Quick verdict
The TB-100 Toughbox is a rugged AM/FM radio built for garages, job sites and backyards. It is a good choice if you want a radio that shrugs off dust, rain and bumps and can charge its own batteries.
The Sangean TB-100 Toughbox is a worksite radio with a roll cage, a large speaker and an aux input. It is made for places where a normal tabletop radio would not last. The photos on this page are of my own TB-100.
What you get
The TB-100 covers AM and FM with a digital PLL tuner and a flexible, pivoting antenna. It has 10 presets, 5 AM and 5 FM, on easy touch buttons. Retailers describe a large water resistant full-range speaker of about five inches. The body is impact resistant ABS plastic inside a roll cage, and Sangean rates it as rain, dust and shock resistant, with splash resistance listed to the JIS4 standard. It runs on AC power or four C batteries. Rechargeable C cells charge inside the radio while it is plugged in, and an LED shows charging. You also get a large backlit LCD, rugged rotary tuning and volume knobs, an aux input for a phone or music player and a 2.7 meter rubber power cord that wraps around the back.
What I like
The Toughbox looks and feels like it belongs on a workbench. I like the simple rotary knobs, which are easy to use with dirty or gloved hands. The big speaker fills a garage with talk radio or music without strain. In-radio charging means you can run it on rechargeable C cells and top them up whenever it is plugged in, and the aux jack plays music from a phone.
Things to know
It is splash resistant, not waterproof, so do not leave it sitting in standing water. There is no Bluetooth, so phone audio needs a cable. Sangean does not publish an output power figure or a drop rating. Several retailers now list the TB-100 as out of stock or no longer available, so prices can vary.
Bottom line
Buy the TB-100 if you want a tough, simple AM/FM radio for the garage or job site. For another rugged option, see the Sangean LB-100, or browse my rugged worksite radio reviews.
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