Finding the Best Mini Amp Under 100
What’s the best mini amp under $100? To find out we assembled our No Fear Guides to put five best-selling mini amps to the test. With their favorite guitars in hand, and riffs to spare, we cranked up the contestants to find out which mini amp packs the most value for beginners and pro players alike. Read on and find out which mini amp was crowned the mini amp champ!
Mini Amp #1 — Blackstar Fly 3 — The Mini Amp Champ
With the Fly 3 mini amp, Blackstar aimed to deliver the same tonal balance and feel of a larger guitar amp, even at low volumes. Our No Fear Guides were immediately impressed with the Fly 3’s bold voice, especially considering it packs only a 3-inch speaker with 3 watts of power. The Fly 3 is also equipped with Blackstar’s patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) EQ, which allows you to explore classic British and American amplifier voicings with the twist of a knob. A gain control and switchable Clean/Crunch channels round out the Fly 3’s versatile tone-shaping options.
The Fly 3 also packs a built-in delay effect, which can be a ton of fun for any guitarist to have available in a practice amp. Between its lively sonic character, built-in delay, battery-powered operation for true portability, and the ability to create a mini stack with the optional Fly 3 extension cabinet, the Blackstar Fly 3 stood out in our comparison as the best mini amp under $100.
- Offers the tone and response of a larger amp even at low volumes
- Built-in delay effect makes practice and songwriting sessions more inspiring
- ISF EQ control allows you to explore classic British and American amp voicings for tonal variety
Less learning curve, more rock ’n roll! — Jay Leonard
Mini Amp #2 — NUX Mighty Lite BT — Best Features and Practice Tools
NUX designed the Mighty Lite BT mini amp for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar, with 3 watts of power driving a full-range speaker. Top-panel controls give you access to Clean, Overdrive, and Distortion channels, plus Gain, Tone, and controls for the built-in Delay and Reverb effects. But it’s the free MightyAmp app that opens up all the Mighty Lite BT has to offer. The app allows you to explore a wide range of amps, effects, and cabinet IRs to build your own custom guitar tones. You’ll also be able to practice along with the built in Jam Tracks, control other amp features, and use the app to stream music from your library to play along with — there’s a lot to explore here.
Even without the app, the Mighty Lite BT gives you a tonally-versatile practice amp with built-in metronome, drum tracks, and effects. And the Mighty Lite BT is also equipped with a USB-C audio interface for recording direct to your computer. That’s a lot of value in a portable mini amp, which is why our No Fear Guides crowned the Mighty Lite BT as the mini amp with the best features and practice tools.
- Free MightyAmp app gives you access to amp and cabinet models, Jam Tracks, music streaming via Bluetooth, and more
- Onboard controls give you access to Clean/OD/Distortion channels, Delay/Reverb effects, Drum Tracks, Tap Tempo, and more
- Full-range speaker with 3 watts of power is designed for electric, acoustic, and bass guitar
Mini Amp #3 — Danelectro Honeytone N-10 — Best Bang for Your Buck
If there’s one thing Danelectro is known for it’s vintage 1950s vibe, and the Danelectro Honeytone N-10 mini amp delivers nothing less. With just one watt driving a 1.25-inch speaker, the Honeytone delivers a midrange-forward bark that’s surprisingly robust for its small size. While you won’t find a lot of tonal variety here, the gritty and focused sound of the Honeytone is right at home with blues riffs, classic rock, country, rockabilly, and other styles.
As a neat bonus, the Honeytone includes a belt clip you can use to wear it while you play, perhaps aiming at the busking crowd. Even if you never wear it, the Honeytone still packs a lot of value — and fun — for under $30, earning it our title of Best Mini Amp Bang for Your Buck.
- Simple control set with Volume/Power, Tone, and Overdrive
- Cool Danelectro aesthetics look great in a living room, office, or home studio
- Included belt clip allows you to wear it while you play
Mini Amp #4 — Orange Crush Mini — Honorable Mention
Orange is a legendary name in rock guitar amplification, and the Orange Crush Mini aims to pack their trademark sonic intensity into a desktop-friendly mini amp. The Orange Crush Mini packs a 4-inch speaker driven by 3 watts of power, with a basic control set including Volume, Gain, and a tone control. Despite its small size, the Orange Crush Mini definitely packs the classic Orange sound: grinding midrange, tight lows, great definition even at higher gain levels, and it cleans up nice too.
The Orange Crush Mini features an onboard tuner, a smart inclusion for any practice amplifier. And the Crush Mini also offers an 8-ohm speaker cab output that you can use to drive an external speaker cabinet — that’s not something a beginner may look for in a practice amp, but savvy players that are looking for a great portable amp that can also transition to the studio should take note.
With its classic sonic character, straightforward operation, built-in tuner, and the ability to drive an external speaker cab, the Orange Crush Mini earns an honorable mention in our quest to find the best mini amp under $100.
- Classic Orange character with grinding mids, tight lows, and defined highs
- Built-in tuner for practice convenience, aux input for jamming with your favorite music
- 8-ohm output can drive an external speaker cabinet when you need bigger sound
Mini Amp #5 — Donner Mini
With an internal rechargeable battery for up to four hours of operation, the Donner Mini gives guitarists a truly portable mini amp. Five watts of power drive dual 40mm speakers, and a headphone output allows for private practice sessions too. Switchable Clean/Crunch channels and a 3-band EQ give this mini amp the familiar control set you’d expect from a full-sized combo amplifier.
It’s worth noting that the Donner Mini amp also serves well as a multimedia speaker — connect your smartphone to the aux input to jam along with your favorite songs, or just for casual listening. For guitarists on the go, the Donner Mini amp would make a great travel companion.
- Switchable Clean and Crunch channels for tonal variety
- Gain control and 3-band EQ for tone shaping
- Internal rechargeable battery provides up to 4 hours of performance
Crowning the Mini Amp Champ
After putting these five best-selling mini amps to the test, our No Fear Guides had unanimous praise for the Blackstar Fly 3. Its lively and responsive sonic character is inspiring to play, operation is simple and straightforward, and the built-in delay effect can be the perfect thing to add some creativity to a dull practice session. While we found that all of these mini amps could serve you well, the Blackstar Fly 3 takes our crown as the best mini amp under $100.
