Smart speakers have been the talk of the town lately, but they are yet to take the crown from Bluetooth speakers where it matters most: convenience and flexibility.
Asking your Amazon Echo to tell you the weather while standing next to it is one thing, but what happens when you’re outdoors and all you want to do is to listen to your favorite tracks as you go about your daily business?
The portability of Bluetooth speakers, versatility, and ability to work with any smartphone makes them an all-important tool in any music lover’s kit. There are Bluetooth speakers available in different sizes and capabilities, and here we’ll delve into the units that will give you more value at pocket-friendly rates.
Do you want a speaker to use while camping? Looking to do some group yoga with calming tunes setting the mood? There is a vast range of options to choose from – whether you’re interested in filling a room with immersive sound or want a tool that allows you to answer your phone in crowded areas, where you need more audio clarity.
In this guide, we are prioritizing cost with an emphasis on the more affordable speakers on the market. We’ve taken a look at what the market has to offer and compiled a list of the five best affordable Bluetooth speakers.
1. Tribit MaxSound Plus
For its price, the Tribit MaxSound Plus is a real bargain, with far better sound quality than other Bluetooth speakers in the same price range.
Whether you’re a casual listener playing some music to spice up the mood, or actively looking for booming bass, the Tribit MaxSound Plus is up to the task. While you won’t be fuelling a dance party at the beach, its sound clarity can turn your immediate environment into a theater-like experience.
Coming from the brand that’s behind hit products like StormBox and XSound, you can rest assured that you’re getting a quality unit with this affordable Bluetooth speaker.
In fact, the brand is so confident in its offering that you get a 30-day money-back guarantee and 30 months of replacement warranty should anything technical go wrong with the device. Just remember to register your unit on the company’s website.
The IPX7 rating of the Tribit MaxSound Plus means that you have a waterproof unit that lets you enjoy your favorite music even in the rainy outdoors. For battery life, the Tribit MaxSound Plus gives you 20 hours of playtime, which is pretty decent given the price range.
It also scores big in durability, with its shockproof design and increased resistance to wear. All this, coupled with the 100ft range, has earned the Tribit MaxSound Plus the top spot on our best affordable Bluetooth speakers list.
2. AOMAIS Sport II
Want to host a party? Then take a look at this 20W bass sound unit from AOMAIS. Coupled with its disturbance reduction attributes and a loudspeaker cavity design, you get to enjoy your playlists while at pool parties or on the beach. Pair it with a second AOMAIS Sport II and it will deliver 40W surround sound.
At 100 percent volume, it’s pretty loud compared to the other units showcased here. The pairing is quite straightforward: shut off your phone’s Bluetooth, power on the speakers, then press both Volume Up and Volume Down buttons at the same time on one of them. Now just turn your phone’s Bluetooth back on and select AOMAIS. You’re good to go.
This Bluetooth speaker is extremely durable and it’s also waterproof, making it one of the most sought after affordable Bluetooth speakers for sports enthusiasts and teens. For portability, you can get the AOMAIS sling cover which will make it convenient to carry.
Regarding the connection capabilities, this unit uses Bluetooth V5.0, giving you stability over a 100ft range and is compatible with the Amazon Echo Dot. With all these features at an affordable price point, it’s no surprise that the AOMAIS Sport II is widely popular. The customer service deserves a mention here as well. They are easily accessible and quite friendly.
3. JBL Clip 3
If portability is your main goal, then the versatility of the product and its battery life comes into focus. Durability is also a key priority, given that there’ll be plenty of dust and shocks to be encountered on outdoor adventures. Here, the JBL Clip 3 takes the crown. So, what does it have to offer?
The first thing that will strike you with this unit is the integrated metal carabiner. It allows you to hook the speaker onto your belt loop or bag while protecting it from damage.
It’s a convenient and highly portable little speaker, but its battery life does not quite match up with the other brands in this guide, given that it offers 10 hours of playtime before you’ll need to plug in the micro-USB cable and charge it.
Soundwise, the JBL Clip 3 delivers as expected – clear and pristine, without lags. It’s not as loud as some of the others, but you can still enjoy it outdoors. Speaking of which, this is a waterproof unit, so if you’re going canoeing or kayaking, then this would definitely be worth considering.
4. DOSS SoundBox
While it’s not as rugged as the other Bluetooth speakers listed here, the built-in subwoofer of the DOSS SoundBox gives you superb bass with long battery life. It has a 20-hour playtime and takes about three hours to recharge. It’s also pretty sleek with sensitive touch-controlled volume as opposed to conventional buttons. You can also connect it to your Amazon Dot.
The DOSS Soundbox is an impressive unit for the price and it performs remarkably well for a speaker that’s to be set right at your work desk. The 12W capacity gives you plenty of sound despite its compact design. With its small size, you can easily slip it into your bag and take it with you wherever you go.
5. Anker SoundCore 2 (Budget Winner)
This affordable Bluetooth speaker picks up from its predecessor, the Anker Soundcore, and improves on its sound quality and battery life. They share many of the same attributes, including the playback controls.
The Anker SoundCore 2, however, comes with 12W stereo sound, and you get better bass. It basically gives you more sound, courtesy of its BassUp technology and a patented spiral bass port.
You can also grab two of these speakers and pair them up with a single device, a nifty feature that doubles the volume and adds a stereo sound effect which is only available on this upgraded version.
The Anker SoundCore 2 has a 66ft Bluetooth range, so the sound won’t keep cutting off. Phone calls coming through the speaker are clear, however, unlike other competing brands, you won’t be able to call up the last number that had been dialed on the phone that the speaker has been paired with.
With a 5,200mAh Li-ion battery, the Anker Soundcore 2 gives you 24-hour playtime. When it comes to adapting to the outdoors, the unit is IPX7 Waterproof certified. While you won’t have to worry about rain, don’t go fully immersing it in water.
Good Sound at a Low Cost with Affordable Bluetooth Speakers
You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to spend on an accessory to bring your music to life. For this list, we have taken different features into consideration.
Firstly, there’s the sound quality, since you want a well-balanced sound without distortions as you crank up the volume. Then there’s the actual power of the sound, looking at how far it can reach at maximum power.
The battery life also comes into play since it determines how much playtime you can get before having to recharge the speaker, plus the connectivity where the emphasis is on the Bluetooth range that you get with the speaker.
Water-resistance kicks in for units that will be used outside. Keeping these things in mind as you do your research will help you make the right choice, and with these five best affordable Bluetooth speakers you will get more bang for your buck.
