If given the choice, most music fans would love to have a whole room dedicated to their hi-fi, with floor to ceiling speakers and all the gadgets, but the reality is that most of us don't have the luxury of extra space or thousands of pounds to get a full set up. A mini hi-fi is a great upgrade from a Bluetooth speaker or pair of headphones that will give you quality audio fidelity without breaking the bank.
Our reviews will take you through the best budget and higher-end mini and micro hi-fis available online today, so you'll be able to listen to your favourite albums, podcasts and FM or DAB radio stations in comfort. Our recommendations include some great deals from brands like Sony, Panasonic and Philips, many for under £200 and even under £100 too.
For those after a quick look, here is our Top 5:
For a more in-depth look at the comprehensive top 10 selection, make sure to read on to learn more about the different types of mini hi-fi systems available and understand how our ranking was determined.
This article's chosen EC site price listings are reflective of its publishing date.
Image | 1 ![]() Panasonic | 2 ![]() Sharp | 3 ![]() Philips | 4 ![]() Panasonic | 5 ![]() Panasonic | 6 ![]() Philips | 7 ![]() Roxel | 8 ![]() Sony | 9 ![]() Denver | 10 ![]() Amazon Basics |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Micro Hi-Fi | Micro Sound System | Micro Music System | Compact Micro Hi-Fi | Micro Hi-Fi | Micro Music System | All in One Compact Micro Hi-Fi | Bluetooth Micro Hi-Fi System | Mini Hi-Fi | Mini Hi-Fi System |
Features | The Best All-Rounder on the Market | Simple and Easy to Plug in and Play With Bluetooth and USB Capabilities | Powerful Speakers in a Small Package | A Sleek and Stylish Option for Any Room | An Absolutely Tiny Unit From a Leading Hi-Fi Brand | Digital Sound Control Makes for a Great Listening Experience | Karaoke Fun and an SD Card Slot Too | Perfect for Streaming Podcasts While Doing the Chores | Simple Features and a Quality Build for Less | A Solid Budget Option From Amazon |
Price | £169.00 | £99.95 | £329.00 | £89.99 | £109.00 | £87.77 | £79.99 | £129.99 | £64.95 | £49.57 |
Terminals | USB, AUX | USB, AUX | USB, AUX | USB | USB | USB, AUX | USB, AUX | USB | AUX | AUX |
Radio | DAB+, FM | DAB+, FM | DAB+, FM, internet radio | FM | DAB, FM | FM | FM | FM | FM | FM |
CD Player | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth, Spotify Connect | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth, NFC | - | - |
Other Features | Remote control, Panasonic app | Remote control | Remote control | Remote control, timer, clock, Panasonic app | Remote control, timer, clock, Panasonic app | Remote control, timer | Remote control, karaoke, SD card reader | Remote control | Remote control, alarm clock, power off timer | Remote control |
Dimensions | 45 x 16 x 25 cm | 17 x 57.4 x 22 cm | 61.8 x 32.8 x 31 cm | 45 x 16 x 25 cm | 10 x 10 x 10 cm | 58.2 x 32.2 x 19.4 cm | 21.6 x 29.6 x 36.5 cm | 34 x 9 x 17.3 cm | 31.8 x 31 x 19.2 cm | 11.2 x 11.2 x 9.2 cm |
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Perhaps the most important feature nowadays is the ability to listen to your own music from a device like a smartphone, MP3 player or tablet. There are a variety of different ways to hook up your own music libraries or streaming services, but the simplest is the aux cable.
Just as you would plug a pair of headphones into the 3.5 mm jack of your phone or iPod, you can do the same with an aux cable. The downside is that you'll still have to control the music from the device itself, but being able to just plug in and play is by far the quickest and easiest method.
Another useful option is a USB port, which also provides an easy way to play music from your phone or tablet while offering the benefit of charging them at the same time. Navigating the software on your hi-fi to find what you're looking for can sometimes be a little fiddly, but don't let that put you off!
Need a nice new phone to go with your hi-fi system? Check out the Best Android Smartphones!
If you want to listen to the radio, you'll need to make sure that your hi-fi has an aerial. Whether you're listening over FM or to digital stations, some form of an antenna will be required to get a clear reception. Luckily, you'll find that except for extremely rare cases, any hi-fi that has FM or DAB functionality will also come with an aerial.
It's worth noting that it's usually very difficult to change a hi-fi's antenna as they're often physically attached to the unit itself, rather than being something that you can plug in and replace. The good news is that if you're not planning on listening to the radio, it's easy to tuck an aerial away behind the unit as it's often just the size of a thin wire.
Playing your favourite songs via your phone and tuning into digital radio stations may be the most popular ways of listening to music nowadays, but there is one thing that will still be useful to quite a large number of people in the UK – a CD player.
While cassette decks are not too common anymore and record turntables are usually linked up separately, a CD player is still incorporated on many modern mini hi-fis. If you're one of the many people who still has large libraries of music that aren't always found on streaming services, you'll want to make sure your stereo enables you to play them.
Arguably the best way to hook up a device to your mini hi-fi is via Bluetooth, which offers a convenient wireless solution if you want to change and play music or a podcast without being right next to the system.
In addition, having either Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), or WiFi will mean you can sync your new hi-fi up to any smart home system like Amazon's Alexa or Google Home, allowing you to control what you play with your voice.
These wireless systems are perfect for those subscribing to any live services, such as Spotify or Amazon Music, or if you're looking to play music from your own media server. You should really look out for a Bluetooth option if you play any media from a phone or tablet, and most options will have it as standard except for some particularly budget-friendly models.
Looking to update your home? Take a look at the Best Smart Plugs!
There are a few features found on a mini hi-fi that may not have been as relevant as they once were in a pre-smartphone world but are still nice to have. One is an alarm function, especially for those planning on putting the system in the bedroom. You may be used to hearing your phone's alarm going off in the morning, but you'd be surprised how pleasant waking up to some talk radio can be instead.
Finally, it's worth picking up a hi-fi with a remote control if you're planning on listening to a lot of radio and CDs. You don't want to have to walk back and forth between different rooms or get up from bed to change the volume or station while in the middle of the washing up or when trying to get to sleep.
This ranking has been compiled by the writing team at mybest UK via careful evaluation of the points made in the buying guide and thorough research of each product and comparing multiple verified customer reviews across the EC sites used.
SC-HC302EB-K
£169.00
Terminals | USB, AUX |
---|---|
Radio | DAB+, FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth |
Other Features | Remote control, Panasonic app |
Dimensions | 45 x 16 x 25 cm |
XL-B515D
£99.95
Terminals | USB, AUX |
---|---|
Radio | DAB+, FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth |
Other Features | Remote control |
Dimensions | 17 x 57.4 x 22 cm |
M8905/10
£329.00
Terminals | USB, AUX |
---|---|
Radio | DAB+, FM, internet radio |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth, Spotify Connect |
Other Features | Remote control |
Dimensions | 61.8 x 32.8 x 31 cm |
SC-HC200EB-K
£89.99
Terminals | USB |
---|---|
Radio | FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth |
Other Features | Remote control, timer, clock, Panasonic app |
Dimensions | 45 x 16 x 25 cm |
SC-PM250BEBS
£109.00
Terminals | USB |
---|---|
Radio | DAB, FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth |
Other Features | Remote control, timer, clock, Panasonic app |
Dimensions | 10 x 10 x 10 cm |
M3205/12
£87.77
Terminals | USB, AUX |
---|---|
Radio | FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth |
Other Features | Remote control, timer |
Dimensions | 58.2 x 32.2 x 19.4 cm |
RCD-250BT
£79.99
Terminals | USB, AUX |
---|---|
Radio | FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth |
Other Features | Remote control, karaoke, SD card reader |
Dimensions | 21.6 x 29.6 x 36.5 cm |
CMT-X3CD
£129.99
Terminals | USB |
---|---|
Radio | FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | Bluetooth, NFC |
Other Features | Remote control |
Dimensions | 34 x 9 x 17.3 cm |
MCA-230
£64.95
Terminals | AUX |
---|---|
Radio | FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | - |
Other Features | Remote control, alarm clock, power off timer |
Dimensions | 31.8 x 31 x 19.2 cm |
£49.57
Terminals | AUX |
---|---|
Radio | FM |
CD Player | Yes |
Wireless Connectivity | - |
Other Features | Remote control |
Dimensions | 11.2 x 11.2 x 9.2 cm |
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