It’s a common understanding that digital radios are a high-end gadget, meaning they’re just too damn pricey. Digital radio producers Pure however, aim to eradicate that perception with the world's most affordable digital radio: the One Mi, a DAB radio available at the student-friendly price of £34.99.

So, what do you get for your money?

Appearance

At such a decent price, it’s understandable that Pure have had to scrimp on some things - looks being one of them.

The One Mi isn’t an eye sore but it doesn’t look anywhere near as lovely as it’s shiny, metallic siblings, with it’s simple plastic shell and buttons.

That said, there are pros to the fact that this is not made from higher end materials like wood or metal. Namely that it means the radio is extremely lightweight and can be carried around with ease. Ideal for that impromptu barbecue in the park.

Ease of use

Presetting your favourite digital and FM radio stations is simple enough. Just click the ‘Source’ button to switch between the two and use the arrows to browse through channels. You’ll be able to save up to 16 digital and FM stations using the ‘Presets’ function too, which is pretty generous although we do have to admit to having ‘DAB greed’ - a condition that left us wanting even more storage.

The two-line LCD display lets you know which station you’re listening to as well as the level of volume you’re on. Don’t expect any fancy ‘now playing’ features though, this is the DAB radio stripped to its bare essentials.

And to be honest, we weren’t bothered about that minor omission. Who watches a radio anyway?

Functions

The One Mi uses an aerial and we had no difficulty picking up signals for the digital radio stations. The reception did get a bit fuzzy at points but this was nothing that a quick aerial adjustment didn’t sort out.

However the One Mi does noticeably lack in certain areas. First off, it doesn’t have an Aux in port, to connect to your MP3 player. It also doesn’t have a headphone socket, which is something we felt it would really benefit from.

After all, the beauty of the One Mi (aside from its affordability) is its compact design, making it easy to carry around. If you do want to listen to the radio outside however, you’ll have to do so with the knowledge that you could piss off the neighbours, who are just after some peace and quiet in the sun.

If, in spite of this, you decide that next door could do with a lesson in music then you’ll also be needing a ChargePAK (the One Mi won’t take standard batteries) to make the radio portable. But you should be aware that no ChargePAK is actually included in box. No, one of those costs an extra £17.49. 

Oh, and it was all looking so promising.

Value for money

At £34.99, this really is a pretty bargainous little item and there’s no doubting that it would be a nice addition to the student house. But while we can’t really fault the ‘radio’ functions, we can’t help but think that the One Mi doesn’t live up to its full potential. It is portable yet restrictive and - in case you hadn’t guessed - we’re not huge fans of the ‘buy this little extra to get full use of your purchase’ game.

Then again, it’s less than £35. And we do like that.