The best budget soundbars under £250
High-quality audio no longer requires multiple speakers and eye-wateringly expensive products. Instead, you can elevate TV shows and films with a soundbar.
Soundbars are long, slim speakers that can be mounted on the wall beneath your TV or placed flat on a TV stand, and enhance the audio of your TV's built-in speakers.
While they may sound fancy, getting hold of a good one needn't cost you a fortune – so we've handpicked the 12 affordable designs, all under £250.
Featuring big-name retailers such as Amazon and Curry's, each offer easy assembly and speedy connectivity.
The best budget soundbars
Denon DHT-S316 Soundbar with Subwoofer | Was £279 now £199 from Amazon
This highly-rated Denon soundbar has more than 500 reviews on Amazon. One happy shopper said: "The sound is rich and punchy with a solid bass from the subwoofer, and the power of the unit is more than enough to fill the room (21ft by 12ft). The sound quality far exceeds that of my hi-fi and has basically made it redundant."
Roku Streambar | £129.99 from Amazon
This soundbar provides excellent audio but also allows you to stream movies and TV shows through Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney +, ITV Hub, All4, Apple TV+, Prime Video, NOW TV, BT Sport and more. You can also set it up with Alexa or Google Assistant to use voice control for changing channels, volume and power.
Creative Stage V2 2.1 Soundbar | £89.99 from Amazon
Another top-rated device on Amazon, this soundbar is less than £100. Thanks to its powerful subwoofer, you can enjoy high-quality, immersive audio, including deep bass. You can also use it to connect your smartphone and gaming via optical, AUX, Bluetooth, and USB audio.
Sonos Ray Soundbar | was £275 now £249 from Amazon
Bring blockbuster sound to your home with this soundbar from Sonos. With fast WiFi connectivity, music streaming capability and a simple setup, it's a great all-rounder for less than £250. Use it to stream your favourite albums or TV shows ASAP.
Panasonic SC-HTB150 Bluetooth Soundbar | £129.99 from John Lewis
This slick speaker has two speakers inside and a separate subwoofer to ensure you can enjoy immersive audio at all times. It connects to your TV via a HDMI or optical cable, and can also be used to stream music from your smart device via Bluetooth.
Samsung HW-T400 Bluetooth NFC All-in-One Compact Soundbar | £129.99 from John Lewis
This Samsung soundbar left John Lewis customers impressed. Here's one review: "Purchased this to go with recent purchase of Samsung TV. I have noticed straightaway that the sound level is vastly superior. Wherever I position myself in my sitting room I experience the same consistency of sound. It is quite compact and fits unobtrusively in front of my TV."
LG SK1D Bluetooth All-In-One Soundbar | £49 from John Lewis
For less than £50, this LG soundbar is an absolute bargain. It's minimalistic and compact, has adaptive sound control to automatically adjust the volume and bass on your music, and can be controlled via remote or Bluetooth.
JBL Bar 2.0 Compact Sound Bar | £99.99 from Currys
Whether you're a film buff or music-lover, this JBL soundbar is a brilliant affordable option. It delivers immersive audio thanks to the Dolby Digital and JBL Surround Sound, connects wirelessly using Bluetooth and has a low profile design.
YAMAHA SR-C20A 2.1 All-in-One Sound Bar | £229 from Currys
This Yamaha soundbar delivers 100W of high-quality audio thanks to its built-in subwoofer and adaptive audio. It can be wall-mounted too and save valuable floor space in smaller homes.
LOGIK LSB20B21 2.0 Compact Sound Bar | £29.99 from Currys
This is the most affordable soundbar we've spotted, retailing at less than £30. It delivers 24W of sound power, wirelessly streams music using Bluetooth, has optical, coaxial and aux inputs and comes with a wall mounting kit.
JVC TH-D227BA 2.0 Compact Sound Bar | £49.99 from Currys
This cost-effective soundbar from JVC is a bargain buy and will come in handy ahead of festive dinner parties with friends and families. It's designed with a pair of built-in 15 W full-range speakers and can stream music straight from your phone or tablet via Bluetooth.
POLK AUDIO React Soundbar | Was £249 now £218.61 from Amazon
.A worthy investment for movie night, gaming or streaming your favourite artist, this Polk soundbar provides surround sound, built-in Alexa for voice control, and is compatible with any brand of HD, 4K and 8K TV.