GoKawiilJBL Boombox 3: While JBL has released the new-for-2025 Boombox 4, its third-generation Boombox 3 is still an excellent boom box and can cost around $100 less, making it arguably the better value. It doesn't play as loud or produce as much bass as the Boombox 4, and it has a lower power rating, especially when working off battery power (it does play louder when you plug it in). But it produces a more balanced sound that isn't quite as aggressive as the Boombox 4's sound, which some people may prefer.
Anker Soundcore Motion X600: Anker's Soundcore Motion X600 mini boom box not only has a premium look and feel with a metal grille and carrying handle, but includes some interesting features like spatial audio and support for Sony's LDAC audio codec. It sounds impressive for its relatively compact size and represents good value. Weighing 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg), it has some heft to it, but it's light enough to carry around without feeling like you're getting a workout. It's equipped with five drivers, including two woofers, two tweeters and one full-range, upward-firing driver "in a unique speaker array that combined with Soundcore's audio algorithm and DSP helps create a wide (and tall) soundstage for listening to any type of music," according to Anker.
JBL Partybox 110: The predecessor to JBL's Partybox Club 120, the PartyBox 110 isn't much of a step down and tends to cost $50 less than the Club 120. Like the Club 120, it packs some serious punch (the two speakers have similar sound, but the Club 120 has a swappable battery and Bluetooth 5.4 with Auracast instead of Bluetooth 5.1), and there's an integrated handle for toting the speaker. The PartyBox 110 is pretty hefty, weighing in at 23 pounds and measuring slightly more than 22 inches tall.
Tribit Stormbox Blast: Tribit is known for its affordable, smaller Bluetooth speakers that deliver very good sound quality and features for the price. Its new Stormbox Blast speaker is its first Bluetooth boom box speaker, and it delivers mostly impressive sound for its size and also has a built-in light show and USB-out charging. With the newer and more powerful Stormbox Blast 2 available, this model's price often dips to less than $150.
Ultimate Ears Hyperboom: The Hyberboom has been out for about 5 years and remains a top-sounding jumbo Bluetooth speaker. I compared it to JBL's older Boombox 2. For outdoor use, I gave the nod to the JBL's design. Both speakers weigh around 13 to 14 pounds, but the JBL is a little more natural to carry around. It has the handle and the tubular design -- it looks like it belongs outdoors. The Hyperboom has a thick rubber strap, and it kind of feels like you're carrying a big pitcher of something really solid. It's boxy and understated, and it looks a little more at home indoors. While I preferred the JBL design, the Hyperboom is the better-sounding portable Bluetooth speaker overall. It has a wider soundstage with slightly more bass and clarity. It also sounds a little more natural. I also like that it has both an auxiliary input and optical input to go along with a USB out port for charging devices.
Soundcore by Anker Rave Party 2: Although it costs more than Tribit's Stormbox Blast, the 11.7-pound Rave Party 2 is a more attractively designed speaker and arguably sounds slightly better. Its two 4-inch woofers and two 2-inch tweeters deliver aggressive, punchy sound with enough volume to fill larger rooms (the Tribit's bass goes a little deeper but I was pretty satisfied with this speaker's low-end capabilities). For even bigger sound, you can wirelessly link multiple Rave Party 2 and other Soundcore speakers that support the company's PartyCast 2.0 feature.
Soundcore by Anker Motion Boom Plus: While it's a few years old, the Motion Boom Plus is still on sale an a pretty good value, though the Boom 2 Plus is superior and doesn't cost that much more. Weighing 5.29 pounds (almost a pound more than the Motion Boom -- see below), it uses Bluetooth 5.3 and is equipped with upgraded dual 3.5-inch woofers and dual 1-inch tweeters, delivering up to 80 watts of audio output (60 watts for the woofers and 20W for the tweeters). Battery life is rated for 20 hours at moderate volume levels. It's also IP67 waterproof and dust-proof and floats if you happen to drop it in a body of water.
Sondcore by Anker Motion Boom: Anker's more expensive Soundcore Motion Boom Plus (see above) is a substantial sound upgrade over the original Motion Boom but this model remains a very good mini boom box for the money. Equipped with a handle and weighing a little over 4 pounds, the speaker reminds me of one of those giant flashlights or "floating lanterns" that were in vogue about 30 years ago. For the record, the Motion Boom actually does float and is fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating.
Sony SRS-XG500: The SRS-XG500 is the predecessor to Sony's new ULT Field 7 and was designed to compete with the JBL Boombox 2 (and more recently the Boombox 3). They're similarly priced and sized, with both featuring an integrated handle. The Sony is a little larger but weighs slightly less at 12.34 pounds (5.6 kg). I went back and forth comparing the sound of the two speakers. I liked the JBL's sound a bit more because it came across as sounding a little clearer with better detail, but the Sony pumps out a lot of bass. It has a warmer, boomier sound quality that some people may prefer. The ULT Field 7 does sound superior.