Buying Two Way Radio Equipment – What You Should Know
29th Oct 2019
Released On 3rd Feb 2021
We’ve been testing, reviewing and selling the best two-way radios for business customers for many years. Here are our Top 6 recommendations for 2021.
Our customers’ best interests are at the heart of everything we do. With that in mind, we’ve come up with a list of best-buy two-way radios for business in 2021; they’re all from leading brands, and all combine professional-level communication features with cost-effective credentials.
No reviews list would be complete without Motorola’s most popular hand-portable, the DP4400e. And for good reason. It’s packed with a diverse range of advanced technical features, including safety features for lone workers, which makes it suitable for many business uses and industries.
This handset is built to an extremely robust standard with a very high IP68 rating, making it dust-tight and waterproof for 30 minutes in up to 1.5m of water. If you’re looking for an offshore radio, or a handset for use in a rugged industrial environment, the DP4400e should definitely be on your shortlist. It’s also ideal for use by event organisers and in sports stadia.
But this model’s work-horse credentials keep on going. In our opinion, the DP4400e is also the best performing radio when it comes to range and audio clarity, with an impressive battery life of up to 28 hours.
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For many business managers, discretion and ease of use is as important as performance, which is where the Motorola SL1600 comes into its own, providing reliable push-to-talk communication for the every-day user.
At just 22mm thick, less than 6 oz in weight, and smaller than many of today’s smartphones, this two-way radio is sleek and light. It slips easily and unobtrusively into a pocket or small bag, although our standard package does include a holster or wrist-strap.
The SL1600 features an shatterproof LED matrix display, making it more robust than its slimline appearance first appears, and enabling it to survive everyday knocks and tumbles. It’s water- and dust-resistant, too, with a useful IP54 rating.
For business users looking for a slim, lightweight radio, the SL1600 is a very affordable option. It’s a perfect work partner and so easy to use. This is an ideal handset for the education, hospitality and events sectors.
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The Motorola DP3441e is a slimmed-down version of the very popular DP4400e (at number 1 in our list). It offers all the same features, plus a few special extras, such as Bluetooth 4.0, indoor location tracking, multi-constellation GNSS for increased location accuracy and integrated Wi-Fi.
Motorola has packed a lot of technology into such a compact device, making it one of the most versatile two-way radios available for businesses at the moment. As you’d expect from any radio in the Mototrbo range, audio performance, range and clarity are also top class.
The DP3441e is IP68 rated, making it very popular in the marine industry, but the radio’s ruggedness and compact size also make it a top choice for agricultural users, as well as events and sports stadia.
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For a combination of entry-level affordability and professional-level performance in one handset, you’ll go a long way to beat the Motorola DP1400. Fun fact: it’s one of the most popular two-way radios in Africa. But it’s a great option for UK businesses, too. This is a great entry-level handheld radio, with plenty of built-in features, and it’s available in both analogue and digital models.
Not quite ready for digital yet? When the time is right, all the DP1400 needs is a simple software upgrade. And when you do migrate to digital you’ll gain more efficiency as it operates up to 40% longer than analogue on the same battery – and you get twice the capacity from the same 12.5 kHz channel, using the Dual Capacity Direct Mode feature.
The DP1400 is a very robust and reliable two-way radio, with an IP54 rating that gives good water and dust-resistance. This makes it extremely popular in environments such as waste, recycling, agriculture and mining, but it’s a sensible choice for many other businesses, too.
Ease-of-use is another great selling point if your business has simple needs, but this in no way compromises the DP1400’s performance - it has all the business-essential features you need for effective communication, and you’ll be more than happy with its superior audio quality, excellent coverage and great battery life.
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Staying with two-way hand-portables that combine best value with feature-rich business functions, we also recommend Kenwood’s NX-1300DE3 model for every-day use.
You’ll enjoy excellent audio clarity and a high specification with the NX-1300DE3, for example, a 2000mah high-capacity battery as standard, automatic analogue / digital mixed mode operation, up to 64 channels and proven reliability. The Kenwood NX-1300DE3 also has a unique emergency function ideal for educational lockdown situations.
As well as educational settings, the NX-1300DE3 is also ideal for agriculture and small businesses that need excellent communication in a cost-effective handset.
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Motorola’s EVX-S24 is the ideal choice for so many businesses. On the one hand its rugged build and waterproof / dustproof IP67 rating make it a winner for demanding conditions such as outdoor leisure or marine environments. It even comes in two colours (black and yellow) so you can assign different handsets to indoor and outdoor crews.
On the other hand, the EVX-S24 is small, compact and lightweight, making it the two-way radio of choice for hospitality businesses, educational establishments and many others. Wear it on a belt, tuck it into a pocket or clip it to your lapel.
The radio operates in both analogue and digital modes, so if you’re gradually upgrading your handsets, it’s a great choice as you migrate your system over time. In digital mode, you’ll enjoy noise cancellation for crisp audio and clear conversations.
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Check our prices and buy the Motorola EVX-S24
So there you have it! Our top-rated business two-way radios. Please get in touch to discuss any of these products if you need more information, or let our friendly team guide you to the best two-way radio if you're not sure what the best radio is for your business.
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29th Oct 2019
20th Apr 2017
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