Pod Pro or Pod mini: which Bluetooth speaker to choose
In short
Both are portable Bluetooth speakers rated IP67, meaning dust-tight and resistant to immersion down to 1 m for 30 minutes. The Pod Pro is the speaker for groups: 30 W, 18 hours and up to 8 speakers playing together. The Pod mini is the one to take everywhere: 10 W, 12 hours and a silicone strap to fix it to a backpack or a bike.
For gardens, beaches and parties: the Pod Pro. For the bathroom, desk, backpack and hikes: the Pod mini.
Power and sound
The Pod Pro has 30 W, two 45 mm drivers and a passive radiator that strengthens the bass. It also has a tuning microphone that listens to the room and matches the bass to the bathroom, kitchen, garden or beach. Outdoors, where sound fades quickly, the extra power is clearly audible.
The Pod mini has 10 W and a 52 mm full-range driver. For a room, a bathroom or a desk it is enough; for a large group outdoors, the Pod Pro carries much better.
Battery
The Pod Pro lasts 18 hours on a charge, the Pod mini 12 hours, both at moderate volume. At high volume, both last less than the box says.
For a whole day at the beach or a long party, the Pod Pro's 18 hours give you peace of mind. For a few evenings at the campsite or a week of music in the bathroom, the Pod mini is enough.
Size and carrying
The Pod mini is made to come with you: the silicone strap fixes to a handlebar, a backpack ring, a trekking pole or a bathroom hook. It fits easily in a bag.
The Pod Pro is the bigger speaker, made to stand on a table, a towel or a bench. For long hikes the Pod mini is far more practical; for a garden or a terrace, the Pod Pro's size is no problem.
Several speakers together
Both pair two at a time in stereo, one on the left channel and one on the right, for a wider sound. The Pod Pro goes further: up to 8 speakers can play the same music together, for a big house or a garden with several areas.
Speakers link with others of the same model: Pod Pro with Pod Pro, Pod mini with Pod mini. Our guide to connecting several Bluetooth speakers explains the steps.
Water resistance
At IP67, both can be splashed, caught in rain or fished out of a pool if they fall in. Do not leave them under water, and rinse them with fresh water after the sea or the pool so salt and chlorine leave no deposits.
For the bathroom, next to the shower, the Pod mini suits thanks to its size and strap. For the poolside or the beach, both work.
Who each is for
The Pod Pro is for people who gather friends in the garden, at a barbecue or on the beach, for homes where music plays in several rooms, and for anyone who wants full bass. The Pod mini is for people who want music in the bathroom, at the desk, on the bike, in a backpack or at the campsite without carrying a big speaker.
To choose a speaker in general, our guide to choosing a Bluetooth speaker says what matters and what does not.
And why not both
Many homes end up with both: a Pod Pro in the living room or on the terrace for evenings with friends, and a Pod mini in the bathroom or a backpack for everyday use. Since each links only with speakers of the same model, they cannot play together, but between them they cover almost any situation.
If you choose just one and are not sure, think about where it would spend most time. A big speaker left on a shelf because it is awkward to carry gets used less than a small one you take everywhere. The other way round, at a garden party a small speaker turned to maximum distorts and does not fill the space.
Every model is in the shop, under Bluetooth speakers.