Pure Woodland review: charming, practical and hitting the right notes
Pure Woodland: Two-minute review
The Pure Woodland Bluetooth speaker and DAB radio isn’t the cutting edge of modern technology but it knows how to be good at what it does. It has the right name, looking eco-friendly right down to its cardboard and paper only box (besides a couple of cable ties). In a fetching green, it’s just asking for you to hook it up to a tree on a hot summer’s day.
None of this would matter if it was awful to use but some thought has been put into it. Its carry handle is soft and easy to grip onto while its 14 hours of battery life is about right for a busy day out full of music and relaxation.
This isn’t just about music though as the Pure Woodland also has a reliable DAB and FM radio component. Pull up that antenna and you’re good to go with the DAB radio automatically tuning in and the FM radio only a few steps away. It works well giving you plenty of suitable options with the LCD screen highlighting what station is playing.
At £139.99 / €149.99, it’s not the most competitively priced radio/speaker combo but it’s reasonable. It’s going to last a while too with IP67 waterproofing and some reinforced bumpers to help it handle a few blows while you take it out and about with you.
Simple to use with its stylish yet easy to distinguish buttons, the Pure Woodland is that device that everyone will figure out making it an easy radio to provide the whole family with. Outdoors, it blends in well while on the living room bookshelf, it’s going to be just as capable with a long USB cable proving useful.
As its closest rival, the Robert Revival RD70 might be better looking but if you need something that can travel with you, the Pure Woodland is a tempting proposition among a busy world of the best DAB radios and best Bluetooth speakers.
Pure Woodland review: Price and release date
- Released in July 2023
- Costs £139.99 / €149.99
- Only available in the UK and Europe
The Pure Woodland was released in the UK and Europe in July 2023. It costs £139.99 and €149.99 in respective markets, which places it squarely in the mid-range market.
It’s a little cheaper than some popular favorites like the non-portable but stylish Robert Revival RD70, although pricier than the Sony XDR-P1, which has proved a hit among those looking for something portable.
It’s bulkier than the latter too although the Pure Woodland would certainly look better in your living room than the dated stylings of the Sony XDR-P1. You also get a rechargeable battery here rather than needing to dig out AA batteries all the time.
Pure Woodland review: Features
- IP67 waterproofing
- Carry handle
- DAB and FM radio as well as speaker
It’s perhaps weird to think immediately of the carry handle of the Pure Woodland but it feels like a genuine feature rather than a design component. So many portable speakers omit a useful way of carrying them and are rarely light enough to throw in a bag.
While at the time of this review, it’s the wrong time of year to be spending long days outside – the Pure Woodland feels like something you could take on a picnic with you alongside your bag of food. The handle is soft to hold too which is so important compared to it biting through your hand.
Besides the handle, the Pure Woodland is also pretty robust with IP67 waterproofing and a build that’s light to carry yet feels like it could handle a few knocks. Its 14 hour battery life also means you have a day’s worth of picnicking without needing a power source.
The Bluetooth 5.1 that's onboard is reliable and means no dropouts to speak of. You can also switch to DAB radio mode or a FM radio if you choose. The former is pretty much automatic while the latter requires some adjustments but odds are you’ll be focusing on DAB anyhow.
Don’t count on any extra physical connections like an aux-in socket but otherwise, the Pure Woodland has it covered.
Features score: 4 / 5
Pure Woodland review: Sound quality
- 10W speaker
- Crisp audio
- Lacking a little oomph at times
I’m not really counting on the Pure Woodland to be an audiophile’s dream. Instead, it’s a balanced mix of offering everything the average person needs. Listening to a talk-focused station like LBC brings out how crisp voices sound while switching over to music demonstrates that this isn’t a bass-heavy party speaker but it still does the job well for adding ambience to your picnic, working day, or general chill out moment.
When my random playlist switched to Corner Shop’s Brimful of Asha (yes, really), I was pleasantly surprised at how enthusiastic it sounded. It broke through the background noise of my dehumidifier and my mechanical keyboard well. Elsewhere, more vocal heavy tracks like Harry Styles’s Sign of the Times feels tamer and not quite as powerful as one might like. Similarly, Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta Feeling doesn’t quite get you in the party mood.
However, it’s all likeable and pleasant enough. As cliched as it might sound, the Pure Woodland is a reliable all-rounder. Nothing sounds poor or over processed and the soundstage is reasonable for this speaker, at least indoors.
Sound quality: 4 / 5
Pure Woodland review: Design
- Pleasantly tactile
- Clear preset buttons
- Reinforced bumpers
The Pure Woodland looks a little dated but on the other hand, it’s also really practical. It has the aforementioned carry handle which has been designed to be soft to hold onto yet sturdy. It’ll easily hook onto something too. It also has a string of tactile buttons laid out well so none of them are too close to each other. Unlike other devices, there are no long presses or double taps necessary so it’s simple enough for anyone to figure out.
Six presets are available in all with three DAB and three FM giving you some options. Pairing to Bluetooth takes mere moments. Next to the buttons is a thin LCD screen so you can see what station you’ve picked.
On the back, there’s nothing to speak of. A USB-C port for charging. For a change, a long USB cable is included so you’ve got a fair bit of stretch if you need to keep it plugged in. 14 hours of battery life means this won’t be too commonplace, fortunately. Reinforced bumpers at the top and bottom of the device adds to the robustness of the Pure Woodland.
Design score: 4 / 5
Pure Woodland review: Value
- About average for what it offers
- A little cheaper than more stylish options
- Built to last
The Pure Woodland feels like something that will last a long time. It’s going to handle a muddy picnic in a British summer as well as it’ll handle living comfortably on your bookcase too.
It’s not as good looking as the Robert Revival RD70 but it’s portable which is vital for some people. On the other hand, it’s far better looking than the cheaper Sony XDR-P1 and will look nice in your home during the winter months. A jack of all trades? Maybe, but it works.
Should you buy the Pure Woodland?
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Pure Woodland review: Also consider
How I tested the Pure Woodland
- Tested for one week
- Used around the home and briefly outside (winter!)
- 10 years of audio reviewing experience
I lived with the Pure Woodland by plonking it in the same room as I work while also moving it around the home including my living room. For a brief time, I took it outside but the weather has been awful and I feel less waterproof than the Pure Woodland.
Around the house, it was used while I worked as background noise as well as while I cooked and cleaned. It was all very domesticated and pleasant -- just like how most people are likely to use the Pure Woodland.
I listened to a wide variety of music. This included my faithful (and somewhat embarrassing) 1990s playlist along with more recent releases such as those of Taylor Swift and Harry Styles. I also listened to the radio a lot -- mostly a mixture of LBC, BBC Radio 5 Live, and BBC Radio 4.
Music was streamed through Apple Music and Spotify, while I used the DAB side of things predominantly for the radio with some FM testing too.
Over the past decade, I’ve reviewed dozens of speakers, headphones, and earbuds. Covering a wide range of price ranges, these go from super cheap ‘how could they make it for so little?’ level to much more expensive options.
- Read TechRadar's review guarantee
- First reviewed in January 2024
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