The Best, and Worst, Handheld Ham Radio Brands

There are a few full ham radio brands or manufactures, and then there are some who build designs from other people, and then there are some who actually buy radios made by someone else and slap their own stickers on them. The question is, who is doing what, and does it matter?

I want to start out with the big boys.

Yaesu

Yaesu Musen Co., Ltd. was founded in 1959 by Sako Hasegawa in the Yaesu district of Tokyo, Japan. Originally focused on producing high-performance radio transceivers for amateur use, Yaesu quickly gained a reputation for quality and innovation. By the 1960s, the brand had entered the global market, particularly the U.S. and Europe, with iconic HF models like the FT-101, which became a standard in many ham shacks for its modular design and robust build.

Over the decades, Yaesu has remained a top-tier brand in amateur radio, pioneering advancements in digital modes and portable gear. The company was rebranded under the Vertex Standard name for a period, but later returned to its core focus under the Yaesu name. Its innovations include the introduction of System Fusion, a digital voice and data mode that competes with D-STAR and DMR. Yaesu’s extensive lineup—from compact HTs like the FT-60R, powerful touchscreen HTs like the FT5DR, and full-featured HF rigs like the FTdx101D—continues to be highly regarded by amateur radio operators worldwide.

Kenwood

Kenwood, originally known as Kasuga Radio Co., Ltd., was founded in 1946 and later became Trio Corporation. The Kenwood name was adopted for international marketing in the 1960s, and eventually the company unified under that brand. Kenwood entered the amateur radio market in the 1950s and rose to prominence with the TS-series HF transceivers. The TS-520, launched in the 1970s, became a benchmark in the ham community for its reliability and performance.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Kenwood continued to lead with advanced multimode transceivers and handhelds. Radios like the TS-940 and TH-79 showcased cutting-edge features for their time. While Kenwood diversified into consumer electronics and car audio, its amateur radio division remained strong, although it has narrowed its product offerings in recent years. Nonetheless, Kenwood radios remain popular, especially in VHF/UHF handheld and mobile categories, and the TS-890S continues its legacy in the HF/50MHz space.

While they no longer manufacture as many handheld models as they once did, the TH-D75 is second to none.

Icom

Icom Incorporated began as Inoue Communication Equipment in 1954, founded by Tokuzo Inoue in Osaka, Japan. The company initially made test equipment but shifted toward radio communications in the late 1950s. By the 1960s, Icom was producing some of its first amateur radio gear, building a loyal following among operators who valued its blend of performance and affordability. The IC-701, introduced in the 1970s, marked Icom’s entry into serious HF gear and solidified its place in ham radio history.

Icom is widely credited with leading innovation in digital amateur communications. It was the first to launch radios supporting the D-STAR digital voice/data protocol, in collaboration with the Japan Amateur Radio League. Icom’s range—from compact HTs like the ID-52A to flagship HF rigs like the IC-7851—showcases a balance of user-friendly design and advanced technology. The IC-7300 and IC-705 have particularly revitalized interest in SDR (Software Defined Radio) among hams and solidified Icom’s status as a leader in the modern era of amateur radio.

Alinco

Alinco, Inc. was established in 1938 but didn’t enter the amateur radio market until the mid-1980s. Initially involved in power tools and industrial equipment, Alinco shifted to radio communications with a line of affordable VHF/UHF handhelds and mobiles. Unlike its larger competitors, Alinco focused on practicality and value, earning a loyal user base among entry-level and budget-conscious hams.

Although not as dominant in the high-end HF market, Alinco has made notable contributions with compact and innovative designs such as the DJ-series handhelds and DR-series mobile radios. The company also introduced some early models with built-in TNCs for packet radio, and its all-mode VHF/UHF base rigs like the DR-135 and DR-735 are still in use today. While often overshadowed by the “big three,” Alinco remains a respected player in the ham community, known for its reliability, simplicity, and good customer support.

China

Over the last decade or so, China has entered the amateur radio market that was all but dominated by Japan. Starting around 2012 with the introduction of the Baofeng UV-5R, affordability was their strength. Today, the overwhelming majority of amateur radio handhelds are manufactured in China, even including brands such as Yaesu attempting to lower costs on their entry level products.

Baofeng

Baofeng, officially known as Baofeng Electronic Co., Ltd., is a Chinese manufacturer headquartered in Shenzhen, China, founded in 2001. The company originally focused on producing affordable two-way radios for commercial, industrial, and public safety use. However, Baofeng gained global recognition in the amateur radio community around 2012 with the release of the UV-5R, a compact dual-band (VHF/UHF) handheld transceiver that quickly became a disruptive force in the market. Priced far below competitors—often under $40 USD—the UV-5R opened the door for many new amateur radio operators who previously saw the hobby as cost-prohibitive.

The UV-5R and its variants (like the BF-F8HP, UV-82, and GT-3) offered basic but practical functionality, long battery life, and compatibility with open-source programming tools like CHIRP. Despite lacking advanced features and being known for inconsistent quality control and marginal RF cleanliness, the radios became wildly popular among preppers, beginners, and budget-conscious hams. Baofeng’s aggressive pricing and mass availability through platforms like Amazon and AliExpress played a significant role in lowering the entry barrier for amateur radio worldwide.

However, Baofeng’s massive success also made it a target for widespread cloning and counterfeiting, especially of the UV-5R model. Numerous small manufacturers across China began producing radios that either copied Baofeng’s design exactly or only slightly altered it, sometimes using names like Pofung, Bofeng, Baoteng, or entirely unbranded names. Many of these clones went a step further, using falsified packaging, stickers, user manuals, and labels to intentionally pass off the radios as genuine Baofeng products. This created confusion in the marketplace, with users unknowingly buying counterfeit units that often had lower quality components, poor performance, or outright failures to meet regulatory emission standards.

Even today, it can be difficult for consumers to differentiate between authentic Baofeng radios and well-made fakes, especially when buying from third-party sellers online. While Baofeng does have legitimate international partners—such as BaofengTech in the United States—unauthorized sales channels continue to circulate questionable products. This counterfeit proliferation has not only hurt Baofeng’s reputation in some circles but also contributed to scrutiny from regulators like the FCC, which has occasionally banned or restricted the sale of specific Baofeng models for noncompliance. Despite these issues, Baofeng remains the most visible and influential name in the ultra-low-cost handheld ham radio market.

Other Chinese manufacturers

There are a lot more Chinese radio manufacturers, substantially more than I could ever dream of keeping track of. Part of the problem is that a company will spring up, sell a ton of radios (probably cheap clones of better radios), and then close up shop, move offices, create a new company, and do it all over again.

That is not to say that all Chinese radio companies are bad. While I absolutely am not going to trade in my Kenwood, Yaesu, or Icom radios for something made in China, I am also not going to argue that the Chinese radios are the king of bang-for-your-buck in the ham radio world.

Chinese Manufacturing & Design Overview

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