I’ve had many Bluetooth speakers over the years. While some died of natural causes (exhausted batteries), others met their demise in more harrowing ways, including an icey submersion in the salty waters of Puget Sound. Ever since that fateful day, I’ve only purchased rugged Bluetooth speakers, and of the models I’ve tested, one has risen to the top as my favorite: the Bose SoundLink Micro.
Small in size but big in sound, the SoundLink Micro is ordinarily $119 but not today. As the clock ticks down on Cyber Monday deals, this total peach is 42% off, dropping the price to just $69 in two aesthetically pleasing color options. Walmart has the speaker in blue and Bose has it in Bright Orange, my favorite of the two.
IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, the SoundLink Mini is also designed to work in cold temperatures, a claim I can attest to. A protective rubber outer coating adds to its ruggedness. The speaker recharges via USB-C and offers roughly six hours of music bumpin' before needing a top-off.
A built-in rubber strap on the back lets you secure the SoundLink Mini to all sorts of things, including bike handlebars, beach chairs and shower curtain rods. I know this from personal experience. I’ve also dropped mine quite a few times with no damage to report.
And, yes, it’s had encounters with water, including falling into a running shower on more than one occasion (when I didn’t use the built-in strap to secure it like a ding-dong). While a quick shower isn't the same as a saltwater bath, my SoundLink Micro still works just as good as the day I brought it home.
Perhaps most importantly, the sound quality is seriously impressive, particularly given the speaker’s diminutive footprint. The bass is especially nice and punchy. And if you’ve got other Bose speakers, this little guy can pair up with them for even more sound. Now that's rock and roll, baby.
