Best portable Bluetooth speakers: Check out these boom boxes from Apple, Bose, Marshall and more

The Apple HomePod Mini is among the best portable speakers you can buy under Rs 10K, and it's just 3.3 inches tall and the tiniest HomePod of them all

Need to bring the house down? Don’t want to splurge? No problem. Portable Bluetooth speakers have come to the party. The global portable BT speaker market is set to grow from its current base of USD 11.64 billion (in 2022) at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6 per cent from 2023 to 2030 (Source: Grand View Research). Streaming content, virtual meetings and expanded storage on smartphones and tablets have all fuelled this growth.

Not long ago, battery life was a deal breaker. Newer BT speakers have also upped their battery game, so you’re always ready for that all-nighter. You get more connectivity options too. For instance, Apple’s HomePod mini is a no-brainer for iPhone users and more than packs a punch. We’ve also seen price drops on some portable boom boxes like the Bose SoundLink Revolve II, and then there’s the old favourite – Marshall. If you’re looking to add a portable BT speaker to your den or carry your favourite music around, you’ll be surprised at the plethora of options under Rs 15,000:

Sony SRS-XE200

Best portable Bluetooth speakers under Rs 15,000: Sony SRS-XE200 (Price: Rs 12,990 )

Part of Sony’s X-Series, this ultra-portable BT speaker comes with a strap that makes it easy to cart around. It’s not just the lightweight design, the speaker is IP67-certified for water and dust resistance. Sony opts for a line-shaped diffuser that distributes music evenly across a wide sound stage. Punchy bass is a given with Sony, the SRS-XE200 comes with X-Balanced speakers for powerful bass and crisp sound while the dual passive radiators add to the bass boom. You get 16 hours of battery life, the USB-C quick charge delivers 70 minutes of playback with a 10-minute charge.

Price: Rs 12,990

Marshall Emberton

Best portable Bluetooth speakers under Rs 15,000: Marshall Emberton (Price: Rs 14,999 )

This is one of the best-looking speakers at this price point with its refined build quality and knob controls. This 20W multiple-channel speaker uses True Stereophonic, a unique form of multi-directional sound from Marshall. At 700 gm, its surprisingly portable and rugged – it comes with an IPX7 water-resistance rating. The multi-directional control knobs make it amazingly simple to control the device. Battery life is a win too – 20+ hours on a single charge.

Price: Rs 14,999

Apple HomePod Mini

Among the best portable speakers you can buy under Rs 10K, it's just 3.3 inches tall and the tiniest HomePod of them all. And yet, it delivers surprisingly good sound. It pairs effortlessly with iOS devices and teams up equally seamlessly with another mini to create a stereo pair. It’s powered by Apple’s S5 chip that works with advanced software to analyse the unique characteristics of the music and applies complex tuning models. Apple has added a range of colours that add extra zing to your living spaces.

Price: Rs 9,900

Sonodyne Alaap

Best portable Bluetooth speakers under Rs 15,000: Sonodyne Alaap (Price: Rs 14,999 )

This one takes its name from Alaap, that denotes the beginning of a performance. It defines the melodic framework and sets the mood for the performance. The Sonodyne Alaap sets the mood for your home music sessions and is crafted to reproduce an artist’s musical creation. One of our favourite features is the wooden cabinet that is rigid and highly braced, this results in minimised vibration. The entire system is DSP (Digital signal processing) balanced resulting in effortless sonic reproduction and a wide stereo soundstage.

Price: Rs 14,999

JBL Flip 6

Best portable Bluetooth speakers under Rs 15,000: JBL Flip 6 (Price: Rs 11,999)

It won a Red Dot Design award for its edgy design and unique racetrack-shaped woofer. This cleverly designed woofer combines with a separate tweeter for better high frequency. The woofer also delivers exceptional low frequencies and midrange. You can take this to the pool deck with you – it’s IP67 certified, while the 12-hour battery life should cover you for an all-night pool party. The optimised dual passive radiators are fine-tuned with Harman’s advanced algorithm and add to the bass thump.

Price: Rs 11,999

Bose SoundLink Revolve II

Best portable Bluetooth speakers under Rs 15,000: Bose SoundLink Revolve II (Price: Rs 14,999)

It’s one of Bose’s best portable speakers. Pairing is a breeze – you can set up the device with voice prompts. The in-built microphone allows you to access your default voice assistant (like Amazon Alexa) right from the speaker. The speaker punches above its weight with a well-designed sound set up – It combines an efficient transducer, dual-passive radiators and an omni-directional acoustic deflector. It looks good at your work desk or in your living room and delivers 360-degree sound and 13 hours of battery life.

Price: Rs 14,999 after cash backs/ discounts