Roberts Wanderer Wind-up Radio Full Review
Posted: 10 April 2008 by Chris Haslam
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.
Yep, this radio ticks almost every box -- it's portable, easily small enough to stick in a rucksack, has FM/AM reception, a 3.5mm headphone jack and, if you like that sort of thing, a small not-too-bright torch and fairly weedy sounding emergency alarm.
Power comes from either a single standard AA battery or the top-mounted hand crank. The crank, although small, feels strong enough and the small handle gives you just enough grip to get winding. And wind you will; with one minute's effort producing 30 minutes of playback. While this isn't as efficient as some others we've tested (especially the Freeplay Summit) we found that by putting a little extra effort in and winding for two or three minutes we got well over an hour's non-stop power, which is fantastic.
Technophiles might scoff at the less-than-cutting-edge style but, being of a certain age, we like the modern twist on the classic transistor, and would feel right at home listening in to Final Score with it. Its no-nonsense design feels solid in the hand and we'd expect it to take plenty of bumps and knocks over the years. It's also water resistant (to a point) and the, AC power (adaptor not included) and headphone jack both have rubber covers to protect from splashes.
For a dinky design, sound is actually pretty good and won't distort at volume. The only minor quibble we have with the Roberts' performance is the occasional poor reception on MW, which must be down to the short 30cm aerial. It isn't a major drawback as a quick retune usually does the trick, but it is noticeable.
As with most other wind-ups we've looked at, the Wanderer's green credentials come from the simple fact that it's a wind-up, and doesn't need mains power. Too bad we couldn't much out of the company on green and ethical policies or manufacturing information, so for that, we've had to score the Wanderer down. The only thing Roberts told us is that its packaging is made out of recycled cardboard.
At £30 we think the Wanderer is pretty good value and is easily one of the best-made, easy-to-use wind-up radios currently available. Ignore the lame emergency features and you'll have a really good compact radio that'll never need batteries.
Quality
Value
Ethics
Green
