Features worth looking out for include...

Digital tuning

All the radios we tested have digital tuning. This means the frequency, or station name, is clearly displayed on a digital screen and you can scan to pick out a station or search for the strongest signals. This is a very useful feature that makes it easy to tune into your favourite stations.

Tuned indicator

Some analogue radios have a tuned indicator. This tells you when you have tuned into a station and might also show you how strong the signal is. This is useful if you cannot hear it clearly and want to know when you are tuned in correctly.

Station presets

Many modern radios let you store and access your favourite stations using preset buttons or memory functions. This makes it really easy for you to change between your favourite stations.

Station name

An analogue RDS (Radio Data System) radio or a digital radio will display the name of the station and or the frequency. This makes finding the right station child's play! It is especially easy with digital radio because you actually scan through the names of stations available to you and select the one you wish to listen to. You don’t even need to know the frequency.

Variable tone control

This can be an important feature if you have a hearing loss. It lets you adjust the sound according to your hearing loss and so boost either the bass or treble until it sounds just right to you.

Connections

If you have a mild to moderate hearing loss, most of the radios here will be loud enough for you. If you have a greater hearing loss, you might want to listen through headphones or connect to a loop amplifier. A headphone socket will turn off the main speaker and give you either a mono or stereo output. Other connections will not turn off the speaker and will allow a better connection to a loop amplifier or stereo system. All the radios here have a headphone socket (Panasonic RF3700 mono only). Both Pure radios have two other outputs, the Evoke 2 even having a digital optical output which can give high quality hifi sound.