Check out our top picks for the best small Bluetooth speakers, many of which cost less than $100.
Updated Jan. 17, 2024 9:00 a.m. PT Garden Deck Solar Lights
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While it's difficult to declare one model as the best overall mini Bluetooth speaker, a couple of models do stand out a bit from the rest of the pack, which is why we've given them our prestigious CNET Editors' Choice Award. These include the Bose SoundLink Flex and Tribit StormBox Micro 2.
We've compiled a list of the best overall Bluetooth speakers of 2023 , which offers beefier portable wireless speakers and also includes wireless Bluetooth boom boxes that have built-in handles. But this is a list for anyone looking for compact Bluetooth speakers that are not only highly portable but also affordable (several cost less than $100). Note that while mini and micro Bluetooth speakers continue to improve with time, they do have their sound limitations. The smallest Bluetooth speakers are technically mono speakers, and there's only so much bass you can get out of a tiny speaker. That said, for their size, many of these speakers deliver surprisingly decent sound.
When it launched, Bose made some bold claims about its new SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker, particularly its bass performance. But it mostly lives up to the hype and is arguably the best-sounding wireless speaker for its relatively compact size. Available in three colors -- black, white smoke and stone blue (pictured) -- the speaker is IP67 dust- and waterproof, and rated for 12 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels.
It's also equipped with Bose's PositionIQ technology to automatically detect the speaker's orientation and deliver optimized sound based on whether it's upright, hanging or flat on its back. The Flex also floats and Bose says it can survive drops and bumps, with a soft silicone back and powder-coated steel grille that "won't peel or flake and is resistant to corrosion and UV light."
While Bose's SoundLink Micro also delivers impressive sound for its tiny size, this speaker is bigger, weighing just over a pound (0.45 kg) and measuring 7.9 inches wide, 2.1 inches deep and 3.6 inches high (20 by 5.3 by 9.1cm), so the Flex sounds significantly better than the Micro. For some reason, it uses the older Bluetooth 4.2 instead of 5.0, but I didn't have any problems with connectivity.
Bose says it can fill a living room with sound. From my tests, I'd say it would have to be a relatively small living room -- it can only output so much sound as a single speaker. However, if you pair two of them together in stereo mode, the sound gets to a whole other level and indeed fills a larger room with sound.
Back in 2020, Tribit released the StormBox Micro, a budget version of Bose's excellent SoundLink Micro speaker that delivered surprisingly good sound for its size and modest price. Now we get the StormBox Micro 2, which offers improved sound and battery life, along with a charge-out feature that turns the speaker into a power bank for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. An integrated strap allows you to clip it to your backpack or your bike's handlebars.
Like the original, it's an excellent value and easy to recommend if you're looking for a super compact portable wireless speaker.
The very compact Soundcore by Anker Mini 3 Bluetooth speaker may not deliver huge sound but it delivers more sound than you'd think (with just enough bass) from a speaker of its size. Available in multiple color options and weighing around 8 ounces or 223 grams, it has an integrated strap and is fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating.
The 6-watt Mini 3 sounds fairly similar to the new Sony SRS-XB100, which retails for $60 or around $20 more, and features good battery life -- up to 15 hours at moderate volume levels. You can wirelessly link multiple Mini 3s together to create a wider sound field, but most people will use this speaker for casual listening on the go. It also makes for a good bathroom or shower speaker and does have speakerphone capabilities with a built-in microphone.
For 2023, Sony's smallest Bluetooth speaker has once again been modestly upgraded, with a new Bluetooth chipset, slightly improved sound and speakerphone performance. This portable Bluetooth speaker is both dust- and waterproof with an IP67 certification and, like its predecessor (the SRS-XB13), it's rated for 16 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels and it charges via USB-C. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 with support for the AAC and SBC audio codecs, the speaker plays bigger than you'd think for its small size, with some punch to its bass. It's pretty impressive for a mini mono speaker.
Though the 9.6-ounce (272-gram) speaker appears to have the same design as the XB13, Sony says its new sound diffusion processor "realizes richer spread sound," which basically means this has a bit wider soundstage, which I can confirm. It can output only so much sound -- yes, it has its limitations -- but if you add a second XB100, you can get stereo sound. Alas, there's no companion app, but that isn't a huge deal.
The XB100 is available in multiple color options and includes a strap so you can attach it to various objects. It also has speakerphone capabilities with an integrated microphone (as I said, the speakerphone's performance has been improved, and callers said they could hear me clearly indoors).
With each new version of the Flip, JBL makes small improvements, and while the latest model, the Flip 6, doesn't look much different from the Flip 5 on the outside, it does feature improved sound. It has two-way drivers with a woofer and tweeter and dual passive radiators that help the Flip 6 deliver much deeper bass than you think it could.
It's fully waterproof and dustproof with an IPX67 rating. Like the Flip 5, it's rated for up to 12 hours of audio playback at moderate volume levels and charges via USB-C. Available in multiple color options, it's one of the best-sounding speakers for its compact size.
The Tribit MaxSound Plus is about 30% bigger than its sibling XSound Go and costs about $25 more, but it performs substantially better and is one of the best sounding speakers in its size and price class. It has a long-lasting rechargeable battery and superior audio quality for a Bluetooth speaker. And be sure to activate the instant coupon on the product page for $10 off.
The JBL Bluetooth speaker that received the biggest improvements over the previous model is among the company's smallest. The JBL Go 3 has a completely new look -- it's now covered in durable fabric instead of having the naked plastic design of its Go predecessors -- and that new design, coupled with surprisingly decent sound for its small size, makes the Go 3 one of the top micro Bluetooth speakers out there.
Available in multiple color options, it has an IP67 water-resistance rating, meaning it can be dunked in water and is dustproof. Battery life is rated at up to five hours.
We liked Ultimate Ears' Wonderboom 2 and the third-generation model, the Wonderboom 3, offers some small improvements, including slightly better battery life (up to 14 hours instead of 13, at moderate volume levels) and a new Bluetooth chip that allows for extended wireless range of over 130 feet (40 meters). The design has not changed, though the speaker now comes in different color options.
Like its predecessor, the Wonderboom 3 carries a list price of $100, but sometimes sells for a little less. Its IP67 rating means that it's not only waterproof but also dust-proof (and able to float).
This model retains the special Outdoor Boost mode that boosts treble and you can link two together (or pair a Wonderboom 3 to a Wonderboom 2) to create a stereo sound pairing by simply pressing a button on each speaker. As far as I can tell, the Wonderboom 3 sounds very similar to the Wonderboom 2 and features very good sound for its small size. That said, while there's some punch to the bass (being short yet squat helps it produce more low end), it can only deliver so much kick.
Alas, Ultimate Ears, which is owned by Logitech, has not upgraded the charging port to USB-C. The speaker still charges with a Micro-USB cable, which is a bit of a bummer.
The Roam is currently Sonos' smallest and most affordable speaker (if you don't count those $99 Sonos-compatible Symfonisk Ikea Wi-Fi bookshelf speakers). This model, like Sonos' earlier Move portable speaker ($400), is equipped with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and can tap into an existing Sonos multiroom audio system and link with other Series 2-compatible Sonos speakers. The Sonos Roam makes for a good starter Sonos speaker for those new to the Sonos world. Read our Sonos Roam review.
While Anker's Soundcore Motion Plus came out in 2019 it remains one of best-sounding speakers for around $100. It's larger than many mini Bluetooth speakers, but it's still compact. It manages to sound quite a bit fuller than much of the competition in its price range, with bigger bass, more volume and better clarity. It's also fully waterproof (IPX7-rated) and has support for the aptX streaming codec for devices like Samsung's Galaxy phones that support it.
It's currently priced at $107 at Amazon, but you can save money by activating the instant coupon on the product page.
Marshall's little mono Willen speaker is similar to Bose's SoundLink Micro and other micro speakers like the Tribit StormBox Micro 2. Also like those speakers, it has an integrated strap on its base so you can clip it onto a backpack or even to your bike's handlebars. Its 2-inch full range driver and two passive radiators put out more sound than you'd think it would for its tiny size, and it offers decent clarity as well just enough bass to avoid sounding tinny (you can choose from three preset sound modes).
Battery life is good at around 15 hours of playback time at moderate volume levels, and the speaker is IPX67 dust-proof and waterproof. The main strike against it is its $120 price -- ideally it would cost around $80, though right now you can pick it up on sale for $100. But it's nicely designed, feels rugged and fits in a jacket pocket, weighing in it at 0.68-pound (308 grams).
The Willen can stand up vertically or lay down horizontally and has a built-in microphone for speakerphone calls. It comes in a couple of color options and can be linked wirelessly with other Willen speakers to augment the sound.
Over the last few years, Tribit has made several Bluetooth speakers that deliver a lot of boom for the buck. Add its new XSound Mega to the list.
Tribit is billing the XSound Mega as more of an outdoor speaker -- a lanyard is included for toting it around as a sort of mini boombox -- but it works just fine indoors. It has an LED light show that you can turn on or off and there are three EQ settings for sound: XBass, Music and Audiobook. Additionally, it can be used as a power bank to charge your mobile devices.
In my tests, the speaker compared pretty favorably to more expensive speakers like the JBL Charge 5. There's plenty of bass and the speaker plays loud for its size, with decent clarity. That said, it's a mono speaker with a single driver and two bass radiators -- that's how you get all that bass. So while you can expect big sound, the soundstage doesn't feel all that wide, particularly at lower volumes. It actually sounds better at higher volumes.
Garden Solar Light Outdoor For its first three generations, JBL's Clip micro Bluetooth speaker had a circular design. But for the fourth-gen Clip 4, JBL has moved to a more oval shape, bulked up the speaker slightly and added USB-C charging. This portable Bluetooth speaker does seem more durable, with a sturdier integrated carabiner clip. Also, it sounds a little better, with more volume, clearer sound and more bass. With an IP67 water resistance rating, it can survive being dunked in shallow water and is dust-proof. The Clip 4 is right up there with the best overall micro Bluetooth speakers.