A Nice Pocket Size Radio... that works better on FM, than AM.
This portable handheld AM/FM Radio is very lightweight and is about the size of a deck of cards. It runs on (2) AA batteries (not included) but unfortunately it is not very versatile. The AM band stations are impossible to hear or tune in, due to the over abundance these days of EMF/wireless and other types of signal interference. But the controls are simple and easy to use, with an on/off/volume dial and a radio frequency dial-in type tuning, with a radial dial.
The sound is decent, but has a crisp, high Mid Range sound that is thin, but is easy to listen to and understand. I like the headphone jack for quiet listening, the telescopic antenna, as well as a green LED 'Signal Lock' indicator on the front of the unit. The appearance of this unit is nice. With an all black plastic body and a thick, white plastic rim around the front of the radio.
M
Meleah&Shane
★★★★★
Works really well, sound quality exceeded my expectations.
This is such a well refined pocket radio. The plastics are robust and thick enough to last a while. The numbers in the picture look jumbled but it's only the angle of the picture. The numbers are clean and clear to see. Takes 2 AA size batteries. I used a rechargeable set. The antenna is a classic telescopic steel variety and snaps into place well and does a great job getting stations. The dial zone is long and you can easily tune into dozens of stations with no problems at all. The dial has a premium feel when cycling through and stays tightly in place wherever you set it. This has a pretty loud speaker for its size and sounds excellent. On the front, there is a green led hidden in one of the black holes that lights up solid when you have the strongest signal. This is perfect for a gift for pretty much anyone who likes to hike or do outdoor activities. This is AM/FM so being able to have music anywhere on the go, is a pretty good value for the money. No subscriptions to pay, just throw some batteries in a have it ready anytime anywhere. This is definitely a good deal and priced competitively. Came well packaged with a manual and a lanyard.
Nancy C.
★★★★★
Great little travel radio, portable and has good speaker that gets loud, takes 2 AA --- AM and FM.
Great little portable retro style radio, perfect for travel, pocket or anywhere --- works on just two AA batteries. Has a long antennae for the AM and FM stations, actually gets quite a few where I am. There is a dial on the right side that changes the stations, and an earphone jack; while the left side has the AM/FM selector and volume dial, which turns on the radio when you turn on the volume.
Radio is very easy to use, of course, I'm from that generation that had radios only growing up....so it's a definite throwback old skool kind of item to have and cherish! Sound is good, whole radio is a speaker on the front and can get pretty loud. The right front side has the stations both AM/FM with the numbers, the larger outer numbers on the outer ring from 520 to 1710 are for AM and inner smaller circle numbers from 87-108 are for FM. Perfect companion for listening to sports, music on the go/free and for emergencies (weather announcements).
Comes with a lanyard for optional easy carrying, whole radio measures 4.72" wide x 2.56" tall x 0.98" thick --- pretty lightweight but feels good in hand. Recommend if you're looking for a simple radio that works, great low price for the nostalgia factor.
Katherine E Ambrose
★★★★★
Add to Cart!
This was an instant hit in my house.
My adult teen was fascinated as she's never seen a real radio except for in the car. There's no wifi or cable needed or cell data needed, just two AA batteries.
My husband has claimed it for himself, though. He plans to use it as part of our emergency supplies, but he also took it out in the yard to keep him company.
We were all surprised at how great the reception and volume are. The speaker sounds impressive, the dial is easy to use, the volume works, the antenna folds down, and it has both AM and FM.
For me, the real gem features are the compact size and the headphone jack! I can listen to music, news and talk shows anywhere without blowing my cell data.
Already I know I need to buy these for Christmas gifts. Again, the sheer delight from this is well-worth the very affordable price! Great quality. Super cool.
V
Voice Of Reason
★★★★★
AN AMAZING LITTLE RADIO FOR THE PRICE
This is an amazingly good radio for the price point. It receives both AM and FM signals and sound especially good on FM as you will hear in the attached video. Since the frequency selector dial is small, getting exactly lined up with the desired station requires a steady hand.
The radio requires 2 AA cells and is not otherwise rechargeable. It has a standard jack for earphones which are not included in the package. There is a short wrist fob which may be attached to the radio using a built-in eyelet. The radio is small, about the size of a cell phone. Very compact. Design wise, it's reminiscent of the transistor radios of the 50's & 60's.
Build is about what you would expect for a radio in this price range but seems sturdy enough if handled with reasonable care. And yet the sound is great.
C. Bailey
★★★★★
Low cost radio, ideal for emergencies
This little radio is perfect for a portable way to listen to the radio. It has old fashioned analog tuning with a pull-out antenna, a headphone jack and its own speaker. It uses 2 AA batteries (which are not included). It gets clear reception (once you find your station, of course) and the sound is crisp and clear.
I have weathered many hurricanes in my day. Some of those did enough damage to leave me (and my surrounding area) without power for an extended length of time. Going through those experiences taught me how important it is to be prepared and having a radio to be able to get information is imperative. When Helene happened, all cell phone/internet service in the area was interrupted. The only way to get any information about what was going on was through the radio. Having a reliable, portable source of information is critical during those kinds of disasters.
This radio is ideal for that purpose. It doesn't take up a lot of space, it takes 2 common batteries and works very well. For the quality and emergency preparedness that this provides, I think the price is very fair. I am happy to have this radio in my emergency kit.
P
plokiju
★★★★★
Feels Very Cheap, but it Works Well
The build quality of this radio feels super cheap, but it works. This feels so flimsy, and lightweight that I don't think it's built to last. When you add 2 AA batteries (not included), it feels heavier and better, but still cheap. The volume dial is awful. It's feels scratchy and super cheap. The tuning dial is not too bad, and the antenna works smoothly. The AM/FM switch is okay.
AM reception seems to be better than FM. It's a little harder to nail the FM reception on distant stations. Stations with a strong signal will cause the little LED to light up. Those stations are easy to tune in. As for sound quality, it's very tinny as expected for a pocket radio. Music is thin, and tinny, but voices are clear. So, this is good for listening to the news when you don't have cellular signal, or during power outages.
I'd give the build quality 3 stars, but since it works as a pocket radio, I'd have to give it 4 stars overall. Make sure you don't drop it, because it feels fragile. I doubt this will last more than a decade or two, but it's cheap enough to replace.
Anna Mac
★★★★★
Clear Sound, Easy Tuning, and Super Portable
This retro‑style pocket AM/FM radio has analog tuning, a built‑in speaker, an earphone jack, and a thumbwheel volume control. It’s battery‑operated, making it ideal for outdoor use, emergencies, travel, or simply taking along on walks.
The radio performs exactly as the listing promises. The analog tuning dial is accurate and easy to use, and the reception on both AM and FM is very good for its size. My video doesn’t do it justice—some stations come in much clearer than the one I recorded. The sound quality is surprisingly good for the price, and it reminds me of the transistor radios from my youth. Because it’s so portable, it’s fun to take on walks or bike rides.
The speaker has very good clarity for both spoken voice and music. The radio feels sturdy, and the plastic doesn’t feel overly cheap. It’s well designed, with solid workmanship and attention to detail. It fits in pockets even better than a phone, and unlike streaming on a phone, little radios like this run for a very long time on their batteries without draining anything else. This one runs many hours on a charge.
It picks up local stations indoors and outdoors. I live in a large cement apartment complex, and it still pulls in stations just fine—right on par with my other radios. The telescoping antenna improves FM reception and tucks away neatly when not in use. I also love the cute mini size.
On a clear station, there’s no static at all, and it picks up a lot of stations. The volume range is very good for such a small device, and the earphone jack provides clear audio.
It’s extremely easy to operate with simple controls. It’s lightweight, comfortable to carry, and the battery compartment is easy to open and close. It performs efficiently, with solid buttons and dials, a secure antenna, and a durable case that feels like it could survive a drop. There are no rattles, gaps, or manufacturing flaws.
This radio is great for seniors who prefer simple analog controls, kids learning how radios work, weather updates, talk radio, local sports, or anyone who enjoys retro‑style gadgets. It also makes a fun little gift for collectors or hobbyists.
Minor notes:
The speaker can sound thin at higher volumes.
There’s no backlight on the dial for nighttime use.
⭐ Pros
Simple, retro design
Lightweight and portable
Clear analog controls
Good for emergencies and travel
Earphone jack for private listening
⭐ Cons
Tuning may require fine adjustment
Speaker quality is basic
AM reception can vary
No backlight or digital display
At the time of this review, the price is a bargain. This is an excellent value for the money. I love this cute and handy little radio, and I highly recommend it.
J
J. Miller
★★★★★
It is a very cheap radio
I'm not terribly impressed with this thing. The sound is good if you can get it tuned. The tuning dial is very touchy and I found it difficult to adjust to just the right spot. This is with new batteries by the way. I gave it to my son and he thought the same. Mind you, I am good at at assembling very small parts so hand motor control is not the issue. The volume control feels like it's dragging on the case possibly. It's not as easy and smooth to operate as what I'm used to. After taking the cover off I found that is indeed what is occurring. I found the little green LED that lights when on a station in both AM and FM interesting. Also interesting is the user manual makes no mention of that.
Not much to see on the inside. I did not take the board out to see the bottom but my guess is it's using an all-in-one IC and it appears to use not a capacitor for tuning like radios have traditionally used (except for digital tuners), but a potentiometer which is probably why it's so touchy.
My advice is to spend a little more. I'm not sure if there's something wrong with this one considering the other positive reviews, but I'd want something better.
Randy
★★★★★
Good Price, Good gift Or Use As An Emergency Radio During Emergencies
This small battery-operated AM/FM radio would make a great gift for a child, or a really great radio to have in your emergency kit, that was the reason I ordered it. It is small but will function when you need it. It operated with 2 AA batteries, not included, so you don't need power, which sometimes happens during emergencies or other weather events. If you plan on using in your emergency kit, I suggest keeping the batteries out of the radio in a small baggie in case the batteries leak, it won't damage the radio. It is simple to operate, put batteries in, and raise the antenna, tune it via the dial on the side, and adjust the volume with the other dial, you can switch to AM/Fm by the switch on the side to your preference. It seems well made of a plastic and with proper care and storage should last a long time. It is well priced for a battery operated, portable radio at just under 13 dollars.
C
Captmorgan
★★★★★
The Little Radio That Could
So this is actually a pretty cool little radio; with on/off volume switch, the station dial and fm/am switch. I haven't owned an actual radio in ages with all the streaming services and it's refreshing to just listen to random music on this little beauty and discover local stations. The sound is alright, it's not a boom box so don't expect that but is louder than a phone speaker and it gets great reception even with the antenna down. A green light will light up when a station is tuned properly and is the only light on the radio. Runs on two AA batteries and I've already listened to it for hours so not sure how long they will last yet. I couldn't pick up a NOAA station on the am dial but it's cool I have a dedicated radio for that. Just a simple little radio that picks up actual stations no problem and could be tossed in a go bag. Also has a 3.5mm headphone port as well. Love it!
L
Lisa A. Stone
★★★★★
Works great! Batteries not included
I ordered this battery powered AM/FM radio because I like to listen to music or NPR while I’m gardening. This is a very basic AM/FM radio and I am pleasantly surprised at how good at works. I was able to get tuned in to my local radio stations no problem. The antenna helped with reception. It does take two double a batteries which are not included. I like that the battery cover stays attached to the radio so you won’t lose it. One side has the AM/FM button and the volume wheel. I was reminded of being a little kid having one of these little radios. If you don’t turn the volume all the way down and tell it clicks you haven’t actually turned it off. If you don’t turn it off, you’ll run the battery down. The other end of the radio has the tuning wheel and the headphone jack. You can see in my short video that when the reception is good the green light stays strong and when the reception is not so good it flickers. You can also tell in my video that the music came in nice and clear. Very happy with this radio five stars!
