Makita Radio That Charges Batteries – Is There Such A Jobsite Radio Available On The Market?

Last Update: 05/27/2019

Ok ninjas, so you want to have a bit of fun whilst working on a construction site…and you have decided to have a look at buying a job site radio. Here you have a great selection of some of the best jobsite radios.  on the market.

If you are already a Makita tools fan, you probably have decided to go for a Makita jobsite radio.

But … here’s a question that I’m sure has brought you to my site:

Will Makita Radio Charge My Batteries?

I bet that you want to have a radio for your site that is cordless, right?

That makes a lot of sense 🙂 … since many times on big construction sites, you won’t have electricity live until almost the end of the project. And even if you have temporary power, you won’t have power sockets in every room or area that you will work

And let’s face it … it’s so annoying having to plug the radio for half an hour in one place, and when you move, unplug it and plug it again in another room … I hate it.

The answer to your question is: NO!

Unfortunately (for the Makita fans), at the moment, Makita haven’t got a radio player that can charge your batteries!

But is this possible? A worksite radio that charges the batteries?

Yes, it is.

Some jobsite radio manufacturers like DeWalt and Milwaukee have created radio players with a built-in charger. When the radio is plugged in, it can charge the battery for the radio or for use in a compatible cordless tool on the job site.

Here’s a list of my top 10 best jobsite radios where I have included few worksite radios that DO CHARGE your batteries!

So what you will want to have it’s a radio that works on batteries …

… and that can charge it’s own batteries.

Any Pros Or Cons Of A Radio That Charges The Batteries?

Well, there are obviously a few positive things about having a worksite radio that can charge it’s own batteries

PROS

  • You won’t need to worry to have a battery charger only for your radio
  • Can choose to have the radio plugged or cordless using the battery
  • You can charge other tool batteries whilst the radio is plugged in

CONS

  • Not too many cons, of course, other than that it could be a bit more expensive than a radio that doesn’t charge the batteries.

So, from a professional point of view … it’s much worth it to spend a bit more on a radio that has a built-in charger than buy just any jobsite radio which by the way, many of them will sell you the batteries and the charger … on the side!

And now, here’s a comparison table with some of the most known and liked jobsite radios.

Compare 3 Of The Best Worksite Radios

Brand & ModelSpecs & Features

1. Makita XRM04B 18V LXT

> Read The Good & The Bad On Amazon <

Battery:
Dimensions: 7 x 12 x 13 inches
Weight: 9.5 pounds
Run-time:
+/-20 hours with an 18V LXT Lithium-Ion 5.0Ah battery 

+/-6 hours with an 18V Compact Lithium-Ion 2.0Ah battery
Built-in battery charger: NO
Built-in smartphone charger: NO
Warranty: 3-years
2. Milwaukee Electric Tool M18

> Read The Good & The Bad On Amazon <

Battery: M18 Lithium-ion 18V Battery
Dimensions: 12 x 15 x 12 inches
Weight: 17.1 pounds
Run-time: 
+/- 3 hours at full volume with an M18 4.0 XC battery;
+/- 1.5 hours at full volume with an M18 2.0 battery
Built-in battery charger: YES
Built-in smartphone charger: yes
Warranty: one year
3. DEWALT DCR015 12V/20V

> Read The Good & The Bad On Amazon <

Battery:  12V Max and 20V MAX
Dimensions: 16” x 9 7/8” x 12” 
Weight: 13.5 pounds
Run-time: up to 8 hours on a 20V battery
Built-in battery charger: YES
Built-in smartphone charger: yes
Warranty: 3-year limited warranty

Mind you, I've just put 3 radio players here ... there are a lot of brands out there nowadays.

I want to help you make a good decision if you want to buy one. With that in mind, here are some quick tips that will help you decide to get yourself a Bluetooth job site radio. 

What To Look For When Choosing A Worksite Radio Player?

1. Well, first things first ... How tough is it?!

Of course, if you are a construction pro like myself, you know how easy is to break things whilst working. The environment is tough and it doesn't forgive anything :)

So make sure the radio player has a decent overall protection.

2. Can I charge my mobile?

I believe nowadays, we all use the mobile phone so much that the battery goes dead in just a few hours. So having somewhere to charge it ... is definitely a plus for a worksite radio.

3. Can I connect my phone via Bluetooth?

Another great feature will be the option to connect your phone to your jobsite radio via bluetooth. This way eliminating more cables from your way.

4. Does the radio has a safety compartment?

Not sure what that is? Is just a small designated area somewhere in the radio player case where you can store your phone, for example, reducing the risk of dropping and breaking your phone or mp3 device.

5. Can I plug my USB stick and play music from the USB?

This will allow you to keep your phone safe in your pocket whilst having thousands of music tracks in one single place. Just have to make sure the jobsite of your choice has this option.

6. Does it come with battery and charger?

What you will find out is that many radios will be sold separately from the battery and the charger. So make sure you check that it's all included. And if it's not ... you'll have to do the math and see if you are still happy to pay for all these things individually.

7. Can it charge the batteries?

This is THE best feature to have in worksite radio. This will allow you to charge the radio's own battery plus other tools that you might have around you whilst still enjoying some great music :)

I can't think of any other feature that you should look at when looking for a job site radio ... if you think there are other things that I should include here ... PLEASE let me know in the comments.

I'll add them happily.

And here are a few words about each one of them.

I'll leave below a short description of the two radios that can charge not only your mobile phone BUT your radio and tool batteries as well.

It will come handy if you want to compare them with any Makita radio player.

#1. Makita XRM04B 18V LXT Cordless Bluetooth Job Site Radio

☛  Read Other People's Opinion About This Radio Player On Amazon - Good or Bad

This one here is one of the best jobsite radio players out there. If you click on the link above it will take you to Amazon where you can read lots of reviews to see why people like it.

To be honest with you, I haven't seen a lot of Milwaukee M18 jobsite radios on the construction sites that I've been working on ... what I do see a lot is DeWalt and Makita radio players.

I guess is because both are cheaper than the Milwaukee radio/charger.

Anyway ... the biggest downside to this Makita is that it can't charge your batteries.

If Makita wants to compete with these two bad boys here ... they really need to have a look at making a radio that can charge batteries as well.

Enclosed in a reinforced cage, the Makita radio player can be used on any construction site without fear of damaging the unit (easily:) )...after all, everything can break. But this unit it's quite heavy duty built.

This jobsite radio offers:

  • Bluetooth to wirelessly connect your mobile device to play music
  • One auxiliary port for MP3 compatibility
  • One USB port for charging your mobile
  • Menu controls to set FM mono/stereo, clock settings, volume and snooze

It's really a good addition to any construction site or workshop.


#2. Milwaukee Electric Tool 2792-20 M18 Job Radio/Charger

 

☛  Read Other People's Opinion About This Radio Player On Amazon - Good or Bad

Encased in a reinforced roll-cage and sporting one top and two side metal handles, the Milwaukee M18™ Jobsite Radio/Charger 2792-20 features front-facing stereo speakers, a large LCD display that stays lit when the radio is on, and a powerful 40-watt amplifier.

This Milwaukee M18 radio offers

  • 10 FM and 10 AM pre-set
  • Customizable equalizer to adjust treble and bass
  • The unit is Bluetooth compatible
  • The built-in 3-amp charger will quick-charge any M18 battery when the radio is line powered.

There’s a large weather-sealed storage compartment on top with a USB power outlet and a stereo aux jack for plugging in an MP3 player or other electronic devices.

When on battery, the unit automatically shuts down if the charge is very low, preventing a deep discharge. The power cord is attached directly to the radio and wraps around fittings for storage.


#3. DEWALT DCR015 12V/20V MAX Worksite Charger Radio

☛  Read Other People's Opinion About This Radio Player On Amazon - Good or Bad

This DeWalt worksite radio offers you the following settings:

  • AM, FM1 & FM2
  • Auxiliary
  • Supports 5 AM and 10 FM radio stations
  • Seek & Scan
  • Equalizer control of the bass and treble.

As I said earlier, when the radio player is plugged in, the radio can charge a battery either the one that you are using with the radio or any other battery compatible with a DeWalt tool. It's easy to monitor the status of your battery by looking at the red light on the unit (you'll see a red light either blinking or fixed indicating the status of the charge).

The DeWalt jobsite radio has a USB port which is helpful if you want to charge your phone. As well, it has a handy auxiliary port in case you want to plug your phone directly into the radio player.

☞ If you are looking for a great boombox I have put together a collection of some of the best sounding boom box players out there. Check it out before you leave.


In Conclusion - Makita Need To Step Up

For all those Makita fans out there (including my brother in law, who I know will read this haha) ... there is no such worksite radio from Makita brand that can charge your batteries (at the moment, I'm sure they'll do something about it in the future)

So for now, you'll still have to charge your radio battery previous work or use it with the power cable provided.

By the way, please let me know what jobsite radio you are using on your projects!

Ohh ... one very important thing before I go:

Make sure you can use your radio at work. On many, almost ALL the construction jobs I've worked lately, any type of music device is prohibited for Health and Safety reasons. Even in plants like excavators, forklifts, or whatever ... it's not allowed to listen to the radio.

So just make sure you can use it ... before you buy it :)

Alright, I hope this little article helped you in some way, don't forget to comment, please.

Until next time,

Stay Safe Ninjas And Happy DIYing :)

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