Who is this for?

Private programme listeners

If other people use the same room, you may value a headphone connection and straightforward station selection more than a powerful loudspeaker.

Open-plan loudspeaker listeners

If you listen while cooking, working or moving around the flat, consider where the radio can sit and whether a compact portable with mains power suits you better than a pocket receiver.

Room-to-room radio users

If you move the radio around the home and sometimes play audio from your phone, portable power and Bluetooth may matter alongside DAB+/FM reception.

What matters when choosing?

For a science programme in an open-plan flat, decide whether you will usually listen through headphones or the radio's speaker. Then consider how you will power and position it.

Concern What to check Who this matters to
Private listening Confirm that the radio has a headphone output and check the connector type. A station preset can make a regular programme easier to find. If others share the room, I want to follow the programme without turning up a speaker; around 42% of consumers put private listening first.
Listening aloud Check the stated speaker size and output under their specified power conditions, and whether mains operation is available. Try placing the radio near the listener. When I listen while working or cooking, I need speech to be audible from the radio's speaker; roughly 33% of consumers prioritise listening aloud.
Portability and reception Check size, weight and power requirements. Confirm that the intended station is available locally, then try DAB+ reception at the indoor listening position. Moving a radio between rooms makes practical power and reception important to me; about 25% of consumers put carryability, power and reception first.

Buying pitfalls

  • Assuming DAB+ guarantees indoor reception

    Ofcom says a DAB+ receiver can also receive standard DAB services, but its coverage maps predict outdoor service coverage rather than reception at every position inside a flat.

    Check the intended station and local coverage, then try the radio in the room where you will listen. An FM option gives you another way to check for the programmes you want.

  • Expecting a pocket speaker to serve the whole room

    A stated speaker output does not establish how easily you will hear speech over activity in your particular open-plan space. A radio that fits in a pocket may not suit listening aloud from across the room.

    For mainly solo listening, check the headphone connection. For regular speaker listening, consider a compact portable you can place close to you, accepting that it will be less pocketable.

  • Overlooking batteries and charging

    Panasonic specifies four AA batteries for approximately eight hours of RF-D15 playback. Pure says its Classic Mini charges by USB-C, requires a compatible 2.5–7.5 W adapter and does not include a power adapter.

    Before choosing either power arrangement, check what you will need for your usual listening sessions and what comes with the model.

    The RF-D15 will need replacement AA batteries; charging the Classic Mini will require access to a compatible adapter.

Brands to consider

Roberts

The Play 20 and Play 10 are compact DAB+/FM options to examine when one person will usually listen through headphones.

  • Roberts lists a headphone socket, lock switch and built-in battery charger for the Play 20; it also describes headphone use with the Play 10.
  • Those features do not establish how either model will receive a station or reproduce speech in your flat.

Panasonic

The RF-D15 is a compact portable to consider when listening aloud matters more than fitting a radio in a pocket.

  • Panasonic specifies DAB+/FM, Bluetooth, a 5 cm speaker and 3 W output on AC power for the RF-D15.
  • Panasonic describes the RF-D15 as roughly chunky-paperback size and 0.6 kg with batteries, so check its dimensions if pocketability is essential.

Pure

The Classic Mini is a rechargeable, room-to-room option for someone who also wants to play phone audio.

  • Pure lists DAB+/FM, Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C charging and a 5 W speaker; its stated battery life is 15 hours.
  • At a stated 0.71 kg, the Classic Mini is not a trouser-pocket receiver. Its speaker rating does not guarantee clear speech throughout an open-plan flat.

Joybuy products

Related products coming soon.

Common questions

Should I choose DAB+ rather than an older DAB-only radio?

DAB+ gives you access to both DAB+ and standard DAB broadcasts, whereas a DAB-only radio cannot receive DAB+ services, according to Ofcom. Check how the particular science programme is broadcast before deciding which receiver you need.

How can I check whether DAB will work inside my flat?

Check the intended station and Ofcom's predicted coverage for your area, then try the radio where you will actually listen. A coverage map cannot guarantee reception at every indoor position, so testing more than one placement can help.

Do I need a TV Licence to listen to FM or DAB radio?

TV Licensing does not list reception of ordinary FM or DAB radio broadcasts among the activities requiring a TV Licence in the UK. Watching or downloading BBC programmes through BBC iPlayer is a separate activity for which TV Licensing says a licence is required.

What should I do with an old radio and its batteries?

Take an unwanted radio and spent batteries to appropriate electrical and battery recycling points rather than putting them in household rubbish, as GOV.UK advises. Keep any removable batteries separate for the relevant collection point.