Best Work Radio for Electricians

Many brands online offer their work site radios as the best you’ll find. However, only a few deliver on this promise. We have compiled a list of the best work radio for electricians to simplify your shopping experience.

Best work radio for electricians

1. Makita DAB/DAB+ Job Site Radio – Overall Best Sound Quality Jobsite Radio
2. DEWALT Compact FM/DAB+ Radio – Best Compact Jobsite Radio
3. Milwaukee M18 Jobsite Radio – Best Value Jobsite Radio
4. Ryobi ONE+ Cordless Radio – Best Cordless Jobsite Radio
5. Protear Ear Defenders with DAB+/FM Radio – Best Portable Jobsite Radio

Makita’s DMR112 portable jobsite radio has Bluetooth, a feature missing in the brand’s previous offerings. The best jobsite radio maintains a strong Bluetooth connection up to 10 meters away from your smartphone. This is essential for jobsite radios. In addition, the best jobsite radio has built-in DAB+ for your radio stations, presenting a wide selection of radio channels. You’ll also enjoy its excellent sound quality.

Makita’s DMR112 portable radio has an IP64 rating for water and dust ingress protection in a package weighing around 5kgs. Its sturdy construction with an ergonomic handle makes carrying this portable radio around an easy task. It’s as rugged as the Bosch PB360C Power Box.

Highlights

Dual Power Source: You can use the 18-volt built-in battery or connect directly to a battery charger through the AC power cord.

Dual Speaker Jobsite Radio Design: This job site radio features a two-way speaker system of twin 89mm diameter speakers that deliver high-quality audio. You’ll enjoy amazing sound quality in whatever spot when working in a room. 

Bump-Protection Casing: Makita’s DMR112 jobsite radios feature an elastomer bump-protection casing that’s shockproof. Therefore, it will take whatever abuse you can throw at it without damaging the radio’s components.

Versatile Connectivity Options: Besides Bluetooth connectivity, this radio features DAB+, a USB port, and an AUX IN jack.

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Dewalt’s DCR020-GB XR Compact FM/DAB+ Jobsite Radio, as the name suggests, is a compact yet powerful jobsite radio. It offers the highest levels of durability and great sound quality. Its compact design includes a roll cage for protection when it is knocked over or hit by falling objects. 

This jobsite radio has an ergonomic handle for easy carrying, with an LCD display that eases operations. Its swappable battery design further enhances its versatility and ease of use. While it lacks Bluetooth connectivity, it comes with a 3.5mm jack for sound output. It also has AUX input to play music through mp3 players, CD players, and other audio source devices. 

Highlights

Versatile Battery Compatibility: This jobsite radio works with the standard 18-volt battery and the 10.8-volt and 14.4-volt batteries. 

Tech Box On-Board Storage: You can safely store your mobile phone and other portable devices. The inclusion of USB charging further improves this storage option.

Portable Site Radio: This jobsite radio is easy to carry around the worksite as it only weighs 2.8kgs. All buttons and other protrusions on the radio are placed deeper into the cage. The roll cage and its handle are great for helping you carry it.

Clever Power Cable Storage: This jobsite radio has a 1.8meter AC power cord that neatly rolls on the side cage compartment. 

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Milwaukee’s M18 jobsite radio presents superior audio quality, sturdy and modern design, and a great price. Although it lacks wireless connectivity, this jobsite radio lets you play music off the 3.5mm jack. In addition, the radio makes up for the lack of wireless connectivity with good sound quality. Furthermore, the Milwaukee M18 radio’s rectangular design is similar to the Porter-Cable PCC771 B’s. It hides its 5.2kg weight well, barely registering as you lug the radio around. 

Highlights

USB 2.1: The phone storage compartment has a USB 2.1 port for charging your phone. The port allows for AC and DC power source phone charging.

Preset Stations: The jobsite radio’s AM/FM tuner allows for up to 10 presets. Therefore, you can quickly tune in to your favorite stations as soon as you get to the worksite.

Rubberized End Pieces: This jobsite radio has rubberized side plates and stands that allow it to sit flush with any surface. This prevents the radio from sliding about. Its shock resistance also means items bumping against the radio won’t cause any damage.

Foldout Antenna: Wireless connectivity doesn’t mean you’ll lack entertainment. This jobsite radio’s powerful foldout antenna ensures strong signal reception for amazing sound quality even in remote and dense locations. 

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Ryobi’s ONE+ Cordless Radio has outstanding sound quality in a small package that does away with cables. As part of Ryobi’s ONE+ range of cordless power tools, this jobsite radio fits perfectly in busy and risk-prone environments. 

This jobsite radio features Bluetooth connectivity and two speakers that combine to deliver excellent audio. Therefore, movements around the worksite won’t compromise audio quality. In addition, you can keep the tunes playing for a long time. A 5Ah battery is enough to sustain up to 15 hours of music on a single charge.

Highlights

Built-In Equalizer: You can adjust the treble, mid, and bass to your preference to match whatever music you like to listen to. You won’t easily get this feature in other jobsite radios.

Premium Speakers: This jobsite radio comes equipped with two 7W high-quality speakers like the Porter-Cable PCC771B. Therefore, you’ll enjoy rich stereo sound quality at the worksite. 

Battery Indicator: The radio displays battery percentage with a warning when you need a battery charger. Therefore, you can schedule your jobsite radio usage.

Ergonomic Design: The jobsite radio oval design with a handle helps this radio fit most worksites. In addition, the lime green accents ensure you can’t misplace the radio.

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The Protear Jobsite Radio Headset differs from other jobsite radios on our list. It gives you ear protection while allowing you to listen to music as you work. This battery-powered jobsite radio won’t chew through your batteries while producing amazing sound quality. Therefore, they are excellent for long work hours. You can listen to music through your smartphone or the built-in AM/FM radio that allows for up to 40 presets.

The LCD display shows the time, battery, and Bluetooth connectivity status. In addition, a mic allows for hands-free operation, a vital inclusion in a risk-prone environment. 

Highlights

Headset Design: This jobsite radio’s headset design minimizes the racket from clanging metal and other worksite distractions while producing rich sound. Therefore, you can focus on the tasks without developing a headache after your shift. In addition, the jobsite radio has ANSI S3.19 certification for background noise cancellation.

Excellent Sound Quality: The headset design also allows for good sound quality reproduction and deeper bass due to proximity and excellent build quality. 

Lightweight Design: This headset weighs less than 0.3kgs, which you can wear all day without straining.

Excellent Battery Life: Its 1200mAh rechargeable lithium-polymer battery can sustain operation for long shifts without dying out. 

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How We Made the List

We first listed the most popular jobsite radios on the market. We then compiled another list of desirable qualities in the best jobsite radios. This helped us narrow the list to only those radios that met our strict guidelines. We then took an in-depth look at the list and picked the best jobsite radio among them.

What We Looked For

• Sound Quality: The best work radios are loud enough to be heard over the noise of power tools without sounding terrible. The speakers should produce a clear, crisp sound quality balanced across the highs, mids, and bass. The best sound quality ones come with an equalizer for more precise sound settings. Others have speakers positioned to produce immersive sound.
• Sturdiness: They must survive the harsh work environment without losing sound quality or parts. The best ones are shockproof, dust resistant, and waterproof, with a sturdy protective roll cage or another tough outer cover. The mesh on the speakers is usually made of metal, and the base has a thick rubber base.
• Battery Life: While your work revolves around electricity, you can’t be confident the worksite will always have ample supply. Therefore, a battery-operated radio is the best option. We focused on radios that had a built-in battery pack or could use batteries, besides having an AC power option.
• Connectivity: As part of the best jobsite radios feature pack, we focused on the versatility of its connectivity options. We checked for Bluetooth connectivity, an FM radio, USB ports, etc.
• Portability: The radio must be light enough to carry around without compromising sound quality. In addition, we focused on those that had secure handles for easy carrying.
• Built-In Storage: We also included the construction radios with compartments for holding small items like smartphones or wallets. Such convenience is appealing, especially in such accident-prone environments.

Best Work Radio for Electricians Buying Guide

As you shop for the best work site radios, you need to keep the following factors in mind.

Connectivity

The best jobsite radio for electricians has a diverse set of connectivity options. Therefore, expect Bluetooth connectivity, USB ports for input and charging, and a 3.5mm jack for sound output. An AC power cord connection is also a great addition. For signal reception, expect to see AM/FM radio stations present. More advanced models will have the DAB+ option, so you never miss your radio stations.

Portability

Carrying the portable radio to different workstations should be easy. Therefore, focus on lightweight models with a good handle for easy carrying. In addition, the dimensions should be compact enough not to be cumbersome to carry without compromising audio quality.

Ruggedness

Typical work environments for electricians are dangerous disaster-prone areas. Tools can fall on the radio, or they could be knocked off a table. As such, having a sturdy work radio with protective features like the Bosch PB360C Power Box roll cage is necessary. In addition, weather-proof models make the best work radios. There is always the risk of water, cold, or heat in the work environment. 

Sound Quality

The best jobsite radios may be your only entertainment source during long shifts. As such, sound quality is critical where your environment can alternate from dull silence to noisy rackets. Therefore, the jobsite radio should produce loud and clear audio to drown out the racket without losing its entertainment value. Preferably, a stereo configuration like the Porter-Cable PCC771B should be the minimum.

Built-In Storage

A thoughtful addition to jobsite radios is space to store your mobile phone. Keeping it in your pocket may be against company policy and is also risky. The best jobsite radios include a convenient USB charging port in the storage section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

With so many options in the market, it can be confusing to pick a radio that provides high-quality sound and plays all your favorite radio stations. Luckily, this article highlights the best work radio for your needs. Our chosen best job site radios are easy picks. In the end, our guide ensures you make no mistakes in shopping for a portable radio.