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Best Tradie Radio (2023 Buyers Guide)

Finding the best tradie radio isn’t easy. After all, you need to be sure that it can stand up to the rigors of the jobsite. Sometimes known as a work radio or jobsite radio, tradie radios need to be tough, water-resistant, and resistant to dust. 

How do you choose the right work radio for your requirements? Learn all about how to choose the best tradie radio here.

Best Overall

Makita Cordless Digital Jobsite Radio

If you’re looking for the ideal mix of affordability and amazing quality sound this is perhaps the best Makita radio on the market today. Delivering an impressive level of sound despite its small size, this model comes with Bluetooth and digital DAB+ radio.

How Do You Find The Best Work Radio For Sale?

Image Name Features
Best Overall Best Overall Makita Cordless Digital Jobsite Radio
  • IP65 rated
  • Sound – 25W
  • Weight – 5.5kg
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Best On A Budget Best On A Budget Paslode B50000 Cordless Digital DAB Bluetooth Jobsite Radio Charger
  • IP56 rated
  • Sound – 10W
  • Weight – 2.95kg
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Milwaukee M18RC-0 18V Cordless Bluetooth Jobsite Radio & Charger
  • 40W amplifier
  • Weight – 7.71kg
  • Reinforced roll cage
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Do you know what to look for when choosing the best work radio? Here are our suggestions of the top features to consider when making your buying decision.

Read also tradie radio from bunnings

How Will The Radio Be Used?

You need to choose a jobsite radio that is suitable for the environment in which it will be used. Is it a very noisy environment? Will the radio be exposed to a lot of water or dust? Will the radio have a high chance of being dropped? You need to consider all of this to make sure you choose an appropriate product.

Options And Features

Modern jobsite radios are smart. They’re able to do many things, so you need to choose between the features and options available. Some of the options a good work radio may offer include:

  • Wireless connectivity
  • Physical connectivity
  • High audio quality 
  • 360 degree or directional sound
  • Bluetooth connectivity 
  • DAB functionality
  • Battery operation 
  • USB ports 
  • USB charger 
  • Protective roll cage

Think about which of these functions you’re likely to use before making your purchasing choice.

Battery Life

If you’re choosing a battery-operated model, you need to find out how long the battery lasts. Will it last long enough for your needs or will it need recharging? How long is the recharge time? 

If the radio is plugged into a power outlet, how long is the power cord? Will it be long enough to move to the location where you want to use it?

Volume

If you’ll be using your worksite radio in a noisy environment, you’ll need to be sure it can be heard. How high can the volume be turned up? Is it easy to control the levels?

man in a workshop full of tools

Portability

Sometimes, you may want to take your tradie radio to different locations. How portable is your chosen model? How heavy is it? Does it come with a storage box or carrying case to transport it in?

Budget

You need to choose a radio that fits into your budget. If money is tight, you need to ensure you’re getting good value. Very cheap products may not have the necessary quality you need. You must get the right balance of performance and affordability.

Our Worksite Radio Reviews

Here, we bring you our top three worksite radio picks for this year.

1. Makita Cordless Digital Jobsite Radio – Best Overall

Specifications

  • IP65 rated

  • Weight – 5.5kg
  • Sound – 25W

If you’re looking for the ideal mix of affordability and amazing quality sound this is perhaps the best Makita radio on the market today.

Delivering an impressive level of sound despite its small size, this model comes with Bluetooth and digital DAB+ radio. You can connect mobile devices wirelessly and play your favorite tunes or find your favorite radio station effortlessly. Not only that, but it has an auxiliary port which makes it compatible with MP3 players. 

The two side-firing powerful speakers and the 25W woofer (1) ensure rich stereo sound. Since this model is also IP65 rated for water and dust resistance, it’s also a perfect jobsite radio. 

Designed to withstand harsh worksite conditions, this model has protective bumpers for greater robustness. Its run time is as long as 20 hours – more than enough to last a whole day. 

Although this is a slightly heavier model at 5.5kg, it is still light enough to transport around a jobsite. It also comes with the option of an AC adaptor so you can plug it in and remove the battery to reduce its weight.

If you’re seeking a perfect all-round jobsite radio that will stand the test of time, this is the one for you.

2. Paslode B50000 Cordless Digital DAB Bluetooth Jobsite Radio Charger – Best on a Budget

Specifications

  • IP56 rated 

  • Sound – 10W
  • Weight – 2.95kg

If you want great sound onsite at a price you can afford, the Paslode Jobsite radio and charger is ideal.

With AM, FM, and DAB radio as standard, this jobsite radio comes with auxiliary input and Bluetooth for convenience. It also features a 2.1 amp USB charger, so you can charge up your smartphone or other devices on the site. 

This dual-powered model comes with an inbuilt dual battery charger. It is IP56 rated to protect against water and dust on the jobsite and it’s also tough and durable. 

Furthermore, this is a portable, lightweight radio as it weighs only 2.95kg. This means you can take it anywhere you need to go. Since the battery life is an impressive 20 hours, there’ll be more than enough power to last your whole workday.

For great sound on a budget, this is the work radio for you.

3. Milwaukee M18RC-0 18V Cordless Bluetooth Jobsite Radio & Charger

Specifications

  • 40W amplifier

  • Weight – 7.71kg
  • Reinforced roll cage

If you want to splash out on a really amazing jobsite radio, this Milwaukee radio won’t disappoint.

Delivering not only impressive sound and reception, but this Bluetooth-compatible radio is also highly advanced. The Bluetooth range is an amazing 100 feet, so you have even more flexibility when using this model. 

This radio also comes with an inbuilt battery charger which allows charging of any M18 battery with no negative impact on sound quality or reception. It also has an inbuilt high-powered USB port for charging portable devices. 

With its high-strength yet portable design, this model comes complete with a reinforced roll cage to protect from harsh jobsite conditions and inclement weather. It even has a weather-sealed, onboard compartment for keeping small items and cell phones safe. 

The Milwaukee jobsite radio also comes with its own 406mm auxiliary input cord as well as two AAA batteries. It features ten stations presets so you can conveniently choose your favorites and select with one press. There is also a customizable equalizer for fully personalized sound. 

One further unusual yet handy feature is the onboard bottle opener, adding convenience on the jobsite and off it.

If you’re looking for a luxury worksite radio that offers a truly impressive performance, this is the one for you.

The Verdict – Which Is The Best Jobsite Radio?

Although all three of the models that we’ve suggested here are excellent options for your worksite, we would have to recommend the Makita as our overall top choice. 

Offering the ideal blend of affordability and amazing sound and features, this work radio won’t disappoint. Highly portable, well-designed for harsh conditions, and with a surprisingly low price tag, it will keep you entertained at work for many years to come.

Tradie Radios FAQs

Many workshop radios are now able to charge other devices thanks to their integrated USB ports. Not all jobsite radios have this functionality though. Some of the top work radios can also charge lithium batteries from the same manufacturer for other tools, so you can save time by charging a tool while listening to music.

Not every tradie radio is designed to be waterproof and dustproof, but it’s worth looking for one that is. Job sites are often very damp and dusty places. You don’t want to choose a radio that will break quickly and easily because of water or dust damage. 

The best jobsite radios are IP65 (2) rated for protection against dust and water. You should look for this certification when making your purchasing decision.

In brief, yes! These terms both mean exactly the same thing. Worksite and jobsite are just two words meaning a construction environment. A radio that is labelled as a jobsite radio or as a worksite radio will work equally well in this environment.

  1. Playbutton – What Is A Woofer? An Audiophile’s Explanation – Retrieved from https://playbutton.co/what-is-a-woofer/
  2. The Electrical Counter – What Is IP65? – retrieved from https://www.electricalcounter.co.uk/what-is-ip65

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