Nov 30, 2023 8:00 AM

The Best Radios to Catch Your Favorite Airwaves

Tune into your AM/FM stations in style with these WIRED-approved radio sets.

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4 / 8

The radio makes for a great background companion. My grandmother always had her favorite station on when she cooked, and my mom tuned into NPR whenever we were on the road. I've been continuing the tradition, listening to my favorite radio station from my teenage years now that I live within its range again.

I’ve tried a lot of radios over the years. Most reviews of audio products focus on the performance of the speaker, but for radios it doesn’t matter how great the speaker sounds if it only picks up static. I've compiled a list of the best radios that can deliver great sound with great reception. Design also has a big part to play—our picks will look great wherever you place them. After all, what’s the point of buying an ugly radio when your smart speaker or phone can do the job just as easily?

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Photograph: Amazon
Best Overall
Sangean WR-15
This radio truly has everything. It sounds great! It’s well-priced! It looks good and comes in a few different nice finishes! It also gets great reception and picks up more stations than other radios I’ve tested—everything comes through clearer too. I love the shape and size of this radio; its small footprint makes it easy to add to any bookshelf or tabletop, or even squeeze onto a kitchen counter next to your cookbooks. The only downside? It doesn’t have a Bluetooth connection, but it does have an auxiliary input.
★ Same radio, horizontal form: The Sangean WR-11 ($91) is nearly the same radio, just sideways. If you like the longer body style, it performs similarly to the WR-15 and comes in a gold anniversary finish.
$91 at Amazon
$91 at Walmart
$101 at Home Depot
Photograph: Tivoli
A Portable Radio
Tivoli Audio Pal BT
Tivoli’s adorable, portable radio has a lot of pros. The Tivoli Pal BT (7/10, WIRED Recommends) has a vertical body like the Sangean WR-15, but since it's battery-powered, you can place it anywhere in your house and tote it around whether you’re jamming to the radio or your Spotify Wrapped via Bluetooth. It comes in a ton of colors, making it a fun decor accessory, and the IPX4 rating means it'll be OK in some light rain (though I'd still keep it sheltered). The battery lasts about 12 hours, and it comes with a proprietary charger.
The sticking point is the price—it's nearly twice what you’ll pay for Sangean’s radios. It's also not as good at picking up a radio station as the Sangean, but since it’s portable you have an easier time moving it around to get the best signal indoors.
$176 at Amazon
$176 at Walmart
$176 at Target
$156 at B&H

Photograph: Amazon
Runner-Up
Sony ICF-506
This radio looks and sounds quite nice for the price. It’s cheaper than most, and while it’s fully portable, it still looks at home on a desk or bookshelf. (Something about its design just says “garage workshop” to me.) Unlike the Tivoli, it doesn’t have any weatherproofing for the outdoors, so keep it out of the rain.
The display is large, so it's easy to see which channel you’re on (though it’s always a slight guess with analog radios), and the dials are easy to use. It requires three AA batteries for portable mode, but you can use the included AC adapter to keep it plugged in. I only wish the volume dial was above the tuning dial, but that might not bother you.
$40 at Amazon
$48 at B&H
Photograph: FosPower
For Emergencies (Plus a Flashlight)
FosPower A6 Emergency Weather Radio
For better or worse, I had the perfect stress test for this radio—when Hurricane Hilary hit southern California. It was mild where I live, but we lost power for several hours. We turned on the radio to stay in the loop. This radio can pick up National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration channels for local weather info, along with FM and AM signals. The dials are responsive, and the radio did a solid job picking up stations from a variety of towers. I was getting Los Angeles and Tijuana-based radio stations as easily as local San Diego ones, though the signals weren’t as clear as tabletop radios I’ve used. The speaker quality isn't as nice as the above models, but it’s designed for emergency preparedness rather than jam sessions.
It has a long-lasting battery you can charge via USB-C, solar, or the hand crank—you can also add your own AA batteries. The battery can double as a power bank for your smartphone, which is great in a pinch, and there's a powerful flashlight too. The only issue? The compass on the radio’s strap seems to think every direction is north.
$35 at Amazon
$60 at FosPower

Photograph: Amazon
Best for Kids
Studebaker SB2000
This radio feels like a toy and is priced like one. (You won't be too bummed if the kids break it!) The hardware is plasticky, but the colors are fun and bright. It’s a solid radio otherwise, with good reception and fine enough sound considering how cheap it is. The handle makes it easy for kids to carry from room to room, though there's no weatherproofing, so make sure there's no chance of rain if they take it outside.
$25 at Amazon
$27 at Best Buy
$25 at Target
Photograph: Amazon
What About a Smart Speaker?
Amazon Echo Dot With Clock (5th Gen)
If you know the station, you can also ask your smart speaker to turn on your radio station of choice. Alexa is easy to command with the exact station number, or even just asking it to “play NPR." (You might need to specify your zip code to get connected to your local NPR station, which was quick to do over voice command as well). Google Assistant, on the other hand, responded only when I could give it a specific radio channel number and used iHeartRadio to play it.
$60 at Amazon
$60 at Best Buy

Photograph: Tivoli
Honorable Mentions
More Radios
Tivoli Model Three BT for $300: This radio looks nice and comes with a lit-up analog clock. It's great for bedside tables since it has an alarm you can set, and a sleep button to turn the radio off after 20 minutes if you want to be lulled to sleep. Reception struggled more than I expected with such a high price, and setting the clock is frustrating.
Tivoli Model One for $179: I wasn’t impressed by this radio for the price. It’s perfectly fine, but you can get better reception and sound from other radios in this guide at a lower price.
Victrola Houston for $50: This is a good choice if you only listen to FM radio and want Bluetooth capabilities. It's nice to look at, and the dials feel higher-end than you'd expect. But the window to see what channel you're on is annoyingly tiny.
Victrola Willow for $60: The dial on this one didn’t match the station for me at all. But it looks nice and has a wire antenna if you want to place it somewhere that a real antenna can’t fit.
Photograph: Getty Images
Troubleshooting Your Radio's Placement
Radio Advice
It's understandable to get frustrated with a new radio and its poor reception. The nature of radio waves means they're inconsistent in your home, so you might have to try a few spots to get the best signal possible. Even moving a radio a few inches can make a huge difference, but make sure your antenna is fully extended.
This is what makes portable radios a little easier to use—you aren't locked in by a power outlet's placement or where there's a tabletop where the radio can sit. Still, the perfect radio placement can be found—if you're willing to move around your home.

Nena Farrell covers consumer tech at WIRED and specializes in smart home products and parenting gear. She previously wrote for Wirecutter and Sunset. She lives in San Diego, where she can be found pushing her child around in various strollers.

Writer and Reviewer

TopicsShopping buying guides Radio Speakers Bluetooth

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