Roberts Wanderer Wind-up Radio Review

We like:

The compact size; the good battery life

We don't like:

That the siren and light are gimmicky instead of genuinely useful; that we couldn't get any manufacturing info out of Roberts

SmartPlanet judgement:

Neat, compact and as portable as wind-up designs get at the moment, the Wanderer is a great little radio with surprisingly good battery life if you're prepared for a little extra wrist ache. The winder is solid, responsive and reliable (just like the radio) and although LW would have been a bonus, the FM/MW tunes pretty well, although a longer aerial wouldn't go amiss. If you're a fan of the old transistor radio, the no-nonsense design will certainly appeal -- and it's a great value buy. We just wish we knew more about how it was made.

The Wanderer is the closest thing on the market to a genuinely portable wind-up radio. At only 16.6cm wide and weighing 330g, it's considerably smaller and lighter than any others we've come across. But its relatively diminutive stature hasn't left it short on performance, looks or features. Continue reading...