A portable radio with DAB/DAB+ and FM gives you two ways to find local broadcasts, but the deciding check is whether your intended station carries travel information when you need it and can be received where you listen. If you already rely on a known FM station, a simpler FM/AM radio may suit you; for power cuts or outdoor use, check how the radio runs away from a socket.
If you return to the same station for travel and community updates, presets can make it easier to find. Confirm the station’s bulletin times and reception in your usual listening area; Ofcom’s DAB maps show predicted coverage, not reception at a particular address.
If you listen away from sockets, check the exact battery type, whether batteries are included and the stated runtime for the model. Replaceable cells and built-in rechargeable batteries call for different plans when you cannot plug in.
If the radio is part of a power-cut plan, choose a power arrangement you can use without mains electricity. The government’s Prepare guidance also advises keeping the frequencies of local and national stations you use for news updates.
Start with your station’s current travel-bulletin schedule and coverage in the places you listen, then choose a power source and controls that suit your routine. Ofcom’s local DAB maps provide predicted coverage, so check the station itself as well as the map.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Station access | Check the intended station’s bulletin times, DAB or FM availability, and coverage where you listen. | If I depend on a particular local bulletin, I need it to air at the right time and reach my listening spot. Around 36% of consumers put station access first. |
| Power away from mains | Check the battery type, whether cells are included, and the stated runtime under relevant listening conditions. | When I listen away from a socket, I need a power source that suits the length of my trip or can be replenished. Roughly 29% of consumers make power independence their main concern. |
| Quick operation | Look for usable presets or a clear tuning dial, and check whether the controls are easy for you to read. | On regular journeys, I want to reach my usual station promptly rather than search through settings. Around 21% of consumers prioritise quick operation. |
| Outdoor and disruption use | Check the stated protection rating, independent power options and whether you can keep station details to hand. | If I keep a radio for outdoor trips or interruptions, I need its power and protection to suit those conditions. Approximately 14% of consumers put resilience first. |
A DAB tuner cannot establish that your chosen station broadcasts a bulletin at the time you need it or that you will receive it along your route. Ofcom’s coverage maps are predictions.
Check the station’s current output and its DAB or FM coverage for your main listening locations before choosing a radio.
Runtime varies by model and listening conditions. Panasonic states approximately eight hours of playtime for the RF-D15 using four AA batteries; that figure should not be applied to other radios.
Check the named model’s battery format, stated runtime and charging arrangement, and keep compatible spares if the radio is part of a power-cut plan.
Pure says the Elan One² can run on four AA batteries, but those batteries are not included.
The Roberts SolarDAB 99 has a rechargeable battery, solar panel and hand-crank charging. Those power options do not establish that it will receive your local station.
If the radio will mainly stay at home or travel in a bag, check its size and everyday controls before deciding whether you need additional charging options.
Roberts offers DAB/DAB+ and FM portable radios with different approaches to everyday and backup use.
The Pure Elan One² is a compact DAB+ and FM option with Bluetooth and presets for repeated listening.
Panasonic’s cited portable models include the DAB+/FM RF-D15 and the analogue FM/AM RF-P150.
Choose DAB/DAB+ and FM if you want access to both bands and your intended stations can be received where you listen. An FM/AM radio may be enough if you have confirmed a suitable local FM station and prefer straightforward analogue tuning.
Find a station that carries the updates when you need them, tune it in your usual listening area and save a preset if the radio has one. If you plan to use the radio during disruptions, keep the station details separately too; the government’s Prepare guidance advises recording frequencies used for news updates.
Replaceable batteries suit you if you want to carry compatible spares, while a built-in rechargeable battery suits a routine with charging access. For either arrangement, check the exact model’s stated runtime and what is included; solar or hand-crank charging is an additional option for some outdoor-oriented radios.
Listening to ordinary broadcasts on a portable radio is not one of the activities TV Licensing identifies as requiring a TV Licence. Its guidance distinguishes this from watching or recording live TV and using BBC iPlayer, for which you need to be covered by a TV Licence.