I've been using the HomePod Mini as my main kitchen speaker for about eight months now. I wanted to love it – I'm pretty deep in the Apple ecosystem with an iPhone, MacBook, and Apple TV – but my feelings are honestly mixed. It does some things incredibly well and others that make me want to throw it out the window.
Design & Build
Credit where it's due: this thing looks great sitting on my counter. The mesh fabric has held up well and doesn't show dust like I expected it would. It's small enough that it doesn't dominate the space but substantial enough that it doesn't feel like a toy.
The touch controls on top are minimal – just a plus and minus that light up when you tap them, and a center area for play/pause. Took me a few days to get used to the touch sensitivity but now it's second nature. The power cable is permanently attached which is annoying if you ever need to route it differently, but the braided cord is nice quality at least.
My only real complaint is there's no physical mute button. You have to say "Hey Siri, stop listening" or use the Home app. For a company that talks so much about privacy, that's a weird omission.
Features
This is where things get complicated. If you're fully bought into Apple, the HomePod Mini does some legitimately useful things. Handoff is great – I can transfer a phone call or whatever I'm listening to just by holding my phone near the speaker. The intercom feature is actually something my family uses daily to yell at each other across the house without actually yelling.
But here's the thing: Siri is still... Siri. She mishears me constantly. "Hey Siri, play some jazz" becomes "Okay, playing Jazz Pharmaceuticals quarterly earnings call" or some nonsense. And if you want to control non-HomeKit smart home devices? Good luck. I had to buy a Starling Home Hub just to get my Nest thermostat to work with it, which felt ridiculous.
No Bluetooth audio input is a baffling omission. You can't just pair your Android friend's phone to play music when they're over. It's AirPlay or nothing. In 2024 that feels unnecessarily restrictive.
The multi-room audio works well when it works, but I've had random dropouts that I never experienced with Sonos.
Performance
Sound quality is genuinely impressive for something this size. Apple wasn't lying about the computational audio stuff – it really does sound fuller and more room-filling than it has any right to. I put it next to an Echo Dot and the difference is night and day. The Mini actually sounds like music instead of a clock radio.
That said, let's be realistic. It's a $99 speaker the size of a softball. It's not going to shake the walls. Bass is present but don't expect any real thump. For podcasts, casual music listening, and kitchen background noise it's perfect. For a party or serious listening, you'll want something bigger.
I paired two of them in stereo for my living room and the separation is surprisingly good. Apple clearly put work into the spatial audio stuff. One weird quirk: podcasts sometimes sound slightly different between the two speakers, like they're processing the voice differently. Not a dealbreaker but I notice it.
Ease of Use
Setup is the classic Apple experience – hold your iPhone near it, tap a few buttons, done. Took maybe two minutes. If you have an iPhone, this is about as painless as it gets.
The Home app though... I have complicated feelings about the Home app. Apple redesigned it and somehow made it more confusing. Finding specific settings requires digging through menus that don't always make sense. Want to change the voice feedback volume separately from media volume? That's like four taps deep. Want to set up an automation? Hope you enjoy trial and error.
Day-to-day use is fine once you figure out the Siri commands that actually work. I've learned to speak to it like I'm talking to a not-very-bright golden retriever – simple commands, clear enunciation, low expectations. "Turn on the kitchen lights" works great. "Set a timer for pasta and remind me to check the laundry" will result in disappointment.
Pros
- Excellent sound quality for its size
- Seamless integration with iPhone and Apple ecosystem
- Beautiful, compact design that fits anywhere
- Intercom feature is genuinely useful
- Stereo pairing works well
Cons
- Siri is still frustratingly unreliable
- No Bluetooth - AirPlay only
- Limited smart home device compatibility
- Home app is confusing to navigate
- Non-removable power cable
Final Grade
After eight months of daily use, the HomePod Mini has earned its spot in my kitchen, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't occasionally tempted to replace it with an Echo. The sound quality keeps me around; the smart home limitations make me grumble. It's the most Apple product Apple has ever made – beautiful, sounds great, works perfectly within its walled garden, and stubbornly ignores how the rest of the world works. If you're already wearing the golden handcuffs, you'll probably be happy with it. If not, shop around.