//Portable radios//

Virgin Lobster 700TV, £99.99 pay as you go
Web: www.virginmobile.com
Verdict: Get your claws on this chunky (140g) mobile to pick up dozens of local and national DAB stations. It can also receive mobile TV broadcasts for £5 a month, or just BBC1 for free. The battery gives around five hours of normal talk-time – and disappointingly, only around the same time when listening to digital radio.
score: 6

Pure Move, £89.95
Web: www.pure-digital.com
Verdict: This palm-sized radio is perfect for picnics or sports events, with a mighty 40-hour battery life and the choice of listening through the mono speaker or a pair of headphones. It has scrolling text to tell you what’s playing and can also pick up FM broadcasts when you’re in the wilderness (or abroad). It weighs 280g.
score: 8

Ministry of Sound MOSMP075, £139.99
Web: www.ministryofsound.com/audio
Verdict: Now your favourite club night can last all week long, thanks to this lightweight (150g) radio and MP3 player. You can record digital or FM radio directly to MP3 files (great for sharing) or simply enjoy the 10 pre-loaded Ministry tunes. The rechargeable battery give 10 hours of DAB reception.
score; 6

Freeplay Devo, £79.99
Web: www.freeplayenergy.com
Verdict: Give your arms as well as your ears a workout with this 1.2kg eco-friendly wind-up radio. When its rechargeable battery runs down, 60 seconds of twisting gives 5 minutes of power-hungry DAB reception or up to an hour of traditional FM. It also has an AC adaptor and sockets for connection to headphones or your hi-fi.
score: 9

Perstel Bluenote, £39
Web: www.amp3.co.uk
Verdict: Ditch the snap and crackle for great-sounding pop, with a pocket-sized DAB radio. There’s a little fold-out aerial to help reception and a clear display for text, but at this price you don’t get any fancy digital extras. It weighs just 125g with two AA batteries (buy rechargeables), which should last around six hours.
score: 7

//Kitchen radios//

Roberts Radio RD-50 New Star Red, £199
Web: www.johnlewis.com
Verdict: This limited edition radio has been livened up by British designer Cath Kidson. Despite its retro rotary dials, the technology inside is bang up to date, including a backlit display, PausePlus to pause live broadcasts and superbly clear sound quality. The price may be out of this world but expect stellar reliability to match.
score: 9

Pure Evoke-1XT Prestige, £89.99
Web: www.pure-digital.com
Verdict: It’s the high gloss, hand-polished wood cabinet (available in redwood, maple or piano black) that gives this elegant radio its class. It’s fully future-proof, too, with a USB connector for upgrades and an optional second speaker (£35) allowing full stereo playback of music stations.
score: 8

Bush TR82, £59.95
Web: www.albaplc.com
Verdict: For retro style on a budget, look no further than this fun kitchen radio. It’s available in a range of 1950s pastel colours (cream, brown, pink and blue), all of which can use battery or mains power. It can even pick up traditional FM and MW broadcasts if you get nostalgic for crackle and hiss.
score: 7

Revo Pico, £99.95
Web: www.revo.co.uk
Verdict: Don’t be fooled by its simple styling, this tiny new British radio is packed with smart features. As well as DAB and FM radio reception, you can link your iPod for high quality playback. It’s also as happy outside as in, with a water-resistant casing and the flexibility to use mains, battery or in-car power.
score: 8

Dualit DAB Kitchen, £179
Web: www.dualit.com
Verdict: This cast aluminium radio will be the toast of your kitchen, thanks to its punchy 8W speaker, bass port and precise DAB/FM reception. Thoughtful extras include a cooking timer, dimmable LCD display and sockets for connecting to MP3 players and hi-fis. Available in chrome, black, cream and red.
score:
score: 7

//Hi-fi radios//

Roberts Sound 16, £349
Web: www.robertsradio.co.uk
Verdict: Radio experts Roberts are moving into hi-fi with their first micro system. This brushed aluminium unit contains a CD player and programmable DAB/FM radio unit, plus a socket to connect any MP3 player. Powerful glossy black speakers complete a thoroughly modern musical package.
score: 6

Meridian Ferrari F80, £1495
Web: www.meridian-audio.com
Verdict: British hi-fi know-how meets Italian design flair in this revved-up radio. DAB and CDs sound superb through the 80W built-in speakers, while a rear subwoofer provides low end grunt. If you can tear your eyes away from its alloy-injected Ferrari F1 composite shell, it even plays DVDs, too.
score: 9

Pure Legato II, £349
Web: www.pure-digital.com
Verdict: As smart as it is sexy, this 30W system can record radio to SD memory cards, play all kinds of CDs or simply look luscious on your bookshelves. Intellitext automatically stores DAB text messages for instant access to news headlines and sports results, and you can pause or rewind live broadcasts.
score: 8

Denon D-F103HRDAB, £999
Web: www.pure-digital.com
Verdict: Gadget-heads will love this all-in-one system. It has a built-in hard drive that can copy and store up to 10,000 songs from the CD player or your PC. There’s a full DAB/FM tuner and if you connect it to the internet (using your home broadband), you can also listen to thousands of internet radios from all over the world – at no extra cost.
score: 8

Cambridge Audio Azur 640T V2, £169.95
Web: www.richersounds.co.uk
Verdict: If you’re serious about radio, a separate digital tuner is well worth a look. This one has advanced processing to improve DAB stations, giving them a warmth and depth to match their fizz-free clarity. It comes with a two-line text display and all necessary aerials, and it can also receive FM.
score: 7

//Stylish radios//

Vita Audio R2, £219.95 walnut, £249.95 ivory
Web: www.vitaaudio.com
Verdict: Dial M for music on this stylishly minimal stereo radio. The top-mounted RotoDial keeps tuning or volume control simple, and there’s a slimline remote control, too. While you do get a socket for headphones (and another for iPods), stick to the 10W speakers for the best warm, natural sound.
score: 7

Pure Bug Too, £89.95
Web: www.pure-digital.com
Verdict: Designer Wayne Hemingway took a break from making eco-homes to create this bizarre-looking radio. It lets you pause, rewind and record hours of DAB broadcasts and play MP3s, using a seven-day electronic programme guide to schedule your recordings.
score: 7

Intempo PP-01, £79.99
Web: www.intempo-digital.co.uk
Verdict: If you don’t like what’s on this radio, you’ve only yourself to blame. The slimline PP-01 takes a range of designer speaker covers (it comes with two) or can even be personalised with your own photos (£15). Despites its skinny waistline, it holds a rechargeable battery with a 20-hour life.
score: 9

Tivoli Model DAB, £229
Web: www.tivoliaudio.com
Verdict: You won’t get out of the wrong side of the bed with this classy clock radio. In fact, once you’ve heard its crystal-clear DAB reception and twiddled its smooth tuning dial, you might never get out of bed at all. Can be upgraded to full stereo with a second walnut veneer speaker (£70).
score: 8

Pure One Pink, £49.99
Web: www.pure-digital.com
Verdict: The colour scheme isn’t the only shocking thing about this budget pink radio. Packed inside its slightly plasticky case are a host of features, including sleep timers, pausable text, FM reception and a choice of battery packs. You’ll get either 35 hours playback from six normal C batteries or a greener 20 hours from the optional rechargeable pack (£30).
score: 6