Tune-in to the Top 10: The best DAB radios under £50 (UK)

Audiophiles on a budget frequently find themselves searching for the best DAB radio under £50. Although you often get what you pay for in the technology radio, taking your time to explore your options should mean you can get the best cheap DAB radio, without losing out on performance.

In today’s review of the best value DAB radio products money can buy, we’ll be comparing items based on their blend of affordability and excellence. Though these radios might not have all the latest features, they’re guaranteed to give you a good listening experience, without breaking the bank.

Who said that finding the best value DAB radio had to be tough?

1. Little Shelford (Majority)

The Little Shelford from Majority is one of the most impressive DAB radios under £50 today. Not only is it available for £34.95 at the time of writing, but it comes in a wide selection of colours, from red and green, to blue and white, so you can find something to suit your style.

Both mains and battery-powered for extra portability, the Little Shelford gives you the freedom to listen to your tunes whenever and wherever you like. There’s a warranty included for full technical support for up to 36 months (3 years), and you get a micro USB port so you can even attach your radio to your phone.

Features:

• DAB/ DAB+ and FM radio
• Bluetooth and USB connectivity
• Headphone jack
• Portable battery power or mains powered
• Sleep timer and dual alarm clock
• 20 pre-set stations
• Warranty included

The thing we love most about this radio is how attractive it is. The design is very similar to a Roberts radio, with a retro appeal, and a unique profile. What’s more, you get pretty decent audio quality from this machine too, particularly when you consider how cheap it is.

As one of the most popular options on the market for the best DAB radios under £50, the Little Shelford is brimming with style and practicality. Just make sure you stock up on spare batteries before you take this out on an adventure.

2. Evoke D1 portable (Pure)

We’ve reviewed a handful of Pure radios in the past here at Radio Fidelity, and we’re always impressed by their quality and performance. The Evoke D1 portable, available for around £40 from Amazon, is a robust and reliable digital radio that’s part of the Evoke series. Designed for compact versatility, the Evoke D1 comes with a kitchen timer, 20 station presents to choose from, and an optional ChargePAK for portability.

If you’re looking for the best budget DAB radio from a brand that you can trust, Pure’s Evoke D1 is a great contender. It’s digital tick approved, and all Pure products come with a 3-year warranty too, so you know that you’re protected if anything goes wrong with your kit.

Features:

• Stylish, portable design
• Optional ChargePAK
• 20 station presets
• Kitchen timer and sleep timer
• Alarm and snooze
• Headphone socket and USB

This is a super stylish option in our list for the best DAB radios under £50, with a sleek appearance that feels similar to anything you’d get from the Pure brand. There’s a range of colour finishes to choose from, although some cost slightly more than others — so keep that in mind. Unfortunately, although this kit is portable, it doesn’t come with a carry handle to make transporting it easier.

3. Play 10 (Roberts Radio)

Roberts is another brand that we love to review here at Radio Fidelity. The company always seems to deliver the perfect combination of classic style and stunning audio performance. While the Roberts Radio Play 10 isn’t the most advanced model on the market, it is one of the best cheap DAB radio options we’ve seen, coming in at just over £30.00.

If you’re looking for a high-quality radio that’s easy to use and even easier to transport – then you’ll love the Play 10. With a carry strap included and battery power available, you can take this tool with you wherever you go. One of the nicest things about this radio is that the dedicated preset buttons mean you can instantly tune into your favourite shows in a matter of seconds. Plus, there’s a dedicated headphone socket, so you can listen privately.

Features:

• DAB, DAB+ and FM wavebands
• Multiple presets to choose from
• Carry handle and battery power
• Headphone socket included
• Excellent customer service from Roberts
• Mains power available

The Roberts Play 10 is a simple and stylish radio that will look perfect on any bedside table or kitchen counter. Not only will this kit give you excellent audio quality, it won’t break the bank either. When it comes to choosing a great DAB radio under £50, Roberts really ticks all of our boxes.

For a no-nonsense radio that you can rely on to get the job done, the Roberts Play 10 is one of the best budget DAB radio options we’ve seen. The sound quality is surprisingly good when you consider how low the price is, and you get an attractive design too, so you’ll be proud to carry this kit with you when you’re on the go.

4. Blackfriars Retro (Azatom)

The AZATOM brand might not be as well-known in the UK as Roberts, Ruark, or Sony, but don’t underestimate this company’s ability to deliver an amazing DAB radio under £50. The Blackfriars Retro is a highly attractive radio, similar in style to the Little Shelford above. The main difference in design is that there’s a wooden casing on the Blackfriars that adds to its rustic appearance.

With advanced DAB and DAB+ connectivity, the Blackfriars radio ensures that you can connect to all of your favourite stations with ease. What’s more, unlike many of the best DAB radios under £50 on the market today, this model comes with a subwoofer built-in to give greater depth to your sound. There’s also a built-in rechargeable battery, so if you want to take your radio with you on the move, you don’t have to spend a fortune on replacement batteries all of the time.

Features:

• DAB, DAB+ and FM connectivity
• Subwoofer for amazing sound
• Rechargeable battery built-in
• 3 year warranty included
• Attractive classic design
• Remote control for easier searching

One thing we loved about the Blackfriars is the fact that it comes with its own remote control, so you can easily search for your favourite stations when you’re sat on the couch and your radio is on the other side of the room. It’s also nice to know that you’ve got a 3-year warranty included with your kit – just in case.

5. Oxford DAB and FM radio (Goodmans)

If you’re a radio connoisseur, then you’ve probably heard of the Goodmans brand before. The company is well-known throughout the UK for its unique retro designs and compelling audio. Though most high-quality retro radios come with a significant price point attached to them, the Goodmans Oxford radio goes against that trend.

With a beautiful design that’s sure to convince your friends that you’ve spent a fortune, the Goodmans Oxford radio is available for just under £50. It’s not the cheapest option we’ve seen on our list of the best DAB radios under £50, but it is one of the most attractive. Just keep in mind that most of the machine is made from moulded plastic, so it does feel a little cheaper when you pick it up.

Features:

• DAB, DAB+ and FM connectivity
• Aux in headphone socket
• Pleasing retro styling
• Preset station options
• Exceptional clarity in audio

There’s a lot more to this radio from Goodmans than meets the eye. There’s a little more treble with the audio than you’d get from most higher-end models, but the sound is very crisp and clear overall. It’s nice that the kit comes with a handy carry handle that you can use to take it with you around town too, in case you’re looking for a portable radio to take to the park or beach.

6. XDR-241D (Sony)

Easily one of the best-selling digital radios we’ve seen on the market today, this Sony XDR-S41D is an amazing option for anyone in search of the best DAB radio under £50. It’s not the most attractive radio that we’ve reviewed so far, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. This particular model is great for your kitchen windowsills or bathrooms where you don’t have a lot of space, thanks to its lightweight and slim design.

Perfect for portability, the Sony comes with a battery or AC power adapter, so you can choose how you want to listen — although it does soak up a lot of energy from 4 AA batteries. There’s also a headphone jack included so you can listen to your favourite shows without distracting anyone else around you too.

Features:

• Handy LCD display
• 5 Preset buttons
• Headphone jack included
• AC or battery power
• Sleep and wakeup timer

The XDR-S41D comes with all the dependable functionality and design prowess that you would expect from a leading brand like Sony. It’s one of the best portable DAB radios under £50, and it comes with excellent functionality, even if it’s not the most stylish model on the market. We’d say that this option is great for people who prefer function over form.

7. Petersfield-Go (Majority)

If you’re looking for the best budget DAB radio that does more than just play your favourite FM and DAB channels, then you might want to take a look at the Petersfield. This fantastic product comes with access to all of your favourite radio stations, but it also doubles up as a sort of MP3 player too. The Petersfield-Go clips onto your pocket or jeans, so you can use it as you walk around.

Unlike the other products on this list, this radio isn’t going to win any awards for keeping you entertained at your garden or beach parties. However, it does come with headphones included so you can start listening straight away, and you can store stations to access them at the touch of a button.

Features:

• Fully portable design
• FM, DAB and DAB+ RADIO
• Up to 20 preset stations
• Earphones included
• Excellent sound quality

Majority has taken a unique approach to designing the bet portable DAB radio under £50 here, by appealing specifically to the people who want to listen to their radio when they’re exploring, or just working out. You can also expect up to 12 hours of playback from every charge, which makes this radio a great choice for all-day use.

8. Pop Maxi portable (Pure)

We’re heading back to the experts at Pure for our next choice on our list of the best DAB radios under £50. At the time of writing, this Pure Pop Maxi Portable digital radio is available for just under £50 at around £49.95. There are a handful of colours to choose from, including purple, grey, and a soft duck egg blue, so you’re sure to find something that suits you.

Like most of the radios from Pure, the Pop Maxi portable is an elegant and stylish affair, part of the compact Pop family of products. The kit comes with high-clarity sound, and there’s even Bluetooth connectivity so you can wirelessly sync your phone to your radio and play your own music collection on the go.

Features:

• Multiple colour options
• Digital tick approved
• 2 alarms included
• Kitchen and sleep timer
• 20 presets
• Bluetooth connectivity

The Pop Maxi is a surprisingly robust portable radio, and one of the most feature-rich options if you’re looking for the best budget DAB radio with plenty of functionality. The kit can last for up to 14 hours with 4 AA batteries, or you can upgrade to a ChargePAK for 30 hours of playback on the move.

9. Woodlands DAB (Azatom)

Another great option from AZATOM, the Woodlands radio is a stunning portable DAB kit with an attractive wood effect that helps it to stand out from the crowd. This beautiful product is one of the newer radios on the market from AZATOM, as it only arrived in 2018, but it’s still a cheap solution for just over £40.

If you’re looking for the best DAB radio for under £50 that comes with a subwoofer built-in, Bluetooth connectivity, and a rechargeable battery, the Woodlands should tick all of your boxes. This amazing radio even comes with a remote control for easier use!

Features:

• Excellent DAB, DAB+ and FM performance
• Subwoofer built-in
• Rechargeable battery pack
• Bluetooth for wireless connectivity
• Remote control
• Portable design
• Three year warranty

Stylish and brimming with high-tech features, the AZATOM Woodlands is probably one of the best value DAB radios that we’ve seen. Not only do you get great audio, but you can even sync your phone to your radio to play your favourite songs too.

10. Histon II (Majority)

Finally, let’s take a look at one more digital radio from Majority. It seems as though this brand has a lot of options to offer when it comes to searching for the best cheap DAB radio. If you’re searching for quality sound and you don’t have a lot of cash to spend, it might be a good idea to check out Majority before you look into other brands.

This Histon II radio comes with everything you need from a bedside companion, including dual alarm clocks and a snooze function. You can either power the product with mains electricity or batteries, and there are 20 preset station options to choose from, so you can find the content that you want as quickly as possible. There’s also a warranty lasting for up to 3 years!

Features:

• DAB, DAB+, and FM
• 20 preset stations to choose from
• Dual alarm clock and snooze functions
• Warranty of 3 years included
• Mains or battery-powered
• Portable design

The Histon isn’t the most attractive radio we’ve seen in our search for the best digital radio under £50, but it does have plenty of functionality and practicality to offer. Great for those in search of compact and reliable performance, the Histon will get the job done wherever you go.

Choosing the best DAB radio under £50

Finding the best DAB radio under £50 might feel like a challenge at first. Fortunately, as technology becomes more affordable, countless manufacturers are creating some of the best value DAB radios we’ve seen for some time.

As you can see from the list of the best cheap DAB radios above, anyone can get a great readio these days. You don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune to get a radio that’s both portable and brimming with excellent features like Bluetooth connectivity, alarm clocks, and sleep functions. All you need is to decide what kind of features you’re looking for and jump into the search.

We found all of the radios that we covered above to be reliable, and surprisingly impressive when it came to audio quality — particularly given their low price points. We were particularly fond of the Pop Maxi Portable from Pure, which combined stunning design with state-of-the-art functionality and Bluetooth connectivity.

We hope you find your perfect budget radio in the list of DAB radios under £50 above. If not, let us know if you find a worthier contender!

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