When it comes to wireless speakers, there is a substantial amount of choice out there. I have several different options in my home as it’s been my job to test and write about them for the last decade, but even I would struggle to pick just one brand and one speaker to rule them all.
On the one hand, you have Sonos, which delivers multiroom audio superbly — the Sonos Era 100 and Era 300 really are excellent. But on the other hand, you have the likes of Amazon’s Echo speakers that span from the cheap and cheerful Echo Pop, to the more expensive and better quality Echo Studio.
In between, you have the likes of the colourful Apple HomePod Mini. It’s just under £100 so it’s completely out of the Sonos price range, but it’s double the price of the Echo Dot and Google Nest Mini, both of which aren’t too dissimilar in size from the HomePod Mini.
You could of course save yourself some cash and opt for the Echo Dot with Alexa or the Nest Mini with Google Assistant, and they’d both do a good job, but you won’t get the sound quality or build quality you will with the HomePod Mini.
Apple HomePod Mini: At a glance
Apple HomePod Mini Smart Speaker
Cons
Siri isn’t as good as Alexa- Smart home device compatibility limited compared to Echo
- More expensive than rivals
Key specifications
| Connections | Wifi, Bluetooth |
|---|---|
| Weight | 345g |
| Dimensions | 84.3 x 97.9mm |
| Colours | Midnight, White, Yellow, Blue, Orange |
| Special features | Siri, multiroom audio, Apple AirPlay 2, Thread smart home hub, Intercom, Touch controls |
Apple HomePod Mini review
The HomePod Mini’s design is lovely and that applies to whatever colour you opt for. I have the blue, which looks fabulous in my Farrow & Ball Inchrya Blue living room (if I do say so myself), but I have seen all the colours in the flesh and they are all striking in their own way, all offering their own advantages.
The mesh material allows HomePod Mini to blend into its environment, while the backlit circular touch surface on the top offers quick control and lights up all kinds of wonderful colours when you interact with Siri.
Seriously, it might be my favourite thing about the HomePod Mini. You can play and pause by tapping it, as well as adjust volume so you don’t always have to use your voice for basic functions.
If you want to play a track from your iPhone or iPad, you can ask Siri, or open the app — whether that’s Apple Music or Spotify — on your device and AirPlay to the HomePod Mini.
When it comes to things like adding to a shopping list, finding out how long it might take you to get to the airport, or texting a friend to tell them you’re about to leave, the HomePod Mini can do all of those, but you’ll need to use Siri and your voice to make them happen.
One of my other favourite features is the ability to find Apple devices or devices that have an AirTag attached to them by asking my HomePod Mini where they are and it will then ping them. It’s a feature similar to what I use on my Apple Watch for finding my iPhone daily, so it’s handy to have in a speaker in your living room or kitchen if you’re prone to misplacing your keys or phone.
There are a few other features worth noting too, especially if you have any smart home devices.
The HomePod Mini will allow you to control compatible smart home devices, like locking your door or turning off lights, but I must admit, it has some work to do on this front compared to Alexa. If smart home control is all you want a wireless speaker for, then pick an Amazon Echo.
Apple HomePod Mini: Setup
When it comes to setup though, the HomePod Mini is incredibly simple. It’s one of the things Apple does really well with a lot of its products, from iPhone to AirPods, and the HomePod Mini is the same.
Hold an iPhone or iPad near this dinky little speaker and a card will appear on your screen to take you through the setup process.
That’s of course not the case if you use Android devices, and if you do, the HomePod Mini isn’t the wireless speaker for you. There are ways around it, but you’re not going to get the seamless experience or access to the extra features, like finding your devices, that make the HomePod Mini worth the extra cash over an Echo Dot or Nest Mini.
Apple HomePod Mini: Sound quality
The other element that makes it worth the extra though, is sound quality. The HomePod Mini is excellent here, offering 360degree sound from its petite build.
What that means is that no matter what angle you listen from or what you listen to, the HomePod Mini sounds great.
There’s good balance, great bass, and vocals are lovely and clear so while the HomePod mini might be small, it is mighty with what it can deliver and it looks fabulous while doing it too. That’s why you pay the extra and that’s why I love it.
Good Housekeeping’s verdict on the Apple HomePod Mini
Overall, the HomePod mini is a great option for a smaller space if you’re after something more compact than Apple’s big and pricey secondgeneration HomePod. This capable little speaker continues to offer the usefulness of Siri (especially handy for those with a HomeKitenabled smart home) along with a sizedefying sound with powerful bass.
It is designed primarily with Apple users in mind, and you’ll need to have an iPhone to use it. But if you’re already using several Apple devices, there are perks included with this neat spherical design. It’s easy to set up, works as a multiroom speaker system with other AirPlayenabled companions, and you can pair two together for a roomfilling stereo audio experience.
Britta O’Boyle has been a technology journalist since 2003. She’s covered everything from phones, tablets and fitness devices, to smart home, and beauty tech. You’ll find her name on reviews, explainers, roundups and expert tips, covering Apple, Google, Samsung, Sonos, Dyson and many more.
She’s always tried to take a more simplified approach to products, focusing on what she thinks actually matters in use, rather than getting caught up in the jargon. She was one of the first journalists in the world to try Apple’s Vision Pro headset, she’s gone behind the scenes at Peloton and she can give you more than 40 fun facts about Mac.
Britta has a First Class Honours degree in Fashion Journalism from the University of the Arts London and prior to a 10year stint as deputy editor of Pocketlint from 2013 to 2023, she wrote about interiors for 3 years, covering the rise in technology in the home.
As a freelance journalist, she cofounded The Disconnekt and she’s EditoratLarge for The Ambient. You’ll also find her byline on several prestigious titles including The Telegraph, British GQ, The Express, The Mirror, TechRadar, T3, Stuff, TechAdvisor, Trusted Reviews, Expert Reviews, Wareable and iMore.
She’s also been a guest on several radio stations, including BBC Radio, Siren FM and Academy FM, discussing features to implement on devices to keep children safer online. You’ll never find her without her Apple Watch on (usually alongside another fitness tracker she’s testing), aiming to complete her rings so she can justify the extra bar of chocolate. When she’s not recording the dog walk as an Outdoor Walk, she’s trying to keep up with her two young children.
