The editorial team of the online division of RTL and n-tv has tested the new hörbert model 2021 with microphone.
The detailed test report can be found here:
and here:
CONCLUSION by hörbert
The hörbert team is delighted that the testers put our hörbert through such a thorough test and reported very positively about him.
The following features of hörbert were highlighted as plus points:
- Sustainable concept. Durable, all parts are repairable.
- Quality of the materials and the workmanship
- child-friendly operation and volume
- good sound
- long battery life
- flexible usage options
- large storage capacity for audio content – the included memory card holds 100 hours of content
- no follow-up costs for audio content, since hörbert offers an inexhaustible repertoire thanks to his recording function for Bluetooth streams or internet radio.
Statement on points of criticism in the test report
There are also a few points of criticism that we’d like to go into in more detail in order to answer your questions directly:
- Is the price really high? Perhaps at first glance, but the equipment is huge and there are no follow-up costs. hörbert’s included memory card offers space for 50 hours. Ex works it already contains two hours of curated audio content. You can also use your own SD cards up to 512 GB to listen to even more music and stories.
- And thanks to hörbert’s openness, all kinds of content – including free content – can be loaded onto him!
- With WiFi for internet radio, Bluetooth streaming and recording options for all streaming sources, a built-in voice microphone and the new podcast function (March 2026), the source for free audio content is almost limitless.
- hörbert’s quality and the fact that he is made of real wood come at a price. Made in Germany likewise comes at a price. In return, with hörbert you’re giving your child a loyal companion and friend for their entire childhood and beyond.
- The pollutant grade from Stiftung Warentest in the big test 11/2019? Here the older hörbert model 2011 was tested and crowned the sole test winner with an overall grade of 1.8. Of course, we asked Stiftung Warentest at the time what was behind the “satisfactory” pollutant grade. We complied with the required limits at all times, which is why the pollutant grade also had no effect on the overall rating of the hörbert model 2011. As could also be read in the test report at the time, the exterior paint and the wood were free of pollutants.
In Stiftung Warentest’s tests, grades are awarded that don’t only depend on compliance with the limits, but also feed into the grade as soon as they exceed the lowest limit of determination. In addition, the products are tested with all the components supplied.
And of all things, it was the balloons that we still included with our hörbert back then that ruined the rating for us. In that delivery they contained 0.54 mg/kg of nitrosatable substances. (Limit for N-nitrosatable substances according to Standard 100 OEKO-TEX: 5.0 mg/kg)Since we could easily do without this free extra, we have not included any balloons since then. With one of hörbert’s colourful plastic buttons, which contained substances above the lowest limit of determination but which we couldn’t do without at the time for design reasons, we have meanwhile found an alternative with the new hörbert model 2021, because now the button caps are all made of wood!
- To configure hörbert’s SET functions, since firmware version Butterfly 2 you no longer have to unscrew him at the back and press the SET button. You can do it that way, but there’s also another way without unscrewing:
VIDEO Start Browser Set Mode without unscrewingSo that children don’t accidentally change hörbert’s settings using the colourful buttons on the front, we have made the activation/deactivation of the functions accessible to adults only.
- Improvement through the Butterfly firmware: To activate all special functions such as Bluetooth, WiFi, podcast, sleep timer, voice microphone and to edit the playlists, no software installation or app is needed any more. All of this works via the browser user interface, the Browser Set Mode (see above).
In summary, we are very pleased about this test report, as it puts hörbert in the spotlight as a good alternative to the usual big players on the market, if you stand behind his values and appreciate the flexible usage options.
Further links on the topic “How do I teach my children about sustainable consumption”:
How a wooden MP3 player teaches my child about sustainability