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Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler FIVE tabletop grill and panini press review

REVIEW – I don’t consider myself a cook as much as I consider myself an eater. I like to eat but to do that I have to cook. The best thing about cooking is the eating part. The worst thing about cooking is the cleanup. For that reason, I’m always looking for shortcuts and ways that can make cooking quicker and easier without sacrificing taste. I’m already a huge fan of the Instant Pot, and now I have another favorite kitchen helper. It’s the Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler FIVE tabletop grill and panini press. Let’s get cooking and check it out!

What is it?

The Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler FIVE tabletop grill and panini press is a small tabletop 5-in-1 cooking appliance. It’s a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, and half grill/half griddle.

Specifications

Adjustable temperatures from 175-450 degrees
Weight: 12lbs
Dimensions: 8.75″ x 16.00″ x 13.75″

What’s in the box?

  • Cuisinart GR-5B
  • Scraper
  • Instruction/recipe book

Design and features

The Cuisinart GR-5B is a compact tabletop appliance that has a stainless steel exterior with a large handle on top and a small backlit LCD on the front.

Attached to the back of the unit is the non-replaceable power cord which felt a bit too short to me at 36 inches.

The right side of the unit has a sliding latch on the side of the handle that allows you to open the lid 180 degrees if you want to use the cooker as a griddle.

Without unlocking the handle, the lid opens as you see in the image above. It opens far enough that it will rest in this position without needing to manually hold it open.

Unlocking the handle will allow the lid to swing open and then rest on the handle to create a full cooking surface.

As mentioned, this is a 5-in-1 cooking appliance. You can use it as grill like you see above…

Or you can press the black button on the side which allows you to remove the non-stick cooking plates which are reversible.

Just press the button on either side and lift out the dishwasher safe plates.

Then you can flip one or both over to the flat griddle cooking surface shown above. This will give you the ability to cook different foods on either side like pancakes or fried eggs on the flat side and bacon or sausages on the grilled side that has the ridges that keep the food out of the grease/oils.

If there is any excess grease, oils, or juices, they will run off into the built-in collecting tray that can be removed for cleaning.

Let’s get cooking!

The first step to using the Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler FIVE is to plug it in and press the on/off button. When you do this, the LCD will light up and will show the default temperature of 400 degrees. You can use the knob on the right to change the temp from 175-450 degrees in 25-degree increments and switch between grill and griddle modes.  When the mode and temperature are set, the grill will preheat and then beep when it is ready to be used.

The first cooking test I did with the GR-5B was to make some toasted meatloaf sandwiches. I love using leftovers and toasted meatloaf is one of my all-time favorites. I also decided to split some leftover baked potatoes and put them on the grill too.

The GR-5B’s cooking surface is roomy enough for two standard sized sandwiches when using it as a panini press.

With the sandwiches in place, you can close the top. When I say “close”, that doesn’t mean that the lid will lock in place. The lid floats, so it presses the food between the two cooking plates but does not latch shut. The lid is heavy enough to keep everything in place and cooks from both sides so don’t have to manually flip the sandwich mid-way through which in the past usually meant losing some of the meat and other toppings in the process.

Besides the mode and temperature, you can also set a timer to count down or count up to a certain length of time so you won’t overcook your food.

For toasted sandwiches, I just opened the cover after 5 minutes to check to see if the bread was toasted to my liking and adjusted from there. Timing will be dependant on the type of bread and the selected temperature. I will say that at 375 degrees, the sandwiches toasted much quicker than my usual stovetop frying pan method and the meat inside was perfectly heated.

It was definitely love at first bite!

And the clean up was crazy easy too. I just waited for the grill to cool down and then wiped the plates with a paper towel since there wasn’t any residue left on the plates other than a little bit of grease from the butter.

A few days later I grilled up some smoked sausages.

Sausages don’t squish like sandwiches when you cook them with the cover closed, so the cover didn’t want to float too well at first.

Jiggling the handle and opening and closing the cover a couple of times fixed that and the back tilted so it would be flat against the sausages. Now I always look at the grill from the side to make sure the lid is positioned correctly for optimal cooking.

Almost done! Yum, another winner winner not a chicken dinner. 🙂

What I like

  • Easy to use
  • Easy cleanup
  • Faster than using a frying pan to grill/fry meat and toast sandwiches

What needs to be improved

  • A longer power cord would be nice

Final thoughts

The Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler FIVE tabletop grill and panini press has become a regularly used cooking appliance in my home. My favorite use for it is to make toasted sandwiches because it makes them quick and perfectly. I also like to use it grill up chicken breasts, sausages, pork cutlets, etc. I prefer to use the GR-5B with the cover in the closed position because it keeps grease spatters to a minimum which means less clean up for me. And speaking of clean up, popping the plates off and throwing them and the drip tray in the dishwasher is about as easy as it gets. The Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler FIVE tabletop grill and panini press gets two thumbs up and a happy tummy from me.

Price: $99.95
Where to buy: Cuisinart.com and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Cuisinart.

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Cuisinart GR-5B Series Griddler FIVE tabletop grill and panini press review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 1, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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BlitzWolf BW-FYE1 wireless earbuds review

REVIEW – The second contestant for 2019 into the challenge of finding the “perfect” earbuds for my taste is the BlitzWolf BW-FYE1 True Wireless Stereo Bluetooth 5.0 Earbuds. These earbuds have the unique look of a combination of part of the Apple earbud design along with the design of the typical standard earbud. I wonder if they also managed to merge the best sound and performance characteristics from both. Let’s see!!

What is it?

The BlitzWolf Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds are lightweight, and in some aspects have a form factor that is a mixture of Apple and standard earbud designs. Functionally, they are designed for listening to music and conducting phone calls. As with most earbuds, they should be compatible with most Bluetooth equipped mobile devices.

What’s in the box


1 x BlitzWolf Wireless Earbuds
1 x Micro USB Cable
3 x Ear Tips
1 x User Guide

Design and features:

Specifications
Bluetooth Version：5.0
Waterproof: IPX4
Transmission Distance：≥ 33 feet (10m)
Frequency：2.4GHz, Class 2
Charging Box Output Voltage: DC 5.2V 120mA
Charging Box Input Voltage: DC 5.2V 1A
Temperature Range: 0-45℃
Battery Capacity: Earbud: 50mAh/3.7V Polymer lithium battery
Charging Box: 700 mAh/3.7V Polymer lithium battery
Charging Time – Earbuds: 1-1.5H
Charging Time – Battery Case: 1.5H
Music Playing Time – Monaural Earbud with Full Charge: 2.5H-3H
No. of Charges – Charging Box: 4 times
Call Time: 3H
Standby Time: 77h
Dimensions – Charging Box: 61.5 X 43.5 X 30mm
Dimensions – Earbud: 34.2 X 17.5 X 23.8mm

The charging box/case is quite small and very portable and can be kept in just about any pocket. On the front of the charging case, there is the brand name in white.



On the back of the charging case, there is the micro USB charging port and 4 LEDs that show the built-in case battery charge level.

On the inside, there are the 2 charging slots for the earbuds and the gold plated tips that make contact for charging.

Performance

When I took these BlitzWolf earbuds out of the charging case that arrived almost fully charged, they automatically powered on and appeared in the Bluetooth device list on my phone. Pairing was just that simple and they were ready for use. Looking at their physical design, I was immediately concerned about their comfort factor and since they seemed a bit large for my ear, I figured that they would stick out quite a bit. Boy!! was I wrong!! They somehow seem to possess the ability to morph, fit perfectly, securely and comfortably in my ears, and there was no extended protrusion as I thought might be the case.


These earbuds are controlled by one button multi-function controls which makes them very easy to use.


Similar to all of my testing, I use these earbuds approximately 90 minutes each day for 5 days weekly, and I place them in the charging case after each use. I have to recharge the case once per week. I also use them to watch TV on my iPad Pro, and the voice command indicates “low battery” just short of 3 hours.

Also as I do with all of the earbuds that I test and review, I listen to several genres that I enjoy including Contemporary Jazz, Easy Listening, The Classics, and Gospel. Keeping in mind that these are not in the audiophile category, I did and do enjoy them for all of the listed genres and more. The lows, mids, and highs are well balanced and at the maximum volume on my phone, there is no bothersome level of distortion. Even for phone calls, I can hear the other party quite well, and they indicate that they hear me well too, albeit not as clear and crisp as some of the other earbuds I have tested. I usually use the same folks to test my earbud phone functions.

What I like

  • The smooth and sleek look
  • The fit and comfort
  • The solid connectivity
  • The sound reproduction

What can be improved

  • The earbud battery life

Final thoughts

Based on the cost of these earbuds and a brand that I had never heard of, I have to honestly say that I was expecting a disappointing experience. Well, I am also honest enough to say that I was very wrong. Keeping in mind that there are several individually subjective dynamics that create great variations in perspective, I will stand by my opinion, that these BlitzWolf earbuds are a really great bang for the buck!!

Price: $49.99 Amazon 20% off code for the earbuds: 20L7MYCO. Expires 3/29/19.
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by BlitzWolf.

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BlitzWolf BW-FYE1 wireless earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 28, 2019 at 4:00 pm.

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North St. Bags Scout 15L Duffle and Dopp Kit review

REVIEW – Back in June 2018, I had the opportunity to review the North St. Bags Scout 21 VX Duffle and I was pretty impressed with its water resistance and durability.  North St. Bags recently did an update to their Scout Duffle designs and when they offered to let us try one out, of course I agreed.  Plus, they not only included the updated Scout Duffle, they also included one of their Dopp Kits.  Let’s check ’em out!  Gadget on!

What is it?

The North St. Bags

Hardware specs

Scout 15L Duffle

  • Dimensions:  14″ long x 8″ diameter
  • Capacity: 15 Liters
  • Materials:
    • Exterior – X10 Cotton Duck Canvas backed with Waterproof X-Pac sailcloth Shell
    • Interior – Nylon Packcloth Lining Fabric
    • Handles – Seat belt webbing (not sure about this one)
    • Waterproof zipper
  • Shoulder strap included
  • Interior zipper pocket and lanyard with spring hook
  • Made in USA

Dopp Kit

  • Dimensions: 9.5″ wide x 3.5″ deep x 4″ tall | 24cm x 9cm x 10cm
  • Capacity: 2.5 Liters
  • Materials:
    • Super durable Cotton Duck X10 Canvas backed with waterproof X-Pac sailcloth
    • #10 water-resistant zipper
    • 1.5″ seat belt webbing handles
  • Made in USA

What’s in the package?

  • North St. Bags Scout 15 Duffle
  • North St. Bags Dopp Kit

Design and features

Scout 15L Duffle

The Scout 15 Duffle is a classic “barrel” style duffle with a cylindrical shape.  It is a small- to medium-sized bag and build from high-quality materials.

The Scout 15L Duffle’s exterior material is X10 Cotton Duck Canvas backed with Waterproof X-Pac sailcloth Shell.  Also, the North St. Bags logo tag proudly indicates that their products are made in Portland, Oregon, USA.

In addition to the small tag with US flag indicating that this product is made in the USA, in the image above you can also see a closeup of the Scout 15L’s handle material, which is a substantial webbing.  North St. Bags calls this “seat belt” webbing, but I don’t think this is actual seat belt material.  However, the webbing on their Dopp Kit (see below) does appear to be actual seat belt material.

In the image above, there are two features of the Scout 15L’s handles to note.  First, the tops of the handles have been folded over and stitched, which helps prevent the handle’s strap material from cutting into your hand; it’s still not the most comfortable handle, but this does help.  In addition, you can see that the Scout 15L’s handles have been stitched to the main body of the duffle in such a way that they each have a short segment that can be used as attachment points for carabiners or other items.

The Scout 15L’s handles wrap around the bottom of the duffle and are securely stitched double-stitched at their overlap point to provide strength to the entire duffle.  For optimum strength, I would think that a single, continuous length of webbing would be used around the entire bag, but this probably works quite well also, unless you are carrying a lot of weight for a long time in the bag.

Although the shoulder strap hardware is not metal, it feels very solid and durable.  Each end of the shoulder strap includes a spring clip for attachment to the plastic D-rings on either end of the Scout 15L Duffle.

The Scout 15L’s main zipper is a two-way style, and protected by a small flap over the top of the zipper’s teeth, which helps prevent moisture and dirt ingress.  The zipper pulls also have a short, knotted length of 550 paracord attached to them, which aids in gripping and operating the zipper, especially if your hands are wet or you are wearing gloves.

The Scout 15L Duffle’s interior is lined in high-visibility yellow/green Nylon Packcloth fabric.  This not only helps protect its contents from bumps and moisture, but the brightly-colored lining helps to be able to visually locate items inside the bag, especially in lower-light conditions.

Peering along the inside of the Scout 15L Duffle, you can see its internal pocket hanging off to one side. More detail on this pocket below.

The Scout 21’s internal pocket is stitched to the inside of the duffle at the pocket’s top, so it basically hangs inside the duffle rather than being fully sewn directly into the bag, which I understand is an upgraded feature on the latest version of the Scout 15L Duffle.  I like this because it allows me to grab the pocket itself and maneuver it a bit more easily if I want to unzip it, retrieve or replace and item, then re-zip it.  Also, this pocket’s zipper pull has a length of knotted 550 paracord that is identical to the ones on the Scout 15L’s main zipper described above.

Sewn into the Scout 15L’s interior pocket is a length of webbing that has a metal spring-hook attached to its end.  This hook is most likely intended to securely hold keys, but could also help secure lots of other small items.

As seen in the image above, the Scout 15L Duffle is a small/medium-sized bag, probably not something you are going to carry a week’s worth of clothing and gear in.  However, as an overnight bag, an airline carry-on bag, or a daily gym bag, it is probably a good size.  I am currently evaluating the Scout 15L as my daily gym bag and it is just a bit smallish for that task for me.

Dopp Kit

In addition to the Scout 15L Duffle itself, the North St. Bags folks thoughtfully included one of their Dopp Kits in Midnight color that matches the duffle.  This Dopp Kit is a really nice size for travel or for carrying EDC items and like all of North St. Bags’ products, is build from durable materials.

The Dopp Kit’s exterior is made from Cotton Duck X10 Canvas backed with waterproof X-Pac sailcloth.  The Dopp Kit’s two-way zipper has knotted lengths of 550 paracord attached to the zipper pulls for improved grip, similar to the Scout 15L Duffle shown above.  There is also a short loop of super-strong seatbelt webbing that can be used as an attachment point.

One end of the Dopp Kit also includes a longer length of heavy-duty seat belt webbing that can be used as either a carry handle or to hang up the Dopp Kit on a hook or to a carabiner.

The interior of the Dopp Kitt is lined with gray waterproof X-Pac sailcloth, which helps protect its contents from moisture.  I was a bit surprised that the Dopp Kit’s lining fabric color did not match the high-visibility yellow/green of the Scout 15L Duffle above, but this is certainly not a deal-breaker for me.  Also, if you look at the images of the Dopp Kit on North St. Bags’ site, the photos appear to show some mesh pockets on the outside walls of the Dopp Kit, however, the one I received did not include this feature.  This would have actually been a nice feature for organizing and securing small items.

What I like

  • Durable material but very lightweight
  • Includes a sturdy shoulder strap
  • Simple but classic and useful design

What needs to be improved

  • Pricey, but not bad for what you are getting: well-designed and high-quality, made in USA bags

Final thoughts

The North St. Bags Scout 15L Duffle and Dopp Kit, like their Scout 21 VX  Duffle that I reviewed previously, are made from high-quality materials throughout and have classic, utilitarian designs.  While I do consider them to be a bit pricey at $99.99 for the Scout 15L Duffle and $44.99 for the Dopp Kit, for a USA made products that will probably outlast many other, less expensive bags in both materials and construction these products might be a good investment for travelers, gym goers, commuters or anyone who could use a good small- to medium-sized duffle bag and dopp/small accessory pouch that will likely last them a long time.

Price:

  • Scout 15L Duffle = $99.99
  • Dopp Kit = $44.99

Where to buy: northstbags.com
Source: The product samples for this review were provided by North St. Bags.

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North St. Bags Scout 15L Duffle and Dopp Kit review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 28, 2019 at 8:00 am.

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Grace Digital Mondo+ Classic internet radio review

REVIEW – This is my third Grace Digital internet radio review and it feels like it’s come full-circle. You see, in 2012 I reviewed the original Grace Mondo and last year, their Encore+—both internet radios that provided just about all you could want for dialing in radio stations from around the world. Which leads me back to the Mondo—only this time, it’s the Mondo+ Classic—an internet radio with a more retro look than even the cool looking Encore+ and way better features than the original Mondo.

What is it?

The Grace Mondo+ Classic is a plug-in (no battery) table-top internet radio and Wi-Fi speaker with built-in Bluetooth and Google Chromecast. With the appropriate built-in controls or smartphone app, the Mondo+ Classic can pick up over 100,000 internet radio stations. The Mondo+ Classic can be used as a radio alarm clock, radio, Bluetooth speaker or multi-room speaker (with Chromecast).

Specs

  • Integrated 10 watt Qi wireless charging pad
  • 3.5 in. color display
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • USB port for recharging smartphone or tablet
  • Chromecast
  • Multi-room audio
  • Width: 10.1 in. Depth: 4.25 in. Height: 6.1 in.
  • Weight: 1.6 lbs
  • 12 or 24 hour clock with date and 5 individual alarms
  • Snooze timer
  • 30 backlight daytime and nighttime modes.
  • Class D 25watt amplifier
  • 4” full range speaker
  • Integrated MaxxAudio technology from Waves Inc.
  • RCA outputs
  • 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
  • Aux input
  • Built in dual band equalizer 5 preset equalizer modes
  • Built in media player
  • Supports 11 audio formats: AIFF, AIFC, WAVE, CAF, NeXT, ADTS, MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WMA
  • Dual band 2.4/5ghz 802.11n wireless

What’s in the box

  • Mondo+ Classic
  • Power adapter
  • Infra-red remote control
  • Two Wi-Fi antennas
  • Quickstart guide

Design and features

There are so many features on the Mondo+ Classic, that it’s hard to know where to begin. One look at the manual and you just know you’re in for some involved reading. This review won’t cover every available feature—just the most important ones. 

Let’s start with the wood cabinet. The radio’s retro styling has a 50s look that will fit any decor. It comes in both black or walnut with a tasteful gray cloth-covered speaker grill. On the front panel are many buttons and rotary dials that do, well—a lot. Besides the usual power button, there’s a large dial that scrolls through whatever is on the 3.5 in. color display at the time. For instance, it will scroll through the Home screen icons and deeper when those icons (apps) are opened. Next to the large dial is a smaller volume/mute dial, power button and a much used back button that returns you to the previous screen. Above the dials are a row of buttons that perform whatever function is shown at the bottom of the display—they line up with the buttons making it easy to navigate.

In the center of the Mondo+ Classic front is a row of vertical buttons that contain a Home button and Now Playing button that shows additional information about what artist is playing and other info—if available from the source you’re listening to. Otherwise, it’s blank. Below that, sits 5 programmable buttons that let you set up to 10 favorite stations—a very handy feature. There’s also an included mini plug headphone port. 

The back of the Mondo+ Classic cabinet contains an RCA out (for connecting an additional speaker), AUX in (except that its RCA instead of the more popular mini plug), and a USB port that can either charge a smartphone or play music from a thumb drive. Pretty cool. There’s also two included coaxial Wi-Fi antennas.

The top of the Mondo+ Classic has a snooze timer that buys 10 minutes of extra sleep time for those who can’t immediately jump out of bed when the alarm goes off. If 10 minutes isn’t enough, it can be set in 10 minute increments for as long as desired. But that’s not the interesting part. Taking up the majority of real estate on the top of the radio is a 10 watt fast Qi wireless charging pad that works with the majority of smartphones that include wireless charging. It was smart for Grace to include the wireless upgrade. It works quite well with my iPhone XS Max. 

A remote is included with the Mondo+ Classic. It performs the basic functions you would expect, but also has a couple of time-saving buttons that instantly take you to Home, Equalizer, Bluetooth or Alarm settings. Yet, even this handy remote pales in comparison to the Grace GD Control app for iPhone and Android.

The built-in alarm turns the Mondo+ Classic into a clock radio. You can set a wake-up alarm and a sleep timer as well as the already mentioned Snooze feature. The alarm fades in which makes waking up to music or news a bit smoother.

I’ve said this in previous Grace internet radio reviews and it’s still true: Navigating through the Mondo+ Classic’s display menus using the dials and buttons on the radio is frustrating at best. The remote is a little better, but the GD Control app is the preferred method of Mondo navigation—by far.

Before the smartphone app is downloaded, you have to match the radio with a Wi-Fi network from the on-screen list and then dial in the password. This process alone may make you want to tear your hair out. It took me quite a while before I became adept at scrolling the letters and numbers for inputing the password without over-scrolling many times. Arghhhh. Then you can download the app.

However, once you get past that point, you’re golden. 

When I first used the app, I tapped on Google Play and within seconds, I was listening to my saved playlists through the Mondo+ Classic. Switching over to the Apple Music app was seamless—it instantly began playing the song I selected. Google Play is accessed through Chromecast, which has many other enabled apps—Pandora, Deezer, SiriusXM (if you subscribe), Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music, I Heart Radio and more. In addition to Google Play, I’ve used Spotify and Tidal which also worked perfectly. Chromecast doesn’t build in these apps, it links to them instead, so you’re using the original app. This can simplify things considerably. As you use the GD Control app, you can see your choices instantly reflected on the Mondo+ Classic’s screen.

If you’re looking for environmental sounds to help with sleep, the Mondo+ Classic features many different rain, nature, and ocean wave choices, plus popular sounds—such as hairdryer, car interior and even baby in the womb (it sounds like a muffled heartbeat). Again, there are too many to mention.

So, how does the Mondo+ Classic sound? It depends—as a Bluetooth, Chromecast or USB player, the Mondo+ Classic’s speaker can sound pretty good. However, if your goal is to listen to music using the internet radio, forget it. It’s not the Mondo+ Classic’s fault, it’s just that music from internet radio stations sounds only as good as an okay FM station—usually worse. If you’re into talk/news radio or sports (you miss those local broadcasts of your favorite team while growing up), then the Mondo+ Classic is just about perfect. 

Note that the following audio comments only deal with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, not internet radio.

The previously reviewed Grace Encore+ has stereo speakers plus a down-firing woofer speaker. A single-speaker table-top radio with just can’t compete with that and it doesn’t try. However, for what it is, the sound comes across as balanced between all frequencies. The bass goes low enough to be heard without being overpowering. Also, treble does not sound harsh or sibilant. The middle frequencies are a bit forward, which is good because a lot of radio is talk oriented and voices reside in the middle frequencies. For those who wish to tweak the audio, there is a simple built-in equalizer for boosting or reducing bass and treble. So whether you’re listening to music or talk (radio or podcast), both will sound good for table-top use.

You are not restricted to a single room with the Mondo+ Classic. Because of Wi-Fi and Chromecast, the Classic can be connected to other Chromecast speakers—made by Grace Digital or not. This can give you a houseful of music or each room can be set up to be independent from other rooms and play its own music. 

What I like

The Mondo+ Classic is a solid and useful internet radio that’s fun to use. It’s made for the kitchen, bedroom, home office or even the entire house (if connected through Chromecast). The GD Control app is easy to use and intuitive. 

What needs to be improved

Navigation, especially with having to first enter a password or information is a joke. But once that’s done, using the GD control app is easy.

Final Thoughts

I’ve often wondered how internet radios can fit into today’s lifestyle, but with Grace Digital building in Chromecast, Bluetooth and multi-room capabilities, the usefulness of their products has expanded well beyond depending on the internet.

Price: $249.99 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The Mondo+ Classic sample was provided by Grace Digital.

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Grace Digital Mondo+ Classic internet radio review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 27, 2019 at 11:30 am.

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Grace Digital Mondo+ Classic internet radio review

REVIEW – This is my third Grace Digital internet radio review and it feels like it’s come full-circle. You see, in 2012 I reviewed the original Grace Mondo and last year, their Encore+—both internet radios that provided just about all you could want for dialing in radio stations from around the world. Which leads me back to the Mondo—only this time, it’s the Mondo+ Classic—an internet radio with a more retro look than even the cool looking Encore+ and way better features than the original Mondo.

What is it?

The Grace Mondo+ Classic is a plug-in (no battery) table-top internet radio and Wi-Fi speaker with built-in Bluetooth and Google Chromecast. With the appropriate built-in controls or smartphone app, the Mondo+ Classic can pick up over 100,000 internet radio stations. The Mondo+ Classic can be used as a radio alarm clock, radio, Bluetooth speaker or multi-room speaker (with Chromecast).

Specs

  • Integrated 10 watt Qi wireless charging pad
  • 3.5 in. color display
  • Bluetooth 4.1
  • USB port for recharging smartphone or tablet
  • Chromecast
  • Multi-room audio
  • Width: 10.1 in. Depth: 4.25 in. Height: 6.1 in.
  • Weight: 1.6 lbs
  • 12 or 24 hour clock with date and 5 individual alarms
  • Snooze timer
  • 30 backlight daytime and nighttime modes.
  • Class D 25watt amplifier
  • 4” full range speaker
  • Integrated MaxxAudio technology from Waves Inc.
  • RCA outputs
  • 3.5mm stereo headphone jack
  • Aux input
  • Built in dual band equalizer 5 preset equalizer modes
  • Built in media player
  • Supports 11 audio formats: AIFF, AIFC, WAVE, CAF, NeXT, ADTS, MP3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, WMA
  • Dual band 2.4/5ghz 802.11n wireless

What’s in the box

  • Mondo+ Classic
  • Power adapter
  • Infra-red remote control
  • Two Wi-Fi antennas
  • Quickstart guide

Design and features

There are so many features on the Mondo+ Classic, that it’s hard to know where to begin. One look at the manual and you just know you’re in for some involved reading. This review won’t cover every available feature—just the most important ones. 

Let’s start with the wood cabinet. The radio’s retro styling has a 50s look that will fit any decor. It comes in both black or walnut with a tasteful gray cloth-covered speaker grill. On the front panel are many buttons and rotary dials that do, well—a lot. Besides the usual power button, there’s a large dial that scrolls through whatever is on the 3.5 in. color display at the time. For instance, it will scroll through the Home screen icons and deeper when those icons (apps) are opened. Next to the large dial is a smaller volume/mute dial, power button and a much used back button that returns you to the previous screen. Above the dials are a row of buttons that perform whatever function is shown at the bottom of the display—they line up with the buttons making it easy to navigate.

In the center of the Mondo+ Classic front is a row of vertical buttons that contain a Home button and Now Playing button that shows additional information about what artist is playing and other info—if available from the source you’re listening to. Otherwise, it’s blank. Below that, sits 5 programmable buttons that let you set up to 10 favorite stations—a very handy feature. There’s also an included mini plug headphone port. 

The back of the Mondo+ Classic cabinet contains an RCA out (for connecting an additional speaker), AUX in (except that its RCA instead of the more popular mini plug), and a USB port that can either charge a smartphone or play music from a thumb drive. Pretty cool. There’s also two included coaxial Wi-Fi antennas.

The top of the Mondo+ Classic has a snooze timer that buys 10 minutes of extra sleep time for those who can’t immediately jump out of bed when the alarm goes off. If 10 minutes isn’t enough, it can be set in 10 minute increments for as long as desired. But that’s not the interesting part. Taking up the majority of real estate on the top of the radio is a 10 watt fast Qi wireless charging pad that works with the majority of smartphones that include wireless charging. It was smart for Grace to include the wireless upgrade. It works quite well with my iPhone XS Max. 

A remote is included with the Mondo+ Classic. It performs the basic functions you would expect, but also has a couple of time-saving buttons that instantly take you to Home, Equalizer, Bluetooth or Alarm settings. Yet, even this handy remote pales in comparison to the Grace GD Control app for iPhone and Android.

The built-in alarm turns the Mondo+ Classic into a clock radio. You can set a wake-up alarm and a sleep timer as well as the already mentioned Snooze feature. The alarm fades in which makes waking up to music or news a bit smoother.

I’ve said this in previous Grace internet radio reviews and it’s still true: Navigating through the Mondo+ Classic’s display menus using the dials and buttons on the radio is frustrating at best. The remote is a little better, but the GD Control app is the preferred method of Mondo navigation—by far.

Before the smartphone app is downloaded, you have to match the radio with a Wi-Fi network from the on-screen list and then dial in the password. This process alone may make you want to tear your hair out. It took me quite a while before I became adept at scrolling the letters and numbers for inputing the password without over-scrolling many times. Arghhhh. Then you can download the app.

However, once you get past that point, you’re golden. 

When I first used the app, I tapped on Google Play and within seconds, I was listening to my saved playlists through the Mondo+ Classic. Switching over to the Apple Music app was seamless—it instantly began playing the song I selected. Google Play is accessed through Chromecast, which has many other enabled apps—Pandora, Deezer, SiriusXM (if you subscribe), Spotify, Tidal, YouTube Music, I Heart Radio and more. In addition to Google Play, I’ve used Spotify and Tidal which also worked perfectly. Chromecast doesn’t build in these apps, it links to them instead, so you’re using the original app. This can simplify things considerably. As you use the GD Control app, you can see your choices instantly reflected on the Mondo+ Classic’s screen.

If you’re looking for environmental sounds to help with sleep, the Mondo+ Classic features many different rain, nature, and ocean wave choices, plus popular sounds—such as hairdryer, car interior and even baby in the womb (it sounds like a muffled heartbeat). Again, there are too many to mention.

So, how does the Mondo+ Classic sound? It depends—as a Bluetooth, Chromecast or USB player, the Mondo+ Classic’s speaker can sound pretty good. However, if your goal is to listen to music using the internet radio, forget it. It’s not the Mondo+ Classic’s fault, it’s just that music from internet radio stations sounds only as good as an okay FM station—usually worse. If you’re into talk/news radio or sports (you miss those local broadcasts of your favorite team while growing up), then the Mondo+ Classic is just about perfect. 

Note that the following audio comments only deal with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals, not internet radio.

The previously reviewed Grace Encore+ has stereo speakers plus a down-firing woofer speaker. A single-speaker table-top radio with just can’t compete with that and it doesn’t try. However, for what it is, the sound comes across as balanced between all frequencies. The bass goes low enough to be heard without being overpowering. Also, treble does not sound harsh or sibilant. The middle frequencies are a bit forward, which is good because a lot of radio is talk oriented and voices reside in the middle frequencies. For those who wish to tweak the audio, there is a simple built-in equalizer for boosting or reducing bass and treble. So whether you’re listening to music or talk (radio or podcast), both will sound good for table-top use.

You are not restricted to a single room with the Mondo+ Classic. Because of Wi-Fi and Chromecast, the Classic can be connected to other Chromecast speakers—made by Grace Digital or not. This can give you a houseful of music or each room can be set up to be independent from other rooms and play its own music. 

What I like

The Mondo+ Classic is a solid and useful internet radio that’s fun to use. It’s made for the kitchen, bedroom, home office or even the entire house (if connected through Chromecast). The GD Control app is easy to use and intuitive. 

What needs to be improved

Navigation, especially with having to first enter a password or information is a joke. But once that’s done, using the GD control app is easy.

Final Thoughts

I’ve often wondered how internet radios can fit into today’s lifestyle, but with Grace Digital building in Chromecast, Bluetooth and multi-room capabilities, the usefulness of their products has expanded well beyond depending on the internet.

Price: $249.99 US
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The Mondo+ Classic sample was provided by Grace Digital.

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Grace Digital Mondo+ Classic internet radio review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 27, 2019 at 11:30 am.

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