We needed to replace our under-cabinet kitchen clock radio, as it was over twenty years old. So, I did some research through Google search words and found a fairly good selection of candidates. Our old one certainly didn’t have the built-in electronic wonders that the current ones do.
One thing that I’m doing more of lately is using Amazon for customer reviews of any item I’m possibly purchasing. When I did a search on Amazon, it became apparent that I didn’t want most of the kitchen radios being sold online and in the retail stores. This was a result of reading reviews and ratings that trashed most of them.
The one product that stood out was the Sony Kitchen Clock Radio. It had everything, and then some, that I wanted. I wound up ordering from Vann’s Appliances, and the radio cost me $74.99 and shipping was free at the time of my order. Great deal, as a lot of the low-rated competitors cost $100 or more!
There are two important aspects of ordering online:
1. Merchant Rating
2. Product Rating
Vann’s had a very high rating, along with the product’s high rating. It was a win-win transaction for me. Vann’s had excellent communication via email, including the order tracking information. I knew when I should expect the delivery, and it was fast.
The radio itself is very stylish, in brushed aluminum finish and touch-pad controls. The installation under my kitchen cabinet went smoothly. They provide a paper template that you can tape to the shelf top and drill the three holes for the mounting screws. The only problem I ran into was the shelf above this one wasn’t adjustable, so I used my Black and Decker cordless drill that I can adjust to a 90-degree angle. My usual drill was too big to fit into the space.
After drilling the three holes, put the three screws provided into them. You then attach the three plastic posts to the top of the radio and line them up underneath the cabinet with the screws. Screw them in and you’re all set.
I tested each of the functions and they worked great, including the CD player. The sound system includes a Mega Bass switch that does increase the bass response. I found that it worked better on some playback that already had a good bass sound to begin with. But, other than that, it sounded better than I expected for a kitchen radio and could rival a small boom box. It also has a remote control!
The weather function had a lot of static, but I should have followed the instructions and set up the power cord, which acts as an AM antenna, before I installed the radio. Hey, I’m a guy! You know how that works. Anyway, we get the weather from a lot of other sources, so no big deal.
If you are in the market for a kitchen radio, look into this model. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
