If you don’t have one already in your AV arsenal, a Bluetooth speaker is a must-own piece of technology. They’re the best way to take your tunes with you to picnics, beaches and outdoor adventures, and some of the best ones sound just as good as almost any indoor speaker that you’d buy.
However most of us can’t afford a new speaker for each occasion, which means we need to look for one that’ll serenade us from the bedroom to the beach and everywhere in-between. That’s why we’ve put together this buying guide, which will help you find the right Bluetooth speaker for your needs (and your budget).
Sonos Move
The best Bluetooth speaker in the world, Sonos Move brings the party indoors and outside
Weight: 6.61 pounds (3kg) | Battery life: 10 hours | Connectivity: Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n, 2.4 GHz, and 5GHz) and Bluetooth 4.2 | Drivers: One down-firing tweeter, one mid-woofer, two Class-D digital amplifiers | NFC: No | Aux-in: No | USB charging: Yes (USB-C, and comes with charging dock)
Sounds incredible
Versatile
Excellent connectivity
It’s IP56 rated
Heavy and expensive
Here’s the thing about the Sonos Move – it’s so good, you might want to consider it not only as your on-the-go party station, but also as your main in-the-home speaker too.
With two quality drivers, a solid app that unlocks playback from hundreds of wireless sources, multi-room capabilities and smart audio-tuning tech which tweaks the output based on the speaker’s immediate surroundings, the Sonos Move is engineered well beyond your average Bluetooth speaker. It’s a versatile speaker, one that stands solidly alongside the built-for-home Sonos speakers that the company made its name on.
It’s not perfect – it’s heavy as a byproduct of its incredible sound, it’s expensive due to its rich feature set, and it sadly can’t be used as rear channels for a home cinema set-up. But if you’ve got the money, it’s hard to fault the Sonos Move when it comes to hunting down the very best Bluetooth speaker in the world.
UE Boom 3
The former best Bluetooth speaker is still great for travelling with
Weight: 1.2 pounds | Battery life: 15 hours | Wireless range: 30+ feet | Frequency response: 90Hz-20kHz | Drivers: Two 1.75″ drivers and two 1.75″ x 3″ passive radiators | NFC: Yes | Aux-in: Yes USB charging: Yes
IP67 waterproof/dust-proof
Powerful sound
Rugged design
Audio could be clearer
Battery life isn’t improved over original
While we weren’t as impressed with the UE Boom 3 as we were with its predecessor, this is still one of the best Bluetooth speakers money can buy. This is a speaker that can get loud and not distort at higher volumes; be light enough to carry on a camping trip but remain durable enough to tumble in a bag unprotected.
It’s both water and dust-proof, and now has a one-touch mix button that lets you pull up your favorite playlists without ever picking up your phone.
There are certainly more detailed speakers out there, but at a price that’s relatively affordable to all, the UE Boom 3 hits all the right notes for the third year in a row.
Ultimate Ears now lets you customize your UE Boom 3, so you have even more options when it comes to color and pattern combinations.
Bose SoundLink Revolve
The best Bluetooth speaker runner-up
Weight: 1.5 pounds | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Wireless range: 30 feet | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | NFC: No | Aux-in: Yes | USB charging: Yes
True 360-degree sound
Beautiful design and build
Detailed and expansive sound
Best used indoors
Only 30ft (10m) range
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is an excellent sound speaker for folks looking for true 360-degree sound. It’s great for sharing music during a party or for moving around the room without losing audio fidelity. However, the Bose SoundLink Mini II sounds slightly better and is slightly cheaper to boot.
On the debit side, it’s also not fully dust or waterproof so you’ll want to think twice before bringing the Revolve to the beach.
For half the price, the Wonderboom is a great speaker that is completely dust and waterproof and while it can’t match the audio fidelity or features of the Bose, it’s still great for on-the-go listening. If bass is your game, the JBL Charge 3 is an excellent fully waterproof speaker that sounds great, but is big and heavy along with it.
JBL Charge 4
A great speaker that also charges your phone
Weight: 2.12 pounds | Battery life: 20 hours | Wireless range: 30+ feet | Frequency response: 60Hz – 20kHz | Drivers: Two 1.7″ drivers and two passive radiators | NFC: No | Bluetooth version: 4.2 | Aux-in: Yes | USB charging: Yes
Kicking bass response
Waterproof
Can charge your phone
Exposed woofers
No 360-degree sound
For the money, the JBL Charge 4 is a definite no-brainer. You get a speaker that lasts all day, sounds great, can put up with all kinds of abuse, and tops your phone up in a pinch. Yes, there are better sounding speakers but you’ll have to spend much more money.
While the JBL Charge 4 only offers minor updates to the previous generation, it remains an excellent value in wireless speakers – and is one of the best waterproof speakers around.
Anker Soundcore Flare
The best budget Bluetooth speaker
Weight: 1.1 pounds | Battery life: 12 hours | Wireless range: 20m / 66ft | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: 2 x 1.75″ Full Range + 2 x Passive Radiator | NFC: No | Aux-in: Yes | Bluetooth version: 4.2 | Weatherproofing: Yes-IPX7 | Charges devices over USB: No
Impressive sound for the size
Excellent mobile app
Waterproof
Average battery life
Harsh at max volume
Anker has a history of making excellent budget wireless speakers. While we weren’t entirely impressed with the Anker SoundCore 2’s sound, we couldn’t be too mad since the speaker was so affordable.
So what happens if you can stretch your budget? For not much more you get the Anker Soundcore Flare, an excellent waterproof Bluetooth speaker that can stand toe-to-toe with the competition.
The Soundcore Flare is an amazing value. Competitors like the UE Wonderboom (listed above) give the Flare a run for its money in terms of build quality but we give the Flare the slight edge with sound quality. We recommend the Flare for anyone looking for a wireless speaker that can do it all without breaking the bank.
Bose SoundLink Mini II
The best mid-range speaker
Weight: 1.5 pounds | Dimensions: 2 x 7.1 x 2.3 inches (H x W x D) | Battery life: Up to 10 hours | Wireless range: 30 ft (10 m) | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | NFC: No | Bluetooth version: N/A | Aux-in: Yes | USB charging: No
Stellar sound
Built like a tank
Compact form factor
Not water resistant
No NFC or multipoint Bluetooth
The Bose SoundLink Mini II is relatively ancient, having been released in June 2015. However, writing off the SoundLink Mini II because of its age would be a mistake, as it remains one of the best sounding wireless speakers.
That said, it punches way above what its size would suggest, producing deep bass, sparkling highs and a lush midrange. While most wireless speakers sound OK, the Mini II proves that small speakers don’t need to compromise on sound, and other Bose conveniences like a charging pad.
UE Wonderboom 2
The best outdoor speaker gets a refresh
Weight: 0.93 pounds | Dimensions: 104 x 95.3mm (H x D) | Battery life: Up to 13 hours | Wireless range: 100 ft (33 m) | Frequency response: 75 Hz – 20 kHz | Drivers: two 40 mm active drivers and two 46.1mm x 65.2mm passive radiators | NFC: No | Bluetooth version: N/A | Aux-in: No | USB charging: No
Great sound for its size
IP67 dustproof/waterproof rating
30% better battery life
Restrictive soundstage
No speakerphone
Although the UE Wonderboom 2 looks nearly identical to the original, Ultimate Ears packed in a slew of upgrades that make the Wonderboom 2 even better, like the increased battery life (up 30% compared to the original), better bass response, and the new Outdoor Boost feature that helps the speaker get even louder than before.
The UE Wonderboom 2 is a fantastic rugged and waterproof speaker you’ll actually want to take with. Its small size doesn’t mean small sound, however, as the speaker gets extremely loud and sounds great. While it can’t match the bass response of larger speakers like the UE Boom 3 or the Bose SoundLink Revolve, the improved bass adds warmth and intensity to music that the original was lacking.
All said, the UE Wonderboom 2 is still one of the best waterproof speakers you can buy – and our recommended option for those looking to bring their speaker to the beach or pool.
Tribit XSound Go
The best ultra-budget portable Bluetooth speaker
Weight: 0.8 pounds | Battery life: Up to 24 hours | Wireless range: N/A | Frequency response: 85 – 20,000 Hz | Drivers: 2 x 6W | NFC: No | Aux-in: No | USB charging: No
Ultra-cheap
IPX7 water resistant
Surprising sound quality
Charging takes a long time
Not ultra-powerful
The Tribit XSound Go shouldn’t sound this good for the price, but it does. The speaker impressed with balanced sound, is near distortion-free at high volumes, and lasts and incredible 20+ hours of playtime at medium volume.
Plus, the speaker is IPX7 water and dust resistant so it’ll put up with a day at the beach or pool without a problem. While its design may be forgettable, you won’t care once you hear how good the XSound Go sounds.
In terms of competition, you’ll have to spend a lot more for better sound quality. The UE Wonderboom is an excellent outdoor speaker, but will cost twice the money and doesn’t last as long as the Tribit.
Sony SRS-XB501G
The ultimate party speaker with Google Assistant built right in
Weight: 6 lb 14 oz | Battery life: 12 hours | Wireless range: Approx. 98 ft | Frequency response: 20 – 20,000Hz | Drivers: 45mm | NFC: Yes | Aux-in: N/A | USB charging: No
Portable party speaker
Powerful, spacious sound
Lights aren’t synchronized
Average voice detection
The SRS-XB501G is a big speaker that offers a light show, tripod mount, big sound, and Google Assistant. This is a speaker that you can truly use on the go and in the home after a day of partying. On the go, the speaker is brilliant, playing loudly and for up to 16 hours. But at home, it’s dated design and average voice detection are compromises compared to dedicated home speakers.
Competitors like the LG PK7 sounds slightly better and has a light show that actually reacts to your music, however it doesn’t have the Google Assistant built in. If you’re looking for an actual portable speaker that you can fit in a bag that also supports Google Assistant, the JBL Link 20 is a good choice. Just don’t expect it to pump out as much bass or offer as wide of a soundstage.
To that end, the XB501G is a good all-around compromise that fills multiple purposes. It’s not the best wireless speaker, nor the best smart speaker, but it’s a solid entry in both categories and one of a select few to exist in both camps.
Denon Envaya (DSB-250BT)
The most durable Bluetooth speaker
Weight: 1.6 pounds | Dimensions: 209 x 74 x 77mm (W x D x H) | Battery life: 13 hours | Wireless range: 30m (100ft) | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: 2 x 40mm Full Range Driver, 1 x 53x135mm Passive Radiator | NFC: No | Aux-in: Yes | Bluetooth version: N/A | Weatherproofing: Yes | Charges devices over USB: No
Powerful, rich, room-filling sound
Better balanced audio than most
IP67 rating
Stiff buttons
Lackluster treble
The newest speaker in the Denon Envaya line offers powerful, room-filling sound that will sound great to most ears, plus comes with an IP67 rating, make it both dust and waterproof. It’s also built like a tank, making it one of the most durable speakers we’ve ever laid our hands on.
Despite a nearly flawless performance, the Envaya isn’t perfect. While sound quaity is full, powerful and rich, it doesn’t have the treble bite some like and the buttons located along the side can feel stiff and difficult to operate. These are ultimately minor complaints, however, and the Denon Envaya remains a great Bluetooth speaker – easily one of the best you can buy this year.
