KR-100 WH Kitchen Cabinet Radio

Un certain nombre de détails confirment que cette radio est vraiment conçue pour être utilisée dans la cuisine : Un système de fixation permet de la suspendre sous un placard haut de cuisine. Le haut parleur diffuse alors vers le bas. Si l’on ne souhaite pas dans un premier temps percer ses meubles alors on peut retourner l’appareil pour le poser sur une surface plane mais dans ce cas tous les affichages sont à l'envers. La radio possède aussi une fonction de minuteur pour ne pas, distrait par la musique qui s’écoule des enceintes, oublier le gâteau qui cuit dans le four. Rapidement insupporté par la publicité incessante qui pollue la FM française, j’ai basculé en mode Bluetooth pour diffuser ma propre musique. Il est également possible de brancher une clé USB en façade mais comme souvent dans ces cas là les possibilités de navigation parmi les fichiers audio sont minimalistes. Le mode Bluetooth permet de répondre aux appels téléphoniques en mode ‘mains libres’. Le volume maximum est suffisamment élevé pour l’utilisation dans une cuisine (ce n’est pas une boite de nuit) et la qualité sonore est tout à fait convenable. Quelques détails auraient pu être mieux pensés : ainsi, l’heure ne s’affiche plus sur l’écran digital en mode bluetooth, remplacée par les lettres ‘BT’. On a également la possibilité de définir deux alarmes, de désactiver l’affichage bleu et de déclencher un minuteur sommeil qui éteint la musique au bout de la durée choisie. En conséquence de quoi on peut envisager l’utilisation de cette radio de cuisine comme radio réveil. A la fois une radio, une enceinte bluetooth, un minuteur et que sais-je encore, l’appareil répond à la plupart des besoins que l’on peut imaginer dans une cuisine.

A certain number of details confirm that this radio is really designed to be used in the kitchen: A mounting system allows it to be suspended under a tall kitchen cupboard. The speaker then broadcasts downwards. If you do not initially wish to drill your furniture then you can turn the device over to place it on a flat surface but in this case all the displays are upside down. The radio also has a timer function so that, distracted by the music playing from the speakers, you don't forget the cake baking in the oven. Quickly fed up with the incessant advertising that pollutes French FM, I switched to Bluetooth mode to broadcast my own music. It is also possible to plug in a USB key on the front but, as is often the case in these cases, the possibilities for browsing audio files are minimal. Bluetooth mode allows you to answer phone calls in 'hands-free' mode. The maximum volume is high enough for use in a kitchen (this is not a nightclub) and the sound quality is quite adequate. Some details could have been better thought out: for example, the time is no longer displayed on the digital screen in Bluetooth mode, replaced by the letters 'BT'. You can also set two alarms, deactivate the blue display and trigger a sleep timer which turns off the music after the chosen duration. As a result, we can consider using this kitchen radio as an alarm clock radio. A radio, a Bluetooth speaker, a timer and what not, the device meets most of the needs that one can imagine in a kitchen.

A rádió felszerelve jól mutat a konyhaszekrényen. Az óra kijelzőjét csak közelről látni mert nem világít. Mivel alul van a hangszórója mindenképpen felszerelve használható úgy szól jól. Kicsit doboz hangja van nem tiszta sztereó de nem rossz. Magyar leírást nem adnak hozzá a beállításokhoz.

The radio looks good mounted on the kitchen cabinet. The watch display can only be seen up close because it does not light up. Since the speaker is at the bottom, it can definitely be used mounted, so it sounds good. It has a bit of a box sound, not a clear stereo, but not bad. Hungarian description is not added to the settings.

Con la dipartita dello stereo che tenevamo in cucina per i bimbi mi serviva un'alternativa non troppo costosa che potesse tenerli buoni senza anestetizzarli con la TV. Ora, posto che la suddetta dipartita era legata al fatto di aver smanettato violentemente sulla presa USB, posta ad altezza bimbo, l'idea era quella di togliere lo stereo dai loro occhi...e mani. Col precedente, che ahimé era un costoso Sharp da salotto non potevamo, così l'idea di un sistema sottopensile (o qualcosa del genere, come dirò poi) c'è sembrata la migliore. COSA SI RICEVE Nel pacco si trova questa autoproclamata 'radio da cucina', anche se è una dicitura riduttiva, i piedini per il montaggio e le istruzioni, anche se a) non sono in italiano e b) se ne fa volentieri a meno, visto che è abbastanza intuitivo. COME FUNZIONA La radio ha un sacco di funzioni: Radio (ma no!) con indicazioni sul display a cristalli liquidi retroilluminato Vivavoce bluetooth, da collegare al cellulare così da poter chiaccherare mentre si cucina. Se usate un telefono cordless bluetooth (come quelli Panasonic) potete usufruirne pure per la linea fissa, davvero una bella comodità. Sveglie e timer per la pasta (comodissimo pure questo!) Lettore USB, con slot posto nella parte anteriore (vedi foto) MONTAGGIO La radio è leggerissima, aspetto fondamentale essendo nata come sottopensile. Purtroppo nei piani andrebbe fissata alla parte inferiore del pensile facendo quattro buchi col trapano, dai quali far passare le viti che si ricongiungono al corpo della radio, distanziato dal legno del mobile da quattro piedini. Dopo aver capito tutto ciò ed esclamato 'Come no! Quattro buchi nella cucina li faccio SUBITO'!!!'), ho trovato la soluzione perfetta: un vano sottopensile vero, ossia con due staffe nascoste che si fissano all'interno del mobile stesso, lasciando sorreggere il vano che si vede in foto. In questo modo la radio sta dove dovrebbe stare, ma senza fare buchi. Per la cronaca, due di questi sottopensili li ho trovati in un noto supermercato tedesco il cui nome comincia per L e finisce per IDL per meno di otto euro. QUALITA' AUDIO Insospettabilmente buona. Ovvio che si parla di suono mono, ma credevo avrebbe gracchiato di più o non fosse sufficientemente potente per la cucina. Niente di tutto ciò, a volume 30 (tra i più alti) la musica era a volume perfetto, la radio idem e le chiamate pure.

With the disappearance of the stereo that we kept in the kitchen for the children, I needed a not too expensive alternative that could keep them calm without anesthetizing them with the TV. Now, given that the aforementioned demise was linked to the fact of having violently fiddled with the USB socket, placed at child height, the idea was to remove the stereo from their eyes... and hands. With the previous one, which unfortunately was an expensive living room Sharp, we couldn't, so the idea of an under-cabinet system (or something like that, as I'll say later) seemed the best. WHAT YOU RECEIVE In the package you will find this self-proclaimed 'kitchen radio', even if it is a reductive term, the feet for assembly and the instructions, even if a) they are not in Italian and b) you are happy to do without them, given that it's quite intuitive. HOW IT WORKS The radio has a lot of functions: Radio (but no!) with indications on the backlit liquid crystal display Bluetooth hands-free, to be connected to your mobile phone so you can chat while cooking. If you use a cordless Bluetooth phone (like the Panasonic ones) you can also use it for the landline, a really nice convenience. Alarm clocks and pasta timers (this is also very convenient!) USB reader, with slot on the front (see photo) ASSEMBLY The radio is very light, a fundamental aspect as it was created as an under-cabinet unit. Unfortunately, in the plans it would have to be fixed to the lower part of the wall unit by drilling four holes, through which to pass the screws that rejoin the body of the radio, spaced from the wood of the cabinet by four feet. After understanding all this and exclaiming 'Of course! I'll make four holes in the kitchen NOW!!!'), I found the perfect solution: a real under-cabinet compartment, i.e. with two hidden brackets that are fixed inside the cabinet itself, leaving the compartment seen in the photo to support it. This way the radio stays where it should be, but without making holes. For the record, I found two of these under cabinets in a well-known German supermarket whose name begins with L and ends with IDL for less than eight euros. AUDIO QUALITY Unsuspectedly good. Obviously we're talking about mono sound, but I thought it would have crackled more or wasn't powerful enough for the kitchen. None of this, at volume 30 (among the highest) the music was at perfect volume, the radio ditto and the calls as well.

Positive: - Clear interface, it is easy to find and save radio channel - Big amount of predefined channels (30) - Loud speaker - Easy connect different devices to radio via Bluetooth (if disconnect one then is ready to connect another) - Possibility to change backlight brightness - Time and setting are protected by battery Negative: - low sensitivity built-in microphone, it is possible to have a conversation via Bluetooth only if you will stay front of it. - Pressing of buttons is quite loud and hard. - Timer with steps 5,10,20,30...180 minute

Positive: - Clear interface, it is easy to find and save radio channel - Big amount of predefined channels (30) - Loud speaker - Easy connect different devices to radio via Bluetooth (if disconnect one then is ready to connect another) - Possibility to change backlight brightness - Time and setting are protected by battery Negative: - low sensitivity built-in microphone, it is possible to have a conversation via Bluetooth only if you will stay front of it. - Pressing of buttons is quite loud and hard. - Timer with steps 5,10,20,30...180 minute