I had a customer email me about a feature for a tanning bed today. It is a common request and the answer applies to all new tanning beds, so I thought I would share it over here at tanningbeds.org.

Do you have any tanning beds with built in radio and cd player?

Many people want this feature, but the majority of tanning bed manufacturers do not offer it, for good reason. I have personally looked into this for the company I work for. Twice, over the last 10 years. Both times, we decided against offering it as an option due to the potential problems and lack of satisfaction.

First, the radios seen in most tanning beds are actually car radios. This means you need to convert the power to 12VDC with a transformer/rectifier combo. Next, getting reception inside the tanning bed is always a problem, due to interference with the tanning bed electronics. Moving the radio just a few feet away fixes this. Also, the car radios are made to cram a bunch of electronics in a small space, so they are more expensive. Finally, repair is a real problem, and usually replacement is the best option. You spend $200-$500 for an option that is very prone to failure, and performance is usually mediocre.

Here is the alternative: Buy a boom box and do NOT get a tanning bed with built in radio/cd. It is absolutely the best way to listen to music while you tan for so many reasons. First, it is much cheaper, as you can buy a fairly nice boom box for $50-$75, or spend more if you want. You can place the box at the head of the bed and get great stereo sound and good reception. Most come with remotes, so adjusting the volume is easy. Most important: if it breaks or wears out after a few years, you can replace it easier. Reliability is much higher than in the cheap built in radios they put in some tanning beds. Most have a headphone jack, so you can listen with headphones if you want, or just use the built in speakers.

No matter how you slice it, you save money up front and in the long run, plus get better sound and an easier to use system for sound in your tanning bed when you go with an external radio/cd player. Oh, and the boom box can be taken outside in a snap if you want, so it is useful when BBQing, watching the kids in the yard, working in the garage, or any place you want portable music. Some things are simply better off NOT built in, and a sound system for a tanning bed is a perfect example.