Tiny, fun and funky FM radio/Bluetooth speaker: This week I continue my holiday gift coverage with a product I have long admired, but previously thought was too expensive to get behind and recommend. Fortunately, that has changed!

I first saw the Muzen OTR Metal Wireless Portable FM Radio Bluetooth Speaker at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) several years ago. I was instantly drawn to the tiny size, cool and cute retro styling, analog tuning dial, physical controls and solid metal body painted in colorful, tasteful tones. Unfortunately the launch pricing of $139.99 seemed too steep, even given CES Innovation Award it won at the show.

Now that I have experienced the product, the packaging alone seems worth the cost of admission, especially with the new pricing. The radio/speaker comes in a colorful retro-styled gift bag, which contains a small cloth bag. The cloth bag holds a miniature plastic suitcase. Opening the suitcase reveals the Muzen. I can’t imagine any recipient not being delighted as they opened the product.

Two front-mounted knobs turn on the radio, control volume and select the source, either Bluetooth, auxiliary input or FM. An extendable whip antenna plugs into the USB-C port, and both looks neat and dramatically improves FM reception. The backlit analog tuning dial works in conjunction with a light that turns green when you achieve tuning lock.

As a Bluetooth speaker it rates as average. The sound quality is good, but the bass and maximum volume are limited given its size. The radio function rates a solid A, as the tiny device spoke with an authority and projected its voice in a way it did not with Bluetooth. Having a miniature, simple-to-use FM radio makes it easy to catch up on local news, listen to sports or music, and follow talk radio. It can also be useful in emergencies. Older folks who get frustrated with technology will love the physical controls. You can operate it as a radio without ever pairing it to a phone, looking at a menu or pushing buttons in weird combinations. Just turn it on, tune it with the dial and adjust volume with the knob.

The 2024 MSRP for the Muzen OTR Metal Wireless Portable FM Radio Bluetooth Speaker is $109.99. A current sale on Amazon has it at $94.99, with a $15 checkbox coupon reducing the price to $79.99. At checkout the coupon code SAVEMORE15 reduces it another $15 for a total of $64.99, a far cry from the original $139.99. The code works with all the colors, and I can see this first-class product bringing style and sound to kitchens, offices, bedrooms, garages and tailgate parties, and that tiny suitcase will fit in your big suitcase when it accompanies you on adventures.

Q. Thanks for writing about the HumminGuru ultrasonic record cleaner. I was looking for a record cleaner a few months ago and saw the $80 Spin-Clean on Amazon. It’s highly rated (4,000 reviewers rate it at 4.6) and recommended by Stereophile. It apparently works a lot like HumminGuru. Your thoughts?

—J.S., Maplewood, Minnesota

A. The Spin-Clean Record Washer works completely differently than the fully automatic, ultrasonic HumminGuru. The Spin-Clean immerses the record in a cleaning solution with brushes and you spin the record manually with your hands, removing dirt which settles in the bottom of a trough. You then dry the record with a cloth and you are ready to play. It gets the records just as clean as an expensive, automatic record cleaning machine and is one of the best accessories a vinyl fan can own. It's also a great introduction to record washers. spinclean.com

———

©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC