I've been on an AM/FM Radio kick as of late, and since most of these little radios will last longer than some MP3 players and smartphones of today, I figured for the price(s), I'd test out some small pocket-sized radios of differing makes and models.

Enter the Kaito KA200S...it has only the most basic features of other transistor radios in its class, but at only a fraction of the competing radios' respective sizes. As a pocket/pack transistor radio, it doesn't get much lighter or compact than this, and therein lies this radio's greatest strengths--its small footprint and ease of portability. I've only had the radio for a few days, but here are my findings so far:

â—˜ Size: The minute size and weight of this radio will honestly make you forget that it's in your pocket, and that can be a good thing (just make sure not to sit on it). Some have complained that the tuning/volume wheels are too jumpy, and while I'm sure some defective units have shipped out, I find a lot of these complaints stem from improper usage on such a small radio. For a radio this small, you're supposed to let part of your thumb rest against the radio's frame (to create a slight bit of resistance) while gently rolling the wheel with the other part of the same thumb (using the frame's resistance on the thumb to slow down the turning). The same goes for volume AND tuning. If your thumb/finger is ONLY touching the dial, you are setting yourself up to jump all over the place, especially on a radio this small.

â—˜ Durability: The Kaito KA200S seems to be built to a decent durability standard. I would not expect it to work properly after dropping it a few times onto a hard surface, but I actually don't abuse my electronics. I still have my first AM/FM radio from when I was eight years old (I'm 31 now), and it still works (barely). If you don't abuse this little radio/expose it to a lot of water, it should last you a long time.

â—˜ Battery Life: Because of the unit's size, using 2 AAA batteries seems to be the only battery option that would fit this little wonder. I would think that a single AA would give longer life (much like the transistor-style Sony Walkman--model SRF59SILVER), but as it stands a good set of rechargeable AAA's should give quite a few hours of listening pleasure. I will update this review as I get more use out of this radio.

â—˜ Sound Quality: It's hard to do so, but I'm taking away one star for the sound quality, specifically with regards to music reproduction. As a portable talk radio, this little unit shines. Played at lower volumes, it does music well enough, but let's be honest...for a small cone with these dimensions, one should not expect beautifully-rendered music playback. For better music quality, one should go with the Sony ICF-S10MK2 (the trade-off, of course, being the Sony's larger size)

â—˜ Reception: Not much different than other transistor-style units...there are dead spots and the possibility of nearby appliances or transmitters creating interference. If you're listening to it on the move, expect a little fuzz here and there. If you find a sweet spot and listen to it in one location (once again, especially for talk radio), it will do just fine.

Bottom Line: You could do a lot worse spending $10-$12 on a radio (see: Anything by Coby). If you are obsessive about shaving grams off of your load, be it for hiking/travel/cycling purposes, this radio fits the bill for being the lightest, smallest radio of good quality out there. If you wish to hear only talk radio, this radio will give you hours of listening pleasure without breaking the bank. If you wish to hear more music than talk (especially if you wish to hear it clearly at higher volumes), go with the Sony ICF-S10MK2 for roughly the same price, at the cost of a little more size/weight.

SUMMARY
It is a terrific "transistor" radio. Turn it on, dial in your station, enjoy memories of a simpler time---particularly these days when you can't set the time on a typical wristwatch without the manual which you lost three years ago. Good manual tuning---the radio won't "forget" your station when you change batteries. There is even a little green diode which helps tuning in exactly on your station. Two AAA batteries have a long life

SHORTCOMING
Needs an attachment point for a small split-ring or neckcord on the back center. A split-ring would allow it to be carred on a belt-loop etc. with a small carabiner, or hung at a convenient place. Carabiner Keychain (6 pack)

TUNING AND RECEPTION
The manual tuning is straightforward and easy, albeit sometimes it is hard to exactly tune in a weak station near a strong one. The dial is fairly stiff---a good thing, it isn't easly bumped. Reception is usually very good, even without the telescoping antenna (just leave it collapsed), but it is very much appreciated when you need it. The antenna does NOT rotate.

VOLUME
This is a personal radio, which you need close, not a room radio. The volume may fill a small room without too much distortion if there is no competing noise, but you will usually want it within about 3--5'.

SOUND QUALITY
The sound qualtiy is good, not great. This is a radio for listening to news, talk radio, or ball games, not classical music. Music is acceptable, particularly at modest volume.

USING HEADPHONES
The radio is mono, so the headphone connection is also mono, but to both ears. Unlike many portable radios, the volume can be turned down to an appropriate level even for very efficicent headphones (such as J-buds). JBuds Hi-Fi Noise-Reducing Ear Buds (Black)

CARRYING IT AROUND
Tiny, fits easily in a shirt pocket. However there is no neckstrap, and no attachment point for a strap or split-ring. My solution was to loop a strap around a battery, and shut the battery compartment---the radio hangs upside down from my neck---but that is actually ideal. 5 pcs Black Neck Strap Band Lanyard For USB Flash/Pen Drives, Cell phone, mp3, mp4 and other Lightweight (under 50 grams) Electronic Devices When that proved to be a good solution, (using my pocket knife) I cut a tiny notch in the center of the lip of the battery compartment lid to accommodate the cord easier.

Compared to Coby CX50---a tiny desk radio
The Coby is only a little larger, and a little louder, and features a rotatable antenna, a wrist strap, and has time and alarm functions. The Coby is not rounded and has a lower center of gravity, so it sits more securely on surfaces, making it a better desk or bathroom radio. The minimum volume of the Coby is so loud that it is can be hard to use with efficient headphones. COBY CX50 COMPACT AM/FM DIGITAL RADIO - CX50

Compared to the Panasonic RF-P50--an oversize "shirt pocket" radio, with plenty of volume
The Panasonic is more than twice the size of the Kaito, but similar in design. However the Panasonic has a wrist strap and rotating antenna. The Panasonic is much louder, and can be used as a small room or "shop" radio--but being tall with a rounded bottom (like the Kaito), it is not as stable as the Coby on a desk. The AA batteries in the Panasonic last much longer. The earphone of the Panasonic is monophonic to only one ear, and it is almost impossible to dial down the volume to a low enough level for efficient headphones. A Sony ICF38 (which I bought for my Dad) is a better inexpensive small room radio than the Kaito, Coby, or Panasonic. Panasonic RF-P50 Pocket AM/FM Radio, Silver

Compared to Sony ICF-S10MK2
The Sony is the same size, shape, and has the same features (and shortcomings) as the Panasonic RF-P50. Sony ICF-S10MK2 Pocket AM/FM Radio, Silver

Compared to Sony ICF38--an inexpensive AC/DC table radio
The Sony ICF38 is MUCH larger, but runs either AC (cord stows inside) or battery, and is more suitable as a room radio. Sony ICF38 Portable AM/FM Radio (Black)

> Click on "Stoney" just below the product title to see my other reviews, or leave a comment to ask a question.

Great radio with good reception. This is my second one, the first is the silver version, this one is grey. The frequency marking on the dial match up with the indicator much better on this one, the silver one is off by a good bit. Sound is clear given the size of the speaker, but this works better for voice broadcasts better than music. Runs a long time on the 2 batteries and has been vey handy so far because it is small and easy to take along.

I was looking for an inexpensive, small radio, to listen to during my daily walk.

Small radios are often cheaply made, difficult to tune, receive only the strongest stations, and have terrible sound quality. Sometimes they use expensive, difficult-to-find batteries as well.

Well, the Kaito excels on most counts - in a good way.

The build quality is excellent, with nice rounded contours that fit pockets well; even a shirt pocket. The small telescoping antenna is not overly long, and even though it needs to be fully extended during use, it does not get in the way.

Often a Slide Rule Dial is a nightmare to tune; with many there is a lag in one direction or the other: tuning being an exercise in frustration. Not so here. Despite its short length, it is surprising how easy it is to tune to just the station I want. The numbers on the slide seem to be well-calibrated to the actual station - far too many radios require you to "learn", for example, that 100 on the dial really means 105.

Once tuned, this radio stays put. The stations do not drift, and as I walk and wave the radio about, the station I'm on remains firmly tuned in. Excellent. I have not tried to tune many stations. This radio receives the few stations that interest me, both AM and FM, so I am satisfied.

The purchase price is very fair, and as it consumes AAA Batteries, it is very inexpensive to operate.

With such glowing praise, you might wonder why I gave this radio only 4 Stars. Well, the sound quality is poor. It never sounds very good, at any volume. On the plus side, it does not distort on full volume. I suppose only so much can be expected from such a small speaker, and such an inexpensive receiver. I would never listen to this radio if a larger, better-sounding radio were nearby. Still, if the sound could be improved to a degree that it was really listenable, I would gladly pay double the price.

Bottom Line: Recommended - I would buy again.

I've become re-crazed about the cleverness, reliability, and power of analog devices. Transistor radios are not to be cast aside as the digital revolution overtakes us! There are many things digital can NOT do.

In my quest for a great pocket radio I narrowed down choices to two: the Sony and the Kaito. Tried the Sony first. You just can't beat the quality of a Sony of course: the tuning is razor-sharp. But the Sony "ICF-S10MK2 Pocket AM/FM Radio" (Silver, seen elsewhere on Amazon and often compared to the Kaito) is BULKY. Really, its huge! Like two packs of cigarettes!

Admittedly, the reception is phenomenal and the design is also superb: the way the dials are arranged for your fingers. Outstanding.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch--! The Kaito is..different. Initially I would say 'not as good'. But it has grown on me. In spades. I willingly give up the fabulous Sony signal-gathering ability for this ultra-compact Kaito design. I give up the comfortable position of dials for the simplicity of its use. The Kaito's dials are not well-placed for quick, easy, operation. But your fingers quickly re-adjust. Its okay.

Next: the Sony has a strange antennae which I bent in the first week; the Kaito's antennae I can comfortably predict that I will never twist or warp. Even by accident. Too simple. Its either 'out' or 'in'. Fumble-proof.

The Kaito is (and this is hard to explain) the more flawed product...but it is the BETTER product. It literally fits in your shirt pocket when the Sony can in no way, follow suit. TINY. Poor reception but better 'utility'.

Also gotta say: after three months of using the Sony..its shot. The volume dial has lost its finesse and sound is either faint or blasting. No graduation anymore; after only three months of usage. It has no fine-volume tune anymore.

I have much better hope for the Kaito. The design of the dials is impregnable.
That's the thing with analog--the dials would wear out before the electronics would; and that's why we have to go back to analog in general. Be involved with our devices; know how they work; know how to repair them!