Best Kitchen Radios Review [research, usages and tested]

It no longer needs to be explained to anyone that cooking has long been no longer a necessity but on the contrary is very popular.

[“Cooking at home is still the preferred way to prepare a meal for 98% of Americans” according to a new survey by ReportLinker]

[Over two-thirds of all Germans like to cook a lot or a lot (source: Statista). This hobby becomes even more beautiful when accompanied by your own favorite music. The radio in the kitchen not only works as a nice background sound but also keeps you updated during meals. So it is no wonder that kitchen radio takes second place in terms of which device we prefer to use to receive our radio stations (source: LINK Institute).]

The common perception that a kitchen radio is just a radio for the kitchen does not necessarily have to be correct.

In our kitchen radio comparison 2020/2021, we show you radios that can be built under and portable and explain to you which connections and which functions you should watch out for.

Our Top Pick and best seller Kitchen radios

1. iLive Wireless IKB318S Under Cabinet Bluetooth FM Radio
2. Sylvania SKCR SKCR2810BT Under Cabinet Clock Radio
3. Auna KR-140 Kitchen Radio with Bluetooth
4. Sangean K-200 Multi-Function Upright AM/FM Digital Radio
5. Studebaker SB2000TS Retro Classic Portable AM/FM Radio with Aux Input
6. Sangean WR-15WL AM/FM Table Top Wooden Radio
7. Coby KTFDVD1093 LCD TV with Built-in DVD/CD Player and AM/FM Radio

1. Kitchen radio: Can the best kitchen radios be built under?

Kitchen radios that can be built under cabinets or fit a wall anywhere.

Although they hardly differ from conventional radios in terms of connections and technical features, many new kitchen radios in particular offer the advantage of being built under them.

Once installed under the kitchen cabinet, it does not take up more space in the kitchen and is therefore particularly suitable for smaller rooms. In addition to features such as illuminated monitors or station memory, many of the sub-radios come with alarm clocks that also have integrated cooking clocks in addition to the familiar timer functions.

Fiction and reality

“Exactly one night before Halloween, October 30, 1938, the American radio station CBS broadcast the adaptation of HG Walls’ novel “The War of the Worlds” as a fictional report. For authenticity, the original setting was moved from England to Grover’s Mill, New Jersey, USA, and the story was adapted accordingly. Ladies’ leagues According to newspaper reports radio play looked so realistic, that the people of New York and New Jersey, the report partly true and kept an alien invasion possible.”

By buying a built-in radio for the kitchen or a nostalgic kitchen radio that you can turn on, you can bring music to even the smallest kitchens.

2. Hanging or standing: What types of kitchen radios are there?

From retro to portable to built-in: kitchen radio is available in a variety of categories and patterns in our kitchens. In the following, we present the two most popular types of radio and summarize their advantages and disadvantages for you in a brief overview:

2.1. Undermount / Under cabinet kitchen radio

With a built-in radio, you can bring your favorite music to the smallest kitchen.

A quick snap of the kitchen radio in the bracket and it is gone under the cabinet. Sub-kitchen kitchens not only fit easily in all kitchens but can also keep up with their siblings, car radio, or hi-fi systems.

Equipped with a timer function, connections for a wide range of data carriers, or high sound quality thanks to DAB, DAB +, or even WLAN, they leave nothing out even for the biggest radio enthusiast.

benefits

• They do not take up space in the kitchen because they can be built under
• has an integrated alarm clock and in some cases a cooking clock
• Additional connections, an integrated CD player, Bluetooth or WLAN allow different music usage

disadvantage

• are firmly tied to a place
• need enough free space under them so that the speaker gets a good sound
• has a uniform design

Note! Although kitchen radios with a substructure feature take up little space, make sure there is enough space under the unit. The sound of the speakers depends very much on how much distance there is between them and your worktop.

2.2. Stand radio

Whether it has a nostalgic look or a very modern look: the floor-standing radio does not leave you alone in any room.

Standard radios are available in many different categories in German households and range from portable radios with handles to popular nostalgic radios. Although not everyone has Internet access or Bluetooth and takes up more space than, for example, built-in AEG kitchen radios, this does not mean that they are “old news”.

On the contrary, many of these devices come with additional connections for MP3 players or USB sticks and can therefore stand up to kitchen radios with Bluetooth or an internet connection. Anyone who has a taste for it and wants to use this advantage in the garden is lucky. Many of these kitchen radios do not need cables and also run without battery problems.

benefits

• can be taken into any room
• available in many different designs
• now has, among other things, connection options for USB sticks and MP3 players

disadvantage

• always need extra space for themselves
• good transmitter quality depends on the antenna
• to compare internet radios
• to compare the shower radios

3. Features: With an integrated cooking clock, your kitchen radio becomes a small kitchen helper

• Storage spaces

Your favorite station is permanently retained thanks to integrated memory locations.

As long as it is not a very nostalgic kitchen radio, now all kitchen radios have integrated memory slots where you can permanently record your favorite stations. The advantage of this is that once you have specified a station in one of the memory locations, it can be recalled again and again. However, the number of memory locations available for your radio varies from device to device. So before you buy, pay attention to how many stations you really want to save in the end.

• • Alarm clock radio

In addition to the usual alarm clock settings – for example, alarm times – some basic radios for the kitchen also come with integrated cooking clocks.

If you want to use the cooking clock frequently, it is generally recommended to buy a kitchen radio with remote control, as the timer no longer needs to be set manually.

Related: The Best Clock Radios 

4. The nostalgic radio for the kitchen: the look of the 50s is no longer a thing of the past

Nostalgic radios take the 50s directly into your kitchen.

If you choose a kitchen radio with a retro look, you take the 50s back to your kitchen. The technology for nostalgic radios has long been able to compete with that for substructure radios. While connections for data carriers such as USB sticks and the use of Bluetooth do not exclude any music request, power is supplied via a mains connection or batteries.

Best brands

Buying a product from a reputable manufacturer that provides high brand equity is one of the most essential things. According to my research, these are the top brands that make the best Kitchen Radios

1. iLive
2. Sylvania SKCR
3. Auna
4. Sangean
5. Studebaker
6. Coby

It’s about accessories: What can the substructure of kitchen radios with USB connections or integrated alarm clocks do?

Connection options: With an AUX-IN connection, you can listen to your favorite music from the MP3 player directly from the kitchen radio

Should it be a kitchen radio with DAB + and internet radio that can be tuned, or do you prefer a kitchen radio with a CD output? From a simple USB connection to a kitchen radio with integrated TV, there is hardly anything left to wish for. In the following, we introduce you to some of the most common connections.

• AUX-in / AUX-out and USB

With their different plug types, the connectors for AUX-In and AUX-Out are easy to identify.

An AUX-In connection (also: Line-In) is an analog input that allows you to connect external devices such as your MP3 player or your headphones to the kitchen radio.

For example, you can use the AUX output to use your kitchen radio as a speaker, whether it is supported or placed on the floor.

Pure diversity: With a built-in kitchen radio that has a USB port and a CD player, you no longer have to go without music. Especially with kitchen radios for the substructure, it is noticeable that not everyone has a connection for USB devices. So if you choose a kitchen radio with a USB connection, pay attention to which connections are shown on the base radios.

• WIRELESS INTERNAL ACCESS:

Anyone who likes to click through their own hit list and is still looking for something new is on the safe side with WiFi. There are some built-in kitchen radios that are equipped with WLAN and not only give you the opportunity to access your own hit list on the computer but also to receive channels that are normally only broadcast abroad.

• Bluetooth:

Kitchen radios with Bluetooth function can transmit and receive data over short distances via radio technology with other devices – for example, your smartphone. In this way, it is possible to play music on your mobile phone from your kitchen radio.

• CD player

If you do not want to do without the nostalgic sound from the good, old CD, you also have a good chance with the newer kitchen radios. Thus, the kitchen radio with an integrated CD player is still widespread and likes to come together with remote control for you.

If you like listening to a CD but do not want to do without a variety of music from your computer, we recommend that you buy a kitchen radio with a CD player and USB connection.

Buying advice: FM broadcasts should end no earlier than 2025, so watch out for DAB / DAB + on your radio

Reception: You can also receive stations from other countries with an Internet radio

Especially those who are interested in music and stations from abroad quickly notice that they can search in vain with an FM radio. If you want to improve the reception of your kitchen radio, you should replace your old radio with one that receives DAB / DAB +.

What FM and DAB / DAB + mean and the advantages and disadvantages of both signal transmissions are listed below.

Signal transmission	Explanation
VHF	While in Germany there is talk of so-called VHF – short for ultra-shortwave – the term FM (frequency modulation) is common in England. This designation has gradually become strong in our country and is found on some radio receivers. The reception range for radio with VHF function is between 87.5 and 108 MHz. sound full of sound with a higher range than DAB + x costs time and patience through manual station search
DAB and DAB +	The term DAB – short for Digital Audio Broadcasting – stands for digital transmission of audio signals via an antenna. Radios that have DAB / DAB + enable radio users to receive Internet radio and stations outside their own location. As an extension to DAB, DAB + transmits additional information such as interpreters, music titles, or short messages to your radio in addition to the stations. Station search: more stations can be found with less manual search, more information can be transmitted on radio x DAB + reception not in all areas

Note! Although most manufacturers and brands offer kitchen radios that receive their stations via FM and DAB / DAB +, you should still make sure that your future radio supports DAB + when you buy. An interview by “Der Tagesspiegel” with the director of Deutschlandradio Willi Steul revealed that the FM broadcast is planned to be stopped no earlier than 2025.

The verdict

Choosing the right product is not easy and for many of them, it can be a time-consuming task. However, with this guide, my goal is to help you find the perfect Kitchen Radios for your needs.

I’ve done a lot of research to make sure the options I’ve listed are among the best. As mentioned above, I also interviewed many experts to make sure the enlisted models are of high quality.

Hope you can find the right kitchen radios for your use. If you’re still having a hard time finding one, feel free to comment below or contact the US.

FAQs related to the kitchen radio

Q-1. Which is the better kitchen radio?

According to my research, Sound Internet Radio for Kitchen and Bathroom (FM / Dab +, AUX, Bluetooth, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer) Maple and White (2020) is a better choice.

Q-2. Is Sonoro a trustworthy brand?

It is one of the best brands, not only is it the highest-rated Kitchen Radios, but it is also known for its exceptional service.

Q-3. What are the cheapest but most powerful kitchen radios?

In my opinion, Auna KR-140 Kitchen Radio is one of the options powerful and cheapest available and yet fully-featured.

Q-4. Are there any offers?

Some of the options in our article are currently available for a discounted price. However, see the product list for more information.

Q-5. What brands should I consider when buying?

According to my research, these are the top five brands:

1. iLive
2. Sylvania SKCR
3. Auna
4. Sangean
5. Studebaker
6. Coby

Q-6. Should I buy it online or go to an offline store?

Shopping online has some advantages, such as discounted prices and fast home delivery. However, if you are in a hurry or can find the product at a cheaper price in the traditional market, consider visiting the traditional store.

Q-7. Can I also mount the radio under a wall cabinet?

It is okay. Manufacturers such as Grundig produce kitchen radios that can both be set up and installed under a cabinet. Since both substructure accessories and assembly instructions are supplied by the manufacturer, it is also possible for laymen to install the radio.

Even if the built-in radio does not take up much space, you should always make sure that there is enough space between the speakers and your work surface so as not to degrade the sound quality.

Q-8. How do I know which data carrier the kitchen radio can play music from?

You can easily see which data carriers your radio can be combined with its additional connections. AUX-In and USB connections for connecting to data storage media such as computers or MP3 players are usually located on the side of the kitchen radios to be built under. With conventional radios that you can tune in, these are on the back.

Q-9. Which radios can connect to the internet?

Just as there are differences in appearance, not all kitchen radios have the same functions. If you are looking for a digital kitchen radio, you need to look for something both with the kitchen radios in the substructure and with their nostalgic representatives.

Before buying a kitchen radio with WiFi, check if devices with internet can connect to the internet from your kitchen.

Q-10. Does Stiftung Warentest already have a kitchen radio test winner for bass radio?

No. To date, Stiftung Warentest has not yet conducted an explicit sub-kitchen radio test and has determined a test winner. However, you included the substructure radio in a kitchen radio test. Please note, however, that this kitchen radio test was published in 2008 and that newer models are already on the market.