If you’re shopping for a portable Bluetooth speaker, it’s a given that you want good sound. With a budget of $75-$150, there is no shortage of great options, including WIRED favorites like the JBL Flip 7, Beats Pill, and Tribit StormBox 2.
If your travel ambitions have already soaked up most of your cash, you have fewer choices. Spending less always involves a tradeoff, but Tribit’s StormBox Mini+ ($40) involves far fewer compromises than you might think, and it even throws in a few features the more expensive models lack.
I spent a week with the StormBox Mini+, using it as a backyard and travel companion, and I’ve grown quite fond of its versatility. I’d still recommend spending a bit more, but if that’s just not an option, this speaker won’t disappoint.
What’s the Plus?
Photograph: Simon Cohen
The StormBox Mini+ follows the now-familiar design formula popularized by JBL and Ultimate Ears (UE). Its cylindrical body is wrapped in wear-resistant fabric weave and capped at both ends with rubbery silicone. It comes in three colors: black, green, and blue.
If you’re familiar with the Tribit StormBox Mini, the Plus model is almost identical. It adds compatibility with the free Tribit companion app (which sports an equalizer and a few other settings), and introduces the AAC codec (for arguably better audio, especially on iPhones).
An IPX7 rating means it should survive immersion in water down to three feet for 30 minutes, but given that it floats (upside down), I doubt you’ll ever put that to the test. It certainly handled a bit of bobbing in my kitchen sink. Just keep in mind that the “X” in IPX means no dust resistance. Tribit says that sand grains are too big to be considered dust and thus not an issue, but I’m a bit skeptical of that claim.