Digital radio reviews: Reliability
To find out which tech brands are the UK’s favourites, every year we ask almost 10,000 Which? members to tell us about the technology products they own – from how happy they are to recommend a brand, to how reliable the products are once they’re home.
Read our expert Which? reviews of the best digital radios
Best digital radios for reliability
A good digital radio should be reliable when it comes to delivering high quality sound and signal strength. This is why we survey thousands of members every year, to help us identify common problems owners have with digital radios, and which brands are the most reliable.
We survey owners of the big radio brands, like Pure, Bose and Roberts, to the smaller store own-brands, like Bush and Tesco. Using this information, we are able to tell you which brands you can really trust.
Which? members can log in to see the full results. Or you can try Which? today for just £1.
| Digital radios Which? reliability index | ||
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Rating | Score |
| Alba/Bush (Argos own brand) |  | |
| Goodmans | | |
| Intempo | | |
| Panasonic | | |
| Philips | | |
| Pure | | |
| Roberts | | |
| Sony | | |
Common problems with digital radios
The most common problems experienced in the few digital radios that did break down were:
- Signal problems/poor DAB signal 8% - Problems with listeners not being able to pick up signals on their radio
- Cutting out for short periods 3% - An intermittent issue where sound is cut completely for a few seconds/minutes
- Sound problems 3% - Poor or weak sound, that can be caused by speakers failing/breaking
Digital radio reviews
Our reliability surveys help Which? to uncover common digital radio problems that can affect owners over time. Combined with our extensive lab tests, this means we can recommend the best digital radio for you to buy. We understand that issues picking up a signal is the most common radio complaint, which is exactly why we generate our own DAB signal in our lab, and gradually reduce its strength.
We can tell you which radio is more likely to pick up a signal, even if you live in an area with poor coverage. We also extensively test the sound quality of each radio - in fact it makes up 45% of the total test score, so we can tell you just how good a radio will sound.
Which? is independent - we work for you, the consumer, so you can be sure that our product recommendations are influenced only by our test results. We don't take advertising and we buy all the products that we test, so our advice helps you to make the right choice and avoid costly mistakes.
- Digital radio Best Buys - find out which radios we rate above all others
- How we test digital radios - What makes a Best Buy digital radio
- How to buy the best digital radio - an essential guide to how to choose the right radio