The only Bluetooth speaker you need for pool parties costs less than $40: no, I’m not joking

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There's nothing like cooling off by the swimming pool with your friends and a drink in hand, especially during a heatwave. I'm not a swimmer so I never really go into a pool, but I do enjoy sitting poolside with my feet in the water — simple yet effective. And because I'm usually the only one not in the water, I get to be in-charge of the music, which I'm more than happy to do because my music taste is elite.

But of course, I can't take just any old speaker to a pool party. It needs to be waterproof enough that it should survive if it falls into the water. It's great that I get to test the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers then, huh? Having recently tested the Tribit StormBox Mini+, I think I've found my go-to speaker not just for parties by the water or at the beach, but for everyday use too.

I never thought a speaker that costs less than $40 could actually sound good. It's difficult to find great, detailed sound at such a low price, especially in a small, portable speaker — but the StormBox Mini+ has proved me wrong and in doing so, it has set a very high bar for future budget speakers I will test. This is the only Bluetooth speaker you need for pool parties, trust me. Let me tell you why.

Dazzle me

I don't usually enjoy RGB lighting but when I do, it needs to be tasteful and not garish — and that's exactly what the Tribit StormBox Mini+ has. Running along the length of the speaker's passive radiator is an LED lighting strip which reacts to and dances with the beat of the song playing. It works like a charm, dancing along to the bass and sub-bass in tracks like Pink Floyd's 'Money' and the harp in Lana Del Rey's 'Video Games.' It can even keep up with the high tempo in Charli XCX's Brat album, which is saying a lot.

It's the perfect speaker to show off at a pool party, thanks to the dazzling light show (very bright in the dark, by the way) and its waterproofing. The StormBox Mini+ is IPX7-rated, which means it can be submerged in 1 meter (about 6 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes, and it works fine if water splashes on it too. No condensation in the shower had a negative impact on the speaker. I also washed a spoon and accidentally let the powerful stream of tap water hit it at just the right angle that the water flew right at the speaker — and it was fine!

Why get one when you can get two?

One of the Tribit StormBox Mini+'s biggest selling points is that its very cheap, retailing for just $39 / £29. That makes it one of the cheapest speakers we've tested here at Tom's Guide, and definitely the most affordable one I've personally reviewed. So why get just one when you can get two, sync them up and get stereo sound?

Stereo basically uses two channels (left and right) to produce sound, creating a more immersive and realistic listening experience compared to mono sound. When two StormBox Mini+ speakers are synchronized by holding down the Bluetooth button on each speaker, they sound incredible, making you feel like you're engulfed in the audio or like you're at the movies.

Tribit sent me two speakers so I could test the stereo mode, and I'm pleased to report that it's fantastic. Audio travels between the two speakers really well too, so one moment you'll be hearing Lana Del Rey serenading you in one speaker and then her vocals will travel to the other, and then both speakers will burst with her ethereal voice.

Also, some music streaming services, like Spotify, allow you to play the same music from both speakers, so my partner and I could enjoy the same tunes while I showered and she worked on her laptop in the living room.

Pool, travel, home, everywhere

The Tribit StormBox Mini+ is a take-anywhere-able speaker, as it measures just 4.68 x 3.58 x 3.58 inches and weighs 19.2 ounces, so you can easily carry it around in your backpack without feeling weighed down. There's also a handy strap located on the top of the speaker in case you want to hook it up to a carabiner, or carry it around your finger to look super cool.

Having used the speaker in the shower, while cooking, while having a nice dinner in my balcony, and while chilling by my friend's pool, it didn't take long for the StormBox Mini+ to become my go-to speaker for everyday use. In the end, no one sums it up better than my partner: "This speaker sounds like a Bose, it has to be at least $100."

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Nikita is a Staff Writer on the Reviews team at Tom's Guide. She's a lifelong gaming and photography enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tech. Having worked as a Sub Editor and Writer for Canon EMEA, she has interviewed photographers from all over the world and working in different genres. When she’s not working, Nikita can usually be found sinking hours into RPGs on her PS5, flying a drone (she's a licensed drone pilot), at a concert, or watching F1. Her work has appeared in several publications including Motor Sport Magazine, NME, Marriott Bonvoy, The Independent, and Metro.

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