The best walkie-talkies
Garden spy missions, campsite check-ins and "where are you?" in a big shop. Every pick here is legal to use in the UK.
Walkie-talkies are one of those presents that come out for years: in the garden, on holiday, at the campsite. Grown-ups find them handy too, on ski trips, long walks and anywhere the phone signal gives up.
In the UK, licence-free walkie-talkies have to be PMR446 radios. Plenty of cheap sets online are American models on frequencies that aren't allowed here, so we've only picked PMR446 sets. The range on the box is for open country: in town, expect a few hundred metres.
What matters
- PMR446: the licence-free type allowed in the UK.
- Rechargeable or AAA batteries: rechargeables save money if they're used a lot.
- Enough radios for everyone: packs come in twos, threes and fours.
- Hands-free talking (VOX) and a keypad lock help younger children.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Motorola Talkabout T42 Walkie-Talkies (3-pack)
£30–£50 Price range
Three radios, so the family can split up at the campsite, on the ski slope or round a big shop and still find each other. Motorola built the original walkie-talkie, a 16kg backpack radio for Second World War soldiers; each of these weighs 79g.
What owners say: Owners find them simple to set up, with clear sound and good range out in the hills and woods, and children love using them.
A closer look: Each radio takes three AAA batteries (not included), so pick up a pack of rechargeables with them. The 4km is across open ground: among buildings and trees, expect a few hundred metres, which is plenty for a campsite or a theme park. Put everyone on the same channel before you split up.
- 3 radios in the pack
- 16 channels
- Up to 4km in open country
- Keypad lock and call alert
- Belt clips and name stickers
Best for: Family days out
- In the pack
- 3 radios
- Channels
- 16
- Range (claimed)
- Up to 4km
- Power
- 3 × AAA each, not included (about 18 hrs)
- Hands-free (VOX)
- No
#2 of 5
Best for a group
AWANFI Rechargeable Walkie-Talkies (4-pack)
£30–£50 Price range
Four radios in four colours, so every child gets their own and nobody argues over who's blue. They charge by USB-C, and there's a torch built in for garden games after dark.
What owners say: Owners find them fun and reliable, with sound so clear it's like being in the same room.
A closer look: Two 2-in-1 cables come in the box, so all four can charge at once, and a full charge lasts three to four days on standby. The keypad lock stops small fingers changing channel mid-game. They're made for ages 3 to 12.
- 4 radios, 4 colours
- USB-C rechargeable
- Hands-free VOX
- Built-in torch
- Keypad lock
Best for: Siblings and parties
- In the pack
- 4 radios
- Channels
- 8
- Range (claimed)
- Up to 3km
- Power
- Rechargeable, USB-C (3–4 days standby)
- Hands-free (VOX)
- Yes
#3 of 5
Best rechargeable
NXGKET Rechargeable Walkie-Talkies (2-pack)
£20–£30 Price range
A bigger battery and 16 channels make these a good pair for older children and grown-ups: dog walks, festivals, or guiding someone into a tight parking space. They charge over USB-C like a phone.
What owners say: Owners find the sound clear and reliable over a good distance, simple for young children, and fun for adults too.
A closer look: A full charge gives about a day of use or three on standby, so charge them the night before a trip. Scan shows which channels are busy, handy at campsites and events where other families are on walkie-talkies too.
- 16 channels
- 1200mAh battery, USB-C charging
- Hands-free VOX
- Channel scan
- Backlit screen and keypad lock
Best for: Older children and adults
- In the pack
- 2 radios
- Channels
- 16
- Range (claimed)
- Up to 5km
- Power
- Rechargeable, USB-C (about a day's use)
- Hands-free (VOX)
- Yes
#4 of 5
Best for little hands
QNIGLO Rechargeable Walkie-Talkies (2-pack)
£30–£50 Price range
The figure-of-eight shape is easy for small hands to hold, and at about 100g each they won't drag a pocket down. One charge gives up to 24 hours of talking, enough for a whole weekend away.
What owners say: Owners find them easy to use, with clear sound and good range, and like not having to buy batteries.
A closer look: They charge with the micro-USB cable in the box (not USB-C), so keep that cable with them. Hands-free VOX sends as soon as they speak, useful when their hands are busy climbing or building a den.
- Easy-grip figure-of-eight shape
- Rechargeable, up to 24 hours talk
- Hands-free VOX
- 8 channels
- About 100g each
Best for: Younger children
- In the pack
- 2 radios
- Channels
- 8
- Range (claimed)
- Up to 3 miles
- Power
- Rechargeable, micro-USB (up to 24 hrs talk)
- Hands-free (VOX)
- Yes
#5 of 5
Best budget
Retevis RT388 Kids' Walkie-Talkies (2-pack)
£10–£20 Price range
The torch in the top makes these a hide-and-seek favourite, and they're cheap enough to go in a stocking. Like all our picks they're PMR446, the licence-free kind that's legal to use in the UK.
What owners say: Owners find them fun and easy for children to use, with clear sound and good reception round the garden and park.
Heads up: Each one takes four AAA batteries, which aren't included, and busy games get through them, so rechargeable AAAs are worth having.
A closer look: Set both to the same channel and the same privacy code and they'll ignore other radios nearby. The keypad lock stops a younger child changing channel by accident.
- Built-in torch
- Hands-free VOX
- Keypad lock
- Privacy codes
- 8 channels, up to 1km
Best for: Stockings and hide-and-seek
- In the pack
- 2 radios
- Channels
- 8
- Range (claimed)
- Up to 1km
- Power
- 4 × AAA each, not included
- Hands-free (VOX)
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1Motorola T42 | #2AWANFI 4-pack | #3NXGKET | #4QNIGLO | #5Retevis RT388 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best for a group | Best rechargeable | Best for little hands | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.3 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.6 |
| Price | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £10–£20 Price range |
| In the pack | 3 radios | 4 radios | 2 radios | 2 radios | 2 radios |
| Channels | 16 | 8 | 16 | 8 | 8 |
| Range (claimed) | Up to 4km | Up to 3km | Up to 5km | Up to 3 miles | Up to 1km |
| Power | 3 × AAA each, not included (about 18 hrs) | Rechargeable, USB-C (3–4 days standby) | Rechargeable, USB-C (about a day's use) | Rechargeable, micro-USB (up to 24 hrs talk) | 4 × AAA each, not included |
| Hands-free (VOX) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Family days out | Siblings and parties | Older children and adults | Younger children | Stockings and hide-and-seek |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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