With the million dollar ad campaigns out there for speakers like the JBL Pulse and Beats Pill, youÃ?ve
probably caught yourself thinking about buying a Bluetooth speaker.
But for me, I donÃ?t care how cool it
looks, IÃ?m not dropping $200 on a portable speaker.
Fortunately, there are some great options out there that sound great for half the cost.
IÃ?m Donald Bell,
and in this Top 5 IÃ?ll be counting down CNET Senior Editor David CarnoyÃ?s picks for the best sounding
portable Bluetooth speakers under 100 bucks.
Starting off with the most affordable option at #5: the Philips SoundShooter.
$40 gets you a big sound
for a small size, plus 8 hours of playback time.
The grenade looking design means I probably wouldnÃ?t
pack this in my carry-on.
Also, the lack of built-in volume control is a little inconvenient, but for $40, itÃ?s
a great deal.
Or, for just $10 more, try #4: the Cambridge Soundworks Oontz.
A more restrained color palette than
the safety orange of the SoundShooter.
Plus, you get controls for playback and volume, and 10 hours
of battery life.
Sure, the name sounds like a Norwegian venereal disease, but just think of it as a
conversation starter.
At #3: the G-Project G-Boom.
It may look like Darth VaderÃ?s lunchbox, but this $99 speaker delivers
bigtime bass -- more than any other speaker on this list.
ItÃ?s not the kind of speaker youÃ?re going to fit
in your pocket, but you get integrated controls for playback and volume and a USB port that lets you
charge other stuff -- like your LG G2, or maybe a Moto G.
For a little less boom, try #2: the UE Mini Boom.
At around $90 you get good sound for the size, plus
the ability to pair two of them up to create a stereo pair.
It works as a speakerphone too, which the G-
Boom does not -- and itÃ?s small enough to throw in a bag.
I gotta say that putting Ã?miniÃ? in your name
always makes me feel a little emasculated, but it sure beats spending $200 on an overhyped speaker
that looks like a dildo.
Alright, and now the best sounding portable Bluetooth speaker for under $100.
At #1: the JBL Flip.
Think of it as the less flashy cousin to the JBL Pulse.
$99 gets you a soda can-sized speaker with
good sound, integrated volume and playback controls, speakerphone capability and a neoprene
carrying case that could also help you smuggle a beer into a music festival.
Also, since JBL just showed off the Flip 2 at CES, expect to see this model go on sale pretty soon.
Alright, so there you go.
Five great sounding portable Bluetooth speakers that are a fantastic value.
For more ideas, check out our full list of rated Bluetooth speakers on CNET.
And for more Top 5s from
me, Top5.cnet.com.
IÃ?m Donald Bell, thanks for watching.
