The Best Bluetooth Speakers
The best Bluetooth speakers still have a place near and dear to our hearts, even as we've seen better (and more portable) smart speakers creeping into the universe.
It's fun and easy to ask an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker to play your favorite track or tell you the weather, but smart speakers have a few crutches—first and foremost, stable Wi-Fi. By (mostly) forgoing voice assistants and Wi-Fi radios, Bluetooth speakers gain portability, with the ability to venture outside of your house and withstand rugged conditions like the sandy beach or the steamy Airbnb jacuzzi. They'll also work with any smartphone, and they sound as good their smart-speaker equivalents.
We've tested hundreds of models in the past few years, and we can happily say they are still some of the best small devices you can listen to. Here are our favorites right now.
Be sure to check out all our buying guides, including the Best Soundbars, Best Wirefree Earbuds, and Best Smart Speakers.
Updated December 2021: We've added the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Level.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you'd like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED
- Photograph: Ultimate Ears
Best Overall
UE Boom 3There are bigger and badder Bluetooth speakers, but none match the fun and convenience of the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (9/10, WIRED Recommends). It puts out some of the most pleasant, balanced sound for its size. The waterproof cylinder comes in multiple colors, lasts 15 hours between charges, and gives you 100 feet of Bluetooth range. On top of all that, it has a two-year warranty.
★ Bigger and boomier: If you really need to get a party kicking, the Megaboom 3 ($200) is a beefier model that amps up the bass.
- Photograph: Sonos
Best Smart Bluetooth Speaker
Sonos RoamThe larger Sonos Move is great if you want a speaker that usually lives inside, and which you can occasionally carry outside. But it's not the kind of thing you'd want to throw in a backpack. That's where the Roam (9/10, WIRED Recommends) comes in. This tiny Sonos speaker has all the same smarts as its bigger siblings, but with an IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating and 10 hours of listening time. It's about the size of a 16-ounce beer can and easily fits in cup holders and knapsacks alike.
- Photograph: Tribit
Best Bargain
Tribit StormBoxYou probably haven't heard of Tribit, but its line of Bluetooth speakers sound a lot better than they should for the price. The StormBox is my favorite model. It has dual-firing drivers and passive radiators in a 7-inch-long pill shape. No, it can't fuel a trance dance party on its own, but its sound clarity is impressive, and it has a fun extra bass button that adds some surprising, if slightly muddy, thump.
With 20-ish hours of battery and an IPX7 waterproof rating—which means it's not dust-proof but can be submerged in water—it's a great companion for backyard tunes, a trip down the river, or other informal gatherings.
- Photograph: Sonos
Best for Home
Sonos MoveIf you want a Bluetooth speaker that can fill any room (or patio) but lives a lot of its life inside, the Sonos Move (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a good one to build a home network around. Sonos invented wireless multiroom speakers. Its speakers connect to nearly every streaming service, and they work with Google Assistant or Alexa. They also sound amazing by every measure. The Move streams music over your Wi-Fi network, but it can also function as a Bluetooth speaker when you take it outside.
It gets 11 hours of battery life, plus it's splash-resistant. We shot a hose at it, so we know it can handle getting wet. It also has a charging dock for when the outside fun is over.
- Photograph: Ultimate Ears
Best for Pool Parties
UE Wonderboom 2The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom was a WIRED Gear of the Year award winner in 2017, and that's because it was the best pool companion you can own. The Wonderboom 2 is even better. The little 4-inch ball of joy now sports IP67 water and dust resistance. It gets 13 hours of battery (three more than before), has a 100-foot Bluetooth range, floats, and pumps out surprisingly potent audio while doing it.
UE says it's "drop-proof" up to 5 feet, but you can honestly play some light catch with it on the lawn and it won't be any worse for wear. Just wash it off when you're done. You can even pair two together for proper stereo sound.
- Photograph: JBL
Adventure Time
JBL Clip 4We like the latest JBL Clip model more than its three predecessors. It's the size of a hockey puck—small enough that you can take it with you on almost any adventure. It's waterproof and has a carabiner clip up top so you can snap it to all kinds of stuff. It also has more controls (volume, play, Bluetooth, power) than other micro speakers, and its sound is surprisingly bold, making this a great one to hang off of packs or harnesses while on weight-limited outings.
- Photograph: Tribit
Handlebar Ready
Tribit Stormbox MicroThe Tribit StormBox Micro has become one of our favorite tiny speakers for bike rides because it has a stretchy silicone strap that's just taught enough to stick to bike handlebars or a backpack strap. If a friend has one, you can pair two together for ride-alongs. It has an IP67 dust- and water-resistance rating, which means you can ride in any weather, and its eight-hour battery life makes it great on longer rides.
★ Also handlebar-ready: Bose also makes a great speaker of a similar design called the SoundLink Micro ($99), which was previously our top bike-handlebar pick. It sounds about the same but is twice as expensive as the Tribit.
- Photograph: Sony
Pocket Bass
Sony SRS-XB13These sub-$100 speakers from Sony have become a go-to when riding to socially distanced gatherings, thanks to a clever built-in strap, and the fact that they sit flat in a bike basket. They get up to 16 hours of battery life, are IP67-rated for dust- and water-resistance, and you can even link multiples together for stereo sound. They also come in a variety of awesome colors—favorites include bright blue and pink—so you'll never be lost in the crowd.
- Photograph: Marshall
Rock & Roll
Marshall Stockwell IIIf you're a music fan or just love the classic Marshall guitar amplifier design, this Bluetooth speaker is ready to rock. As with all Marshall products, you pay a price for the style, but the audio lives up to expectations. For a speaker that's about as big as four old DVD cases stacked, standing upright, it sounds killer, with a smooth, balanced, and refined sound.
The exterior has a durable-feeling, splash-resistant silicone finish, and the front and back are covered with a steel grille. It has a front-facing woofer and a tweeter on each side, powered by a battery that lasts around 20 hours (USB-C charging with a 3.5-mm jack too), depending on how much you tweak the stylish volume, treble, and bass knobs up top. The battery indicator is also handy. You'll enjoy toting all 3 pounds of it around with its carry strap, which has a leather feel on the outside and red velvet on the inside.
If you want a little more power and heft, the Marshall Kilburn II ($250) is similarly excellent, and the Marshall Emberton ($150) is a great extra-portable addition to the amp company's Bluetooth line. Like the Stockwell II, it has a built-in battery gauge.
- Photograph: Ultimate Ears
Porta Party
Ultimate Ears HyperboomWith 24 hours of battery life, a rugged design, and huge yard-filling sound, the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the perfect speaker for a party. Intelligent algorithms use data from a built-in mic to analyze where you've placed the speaker, ensuring the best possible sound, much like the Sonos Move. This is a better option than the Sonos if you have no interest in a future home network of speakers.
It doesn't have lights or cup holders like some other party speakers, but this is the best-made large Bluetooth speaker we've tested. It's been dropped from trucks, left out in the rain, and used at summer barbecues. It's even got a big silicon strap, inviting you to take it everywhere.
- Photograph: JBL
Boom Box
JBL Boombox 2Think of JBL's Boombox 2 as the modern equivalent of a 1980s boom box, complete with a handle and some intense bass. Break-dancers from the past would have killed for a speaker that was completely waterproof and had 24 hours of battery life. The Boombox can connect to multiple smartphones at a time, so you don't have to DJ by your lonesome. With a 20,000-mAh battery onboard, it can also charge your gadgets for days.
- Photograph: Bang & Olufsen
Elegant Accessory
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)At $250, Bang & Olufsen's round, IP67-rated Bluetooth speaker has a luxe price tag, but it's one of the best-sounding small speakers we've ever heard. With the included leather strap, excellent controls, and super-durable build, it quickly became a favorite. If you're willing to spend a lot more for the best of all portable worlds—looks included—this is the tiny luxury option to beat.
- Photograph: Anker
Light Bright
Anker Soundcore FlareAnker is known for affordable accessories that actually work, and the Soundcore Flare is a good example. It's a very capable soda-can-sized waterproof Bluetooth speaker with a beat-driven LED light ring and 12 hours of battery life. It has dual drivers and passive radiators for 360-degree sound, plus an app with some equalizer settings. It doesn't sound as good as more expensive speakers, but it's certainly good enough for most situations.
The newer Soundcore Flare 2 ($79) also has lights on the top but otherwise sounds the same. If you're looking for better sound, LG's Xboom Go PL5 ($77) has impressive clarity and booming bass for such a small package. The lights on either side pulse with the music, and you can use the app to tinker with different lighting effects.
- Photograph: Bose
Fun Aesthetics
Bose Soundlink Revolve+ IIIt's not the cheapest, cutest, or most waterproof, but the Bose Revolve+ II makes us smile. The lantern-style fabric handle is completely unnecessary, but it makes moving from room to room a small joy. Swing it around and spread songs everywhere you go. It sounds great, too, and has 17 hours of battery life and an updated IP55 rating.
Is a fun handle worth a $100 price bump over the standard Revolve? Probably not, but it is convenient, and you won't worry about taking it anywhere.
- Photograph: JBL
Kid-Friendly
JBL Jr. Pop SpeakerBuying your under-10 child their own Bluetooth speaker might seem indulgent. But after she's lost your UE Roll 2 ($230) (also a fine speaker) for the second time while listening to her kid-friendly podcasts, you might want to consider JBL's affordable, adorable kid speaker.
It's less than 4 inches across, comes in a wide variety of colors, and has a button strap for attaching it to a backpack strap or a car seat. The multicolor flashing lights serve as a dual-purpose night-light while traveling and for soothing bedtime meditations. The sound is clear and less beefy than some of our other picks. But to be honest, do you really want your kids blasting Megadeth at the volume it deserves?
- Photograph: Vizio
For the Living Room
Vizio 2.1 Soundbar and Sub (SB3621N-G8)Vizio makes some of the best soundbars for the money, and if you're tired of dealing with cables to and from your TV, this small bar and subwoofer combo does the trick. This Vizio doesn't have a flashy name, but it does have a Bluetooth connection, so you can easily pair it to your TV and cell phone or tablet for quick streaming. It's also easy on the eyes, with a simple rectangular subwoofer that might fit under your couch and brushed metal accents. Keep an eye out; it fluctuates in and out of stock.
- Photograph: KEF
For Proper Hi-Fi
KEF LSX SpeakersKEF's astonishing LSX wireless speakers utilize the company's concentric driver design and beautiful enclosures to fill any medium-size room with audiophile-grade sound. They're spendy, but you get Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet, making them a great solution for those who like streaming audio directly to the speakers rather than from a phone.
- Photograph: Joseph Shin
Made to Last
Bang & Olufsen Beosound LevelBang & Olufsen makes some of the best high-end audio gear, and they've recently taken a “buy once, cry once” policy when it comes to wireless listening. The Beosound Level is a very expensive Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker, but it is modularly designed and aims to be repairable forever. The 16-hour battery is replaceable, and it also has replaceable wood and cloth elements. The gorgeous and great-sounding speaker could be a lifetime audio addition that can be upgraded as technology changes, or accidents happen.
Photograph: ScoscheHonorable Mentions
Pretty Good SpeakersHere are a few other good products that didn't quite make the cut.
- The DemerBox DB2 for $399: The DB2 is a perfect companion to your boldest outdoor adventures, in large part because it serves two purposes: It's a loud portable speaker with 40 hours of built-in battery life, and it's also a crushproof Pelican case. Load it up with any particularly fragile items, plug the bass port with an included rubber stopper, and you've got yourself an everything-proof box to keep your stuff safe.
- The Oontz Angle 3 Speaker for $40: This speaker has thousands of positive reviews on Amazon and is easily the best dirt-cheap Bluetooth speaker we've ever tested. If you just want something to sing along with in the shower—and you're not a stickler for great audio quality—snag one of these.
- Bose's SoundLink Revolve II for $199: This is a nearly identical-looking version of the Soundlink Revolve+ II mentioned above, but with four hours less battery life and a slightly worse IP rating. If you want to save some cash, and you're not as hard on your speakers, it's a good choice.
- The Sony SRS-XG500 for $448: This is a very loud boom-box-shaped speaker with up to 30 hours of battery life. It sounds and works great, but it just doesn't sound as good as the Ultimate Ears model listed above, and we don't quite like the aesthetics as much as the JBL Boombox 2.
.jpg)
Extra savings up to $15 with TurboTax discount
H&R Block Sale: Up to 33% off all tax preparation software
Exclusive 50% off 1 year - Rosetta Stone promo code
$10 off $100 Student Finish Line promo code
KiwiCo promo code - Enjoy 10% off Store Purchases
Sign for newsletter to get a $10 off Hotwire promo code