Customer Reviews

Shower Radio

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I had a Sony ICF-S79V shower radio for 3+ years, which worked great until my wife took it (for time being she is working at another place). Then I bought this one from Sharper Image. It was very good in the beginning, not as good as the Sony one but close. But after one month a strange thing happened: I could not make the volume lower. Yes I could make it louder, but then could not get the volume down! I had to stop using it because I had made the volume too loud. After a couple of weeks I went back to the Sharper Image store for an exchange. Only at the time the salesman confessed me it was not a great radio. I got an exchange, but found the same problem soon after I left the store. I went back and finally got one without the problem.

The story is not over yet. I knew that the set of battery was weak, so I changed a new set of battery with the new one I got. After one month (right at this moment), the same problem appears again on the new one! This time I paid attention to the battery bar display (the radio has that), and the battery bar is flashing which indicates battery change. It seems that weak battery was the reason that the volume cannot be reduced. But I could not verify it 100% because I don't have six AAA batteries at hand. Yes, six AAA batteries.

As an engineer myself, I would say the design of the radio has several simple and naive mistakes. If it is true that the volume cannot be reduced when the battery is weak, there must be a simple design overlook. (If not, that would be more serious and no one should buy it.) The use of 6 AAA batteries is wrong -- The sony radio uses three C batteries which lasted 6+ month per change.

I am going to put this one in cabinet because the cost of batteries cannot be justified.

If you want a radio that works, don't get one at Sharper Image. Their reception is horrible. All you get is static. They do not know how to make a good radio, but they do know how to charge a lot for one.

I had the same problems as already stated. I am currently having the volume issue as well, and yes my batteries are weak (the light is on).

The first unit I bought lasted two weaks and then there was no sound at all. I called Sharper Image and they agreed to send a replacement. I waited two weeks and nothing. I called again and they had no record of my previous phone call. They did send a replacement and told me it would be sent overnight if "deemed appropriate by management." It was not shipped overnight.

Bottom line - this product is awful. Do not buy - I regret it! It is worth it to spend more money on a different product. This only has a 90 day warranty and it doesn't last quite that long.

I too had a Sony for YEARS and replaced it with this radio. Big mistake- even when I buy brand new batteries they are dead. Literally the low battery light flashes and all I get is static. Save your self the money and don't buy this hunk of junk!

This radio does not work. It seemed fine for about a week. Then the volume stopped working, and the batteries started dying in about three days. Replace them, get three more days. Six AA batteries each time. THROW IT OUT! Get a real radio.

Had mine for 2-3 years now. Normal battery life so I can't compare my story to the "one star" stories. Like it well enough that I'm looking to purchase the power adapter now--but there's no owner's manual online that I can find and I don't know what type to get. It's been fine by us; bummer that Sharper Image is in bankruptcy.