Roberts Play 20 review
Roberts Play 20 DAB/DAB+/FM Bluetooth Portable Radio (Rubber Bumpers, 4 x AA)
By Tom Calder
The more useful of the two Roberts Play sets for a power cut. Roberts' guide quotes up to 25 hours from four alkaline cells, and a switch in the battery bay lets the radio recharge NiMH cells from its own adaptor in about 7 hours, so spare AAs are a fallback you can keep topped up. It adds Bluetooth, 20 presets and rubber bumpers. It has no crank, solar panel, torch or phone port and no published IP rating, so it's a radio that needs cells in hand rather than a self-powered one.
- Best for
- A DAB+ and FM set that charges its own NiMH AA cells from the mains adaptor while it's switched off, so a charged set of cells is waiting when the power goes.
- Skip it if
- You need light or phone charging from the same device, or a set that refills without a mains socket
as of 2 Nov 2026, 12:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.We earn a commission if you buy through the retailer links on this page. It doesn't change our verdict. How we make money →
Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Up to 25 hours from four alkaline AA cells (Roberts' guide), and NiMH cells charge inside the radio in about 7 hours
- DAB, DAB+ and FM with RDS, 20 presets, Bluetooth and a headphone socket
- Rubber bumpers, a lock switch for travelling and a free 2-year warranty from a UK radio brand
Worth knowing
- No crank, solar panel, torch or phone-charging port
- No IP rating is published, so keep it dry; flat cells need swapping or a mains top-up
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Our review
The Play 20 is a 390g DAB+, FM and Bluetooth portable from Roberts with one feature that matters in a power cut: a switch in the battery bay that lets it recharge NiMH AA cells from its own mains adaptor. Kept plugged in, it holds a charged set ready. It has no crank, torch or phone socket.
What it is
Roberts' guide (Issue 2) lists DAB, DAB+ and FM with RDS station names, Bluetooth streaming, 20 presets split ten DAB and ten FM, a colour display, a headphone socket and a lock switch on the back that disables the buttons so it cannot switch itself on in a bag. Roberts' product page gives 16.5 by 10.8 by 3.7cm and 390g, and the box holds the radio, a mains adaptor, a quick start guide and a safety and warranty leaflet. Roberts advertises a two-year warranty.
Why the charger matters
Inside the battery compartment is a switch marked for alkaline or NiMH cells. Set to NiMH, with four identical rechargeable AA cells fitted, the radio charges them when it is switched off and connected to the adaptor; Roberts says a full charge takes around seven hours, and the charge light glows steady green when it is done. The guide is firm on two points: never try to recharge alkaline cells in it, and never mix alkaline and rechargeable cells.
That makes a sensible routine for a power cut. Leave the radio on its adaptor with NiMH cells fitted, and when the mains goes off it simply runs from cells that are already full. Keep a packet of alkaline AA cells as the second set and flip the switch before fitting them.
Run time and limits
Roberts gives battery life as up to 25 hours with alkaline cells, depending on volume and settings. It quotes no figure for NiMH cells, which typically hold less, so assume a shorter run. Roberts publishes no water or dust rating, so it belongs indoors, away from damp sheds and wet windowsills. There is no hand crank, no solar panel, no torch and no USB output, which means it cannot top up a phone and it will not refill itself once your cells are used up.
How it compares
On the emergency radio comparison the Roberts Play 10 is the simpler sibling: six presets, no Bluetooth and no charger. The Majority Little Shelford is also DAB+ and Bluetooth on AA cells but quotes up to 15 hours and does not charge cells. If you want a radio that can refill without a socket, the Philips TAR1609 has a crank, a solar panel and a torch, though only FM and AM.
Our verdict
Buy it if you want an everyday DAB+ radio that doubles as the power-cut set, and you will keep NiMH cells charged inside it. Skip it if you want one device that also lights the room or charges a phone, or a radio for a long cut with no spare cells. Pair it with a torch and a power bank, and read our guide to radios in a power cut for which stations to note down.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Roberts: Play 20 user guide, Issue 2 (PDF); Roberts: Play 20 product page and specifications; Digital Radio Choice: Roberts Play 20 review; UK Government Be Ready: emergency kit checklist.
Who shouldn't buy this
Don't buy it if you need light or phone charging from the same device, or a set that refills without a mains socket. The Philips TAR1609 has a crank, solar panel and torch; the Sangean MMR-88 DAB+ is the DAB+ alternative with a crank.
Key specs
| Power sources | 4 x AA alkaline or NiMH (charged in radio), or mains |
| Bands | DAB/DAB+/FM with RDS, 20 presets, Bluetooth |
| Phone charging | No |
| Built-in torch | No |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for A rugged home or shed radio: IP55, a user-replaceable battery Philips rates for up to 60 hours, a phone-charging port and four AAA cells as a fallback.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 12:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for The plain 'battery radio' answer to the GOV.UK kit list: a pocket FM/AM set from a UK radio brand that runs for days on two AA cells and has little to go wrong.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 12:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for A tough household radio that can top up a phone from its own cell and keep going from the crank or the sun, if FM and AM are enough.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 12:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
Does the Roberts Play 20 charge rechargeable batteries?
Yes. With the switch in the battery bay set to NiMH and four identical NiMH AA cells fitted, it charges them when switched off on the mains adaptor, in around seven hours by Roberts' guide. Never charge alkaline cells in it.
How long do batteries last in the Roberts Play 20?
Roberts says up to 25 hours on four alkaline AA cells, depending on volume and settings. It gives no separate figure for NiMH rechargeables, which usually run for less.
Is the Roberts Play 20 waterproof?
No rating is published. It has rubber bumpers for knocks, but with no water or dust rating from Roberts it should be treated as an indoor radio and kept dry.
How many presets does the Roberts Play 20 have?
Twenty: ten for DAB and ten for FM, stored on four preset buttons and a menu. Presets are kept if the power is lost.
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