More correctly known as the Anglo-German concertina, this instrument has buttons in curved rows following the fingertips. It is bisonoric, where pushing and pulling the bellows (press and draw) give 2 different notes from the same button, just as a harmonica (which the Anglo layout resembles quite closely) produces different notes on blow and draw.

The heart of the Anglo system consist of 2 10-button rows, each of which produces a diatonic major scale, much like the layout of notes on a harmonica. 5 buttons of each row are on each side. The 2 rows are musically a 4th apart. In modern times, a 3rd row of helper notes has been added, consisting in part of accidentals omitted by the diatonic rows, and in part of notes which do exists in the diatonic rows, but in opposite bisonoric orientation to make certain chords possible and certain melodic passages easier. There is some small variation between makers and models in the layout of the notes in the core diatonic rows, and even more variation in the number and layout of the helper notes.

The Anglo concertina is typically held by placing the hands through a leather strap, with the thumbs outside of the strap and the palms resting on wooden bars. This arrangement leaves 4 fingers of each hand free for noting and the thumbs free to operate an air valve (for expanding or contracting the bellows without sounding a note) or a drone.

The Anglo concertina is often associated with the music of Ireland. Instruments in the key of C/G are the ones used in traditional Irish music sessions, although it is used in other musical contexts as well, particularly in music for the English Morris dance.