Bluetooth speakers come in all different shapes and sizes, from larger options that have the power to fill your whole living room to smaller portables that are great for taking out and about.
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Finding the right device for your needs is no easy task, so what follows is a list containing a mix of portable speakers that we’ve tested here at Pocket-lint and new devices that we think will be great too. A selection in a variety of styles, sizes, and prices to hopefully suit whatever you are looking for.
There can be some crossover with wireless speakers and even some smart speakers, but in this list, we’ve concentrated on units that are predominantly designed to stand alone and use Bluetooth for a direct connection with your phone or another device. We think the JBL Flip 6 is the best option for most people because of the audio performance it offers for its size, but there are more options from top brands. Read on for our top tested picks.
Our picks for the best Bluetooth speakers
JBL Flip 6
1. Best Bluetooth speaker overall
Rugged and waterproof
The JBL Flip 6 is a rugged and powerful Bluetooth speaker that punches above its weight, even if it doesn’t offer many useful features other than adjustable EQ.
- Powerful sound for size
- Clean, clear midrange
- Rugged design
- Adjustable EQ
- Slightly harsh treble at volume
- Battery life could be better
For most people, the JBL Flip 6 offers everything you could want from a portable Bluetooth speaker — powerful sound, rugged design and an affordable price — and that’s why it’s our top pick.
It doesn’t go big on unnecessary features, instead it focuses all of its efforts into getting good quality sound into a small speaker that’s perfect for holidays or on the go.
There have been improvements to its predecessor, of course. It now has IP67 certification for improved protection from the great outdoors, and packs a new tweeter that helps bring improved clarity and detail to its punchy, energetic performance.
It’s not perfect – that newly ambitious high end can occasionally sound harsh at top volume, but considering this speaker can fill most rooms with toe-tapping sound with volume notches to spare, it’s easily avoided.
Bang and Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)
2. Best premium Bluetooth speaker
Beautiful and expensive
$198 $280 Save $82
Bang & Olufsen’s second-generation Beosound A1 speaker is a sleek and minimalist Bluetooth device that’s waterproof and comes with support for Amazon Alexa voice controls built-in.
- Exemplary sound
- Far better low-frequency handling than many speakers
- Looks great
- Solid battery life
If you care for beautiful design and have the budget to back it up, B&O’s Beosound A1 2nd Gen is a premium choice that has a little more wow factor in the looks department than JBL’s rough-and-ready Flip 6.
But let’s immediately address the elephant in the room — the price difference is considerable. And when you consider the lack of Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, and a 3.5mm port, you might feel like you’re getting taken for a ride.
However, the A1 (2nd Gen) oozes quality, from its build to its performance. There is more subtlety to how it sounds too, so you are getting improvements across the board. Plus, with added Alexa voice control and much-needed waterproofing, it’s clearly superior to the already awesome original.
It might be small, but the Beosound A1 packs a big punch that — if you have the budget — won’t leave you disappointed.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
3. Best affordable Bluetooth speaker
Great for saving space
$80 $100 Save $20
The UE Wonderboom 3 is a compact and durable Bluetooth speaker that offers a long battery life and stereo pairing with other UE speakers.
- Sound is superb
- Stereo pairing is great
- Even better battery life
- Really durable
- Still uses Micro USB
- No major upgrades on the last model
If you don’t need, or don’t want, something as big as the Megaboom, but are a fan of how UE does things – the Wonderboom 3 is a great little speaker, well worthy of consideration.
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It doesn’t come with any huge improvements on its predecessor, but you will get a bit better range and a bit more battery life. We’re disappointed to see the return of Micro-USB charging, though, when USB-C would be such an obvious upgrade.
Still, ignoring what might have been and taking it for what it is right now, the Wonderboom 3 is still a brilliant option for those in the market for a hardy, great-sounding compact speaker that will stand up to the elements while delivering excellent sound.
Ultimate Ears Epicboom
4. Bigger and bassier sound
Like a Bluetooth-only Sonos Move
The UE Epicboom is a highly durable and easy-to-use Bluetooth speaker that’s loud and bassy in all the right ways. The only downside is that it’s a little expensive.
- Sounds great
- Gets really loud
- Strap makes it easier to carry
- No Wi-Fi connectivity
- Expensive
Ultimate Ears’ speaker lineup has been largely unchanged for years save for the occasional numbered update, software improvements, and additional accessories. The UE Epicboom marks a significant new addition, and it’s well worth considering if you’re looking for a powerful Bluetooth speaker to use for outdoor parties or long days at the beach.
The Epicboom is not small, and in fact it’s most comparable to “portable” but not exactly backpack-sized speakers like the Sonos Move. It’s a good comparison, because UE hopes to offer the same level of sound quality as Sonos with the Epicboom. Inside, there’s two 45mm mid-high frequency transducers and one 120mm woofer, for punchy sound that can be notably loud and bassy if you want it to. The speaker is relatively expensive at $350, and missing more connectivity options, like Wi-Fi support, but you’ll at least get 17 hours of battery life and quick pairing with Android phones for a higher price.
Sonos Roam
5. Works over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Sonos’ premium features in an affordable package
Sonos’ Roam speaker is the only portable Bluetooth device in the company’s ever expanding family of audio devices. It’s waterproof, supports Google Assistant and Alexa, and sounds great for its size.
- Excellent sound quality for this size
- Water-resistant design
- Google Assistant and Alexa
- A little pricey
- Rubber ends dent
The Sonos Roam is a little pricey when compared to other Bluetooth speakers, but in the same breath it does a lot more than most too.
Its portable and lightweight design is met with excellent sound performance, plus all the features that come with the Sonos system, a choice of smart assistants, along with extra — and great — features like Sound Swap to seamlessly switch between other Sonos speakers and groups.
For those already invested in Sonos, the Roam is a no-brainer as an addition. It allows you to bring your Sonos system with you wherever you go, and sounds superb as well.
Soundcore Motion X600
6. Spatial audio boombox
Handle included
The Soundcore Motion X600 is a wireless Bluetooth boombox with drivers and amplifiers designed to surround you with sound and 12 hours of battery life.
- Able to recreate surround and spatial audio experiences
- 12 hours of battery life
- Aux-in for wired connections
- Audio features are a little gimmicky
Sitting somewhere in the middle of our Bluetooth speaker picks in terms of price, the Soundcore Motion X600 stands out because of its unique design and audio capabilities. The Motion X600 is shaped like a classic boombox, with front-facing speakers, controls on the top, and a handle for carrying it around. While it’s larger than some of our other picks, that does mean it gets 12 hours of battery and a design (that includes upwards firing drivers) that’s able to recreate the spatial audio experience you might get from modern wireless headphones.
The Motion X600 has five drivers and five amplifiers and is IPX7 waterproof. And if you’re looking for a physical way to connect to your device and play music, there’s even an Aux-in port on the back of the Motion X600 for wired connections.
Tribit XSound Go
7. Cheap and waterproof
A lot of bang for your buck
$34 $50 Save $16
The Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth speaker includes premium features like waterproofing and excellent sound quality thanks to dual 8W drivers in a package that costs less than $100.
- IPX7 waterproof
- 24 hours of battery life
- Super affordable
If you were to just look at the features of the Tribit XSound Go, you might not assume it’s a $50 speaker, and that’s really its main charm. The pill-shaped Bluetooth speaker is IPX7 waterproof which means it can survive being accidentally submerged or splashed in the shower, its battery can last up to 24 hours on a single charge, and it can produce clear highs, mids, and rich bass.
There’s a carrying strap for taking the Tribit XSound Go out and about, Bluetooth 5.0 for 100ft of range, and even a built-in microphone for taking calls. It’s not going to set the world on fire in terms of its appearance or portability, but it gets the job done on a budget, and depending on what you’re looking for, it’s all you’ll need.
The bottom line: What is the best Bluetooth speaker?
Bluetooth speakers come in all shapes and sizes, but for your money, our testing leads us to think the JBL Flip 6 is the best overall pick because of it’s relatively portable size and excellent audio performance. For something more premium, B&O’s Beosound A1 looks as good at it sounds, with a stylish minimalist design and support for the latest voice assistants. The most affordable option to consider, though, is UE’s Wonderboom 3, which is highly compact while still sounding like some of its bigger counterparts.
JBL Flip 6
Editor’s Choice
How we chose the best Bluetooth speakers
For the Bluetooth speakers in this article, the Pocket-lint team has tested most of them, and are deeply familiar with the manufacturers of the rest, so we can say with authority that all of these picks should be good ones.
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To review Bluetooth speakers, the Pocket-lint team put each device through its paces in both indoor and outdoor environments. By listening to a range of different genres, we are able to evaluate sound quality, as well as consider each speaker’s level of portability, battery life and value for money.
By looking at how the various speakers hold up against those tests, then looking at how each one compares to its competition, we’re able to understand which speakers are worth your money.
Is there a way to connect multiple Bluetooth speakers together?
The beauty of Sonos’ system is that it makes it easy to add, group, and play audio from a variety of different speakers. The catch, is that Sonos does all of that over Wi-Fi, and most speakers, especially highly portable ones, only include Bluetooth.
Luckily, most Bluetooth speakers offer ways to pair at least two speakers together into a stereo pair. Ultimate Ears speakers can be connected using the company’s “PartyUp” feature via the Ultimate Ears app (the Wonderboom is oddly excluded). The Tribit XSound Go can also be connected to another Tribit with the right button presses and Bluetooth pairing mode enabled. Options exist, even if you’re not spending on a system that connects over Wi-Fi.
Does it matter what kind of Bluetooth my speaker uses?
In short, no, though it might be hard to find a new speaker that doesn’t at least support Bluetooth 5. Technically, Bluetooth 5.4 became available in 2023, but Bluetooth 5 made some of the most recent, most important improvements to the wireless audio specification, including expanding the range for Bluetooth LE devices like wireless earbuds, speakers, and “internet of things” devices. Know that if your device has Bluetooth 5 or above, it’s more energy-efficient and able to connect to your devices from further away.
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