Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Several years ago, I paid about $100 for a JBL speaker that allowed me to fill a room with music streaming from my phone or computer. This is a different animal altogether -- perfect for streaming news or podcasts (why I bought it) or possibly to stream music at your desk at work at a low volume. At $15 and free delivery with Prime this is solid. Last year I paid about $30 for a small speaker with comparable specs from Cambridge Soundworks. Admittedly, the latter looks nicer and feels more substantial. But I don't see much difference in terms of sound -- I think the frequency response and bass (or lack thereof) pretty much line up. The battery life seems to be comparable too. I've had good experiences with Amazon's standing by their warranties. Even though this doesn't break the bank, I count that as a plus. Bottom line: I doubt you'll find anything appreciably better for under $40, and I doubt you'll be bringing the house down for anything less than $90 +/-. This works for the office, kitchen or patio and is more than adequate for podcasts or for streaming video.