Review: Kaito WRX 911

Don't waste your time.

I bought a Kaito WRX 911 radio based on the positive reviews on Amazon. I wanted something portable and and in the $20, mostly for use in case of an extended loss of power. Keep up with the news and so on. I have gobs of AAs and the ability to recharge them, so the pricier Grundig/Eton radios, with their handcrank ability, weren't particularly needed. Shortwave was a plus, though I've rarely ever been able to get much on the SW bands on the rare occasion that I've checked. I know Kaitos are a cheap, Chinese produced radio, but all of the similar pocket sized radios are also cheap, Chinese made. This radio would do, I told myself. Wrong.

Radio arrived today. Cheesy made-in-China, dollar-store-esque packaging. Opened it up. Cheap, flimsy plastic. But whatever. As long as it does the job, right? It doesn't come with batteries, so off to the battery drawer. Two AAs. One goes in...and doesn't slide in deeply enough to seat or allow the 2nd AA into the radio. Not a good sign.

I pushed the battery and with a little effort was able to get it into place. Second battery inserted. Only now there's too big of a gap between the batteries and the connectors...no contact, no power, no functioning radio. The first battery, the one that wouldn't go in, was too deep. 

After a few minutes of various troubleshooting--trying different batteries, trying to adjust the batteries to sit just right--I realized I was wasting my time. The Kaito WRX 911--at least the one I received--is a piece of overpriced junk. It's going back to whence it came, as soon as possible. 

Guess I will need to spring for something a bit better/more durable/reliable...another reminder to buy quality, no cheap crap. The Eton Microlink is only a few bucks more and should be worlds better.