Preview - Dualit DAB/FM Kitchen Radio

[Bob Crabtree]

Dualit, a company best known as a maker of professional toasters and pro-look kitchen appliances for the home, is set to introduce a kitchen radio this month - one combining digital (DAB) and analogue (FM) reception. We had the chance to go hands-on with a pre-production sample and Bob Crabtree reports our findings.

It's a rather interesting and desirable product, so if you're on the lookout for a DAB radio and won't be totally put off by the £200 price tag, you'll want to check out the preview.

[Salazaar]

I still don't see the point in spending even £100 on a digital radio. Don't get me wrong, I love listening to Radio 6 on the net and on our digital radio at work ('borrowed' from our sample stock), and I even tune in with my cheap-o digibox now and again.

Even without being able to tune in all these other ways, I still couldn't imagine ever spend £200, £100 or even £50 for the privilage of listening.

[Atomic]

Id expect a CD player aswell for £100, let alone £200!

[Funkstar]

Even without being able to tune in all these other ways, I still couldn't imagine ever spend £200, £100 or even £50 for the privilage of listening.

So you wouldn't pay for a regular radio either then?

And it's 6Music, they get annoyed when people call it Radio 6

[Bob Crabtree]

The real bottom line here is how much disposable income you have and what sort of lifestyle and home that lets you create.

I look forward to the day when I'll think nothing of spending £200 on DAB radio (I'm not holding my breath, though). The last one I bought - a Philips boombox model with built-in DVD - was well under £100. And the only way I could afford/justify that was cos I was able to trade in an old analogue radio and get a hefty discount.

So my home isn't decked out with a Miele washing machine, dishwasher, tumble-dryer or cooker and I do typically buy Tesco-brand toasters and small appliances. Oh and there's no Jag, Merc, BMW or Roller in the drive.

One thing I am pretty sure of, though, is that if I could afford to buy Miele apps, I'd be saving money in the long run, cos those things are built to last (I know, I've visited the factory and many other companies' plants across the world) and would be comforted by the fact that I'd be able to get spares for 12 years after the initial purchase.

I'm honestly not sure whether Dualit small appliances have the same durability but I do know that most people who buy them think they are good value, even at their high prices.

So, I expect that a certain type of person will decide to pay out £200 for the Dualit radio in preference to something that's half the price or less.

Others, of course, will buying them for reasons of style or the way they want others to perceive them - but that's also true of a lot of products, including iPods, anything else Apple and other CE products from other brands such as Sony or B&O and a whole lot of others.

[Salazaar]

So you wouldn't pay for a regular radio either then?

Not for £200, no. Nor £100. I might pay £30 or so for a radio of either variety though, the point is that other than a bit more variety and slightly improved audio quality (depending on the speakers of course) you're paying a huge premium for not much extra. And considering that I can get all those digital channels over the internet or through the £30 digibox that I bought, I can't see how any company can justify that premium.

[Bob Crabtree]

Salazaar,

The company doesn't have to justify the premium - if, that is, people are willing to pay it.

And the same is true of a lot of top-tier brands.

Whether you or I would buy isn't relevant - we're not the target audience, but if we had a lot more disposable income, our perspective would be different and we might regard the purchase as appropriate.

Make no mistake, though, the product is highly desirable.

Bob