This is an excellent radio, well worth the additional cost. I bought the $20 Sangean SR-35 to try to save $45 additional dollars, but the FM station I wanted to listen to had a weak signal between two FM stations with very strong signals. The analog tuning on the Sangean simply couldn't find the peak point in the signal and the resulting poor reception made it impossible to enjoy listening. One other important detail is that I listen inside and around tall concrete buildings which further reduced signal strength. I gave up and tried the CC Pocket. I consistently have a clear signal except in elevator shafts and in the basement. Even in those locations I can hear the program if I'm willing to put up with a little static! Amazing. I've been using it for a month everyday 5 days a week on the first batteries I put in it when it arrived and they still show full strength. It is also ultra-light and about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and it comes with a great set of ear buds. I'm truly impressed with this thing. Don't waste $20 on another pocket radio. Spend 3.5 times as much and get what you pay for.

I've had this radio for a little while now, and really enjoy nearly everything about it. It's loud enough, and clear enough. The reception is very impressive, particularly for a unit of its size. It's plastic, but very sturdy and high-quality; the buttons have a tremendously satisfying click about them. Battery life is good (I power it with Eneloops). Sleep timer is a nice bonus. All in all a great little package, completely worth the cost.

There are a couple of things I would change, given the choice. Moving the NOAA band to a separate control outside of AM/FM would be nice (I can't get any NOAA channels, so when I'm cycling through bands I'm always hit with a blast of static. Perhaps an auto-squelch would be another possible solution). The volume control is the weak link of the controls, just doesn't feel near the same quality as the buttons or the overall housing. And if C. Crane made one of these with extended bands (like shortwave), I'd be all over it. But none of these things make the radio deserve any fewer than five stars. Love it.

My issue with this product (battery drain when in standby/off) appears to be resolved. My original 2 star review is below and was written after a company rep told me via email that batteries draining within a few weeks while 'off' was normal. A later follow-up with a different rep resulted in a new unit being sent to me. This unit is performing much better. Its been 7 weeks with the unit 'off' the vast majority of the time and the battery gauge is still showing 'full'. Good product - I would recommend.

Original review:
What I like about this radio: Solid construction. Controls are easier than the old Sangean I have. Sound and reception are just fine for a handheld.

What I don't like about this radio: uses way too much power when 'off'. Fresh duracells last less than 3 weeks with the radio off. A service rep for the company told me (essentially) that this was the expected performance. This may not be a big problem if you're using it a lot. I don't and it chews the batteries much faster than my old Sangean. Of course I can remove the batteries whenever I put it in the drawer.... I didn't need to do this on the old Sangean and the batteries lasted many months.

UPDATE: A different service rep from the company told me that the battery drain I experienced is not normal and sent me a replacement unit. This was handled well. I have the new unit and I'm checking it for battery life. I will update this review with results when I have them.

I like this radio...VERY much! ('LOVE' I reserve for my Henri.)
Here is a tip for an inexpensive carrying case which I fashioned...that is magnifique!:

I just bought the C Crane Pocket radio and at the same time the C Crane Skywave. They are nearly the same size and weight. I was unsure which to buy so I bought both, and I am glad I did. Overall, I like them both very much but they are quite different. The Pocket is by far the best small radio I've ever had, but the Skywave is even better. The Pocket is rugged, with rubber sides but has a smaller speaker and is more "tinny" sounding than the much better sounding Skywave. The reception of both are excellent. If I had to own only one, it would definitely be the Skywave.
Update: having used this little radio now for several days, I complained earlier about the tinny sounding speaker. But with the included earbuds the sound is awesome. I like it as it is simple and rugged and works excellent. I'm still glad I have the CC Skywave for speaker clarity, though it seems more fragile. If you want a good radio, buy a C. Crane in my humble experience.