When it comes to Jobsite radios, what is your favorite radio or Bluetooth speaker? For me, I have two favorites, the Dewalt Bluetooth speaker and the Dewalt T-Stack Radio. I love the Bluetooth speaker because it’s small, lightweight and sounds great. The T-Stack is heavier but perfect if I want something loud and clear and weight doesn’t matter to me. Well, today there might be something that I might be willing to switch over to, a new favorite Jobsite radio but it has to meet some criteria for me. So let’s take a look at the Milwaukee M12 Radio + Charger.
Milwaukee M12 Radio + Charger Overview
I have been working on my house for a long time and the one thing that makes the day more enjoyable is the ability to have some tunes playing in the background. As I said, I have been using the Dewalt Bluetooth speaker for a while. I love the small size, the long-playing times in between battery changes, the weight, and the loudness and clarity of the tunes.
For me, it’s more than just being a great speaker for the Jobsite. I want a system that integrates with my life. When I am outside grilling, coaching a baseball practice, just hanging out, tailgating and camping, I want a speaker that I can easily carry around and use in different situations. That is why I love the Dewalt Bluetooth speaker.
Milwaukee just came out with the Milwaukee M12 Radio + Charger. Since I use a speaker all the time, I figure this would be a perfect fit. The radio looked small enough where I can use it in all the locations I need but it offered more. However, it still had to pass the test of being light, tough, loud enough to hear over noise or hear from far away and it has to be clear. So how does it stack up?
Before we answer this question, let’s take a look at the features so you can better understand what’s inside the radio and if this is the right choice for you.
Features
The Milwaukee M12 Radio + Charger, model 2951-20 is a small Jobsite radio and Bluetooth speaker. The radio has an IP54 rating which means it is water and debris resistant.
The radio only weighs 3.68 lbs and has the following dimensions: 5.39″ L x 9.21″ H x 5.67″ wide which means it’s easy to carry around and can even fit inside most tool bags when transporting.
One of the coolest features, besides being able to be powered with a battery, the radio will also charge a battery when plugged in.
The radio is powered by a M12 battery. The radio will allow the user to play tunes up to 10 hours when combined with a M12 2Ah battery.
If you want to use the radio without a battery or even charge a battery, there is an included power cord. Unfortunately, there isn’t a storage compartment to store the cord when not in use.
The radio features two speakers, a full-range speaker, and a tweeter.
On top of the radio, there is a well laid out user panel for mode selection, power, volume, and tuning.
On the front of the radio, the blue and white LCD panel gives large numbers for easy reading and also lets you know which mode you are in.
On top of the radio, there is a carrying handle.
For those who want local radio, there is a foldable and hideaway rubber antenna.
When you plug in the radio, the tool will give you feedback that has a legend on the bag to show what the colors or blinking colors indicate.
There is a removable door to access the 12V power plug and the USB charging port.
Performance
Considering that this is an article about a product that deals with noise, it’s hard to show off the clarity and loudness of the system, so you will have to take my word.
First, I love the size of this radio. It’s perfect to fit in a bag, carry around or set up in a place that doesn’t get in the way. So as far as size, I love it.
Second, is the sound. While I was surprised that the actual radio stations come in (the first we have seen with any Jobsite radio), I listen to my playlist or Pandora. This radio is not only loud but sounds extremely good and I think it sounds better than the Dewalt Bluetooth speaker I usually listen to.
Third, since this will also charge a battery, it offers a feature that the Dewalt doesn’t offer.
Overall this radio (speaker) is tough, I love the LCD screen, the way it operates, and the size. So for performance, it’s a home run.
My only complaint is I wish the radio had a storage compartment for the power cord.
Value
You can pick this radio up at your local Home Depot for about $120. For me, this isn’t a bad price considering I am a huge fan of the Dewalt Bluetooth speaker and that is priced at $100. So for $20 more, I get a radio and not just a speaker, plus I get a charger.
So overall, the $120 is extremely fair for a small job site radio.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line, this radio is a great buy and my new go-to radio system. What really sells me on this radio is the sound and how loud it is. The charger and ability to listen to radio stations is just a bonus. For a 12V small radio, it sounds great and is surprisingly loud for the size. The radio does everything I need in a radio for work and for play.
