10 of the best cheap Bluetooth speakers

The Echo Dot, like the Echo, is a must-have if you intend to build a smart home and control everything with your voice, especially if you want to have a multi-room or multi-floor set-up.

It's small, easy to set up, and the Alexa voice commands are as responsive and intuitive as ever. I can't recommend it enough if you don't want to pay extra for the Echo's built-in speaker.

When the Amazon Echo Dot first debuted in 2016, we were quick to name it a Mashable Choice product. The Dot is about the size of the hockey puck and is the cheapest option from Amazon's family of smart speakers. Though it can do a lot, it lacks the 2.5-inch woofer, 2-inch tweeter, and reflex port of its big brother, the Echo. That said, the Dot is a great Bluetooth speaker that delivers a lot for the price. Here's what Mashable's Raymond Wong had to say when it first hit the market:

One of the best features is that you can pair it with other Bluetooth speakers, so you can use the Echo Dot as a smart hub to control your music all throughout the home. Though it regularly clocks in at $39.99 on Amazon, we've seen it drop as low as $29.99 for Black Friday. 

These days, you can get a great Bluetooth speaker without spending a lot of cash. In fact, the JBL FLIP 5 is a top quality option at any price range. This compact speaker offers a decent 12 hour battery life, an impressive wireless range, and a very lightweight design that makes it easy to move around the house or throw into your bag for a jam session in the park.

Bluetooth speakers are oftentimes quite clunky or heavy to tote around, but the tides have begun to turn on the portable speaker. The Anker Soundcore Mini offers all the same features of a larger sized speaker without the extra weight and bulk. In fact, it’s actually quite cute.

The Hake Portable Bluetooth Speaker gives you plenty of options to play music. Of course you have your Bluetooth connection, but you can also use the classic aux cable or even use an SD/TF card insert to play your favorite tunes. It lasts for five hours on a single charge, and it can even handle hands-free calls. With 100% of users giving it 5-star reviews, it's definitely worth a look. Amazon users like Adrien Camacho love its size and portability.

This Bluetooth speaker is absolutely fantastic! The highs, mids and lows are all very clear even at full volume. The build quality is very good albeit a bit simplistic in its styling (it still looks good so I really can't complain). Its the Sound Cores function that matters more to me, in that regard the Anker Sound Core delivers on sound quality, battery life and its ability to quickly pair with my phone!

The battery life on the Anker Soundcore Bluetooth speaker is seriously impressive. This small speaker can blast the tunes for a full 24 hours and can pair with devices from up to 66 feet away — more than twice the distance of some of the other ranges we've seen in Bluetooth devices at this price point. Available in black, blue, or red, the Anker Soundcore speaker has more than 10,000 customer reviews on Amazon, with many commenting on how much they love it. (No wonder this speaker has received a 5-star rating from 76% of reviewers.) Don't take it from us though — the reviews speak for themselves. Photo Pro 1 writes:

This heavy duty Bluetooth speaker is supposedly rugged and durable. It uses a smooth rubber exterior that is designed to protect it from bumps and scratches. According to the product page, it's also waterproof and can last up to 30 minutes in three feet of water, making a perfect companion for those poolside parties or shower singalongs. You can also buy two and hook them up to each other for a more immersive surround sound experience. 

Prepare to meet a juggernaut of an Amazon's Choice Bluetooth speaker. It's not only portable and waterproof — according to the product page, it can also weather dust, snow, and mud. It can even supposedly withstand full water submersion for up to 33 feet for 30 minutes. Don't know how your speaker would ever be involved in those kinds of weather conditions, but at least you know it'll be okay. You can even do some karaoke by plugging in an external microphone. The battery life is pretty good on this wireless speaker — it can last up to 30 hours at 50% volume, and the rechargeable battery can be brought back up to full power in about three hours. 

A portable Bluetooth speaker is already pretty awesome, but this particular speaker can apparently last for over 24 hours so the party can keep going all day and night. It's also another waterproof speaker that's primed for poolside parties or relaxing bath time playlists. While most other Bluetooth speakers have a range of 33 feet, this one boasts double the connection range at 66 feet, so you're free to roam around the party without worrying that you'll kill the music. 

Sony's known for great consoles, cool TVs, and negotiating custody over Spider-Man film rights with Marvel Studios. By that logic, is it really any surprise that their Bluetooth speakers have the same kind of quality? The XB20 speaker, which just makes the cut at $99.99, is portable enough to bring with you in your bag, but stands out thanks to its high-resolution sound. The battery lasts for up to 12 hours on a single charge, and it's water-resistant for all types of weather. It can also connect to up to three devices at once, so everyone can have a turn playing their favorite music. It's even app-enabled so you can control the music from a distance, and its light function can help your party aesthetic.

Small and compact can usually do the trick, but there's definitely nothing wrong with the heavy hitters. Namely, the iHome Weather Tough 4 speaker. Still small enough to be called portable, this speaker is built to withstand watery environments for poolside parties and raves in the rain. It even has accent lighting with five color-changing modes to fit the mood. According the product page, there's a Melody app that lets your speaker recognize voice commands for streaming your music.