We test countless portable speakers every year at TechRadar, and that means we know exactly which features and specs to look out for.It's important for us to compare the performance of these speakers against the specs claimed by their manufacturers, which is why we take the time to make sure the battery life and connectivity is as good as the brands say they are. Separate speakers: A big selling point for separate speakers is that you can replace them if they're damaged or old, without the need to buy a whole new system. If you’re willing to splash out, you can often vastly improve the sound quality by swapping the speakers for a better set. Also, if you have a tight space for your mini hi-fi, a three-part system is a bit more flexible when it comes to positioning, although it may not be quite as convenient to set up as an all-in-one.

When it comes to choosing the right smart speaker for you, there are a number of factors to consider. If you're after a Sonos speaker for your home but also want the ability to be able to take it outside with you, then the Move 2 is the Bluetooth speaker you've been looking for. It's both flexible and reliable, and looks classy to boot. We've tested these speakers over a very long time and while we love their sound, we don't love everything. Siri isn't as good as other digital assistants and seems rather buggy too: we've slept late a few times because alarms we asked Siri to set, and which Siri confirmed setting, didn't go off. Siri also seems to struggle with accents. And if you don't have Apple Music, you're quite limited in what you can listen to. You can't ask the HomePod mini to play anything through Spotify – that can only be enabled through AirPlay, and requires using your phone rather than the simpler method of asking Siri to play tunes with your voice. There's also a much smaller number of compatible smart home devices that work with the smart speaker, compared to the range available for Alexa and Google Assistant-enabled smart speakers. For us, the audio performance is the key reason to buy the HomePod mini. It's excellent for a speaker that's so small, and it really feels like the right mix of price and sound quality. The bass isn't too heavy, vocals aren't lost in the mix, and when you pair two minis the stereo experience is really immersive. It's just a shame that Siri feels like it's lagging behind rival assistants. You want a speaker for a large room: This is better for a living room or more intimate environment, although it will do the job well enough for occasional use.

The best hi-fi systems sound great, are easy to use, and will bring you constant listening pleasure for years to come. If that wasn’t enough, a smart speaker can also control compatible smart home devices; for example it can dim or brighten any smart lights you have in your home, turn the temperature up or down if you have a smart thermostat and let you converse with anyone at your doorstep by connecting to your video doorbell. Which voice assistant is best?

The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is the best-sounding and most fully-featured mini Bluetooth speaker we've had the pleasure of testing. It's not the most powerful or the loudest Bluetooth speaker out there, but at this size and price you can't currently buy better. You want to charge your phone: Unlike the JBL Charge 5, the Flip 6 won’t be able to top up your phone’s battery. While the speaker drivers remain the same, the Qualcomm chipset that powers the speaker has been upgraded (the speaker uses Bluetooth 5.1), bumping the sound quality up a tad, particularly at higher volumes, with better digital signal processing. It remains one of the best-sounding mini Bluetooth speaker models, with richer more tonally balanced sound than other Bluetooth speakers its size -- and it should sound good, considering its elevated price point. Keep in mind that if either digit has an X in its place, the manufacturer hasn’t tested the speaker for either solids or liquids. So, a rating of IPX6 means that the speaker is water-resistant but hasn’t been evaluated for how well it fends off dust. Battery LifeBigger speakers tend to sound better, delivering bigger sound with more bass. But going bigger means they weigh more, which can make them a little harder to carry around. So you have to balance size with performance if you're looking for something that's easily portable. If you're interested in a larger portable speaker, one feature worth looking out for is a built-in handle. Durability Mini Bluetooth speakers are designed so that you can take them with you, including to places where they might get dirty or be otherwise exposed to the elements. So focus on their ability to withstand intrusion by solids and liquids, denoted by an IP (ingress protection) rating. The first digit signifies how well the speaker can resist solids getting in, while the second signifies liquids. The higher the number, the better the device keeps things like dust and rain out, respectively. The scale for solids ranges from 0 to 6, and for liquids, 0 to 9. A bass-heavy audio performance makes it ideal for use outdoors, because during our testing we found it's powerful enough to cut through wind noise. Meanwhile, a clever Automatic Switching feature means it seamlessly becomes part of your Sonos Wi-Fi multi-room setup indoors. During our test to find out which device gets the best sound from your TV, we discovered that mini hi-fi systems can produce better TV sound compared with similar-scoring home cinema systems, sound bars and TVs on their own. Many Bluetooth speakers now are now fully waterproof and some fully dust-proof. If you're planning on taking the speaker with you to the beach or on a hiking trip, having a more durable speaker is a desirable trait. Speakerphone capabilities

You want an aux-in for wired listening: The only port you'll get here is a USB-C two-way charger –although it does charge your phone.The Cleer Audio Scene has this, though. Prices valid in stores (all including VAT) until close of business on 27th November 2023. (Some of these web prices are cheaper than in-store, so please mention that you've seen these offers online.) Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity means that the speaker is easy to pair with your smartphone, while built-in Alexa voice assistance means it can double up as a smart speaker. The A1 is the first speaker to offer Alexa support without needing to be connected to your home Wi-Fi network – and while this is impressive in itself, we did find that the voice assistant was sometimes quite slow to respond to our commands, since it's routing over Bluetooth to your phone, and your phone is then making the request over whatever internet connection it has… which won't always be great.The Cleer Audio Scene is a mid-range Bluetooth speaker and it is going to upset some premium rivals. In our review we noted that this speaker seems designed specifically to compete with the JBL Flip 6, which enters our list just a few spots further up. However, although the Audio Scene looks similar, it's also newer, has a slightly lower price tag, and a few extra features that might tempt you away from JBL. You need to play extremely loudly: It's loud, but if you’re looking for max volume, you’ll need to look at even bigger speakers, like the Tribit Stormbox Blast.

It can also provide a weather report, offer an audible summary of the day's headlines, and answer your burning questions; whether that’s ‘what is the tallest mountain in the world’ or simply ‘who is the Queen of England’. This allows you to record music, radio programmes and podcasts on to the mini hi-fi system’s hard disk. If you’ve got an extensive CD collection, it’s certainly worth considering, as you could potentially digitise your CD collection. For example, a mini hi-fi with 4GB of internal storage can save approximately 600 songs, which you can then transfer on to a computer, tablet or smartphone. USB portYou want delicate audiophile sound: It sounds great, but it's still made for impact outdoors, not for refined ears. Think fun and energetic, not classy and controlled.