Customer Reviews

iHome IH36 Under-Counter FM Radio with TV, Weather Band Tuner, and Dock for iPod (White)

5 star:		(54)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I tried this item at a local store and was pretty impressed with the sound. When we got it home we were even more pleased. Both of our ipods fit perfectly (I use the included adapter for my mini and the 60g just slides right in). The sound is fantastic - especially if you set your ipod equalizer on the small speaker setting. Having said that, the sound is much better than the average small speakers. There isn't the usual tinny quality and the bass comes through surprisingly well. The extras are great, too. There is a remote with a magnet on the back so that you can stick it on your fridge. When you close the pod compartment the display shows the song info so that you can see it from across the kitchen. And the fact that it has radio, weather band and tv station reception are all just bonuses. Heck, it even charges your pod for you! I also like the way it looks - its very neutral so you really don't even notice it. A lot of pod accessories are really unnecessary and overrated, but not this one!

When I was given this iHome under-counter speaker system as a gift, I was not thrilled. I already had Altec Lansing inMotion Portable Audio System for iPod for my iPod, and I was not a fan of kitchen electronics. Within minutes of its installation, however, I fell in love with it. The sound is much richer and clearer than what comes out of my Altec speakers. I use the iHome almost every day.

Most people will buy this for its iPod capabilities, although the other features are nice since they replace what many people might have already had in their kitchen. With a single touch, the iPod holder glides out and down. The adaptors that come with the system accommodate most iPod models (not the Shuffle and possibly not the new touch screen 3G, although I don't know about this last); while the iPods fit without these pieces of plastic, the improper support may bend the connections when the iPod is inside the unit. Once inserted, the iPod can be played either outside or inside the machine. Best of all, the iHome screen displays the song being played as well as the artist and the album, a great feature especially when you're listening to a new album or shuffling. The FM radio gets decent reception if you run the antenna wire under your cabinets; the weather radio is automatically tuned and comes in as good as any weather station will. (There's also a "tv" mode which I've never used.) When not in use, the unit displays the time. If you want to store the iPod in the sleeve, it acts as a dock, leaving your iPod always charged and ready to travel. If you leave iHome on and set your iPod's alarm, the music will play at the predetermined time.

The connectors for the unit allow for different hanging heights. Mine is installed with in a 5 ½ inch space, from the cabinet connection point to the lowest point on the unit, and it could take up even less space if I didn't have cabinet molding not flush with the bottom of the cabinet itself. The actual dimensions, not including connectors, are 13 inches wide, 10 ¾ inches deep, and 3 inches high.

The only flaw with this system is the occasional hiccup. When you start the iPod outside of the unit and then close the holder, the sound stops for a second or two, then resumes. Less often, my iPod, especially when left in an open holder, will display as though it has just been synched, and this prevents the alarm from working.

While not providing high-end range, the iHome under-counter player still provides good, relatively clean sound, especially for a kitchen setting where one isn't likely to sit and listen intently. This would make a wonderful gift for anyone who has an ipod. Don't be surprised if the recipient seems indifferent at first - that will quickly change! I highly recommend this.

How useful is a kitchen radio that can't pick up the radio stations you listen to?
I read the reviews and had high hopes for this unit but now I am very puzzled by the reviewers who said the reception is great. Perhaps I just got a bad unit.
I wanted a kitchen radio that would receive the radio stations I normally listen to ... local Public Radio, Classical FM and local FM. This unit will only pick up 4 of the strongest FM signals, none of which are stations I normally listen to. It will not pick up any of the weather channels and only 2 TV audio channels. I know that, with all the appliances, a kitchen is a hostile environment for a radio, so I switched off my cordless phone, the wireless internet, my cell phone, the dish washer and any other appliances near the radio and tried again. No improvement. So I then tried the radio in all the other rooms in the house, no significant improvement. Then I tried all the other radios in the house in the kitchen. All but one could pick up the stations I wanted. Conclusion: Either the receiver or the antenna are totally inadequate on this model for my home. I find it very disappointing that with so many good receivers available this one should be so poor. There is no facility to attach an external antenna and the instruction book expressly tells you not to.

The ipod functionality is good. My Ipod video worked nicely with it. Sound quality is good, but it is no use to me if it is a kitchen radio that cannot receive anything but the strongest radio signals. A nice idea for freeing up counter space and integrating an iPod ... but it doesn't work for me. I'll stick to the $20 counter top radio I have. Returned.

This unit has good sound quality, especially for a kitchen. It mounts very nicely under the counter and has a very responsive remote. If you are looking for Bose sound quality, then this unit will not leave you satisfied. The radio picks up FM stations very clearly. My wife was against buying this but now plays it everyday. I would def recommend and would buy again.

I'm quite picky about sound quality. I have several Model 88 table radios (which are comparable to the Bose table radio), a Boston Acoustics Recepter Radio and a Tivoli PAL portable radio; all of which have excellent sound quality. In comparison, I would rate the sound quality of the iHome IH36W as slightly above average, which is unacceptable for my tastes.

Another disappointment was after installing my 3G iPod, there was no music information shown on the LCD display. I checked the manual and on a single line it tells you that 3G iPods (and Shuffles) will not display this data. They don't mention this anywhere else. On the box, it says "Large LCD displays artist and song title for easy navigation." I felt it would have been appropriate to include an asterisk with a note in small print saying something like "4G iPod or newer only."

If you're not picky about sound quality and you have a 4G iPod or later, this is the unit for you. It does look nice mounted under a cabinet in the kitchen and the weather band is a plus you won't find elsewhere. The magnetic remote control is also a nice touch. Personally, I demand high quality sound and only have the older 3G iPod so I won't be keeping my IH36W.

This product is value packed. The product fits extremely well under my cabinet. All of my iPods and shuffle fit nicely. The sound quality is excellent, the TV channels and weather channels are received well in any kind of weather. The battery power feature came in handy during power outages. The product was well packed, easy to install, and looks beautiful as it fits into any decor.

It seemed like this would be a great item. However, the information that this player only works with a 1st generation iPod Shuffle is nowhere to be found on Amazon. We only figured that out after installing it and looking for information on the iHome website after we couldn't get it to recognize our 3rd generation Shuffle. Oh, well.

This is a kitchen stereo system. It won't sound like a surround sound system but Springsteen will sound awesome as you test the pasta. Simple to install and use. Love the magnet on the remote!! Perfect for placing on the fridge so it doesn't get lost. 9 out of 10.

I love my new ipod under the counter unit. This unit safely protects my ipod while I cook so I can listen to all of my music! I enjoy the radio feature and the television. It is nice because I can listen to the news in the morning and the evening while preparing meals! The weatherband feature has come in handy with the winter storm season! I have an older ipod and it worked fine with all the adapters that come along with the product

I purchased this unit for my wife who:

A. I love
B. is technically challenged
C. loves her iPod
D. hates charging her iPod
C. wants to hear iPod through stereo speakers in the vicinity of the kitchen
D. did I say technically challenged already?

This unit was easy to install, has a the necessary adapters for my iPod 1st gen Nano and her iPod Mini.

It is simple to use, has a great little remote that has at least (I tested) 20 foot range, probably more. The remote has a magnetic back so you can stick it on the fridge or anything else metal.

The sound is great. I placed in an area of the kitchen where we can hear in kitchen but also in living and den areas.

The interface is easy to use, the iPod slips securely into the adapter and iPod cradle. You can leave the cradle open to play your iPod, scrolling through music, or using the remote or push the button and have it retract into the unit. At that point you have to use the remote. Not much to the remote. basically forward or back on your music selection.

As far as radio goes, we live in an area with poor reception so I was not expecting much. But the antenna wire that comes out of the unit can be run out if needed. i just tucked it back behind the unit and still receive great reception.

The unit was well worth the money and I would buy another and recommend to anyone looking for an under the counter unit.

The wife loves it and can actually use it without problems.

I'll update if anything goes wrong with it.