PRUNUS
$19.99 Price may change
4 videosstephen r waldron
I’m 80 years old. I’ve been a radio guy since I was 10. Listening to radio is amazing. It has the built-in battery and then takes AA reception is awesome. A great value for 20 bucks. I’m back listening to DX again. this little package radio is unbelievable. I’d recommended to anybody.
Karla Gonzalez.
Muy bueno
peekay
Got this for my wife. She uses in her office at work and loves the clarity and that it’s rechargeable.
REB
Great reception on all three bands. Shortwave coverage from 5.9 to 18 Mhz on a single band. Total volume control even at lower volume. Non user replaceable internal rechargeable battery. Takes a usb-c type recharge cable. Also accepts four 'aa' type batteries.
J.D. G.
Nice radio for the money am/fm work fine and sw band works also rechargeable battery works and stays charged for a long time switches to back up AA batteries automatically when dead for longer play time I haven't tried the headphone jack out yet but I imagine it works to
True North Reviews
This review is for the PRUNUS J03C AM FM Radio Portable USB or AA Battery Operated for Home/Outdoor, Large Speaker Excellent Sound, Excellent Reception 19.5 ant, Large Tuning Knobs,Gifts for Seniors
Power and Portability:
• Dual Power Source: This radio is unique because it features a built-in rechargeable battery (charged via USB) but also accepts four AA batteries.
• Shop Use: The speaker is powerful. I use the radio in my workshop.
Usability and Reception:
• Large Print: The frequency scale features large, high-contrast print. This is something older users (like me) will definitely appreciate, as it makes finding your station much easier without needing to hunt for reading glasses.
• Simple Controls: The tuning and volume knobs are large and have a smooth, deliberate feel. There are no complicated menus; just a simple switch for AM/FM and a clear dial.
• Signal Strength: The reception is excellent.
Conclusion: This is a solid, "no-nonsense" radio.
Chelsea Dixon
This is a great little radio! It picks up stations well, without even raising the antenna. You can charge it or use batteries, which is great, so you have options. The volume goes up pretty high for being so little, and turning it all the way down turns it off. It's easy to carry with the handle, which flips up and down smoothly. There is a slot to plug in headphones, too. I do worry it will tip over easily, because it's so light, but overall I think it's a good little radio and would make a good gift for a kid.
StrikeR
I honestly bought this radio just to toss in our hurricane kit, but it has quickly become a daily staple in the garage and kitchen. I was so tired of trying to stream local stations on my phone with spotty Wi-Fi, and this little box just works instantly with zero fuss.
The reception is genuinely impressive—I picked up stations that usually come in full of static on my car radio. The large speaker delivers surprisingly rich sound, so it’s not tinny or annoying to listen to for hours while I’m working. I love the flexibility of being able to plug it in with the USB cord when we’re at home, but knowing I can slap in some AA batteries if the power goes out gives me huge peace of mind.
It’s lightweight enough to carry out to the patio for cookouts, and the tuning knob is smooth and easy to dial in. My son even thinks it’s cool to listen to the baseball games on "old school" radio instead of watching a delayed stream.
K MRS
I really appreciate that this radio can be plugged in via USB or can use 4 AA batteries. This is perfect for emergency use or to just bring outside on the patio. It is super portable and comes with easy to understand instructions. It feels light weight but durable. Highly recommend. Great value for the price.
Sarah Price
Great quality, made well, easy to use and brings back old school memories. This radio is super loud!! The antenna and stations are clear with no static. It's not too big but is a good size. I have it in my kitchen to listen to music while I cook. This radio won't disappoint as it exceeded my expectations! I highly recommend!
Mike Honcho
I was all prepared to give this radio a two star rating. When I picked it up and took it out of the box, the entire package felt like cheap junk. The radio itself was lightweight and one accidental drop from 3 feet would easily shatter the cheap plastic it is made of.
It can use either 4 AA batteries, or you can use the internal rechargeable battery, or just leave it plugged in. It does come with a USB-A to USB-C charger cable (the radio has a usb-c charger input to power the radio and/or charge the internal battery. And although it doesn’t come with its own power block, those are cheap and plentiful. I do like the versatility of the power options of this little lightweight radio.
But, it does feel really cheap. I know you get what you pay for, and this is inexpensive, but I own other radios in this price range that are decidedly more robust in build quality.
However, what matters most is how well it works. I was very surprised at how well it pulls in radio signals! On all bands AM, FM, and shortwave, it does a really good job of receiving signals that are normally weak. This pulls them in pretty well! FM stations that are hit and miss in signal came in loud and clear. The built in antenna does seem to help if you change it’s orientation.
I’ve uploaded a video of the radio tuned to WWV at 15Mhz. I can rarely receive this in the middle of the day, regardless of atmospheric conditions. This one found the station clearly while other radios I own in this price range cannot.
On the down side, because of the analog tuning scale, it’s not easy to tune. AM and FM are what you’d expect, but for short wave, you have about 4 vertical inches to tune the needle between 6 and 18Mhz. You’ve got to scan extremely slowly to find a specific channel, and it’s a guessing game because of the coarse nature of the analog dial. But, like I said, it does pull in signals well.
The speaker is a little better than average for radios in this price range. It’s larger than some similar radios and the speaker is larger as well. It’s doesn’t sound “great”, but you shouldn’t expect it to. It’s more than adequate for a weekend in the garage or for sitting outdoors by the grill.
So, all in all, it’s better than I expected it to be, if you can look past its cheap plastic construction. In the price range, I must admit, it’s one of the better ones I’ve come across. I deducted one star for its lightweight feel. Even if they tricked us and glued lead weights to the inside to increase its heft, that would have instilled more confidence in me (what you don’t know wont hurt you).
I’d say, all in all, you can buy this with confidence knowing you get your moneys worth at this price point.
Ghostwhowalks
Great Radio, this is replacing smaller(tiny) radio. I was hesitant as this as dial to tune to stations, the older one I had allowed me to enter frequency. It needed a upgrade, had been in use for years. This tunes in perfectly, even when there are stations with frequency close to each other. This also has SW band. Evening and nights at lower frequencies (5.9 - 10MHz) you can listen to radios from other parts of the globe. This has a long antenna but it's position is odd. If you need to open or close handle, antenna has to be closed. This has 1800mAh built in. Can be charged via USB C, cable is included. it did not need additional AA battery support. Loud speaker with no distortion even at high volume.
Rachel S
This portable AM/FM radio is a versatile and user friendly option! It features a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 9 hours and can also take 4 AA batteries for backup power. So handy & convenient when the lights go out!
The radio is compact & lightweight and has a foldable handle. It would be perfect for camping trips, using in workshops, or even just to have as an emergency news radio. The large tuning knobs, clear frequency and one button AM/FM switch make it easy for all ages to operate and it gets decent reception with the 19” extendable antenna. It even has a headphone jack! Dont let the small size & price fool you…it’s a very well made & reliable radio and would be a thoughtful gift for most any age!
Pirate
This is a great little radio! It sounds great, picks up all the stations and has the bonus of an internal battery you can charge instead of relying on AAs, which you could bring as a backup! The sound quality is much better than I was expecting for an inexpensive radio, which is a great bonus. The radio itself feels well built, and is small enough to stick in a backpack for a camping trip, or just to have on the window sill!
DH22
There are potentially a lot of pros and cons to this radio but keep in mind that PRUNUS seems to have quite a large selection of radios with different features depending on your wants/needs.
I'm old enough to have used radios plenty earlier in my life but it has been quite some time since I have used them so I don't own other radios to compare it to (in terms reception and audio clarity from the radio signals it's receiving).
I can't quite remember how clear radio signals tend to be but I'd say the clarity is good but not great. Maybe that is normal. It's hard to get a crystal clear station tuned in but I'm getting quite a lot of FM stations where I live that sound great with minimal hiss/static which you mostly only notice during quieter times between songs.
I'd forgotten how convenient it was to be able to seek back and forth to the next station which is unfortunately something that is not possible on this particular radio as the tuning is manual. But it didn't bug me as much as I thought when I first started using it. And as basic as the controls are it also doesn't support presets or much else besides manual tuning and volume as well as switching between AM, FM, and SW. I'm finding almost no channels on SW (note that I have been using this indoors) but I know basically nothing about SW and didn't intend to use it.
I think the main selling point of this radio is the fact it has an internal rechargeable battery and I can say it lasts for quite awhile. I don't know how long exactly because I have not yet had it die on me yet but have listed to it for several hours in row.
The only cable I tried that seems to charge it is the one that is included. So unless you have better luck this does mean you'll need an older USB A type charger rather than USB C. Also have to take extra care to make sure you don't lose the included cable, may want to stick some kind of label on it so you know it does with the radio.
Speaker quality is "good" but obviously at this price point you aren't getting top tier speakers. Also has a headphone jack. They have portable radios that would be better for on the go with headphone use but sounds good with headphones on this model.
It does not have Bluetooth support like some of their other radios. Again aside from having an internal rechargeable battery this is a very barebones radio which is not a bad thing and shouldn't take away from a 5 star rating. Of course I am factoring in price. For the price I think it's deserving of 5 stars and I'm quite happy with it. And as I said they offer plenty of other radio models with varying features, so be sure to browse all their radios and see which one will work best for your needs.
The biggest cons with this is how picky it seems to be about what USB cable you use to charge and also it not having any indication of how much battery power remains. Otherwise it's great.
Sprinkle Kindness Everywhere
I don’t get too excited over many things, but this PRONUS portable radio model J-03C has me thrilled! It is exactly what I was looking for, and I am very glad to have it. It arrived protectively wrapped in retail packaging, and was a joy the second I removed it from the box. The package contained the radio, a charging cable, and a user manual.
My immediate reaction was that this radio is EXCELLENT, and as I scoped it out more closely, I was hard pressed to find anything negative to say about it. As I began to unveil the radio, I took photos, and the one thing that jumped off the page of the user manual was that it has a built in Lithium Battery which is USB C powered. The radio came partially charged, and when plugged in, the CHARGE indicator illuminated in red, and shut off when the charging was complete. It should be noted that this radio can be used when plugged in, but it is primarily powered by the included 1800mAh Lithium battery. In addition, I have the option to install 4 AA batteries, and the radio will automatically switch over when the lithium battery runs out. This is a fantastic feature during a power outage when I cannot recharge it, and want to listen to the emergency broadcasting; plus this radio includes Shortwave band for those times as well.
This radio is incredibly user friendly, and if you have ever used a radio before, then you will most likely not even refer to the user manual before turning the power on. This radio is a perfect compact size, measuring approximately 7.5” wide with the TUNING/VOLUME knobs extending outward another 0.5 inches for an overall length slightly over 8”. The height of the radio is about 5” tall when the handle is in the closed position, and when it is opened, it adds another 1.25” to the overall height. The retractable metal antenna can extend over 19” in length, and can rotate 360 degrees around. The radio is approximately 2 3/8” in depth. The radio is lightweight and fits in my hand easily, plus the integrated handle makes it easy to tote around. It is primarily made of plastic, but the protective grill over the speaker is made of metal. The front displays the channel indicator showing the 3 bands (FM, AM, SW) in large clear print with a simple to use selector switch. On the end of the unit are two easy to use round knobs, one for TUNING, and one for VOLUME, both clearly labeled and easy to read. In addition, there is a headphone jack if I prefer, and the USB C charging port. This radio rests solidly on its flat base.
When I first turned the radio on, it was already set to a channel, and everyone in the room was instantly impressed. I switched channels without any issues, and reception was fabulous without even needing the antenna. The volume was simple to adjust, and loud enough that there was no need to turn it all the way up. My family commented on how great it sounds with it being crisp and clear, and when turned up a little higher could be heard over the television with the volume turned up to 100. This radio packs a punch yet can be adjusted to your preference.
The user manual measures approximately 4.25” x 6.25” and the printing is not only clear, but easy to see large print, and the information is well communicated in English. It includes contact information for the company as well if need be. The box shows that the radio is CE, FC, and ROHS certified, and the product is recyclable.
If there were anything negative I could say about this product, it would be that there is no battery level indicator to let me know when it needs to be charged. Also, I do not know if the rechargeable battery is replaceable when that time comes.
Overall I am super impressed by this radio! I was looking for something like this to use in my garage, but it is so handy, that I may need another one. I will certainly be interested to scope out the rest of the PRONUS product line, and their future offerings. At the current selling price of $21.99 this radio is definitely a winner. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
E.B.Freed
I absolutely love this AM/FM radio! The sound quality is fantastic—rich, clear, and surprisingly powerful for such a compact device. The antenna gets excellent range and pulls in stations with crisp clarity, even in areas where reception is usually hit‑or‑miss. It’s exactly what I needed for places where Wi‑Fi is nonexistent.
This is going to be perfect at the campgrounds, where streaming isn’t an option, and I’m already looking forward to bringing it along to the beach for some easy listening without worrying about a signal. The portability is great, and it feels sturdy enough to handle being tossed in a bag without any issues.
One of the best features is the flexibility: I love that it’s rechargeable but can also run on regular batteries. That makes it super reliable whether I’m at home, outdoors, or anywhere in between. It’s the kind of device you don’t realize you needed until you have it—and now I don’t want to be without it.
Overall, it’s a great little radio with impressive sound, great range, and the perfect mix of convenience and durability.
Houston
Pros:
+Can be powered by 4 standard AA batteries and can use rechargeables.
+Can be powered via internal rechargeable battery for up to 9 hours.
+Can be powered and charged via a standard USB-C connection.
+Has a large 4 inch speaker.
+Supports AM, FM and SW.
+Has headphone jack.
+Tuner and volume control knobs are fairly large and operate smoothly.
+Has a true off switch, so there is no parasitical draw on the battery.
+Has carry handle.
+Very lightweight and easy to transport.
Cons:
-Internal rechargeable battery is not user replaceable.
-Feet do not sit level on the table, allowing radio to wobble.
-Speaker is not tinny, but is a little bit fatiguing if listening at louder sound levels over a long period of time.
-Antenna is a little too thin and weak and can bend easily.
-Lacks weather band.
-Lacks MicroSD or USB audio playback.
-Lacks tuner LED.
This is another great radio from PRUNUS. I've also got the previous version of this radio and I was glad to see this version add support for the shortwave band. Now the only thing missing is support for the Weather Band.
I like that this radio can be powered by 4 standard AA batteries, but I would have really liked to have seen the internal rechargeable battery to be user replaceable like in many of my other portable radios. They could have easily included a user replaceable 18650 that could have been easily swapped out.
I like the large 4 inch speaker, which is better than most radios in this size class, but the tonal quality is such that it can still get a little fatiguing to listen to at higher volume levels for very long. I have another radio with a 4 inch speaker that doesn't suffer from this issue.
As with most modern Chinese produced radios, the FM reception is good, the AM reception is mediocre and the SW reception is fairly good.
Probably my biggest gripe with this radio is that they chose to go with a thin and easily bendable antenna. I would have liked to have seen a thicker and more robust antenna included on this radio.
Overall, at the current asking price of $21.99, I would rate this as a good value for the money for what you are getting and I would recommend this radio to others.
i4fabfash
I got this for my mom.she’s been telling me,she needs to get a radio,.we’ve had alot of power outages, so she wanted a radio,so she could listen to the news., also ,she sews daily and wanted a radio to listen to music,while sewing., she loves this little radio! It’s super light,good quality sound,big buttons and easy to use.,this radio has a chargeable battery plus,a second battery source that uses Aa batteries., the best thing I like about this radio?! It uses the chargeable battery first,when it runs out? It goes directly to the battery. For21.00? Is a very fair price!! I fully recommend this radio, it’s totally worth it!! Mom and I,are very satisfied and happy with it!!!
ShopperProfileGC
This is a decent AM/FM/SW Radio. It has many good things going for it at it's budget price point.
First off, I'm very happy about the addition of Shortwave functions in a portable radio. For emergency purposes especially. These are vital bands to have available to you.
AM/FM performance is decent. The antenna picks up most signals available clearly when relatively close to the station transmitter/towers. It doesn't perform as well as more expensive Shortwave radios which is to be expected at this price point.
The quality of the plastic is average. This is not a radio you can drop without expecting to break something. Even at short distances you should expect some damage and/or cracking to occur if you ever accidentally drop it off a counter, for example. It's just not very sturdy. Not incredibly cheap but average to below average on the plastic quality.
One thing this radio has going for it though is the battery. You have not one but TWO battery options and the radio will use the 'internal' battery first then move on to the optional 4-AA batteries. You can expect several hours or more of radio play.
The display is easy to read. Stations tune easily too. The knobs aren't too loose. As far as basic function goes, it's a great quality radio. As far as plastic, fit and finish goes...below average. The battery life is stellar. That's why the overall review averages to 3-stars. I can't in good faith give 4 or 5 to something w/plastic this frail but if you aren't the type to drop it...you should be very happy with your purchase. Those more clumsy (like me) are best to find something with ruggedized plastic at a higher price point. For a budget radio though, the battery life alone makes up for it's flaws.
$19.99
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