can get often more advanced features like Bluetooth connectivity to stream music from your phone. Models in this price range usually have a better build quality and are often more stylish than cheap radios. There are also a lot of good clock radio iPhone docking stations available for less than £50. These radios allow you to charge your iPhone overnight.
• Mid-Priced. If your budget is £80 or above, you can get a really high-quality piece of kit. For this price you should be able to connect your smartphone to the radio via Bluetooth, and also enjoy superior sound quality. Many radios in this price range now offer internet radio, which lets you listen to more than 20,000 stations worldwide using Wi-Fi.
• High-end. Radios over £150 are top-of-the-range models with amazing state-of-the-art features. For this price you can expect WiFi connectivity, DAB+, crisp sound quality and quality engineering.

Analogue vs Digital

DAB radio was introduced in the UK in 2001. It offers a much greater range of channels than analogue (usually around twice as much). The UK has the largest DAB radio network in the world, so it certainly makes sense for British buyers to choose a DAB radio. You’ll also get clearer radio reception, provided you live in an area with good digital radio signal.

Furthermore, DAB radio will allow you to enjoy a greater choice of channels, and digital radios are now available very cheaply, with many good models available for less than £30.

The adage 'a picture speaks a thousand words' has never been more true than with DAB/digital radio usage

Features to Lookout For

To choose the right radio, you need to understand the different features available and decide which you want/need. Here is an explanation of the most common features offered by radios:

• Digital Audio Broadcasting. DAB is an alternative to traditional FM/AM radio. It allows you to listen to roughly double the number of channels you would get on FM/AM. Some channels such as Radio 4 Extra are only available with DAB.
• Bluetooth Streaming. This feature allows you to play music from your smartphone through the radio’s speakers. You could use this to listen to songs you have downloaded, YouTube or online radio.
• Headphone Jack (3.5mm). A 3.5mm headphone jack will allow you to connect earphones to your radio. You can also use it to connect the radio to a smartphone or MP3 player.
• Portability. Some radios are mains operated, while others offer a choice of mains power or battery power. If you need your radio to be portable or want to listen to the radio in the garden, choose a battery-powered radio.
• Style. Radios are available in a huge range of styles, from modern and minimalistic designs.

Size. Think about where you would like to use your radio and how much space you have. Do you want something small and lightweight you can carry in your pocket, or something impressive and sturdy?

Also Read:

• Where to buy a cheap DAB radio
• How to get a cheap TV
• Bargain speakers