Best DAB radios 2026: top digital radios for sound quality

Whether you use your radio to listen to music, catch up with the news or enjoy a drama or comedy, digital radio has made it easier and clearer to do so.

The best DAB (digital audio broadcasting) radios we've tested offer crystal-clear speech, easy-to-read displays and simple buttons and menus. 

Each one is put through its paces by a panel of five audio experts – and they listen to a variety of music genres to make sure we don't end up recommending radios that sound dull, tinny and lifeless or have muffled speech.

Read our reviews below of the DAB radios we've tested – including from the likes of Pure, Roberts and VQ – and see expert advice on how to narrow down the best one for you.

The DAB radios we tested

The biggest brands and the most popular 10 DAB radios are listed below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the radio test results below.

Selected DAB radios we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best radios from our tests.

Philips TAR5505/10

Most recently tested January 2024

Type Portable

Need to know Mains and battery-powered (four C-type batteries)

Pure Elan One2

Most recently tested July 2024

Type Portable

Need to know Battery powered (four AA batteries), alarm (once daily at specified time, weekday and weekends), snooze and timer function 

Pure Evoke Spot

Most recently tested December 2023

Type Home

Need to know Mains powered, compatible with the UNDOK app, includes alarm, sleep and snooze functions 

Pure Woodland

Most recently tested December 2023

Type Portable

Need to know Battery powered (built-in rechargeable battery, USB charge cable supplied), water-resistant exterior

Roberts Rambler Classic

Most recently tested December 2025

Type Home (portable with optional rechargeable battery)

Need to know Mains powered (rechargeable battery also available), alarm (allows for separate alarms for weekdays and weekends), snooze and sleep timer function (turns the radio off after a set amount of time)

Enjoy listening to your vinyl collection with the best record players and turntables in our tough tests

Roberts Revival Petite 2

Most recently tested July 2024

Type Portable

Need to know Mains and battery powered (built-in rechargeable battery), alarm (allows for separate alarms for weekdays and weekends), snooze and sleep timer function (turns the radio off after a set amount of time)

Roberts Revival Uno BT

Most recently tested December 2021

Type Portable

Need to know Mains and battery powered (four AAAs), includes alarm, sleep and snooze functions when connected to the mains

Roberts Vintage

Most recently tested December 2025

Type Portable

Need to know Mains and battery powered (four 1.5V R14/C-type batteries)

Roberts Zoombox 4

Most recently tested December 2023

Type Portable

Need to know Mains and battery powered (six C-type batteries), alarm clock functions, built-in CD player

Ruark Audio R1S

Most recently tested July 2023

Type Home

Need to know Mains powered, compatible with the UNDOK app, physical remote control sold separately from the Ruark website

More DAB radios from our tests

Here’s how the rest of the DAB radios from our tests measured up, listed in alphabetical order.

Which? Don't Buy radios

Our tests uncover the best and the worst. If a product performs so poorly that we think you should avoid it, we call it a Don't Buy. We've tested two radios that we've named Don't Buys.

The worst radios on test have awful sound quality, aren't easy to set up and use, have reception issues and in some cases are poorly built.  

Log in to reveal those radios we've named Don't Buys.

Find out more about how Which? is not influenced by product manufacturers or retailers and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent

How we test radios

While the majority of our overall test score for radios relates to sound quality, we also look at ease of use, features and (where appropriate) battery life.

Audio quality

• A panel of five audio experts listens to a selection of tracks, from jazz to pop, rock to classical, vocals and speech on each radio and gives their verdict. With established backgrounds in the audio industry, they're a tough bunch to impress, but it means that if we've given a radio the thumbs-up, it's more than deserving of your time.
• We check the maximum volume a radio will go to before the sound distorts, so if you live in a noisy area or have hearing difficulties, you can gauge if a radio will suit your needs.

Ease of use

• We replicate your experience and assess how easy it is to set up the radio for the first time – and if you need to read a hundred-page manual before you can even turn it on, we'll let you know.
• We also check how easy it is to save your favourite stations and adjust the sound settings, as well as use any other features, such as internet radio and streaming services.

Reception

• We broadcast our own DAB signal in the lab, which means we can test the strength of each radio's receiver.
• We assess which models give you patchy sound, and which maintain a constant reception.

Features

• We note if models have internet radio, Bluetooth connectivity, an integrated CD player, recording functions, bass and treble controls and timer and alarm functions.
• If the radio is a portable model, we also time how long it takes the battery to run flat from a full charge.

We regularly revisit the radios on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing and when we find them we do.

What type of radio should I buy?

There are three main types of DAB radio you can buy:

• Home/tabletop radios These tend to be larger and heavier than other types, meaning they usually sound better but are confined to staying primarily in one room.
• Alarm clock radios Living on your bedside table, they tend to have easy-to-read screens and large buttons on the top, which are easy to hit when you’re lying in bed.
• Portable radios Ideal for the garden or to take on holiday, they can typically also run off batteries, making them easier to move around and away from power sockets.

Portable radio charge packs

If you like the thought of taking your radio into the garden or away on holiday, a portable radio may sound very appealing. Often, this is just a case of slotting in some disposable batteries or rechargeable batteries – typically AAs.

Some portable radios have their own internal rechargeable batteries, but sometimes you have to buy the manufacturer’s custom battery pack, which is sold separately. These usually cost an additional £20 to £50. 

We state this in our reviews so you can see the full cost compared with other models.

Digital radio switchover: what you need to know

Much like the digital television switchover in 2012, a proposed digital radio switchover will see a change in the source of radio entertainment from an analogue platform (FM and AM, for example) to a digital one (DAB and DAB+).

To listen to radio stations that are broadcast digitally, you'll need to own a device that can pick up a digital signal. Fortunately, the switchover isn't imminent – it's not set to happen until at least 2032, so there’s no rush to replace your old FM sets with a shiny new DAB/DAB+ one.

The switchover is likely to affect only national radio stations in the first instance, with FM still being used for local and community radio stations. Inevitably, however, Ofcom will attempt to bring these to DAB, too.

What’s the difference between DAB and DAB+?

DAB+ is the latest radio technology, introduced in the late 2000s, but not widely adopted until the 2010s. It's an upgrade of DAB (introduced in the 1990s) and provides several benefits.

DAB+ transmits audio in a different and more efficient way than DAB. As a result, DAB+ produces better sound quality while using less bandwidth and reducing transmission costs for radio stations.

It also provides access to more radio stations, including those that have become DAB+ exclusive. Through a DAB+ radio with a screen, you can see live information, for example the song title and artist of the music currently being played. Plus, they’re backwards compatible with DAB stations.

There’s no desperate need to update your DAB radio – there isn't any imminent switch-off planned. However, radio stations are increasingly transitioning to become DAB+ only. Around 180 stations have already moved over, and this number will continue to rise. For peace of mind, if you're upgrading your radio, make sure it's a DAB+ model to futureproof yourself.

Look out for the Digital Radio Tick Mark (a green tick within a black box). Introduced in 2013, it's the UK certification logo that signifies that a radio is future-ready and capable of receiving FM, DAB and DAB+ stations.

Internet radio: how it compares

Internet radios are an alternative to DAB+. These stream audio and rely on a stable, consistent internet connection. 

This can be problematic if your internet connection goes down temporarily or struggles to reach certain parts of your home. But if your internet radio also has DAB+/DAB/FM capabilities, you’ll still have access to some stations while offline.