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7 Best Internet Radios of 2024 – Smart Radios

If you’re finding yourself bored with the limited radio stations locally available, you may want to consider getting an internet radio. Internet radios also reach channels that broadcast podcasts and news channels other than streaming thousands of music radio stations worldwide.

Additionally, because these radios stream via the internet, you wouldn’t experience signal problems like the traditional FM/AM stations. Finally, many internet radios now are FM-capable, so you can still revert to traditional radio when you feel like it.

If internet radios are a new concept for you, here are seven of our best internet radio picks.

Best Internet Radio Comparison Chart 2022

Product

Output

Dimensions

Best Internet Radio Como Audio

Como Audio: Solo Wireless Music System

30W

5.19 x 9.44 x 4.72 inches

Best Internet Radio Sangean

Sangean WFR-28 Internet Radio

12W

2.44 x 9.33 x 5.83 inches

Best Internet Radio Grace

Grace Digital Encore+  Internet Radio

24W

12.8 x 9.1 x 4.7 inches

Best Internet Radio

CC WiFi Internet Radio

6W

6.5 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches

Best Internet Radio auna

auna Connect 2.1 Internet Radio

28W

6.9 x 9.3 x 5.2 inches

Best Internet Radio Ocean

Ocean Digital WR-26 Portable Internet Radio

2W

7.6 x 4.6 x 2.8 inches

Best Internet Radio Sungale

Sungale WiFi Internet Radio

11W

11.4 x 6.4 x 3.2 inches

The Best Internet Radio Reviews 2022

1. Como Audio: Solo – Wireless Music System

Como Audio is a consumer electronics brand based in Boston. The company’s founder is Tom DeVesto, a Hall of Fame Designer in the Audio field.

The Como Audio: Solo is a box-shaped music system with WiFi capabilities, enabling internet radio and Spotify connectivity. It is also Bluetooth enabled, has USB connectivity, and can play traditional FM radio stations.

The design of the Como is absolutely stunning. It is made of handcrafted, authentic furniture-grade wood veneer, which makes it a great decorative accent on its own. There are four color options available so that you can match it with your existing furniture.

It has a reasonably large screen to display essential information. It comes with a handheld remote control, but the device is controllable via its app, which is available for Android and iOS users.

The Como Solo prides itself in being more than a radio, but also a “smart speaker.” It has many great features. This includes a soft dome tweeter, coil woofer, oversized magnets, digital signal processor, amplifier, and Qualcomm aptX audio. All of these features arm the Solo with excellent, high-resolution sound.

Another great feature of the Solo is its multi-room feature. It allows you to pair it to group with up to five other Como Audio speakers, so you still listen to the same music regardless of where you are in the home.

One thing about the Como Audio Solo is its price, which falls at the higher end. However, if you have room in your budget for an exquisitely designed product with multiple features, this may not be a problem for you.

Another thing with the Solo is it does not have volume leveling. This means you may end up with a startling blast from your audio when you change between sources.

The Como Solo has a lot of features and some disadvantages but wins extreme plus points for design.

Como Audio: Solo Manual

Pros

  • Stunning design.
  • Multi-room feature.
  • Remote control and app.

Cons

  • Relatively pricey.
  • No volume leveling.

Check Price on Amazon

 

2. Sangean WFR-28 FM-RBDS Internet Radio

Sangean Electronics is a Taiwanese consumer electronics company specializing in various radios.

The Sangean WFR-28 is a versatile internet radio with Spotify capabilities. It can also play FM radio with a telescopic antenna for enhancing reception. It accommodates wired devices, such as your MP3 player, a CD player, Apple music players, or music from any of your Android devices.

It doubles as an alarm clock, giving you a choice between a standard buzzer or your favorite radio station as the alarm tone. It has dual alarm features, allowing you to set two different wake times. The alarm tones also have a gradual wake feature, which means that the sound volume gradually increases, so you don’t end up being jolted awake.

The radio has a rectangular design with a black finish. It has multiple function keys and a wide LCD screen to display necessary information, such as time, battery status, as well as song currently playing.

This internet radio has WiFi connectivity and allows you to listen o up to 16,000 international radio stations along with over 35,000 podcasts. You can control it via the iSangean app, which you can install on any iOS or Android compatible device.

The integrated Digital EQ settings enable this small device to produce high quality sounds whatever audio clip you are listening to. It also comes with adjustable treble and bass controls to tailor the sound according to your individual preference.

Perhaps our only complaint with the Sangean WFR-28 is that the multiple function keys take time to get used to, and can be confusing. However, once you get the hang of it, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Another thing is it tends to be challenging to connect to the WiFi on the initial setup or when you become disconnected from your network for some reason. However, once connected, connectivity seems to be reasonably stable.

Overall, the Sangean has a functional design, good quality sound, and comprehensive features for its price point, which is a good value for money.

Sangean WFR-28 Manual

Pros

  • Comprehensive features, including alarm clock function.
  • iSangean app that doubles as a remote control.
  • Sleek design.

Cons

  • Function keys need to get used to.
  • Occasional WiFi connectivity difficulties.

Check Price on Amazon

 

3. Ocean Digital WR-26 Portable Internet Radio

Ocean Digital is a Hongkong-based company known for producing digital audio devices since its inception in 1992. Their product range includes DAB radios, internet radios, USB chargers, and other digital audio accessories.

The Ocean Digital WR-26 is a portable internet radio that comes in an all-black slim rectangular design. The device is so narrow and compact, much like a standard paperback book.

The speaker comes with a narrow but three-liner LED screen display, functional buttons, and a telescopic antenna to enhance its FM capabilities.

Other than the internet radio, the WR-26 is also able to stream audio from Bluetooth enabled devices. These devices can be a laptop, a tablet, or a smartphone.

The radio itself can reach up to 20,000 internet radio stations and save your favorite, for up to 99 presets. It has a sleep timer setting, which is a handy feature, especially if you aim to use the radio as a sleep aid at nighttime.

The WR-26 also has a headphone jack, which is excellent for when you want to tune out of the external environment and focus on listening to your radio station.

It has an incredibly long battery life of up to 15 hours when used on a full charge.

One disadvantage of the Ocean Digital WR-26 comes in one of its features: the LCD screen. Because it is narrow, it can be a mission navigating through the radio stations. You will also need to be a bit more patient when inputting the WiFi password for the first time, again because of its limited screen space. The function keys aren’t too user-friendly either. So setting up would require your patience, but once you get the hang of things, it becomes a bit more straightforward.

Overall, once you get over the challenging maneuverability and small screen display, the Ocean Digital WR-26 has excellent features. It also has good sound quality despite its compact size and affordable price.

Ocean Digital WR-26 Manual

Pros

  • Comprehensive features.
  • Relatively affordable.
  • Compact and portable.
  • Sleep timer setting.

Cons

  • Small LCD screen.
  • Non-user-friendly function keys.

Check Price on Amazon

 

4. Grace Digital Encore+ Wireless Stereo Smart Speaker & Internet Radio

Grace Digital is a California-based company specializing in award-winning home audio solutions in the wired and wireless ranges.

The Grace Digital Encore+ is a home tabletop audio system packed with a lot of audio capabilities. It can stream internet radio and also play traditional AM and FM radios. It also connects via Bluetooth and streams audio from your Bluetooth enabled devices.

Apart from its radio features, the Encore+ has a fully functioning seven-day alarm with snooze and sleep functions.  When the radio is on standby, the 3.5-inch color display shows the time in either a 12 or 24-hour format.

The Encore+ also has built-in Google Chromecast, making it easier to stream media from any Chromecast-enabled app on any of your devices.

Another feature of Encore+ is its ability to connect with other Encore+ radios or devices compatible with Chromecast to stream simultaneously stream audio in different locations. If you are wanting to stream music at home but move around the different areas of the house a lot, a couple of Encore+ might do the trick.

The Grace Encore+ comes integrated with a digital class D amplifier and loud internal speaker, giving excellent sound clarity.

Criticism for the Grace Encore+ is how it restores everything when the power source is completely reset. On power blackouts, the unit’s clock memory seems to reset. Your daily alarms end up all swiped out and reverts to a buzz alarm instead of your favorite radio station.

Another not-so-good point for Grace Encore+ is its Bluetooth connectivity instability. We found it fluctuating from time to time, so we eventually reverted to WiFi instead. In saying that, connecting via the Chromecast feature can also be challenging at times.

Overall, however, the Grace Digital Encore +’s design and functionality is a great home internet radio.

Grace Digital Encore+ Manual

Pros

  • Design easily integrates with the rest of the home furniture.
  • Multiple audio features: AM/FM, Chromecast, WiFi, and Bluetooth connectivity.
  • Large color LCD screen.

Cons

  • Will reset memory during power blackouts or power source restarts.
  • Unstable Bluetooth and Chromecast connectivity.

Check Price on Amazon

 

5. auna Connect 150WH 2.1 Internet Radio

Auna is a German-based company founded in 2007 specializing in stylish and quality audio electronics.

The Auna Connect 150 WH 2.1 is a box-like internet radio device available in walnut brown and black. Located in the Auna’s front panel are a 2.5-inch, full-color LCD screen, two knobs for volume and navigation, and five function buttons. It makes controlling the device easy, especially you plan on setting your radio on a bookshelf or a bedside table.

The Auna not only plays audio from internet radios, but it can also play audio from a USB stick or an MP3 player as long as it has USB connectivity. The Auna has a FB tuner as well as a telescopic FM antenna, enabling the user access to traditional radio where there is no internet connectivity.

Other than the audio playing capabilities, the Auna also functions as a clock with a dual-alarm system. This feature allows you to snooze your alarms or set a sleep timer for your Auna radio.

The Auna has a multi-room function so that you can position and connect multiple speakers throughout your home. All these speakers are conveniently controlled via the compatible Undok app on your mobile device.

Sound-wise, the Auna is equipped with two 2.5-inch broadband speakers on either side of the radio box. There is also added sound support from the integrated  3-inch woofer. All these features create excellent stereo sound quality with reasonable deep bass.

One thing that is putting us off the Auna is the difficulty of setting up your favorite radio stations. The multiple features operated by the function keys aren’t helping. Instead, it makes operation more difficult. It is not a device that is user-friendly to a less technologically savvy person.

Another downfall is its fluctuating wireless connectivity, which can be resolved by connecting via the ethernet.

Overall, the Auna has good features and a gorgeous design. However, it but may not be the radio for you if you are after straightforward navigation.

Auna Connect 150WH Manual

Pros

  • Gorgeous design.
  • Large screen.
  • Dual speaker on either side for better sound.

Cons

  • Not so user-friendly.
  • Fluctuating wireless connectivity.

Check Price on Amazon

 

6. Sungale WiFi Internet Radio

Sungale is a Chinese company with a head office based in Los Angeles. The company started in 2009 as a manufacturer and producer of digital photo frames. They have since evolved into including digital signages and internet radios on their product portfolio.

The Sungale WiFi Internet Radio is a slim, speaker-like device with a large 4.3-inch full-color screen. Unlike any other devices with large screens on this list, the Sungale has a touch-screen feature, which adds to its user-friendliness.

The sleek and slim design is also great if you wanted to position this on narrow benchtops or bookshelves. It’s also lightweight and has a rechargeable internal battery. You don’t have to keep it plugged in, which is great if you wanted to move it around the house.

The Sungale WiFi Radio boasts over 18,000 internet radio stations to choose from, including streaming from Spotify and iHeartRadio.

Although it does not enable other devices plugged in, the radio itself has an 8GB storage, where you can save your favorite songs.

The Sungale comes equipped with a subwoofer and two speakers, which creates a crisp and robust sound, despite its slim size.

One thing worth highlighting with the Sungale WiFi Internet Radio is that although it has 8GB storage, this is not dedicated to audio alone. The memory is for the entire device, so that leaves you with perhaps an average of 4GB for your audio files.

Another thing is the speaker does not have much protection around it. So, even if it is portable, you have to be extra careful, so you don’t end up damaging it.

Overall, Sungale radio is an excellent choice if you want large screens. It may not be for you, though, if you are after a plug-and-play device.

Sungale KWS433 Manual

Pros

  • Large, full-color, touch screen.

Cons

  • Can do with improved speaker protection.
  • Advertised as 8GB storage for songs, but actually less than this.

Check Price on Amazon

 

7. CC WiFi Internet Radio

CC is short for C. Crane, a California-based company specializing in lighting equipment and specialty radios. Their call to fame was their LED light bulb line, the GeoBulb.

The CC WiFi internet radio is a small black box that comes with its remote control. It has a very minimalistic design, with the speaker, function buttons, and screen all located on the front panel for ease of access.

It comes with a stereo headphone jack and also doubles as an alarm clock. You can set the alarm as a buzzer or your favorite radio station. If you like to listen to the radio to relax before bedtime, the sleep timer function of this radio might appeal to you.

The CC internet radio boasts of the ability to stream over 16,000 internet radio stations, including iHeartMedia, Pandora, and Radio.com. It comes with 99 memory presets. It’s quick and easy to listen to your favorite stations without having to browse through the extensive channel list.

An issue that we found with the CC WiFi internet radio is its not-so-friendly user interface. If you are not used to buttons with multiple functions, this radio might confuse you even more. The user interface makes navigating through stations and setting up your WiFi connection challenging.

Speaking of WiFi, this is another area that the CC internet radio falls short of. We have encountered occasional problems with the connection turning on and off, despite having high-speed internet.

Apart from the two issues, the CC WiFi Internet Radio would appeal to people looking for a simplistic design for internet radios. Its compactness makes it an excellent choice if you’re looking for something portable. The remote control makes your device easy to control even if relatively far from the device.

CC WiFi Internet Radio Manual

Pros

  • Dedicated remote control.
  • Minimalistic design.

Cons

  • Non-user-friendly user interface.
  • Unstable WiFi connectivity.

Check Price on Amazon

 

What to Consider When Buying an Internet Radio?

smart radios

A distinct advantage of internet radio over traditional radio is the thousands of channels available to the former. Another thing is the uninterrupted/undisrupted streaming (provided that you have stable internet connectivity). On the flip side, internet radios can be more expensive than traditional radio, with most internet radios costing over $100.

But what other things should you be looking for when buying an internet radio? Here are some of our tips:

Static or portable

Determine how you will be using your internet radio. Do you intend to move it around with you, or would it be an addition to your family’s entertainment room?  Needless to say, if you want to move it around, your options should instantly narrow down to the compact and portable ones.

Internet Radio

Dimensions

Type

5.19 x 9.44 x 4.72 inches

Static

2.44 x 9.33 x 5.83 inches

Portable

12.8 x 9.1 x 4.7 inches

Static

6.5 x 3.9 x 3.9 inches

Static

6.9 x 9.3 x 5.2 inches

Portable

7.6 x 4.6 x 2.8 inches

Portable

11.4 x 6.4 x 3.2 inches

Static

Ease of use

Focus on how easy it is to navigate through channels, save channels, or control the volumes and use other functions. You may also want to consider a remote control or an app that serves as a remote. This way, you don’t have to get up to your device all the time to change its settings.

Integrated Alarm Clock

Most internet radios double as alarm clocks. If you’re comparing internet radios with a similar price point, go for the ones with this integrated function.

Sound quality

What good is the ability to stream thousands of radio stations if the sound quality is pretty poor, right? So make sure to check as well the sound quality of your internet radio choices. Ask for a sound test if buying in-store or check out video reviews if shopping online.

Power source

This is dependent on how you intend to use your radio. If you want to move it around, you would have to look at a device with long battery life.

If using it at home on your shelves or with your entertainment systems, it wouldn’t hurt to choose designs that integrate with existing furniture or appliances. Remember that design does not just involve the look of the radio. It also has something to do with how the buttons and screens are placed – always go for functional designs.

Display Screen

Speaking of easy navigation, you also want to see what you are doing, so a bright, large screen helps. This is also an essential feature for radios that double as alarm clocks.

Final Soundbite

To wrap it up, allow us to name our top pick for the best internet radio station for 2021. We give it to the Como Audio Solo.

Design-wise, it gets a giant tick with the handcrafted wood material. Media-wise, it streams all forms from various connections – WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, and even traditional FM listening.

The Como Audio Solo also doubles as a smart speaker, so a big tick already goes to sound quality. Of course, it also has a dual alarm clock and a large color screen. The multiroom functionality is the added icing on the internet radio cake.

Although the Solo is pricier than most of the radios on our list, you may find it is well worth your money. It no doubt wins most feature categories that you should be looking for when it comes to internet radios.

4.5/5 - (83 votes)

2 thoughts on “7 Best Internet Radios of 2024 – Smart Radios”

  1. This article was very helpful, thank you. I am looking to buy a good internet radio tuner, I think Sangean radio is suitable for me, affordable price.

    Reply

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