Philips TAR2509 Portable FM/MW radio

Small but not tiny, has a good reception, sturdy as base is slightly wider than the top, display is easy to read but doesn't show the name of the radio station you are listening to, easy to tune in & adjust volume.

I bought the Philips TAR1509 radio, mainly for picnics and emergency’s, but it ended up getting a lot of use at home as it was a great little radio, so I decided to get the TAR2509 as a battery-less replacement for home use, I’ll start the review by listing the important things. Volume: Thanks to the dial you can very gradually adjust the volume, from basically silent to very loud, the speakers are larger and sound amazing. Weight: it’s slightly heavier than I expected in a good way, still not “heavy” in my opinion. Quality: The build quality is great, the dial is smooth with a little resistance for a satisfying feel, with a nice satisfying click when turning the volume to off, the sliding switches are also very sturdy, the plastic feels as premium as plastic can, the dial for changing frequency is heavy to turn which allows for fine adjustment. Sound Toggle: The toggle for voice vs music seemed like an addition to fluff up the device and give it another “feature” but it genuinely does make a big difference, it seems to boost the low ends to give it a fuller less radio sounding sound. Battery Life: I can’t speak to the battery life as I’m not using batteries, but I will add it takes two 1.5v D batteries which are easy to buy but unlike AA and AAA are obviously harder to recharge without the purchase of a new battery charger, so something to keep in mind. Looks: obviously highly subjective, use your eyes to decide for you but personally, I think this radio as well as the other radio I have from them are both beautifully designed, a mix of modern and mid-century.

Excellent size to fit on small table next to my chair, lovely clear sound for listening to FM music. Nice clear view of numbers and easy to set up, very pleased the volume knob is on the top and clearly visible. Best sound on small radio for years at a fair price.

Lovely little radio, just what I wanted as I only listen to Radio 4!! Nice looking, good volume control, easy to carry around, working on batteries as well as mains. I recommend this radio for it's simplicity and reception

Good value for money with particular comparison to similarly priced inferior, unreliable, technically inefficient Panasonic portable radios on which I wasted my money before I bought the Philips.

Simple to use. Excellent sound quality.

The product was not wrapped so it was sent in its own box. I thought it would be a gift but that changed plans. After I opened the box to check the condition of the device, it was full of fingerprints and didn't look new at all. I guess the Philips factory uses gloves during assembly.

Good , but would have been better if a carrying handle