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The 8 Best Portable Speakers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

Never miss a beat with these high-quality portable speakers.

small travel bluetooth speaker

In This Article

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  • Our top picks

Our Testing Process

  • Tips for Buying
  • Why Trust T + L

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Kevin Liang

Whether you’re looking to host parties pool-side or just want a reliable way to listen to music while getting ready for a night out, a portable speaker can be a great accessory for your next trip. Many portable speakers are dustproof and waterproof so you can truly take them with you wherever you go. Plus, the enhanced sound quality and customization provides a better way to listen to your favorite music.

To determine the best and most reliable portable speaker, we reviewed nearly a dozen options from top brands like Ultimate Ears, Sony, and Bose. We tested each portable speaker to evaluate how easy it is to use, how far the Bluetooth range can reach, how long the battery lasts, and then assessed its overall value. The compact and vibrant Ultimate Ears Wonderboom is our favorite option after weeks of tests. Whether you’re an audiophile or looking for a simple way to share your music on-the-go check out our lists of the best portable speakers for every occasion.

Best Overall

Ultimate ears wonderboom 3.

  • Design 5 /5
  • Sound Quality 4.5 /5
  • Useful Features 5 /5
  • Setup Process 5 /5
  • Overall Value 5 /5

It connects to your phone almost instantly for easy setup.

It isn’t the easiest to pair with other Wonderboom speakers.

When you want to guarantee you can hear your favorite music wherever you go, be sure to pack the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 portable mini speaker. It comes in four colors (with two additional web-exclusive shades ), so you can mix and match, pairing the devices for an even more powerful sound. We tested this speaker in a variety of different environments, including at the beach and camping and never had any issues losing a connection.

This speaker connects to your phone almost instantly without issue or complications. It’s also easy to charge and comes with the necessary USB cord, so you don’t have to worry about sharing cords. And, while it doesn’t come with a carrying case, this was one of the most durable portable speakers we tried as it’s both waterproof and dustproof. We also love that it doesn’t require any additional apps, making setup and use an absolute breeze.

The Details: 14 hours of battery | 131.2-foot range | Waterproof | Dustproof | 3.75 x 4 x 4 inches | 0.94 pounds

Best Clip-on

The lightweight design and convenient clip is perfect for hiking or walking long distances.

The battery doesn’t last quite as long as other portable speakers.

The JBL Clip 4 is the perfect option for lightweight packers and hikers alike. When you turn it on, it connects to the nearest phone almost automatically just like wireless headphones and is easy to switch devices if you want to give your friend a turn picking the music. While it does not have a carrying case, it does feature a cute and convenient clip so you can attach it to backpacks, bags, and even belt loops for constant listening. For how small this portable speaker is, we love the sound quality, which is great even in crowds and on windy beaches. 

The Details: 10 hours of battery | Waterproof | Dustproof | 3.4 x 5.3 x 1.8 inches | 0.53 pounds

Best for Parties

Treblab hd77 ultra premium bluetooth speaker.

It’s one of the loudest portable speakers we’ve tested.

It’s heavier than other similarly sized portable speakers.

When you know you’re going to spend your vacation hosting parties or entertaining friends poolside, the Treblab HD77 Bluetooth Speaker is an absolute must. This speaker can overpower any noise, even in a crowded room or busy outdoor space. When you turn it on, we found it automatically pops up in your device’s Bluetooth settings, so you just click connect and get the party started quickly. There are even color-coded LED lights to indicate the speaker’s status (i.e., on, searching for connection, low in battery, etc.), and they all pop up in different colors so you can easily know what it needs. 

The connection never changed throughout our use, even when we walked into the water with the attached phone and the speaker stayed connected on the beach. There was no static or interruptions in the music, plus we could still hear the tunes in the water over the sound of the waves. We also love that it can last a couple of days without charging, depending on how much you use it.

The Details: 20 hours of battery | 33-foot range | Waterproof | Dustproof | 7.3 x 3 x 3 inches | 1.38 pounds

Best Budget

Dosmix retro bluetooth speaker.

The sound quality is better and louder than most phones of similar size.

We wouldn’t recommend this for outdoor or party use. 

This teeny tiny speaker takes “portable” to a whole new level — it fits right in the palm of your hand like a phone, but has a stronger speaker for better quality music. We are absolutely in love with the retro vibe down to the working, light-up knob to adjust volume. For looks alone, we recommend this for anyone who wants something more than just a phone speaker, but that also looks cute sitting out. While we don’t think it’s a great option for on-the-go use (the battery and connectivity range are not as strong as other portable speakers), it’s a great small speaker for when you’re lounging or getting ready for a fun day out.

The Details: 6 hours of battery | 32.8-foot range | 2.8 x 4.3 x 2 inches | 0.43 pounds

Best Splurge

Ultimate ears epicboom.

The sound quality is unmatched.

The one-touch playlist feature doesn’t work with Spotify.

The minute you turn on this speaker for the first time, a voice welcomes you and tells you to download the app that then walks you through the simple setup instructions. You’re then able to easily switch between phones (and even connect it to an Apple TV for the ultimate listening experience). The connectivity range is also so strong that you can easily walk away from the speaker up to 180 feet without losing the signal. This is also the best sounding speaker we tested by far, and there are custom settings like bass boost and cinema mode so you can adjust for the perfect sound quality to match whatever you’re listening to. While this is certainly a pricier option, audiophiles and party-throwers alike are sure to love this high-powered speaker. 

The Details: 17 hours of battery | 180-foot range | Waterproof | Dustproof | 6.3 x 4.6 x 9.4 inches | 4.4 pounds

Most Durable

During testing, this speaker fell out of a bag and tumbled down the stairs and there’s not a single mark, dent, or scratch on it.

We would love to see the exact charge percentage left on the speaker. 

Leave it to Sony to create a high-powered portable speaker that can withstand a fall down the stairs and still provide excellent sound for any occasion. While it didn’t automatically connect to devices, once we turned it off and on, and turned the phone’s Bluetooth capabilities off and on, we were able to pair the devices. Once connected the first time, it was instantaneous to connect for future use. The first time we used it, we charged it for about 15 minutes and it then worked for two hours straight. It’s also seamless to switch from phones to this speaker when playing music and also simple to swap to other devices without hassle. The Sony XB 100 comes with a little carrying sack, but we especially love that the speaker itself has a strap that can be used to attach it to the outside of any bag.

The Details: 16 hours of battery | Waterproof | Dustproof | 3.43 x 3.43 x 4.41 inches | 0.61 pounds

Most Versatile

Bose soundlink flex bluetooth speaker.

We dropped it into a pool and the speaker still works and is undamaged.

It’s a bit big for a portable speaker, but it can still easily fit in carry-on and tote bags. 

Whether you’re lounging poolside or at the beach , this portable speaker is the perfect addition to your day of relaxation. It’s not a small speaker, but it’s still a good size for fitting into backpacks and totes to take with you on a variety of trips. Considering it’s not an Apple product, we were surprised by how quickly the speaker paired to iPhones and easily switched between devices. The speaker takes just a few hours to charge with the included USB-C cord. The battery also lasts up to 17 hours on one charge and it still plays music when it’s charging, so you never miss a moment of music. And while you don’t need the Bose app to use the speaker, it has so many sound customizations, you may want to utilize the app to get the best listening experience for your environment. 

The Details: 12 hours of battery | Waterproof | Dustproof | 2.06 x 7.93 x 3.56 inches | 1.3 pounds

Made for Amazon Battery Base for Amazon Echo Dot

It’s a smart speaker that’s perfect for making your Amazon Echo a portable device.

With just a five-hour battery life, this isn’t the best for outdoor or on-the-go use.

Yes, Alexa is normally only used inside, but this base turns your Echo Dot into a portable speaker. The device pairs instantly after you connect to your Amazon account and it doesn’t need to be operated using a phone (as long as your music services are linked to your Amazon profile). The speaker itself is connected to Wi-fi so your device doesn’t even need to be near a phone at all once hooked up to the internet. While the sound quality is good, our favorite part of this portable speaker is the ability to use Alexa. In fact, we find that the addition of this base makes your existing Echo device even more useful.

The Details: 5 hours of battery

Our team tested nearly a dozen portable speakers, evaluating each one on ease of use, range, sound quality, battery life, portability, and more. Testers were first asked to pair their speakers with a device to determine the ease of setup and then work with required apps or device settings to test the speaker’s range, customization, and sound quality. Each portable speaker was then brought out and tested in a variety of conditions from hiking trails to poolside and more. Throughout the testing period, we took careful note of the speakers’ durability and waterproofing if applicable.

Tips for Buying a Portable Speaker

Decide how much sound you need.

Not all portable speakers are designed to overpower a room full of party people or even the sound of crashing waves. When selecting a portable speaker, think about where you intend to use it so you can prioritize a speaker that gets loud enough to suit your environment. If you are just looking for a speaker to enhance your music to a higher quality than your phone’s speaker, you may not need something as powerful as a speaker designed for outdoor use.

Consider size and portability 

When selecting a portable speaker, obviously, the size and weight of the device should be your top priorities. If you’re looking for a device that simply doesn’t need to be plugged in, but just moved around your home, the portability may not matter quite as much as if you plan to bring your speaker hiking. Know what you have in mind (and what weight you’re willing to carry) when you look into purchasing a portable speaker. Also, keep in mind that most portable speakers connect via Bluetooth; if you want to be able to connect to your home’s internet, or use voice assistants, you’ll likely need a speaker that also has Wi-fi capabilities. 

Prioritize durability

Since you’ll be taking this speaker with you on hikes, to the pool, or just over to your friend’s house, you want to make sure your portable speaker is durable. Consider opting for a speaker that is not only waterproof, but dustproof as well to ensure it can withstand your travels. You may also want to prioritize a portable speaker that comes with a carrying case, dustbag, or strap to make transportation a breeze.

Some portable speakers require a specific app that allows you to adjust the settings and check on the status of your device while other speakers just need to connect using your phone’s Bluetooth. Be sure to read all manufacturer’s instructions to determine exactly what you need in order to use your specific portable speaker. 

Portable speakers are allowed inside your carry-on or personal item. However, you are generally not allowed to play music or movies outside of headphones, so if you plan to bring your portable speaker on board, be sure it stays off and tucked away in a safe place. 

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

Taylor Fox is a commerce writer at Travel + Leisure where she researches, reviews, and writes about a wide range of products. To select the best portable speakers, she called on her own experience as a traveler and worked with editors and T+L testers on a series of lab and real-world insights.

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The Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker

An array of our top portable bluetooth speaker picks against a beige background.

By Brent Butterworth

Brent Butterworth is a writer dedicated to audio gear. He has been reviewing speakers and other audio products for more than 30 years.

Portable Bluetooth speakers are the easiest, most affordable way to spread music and podcasts across a room, backyard, or beach blanket. Because these speakers come in a variety of designs and sizes, no model is perfect for every situation—but the excellent sound and rugged design of the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 made it the favorite in our tests.

Everything we recommend

small travel bluetooth speaker

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3

The best portable bluetooth speaker.

This small, round speaker has a natural sound and a cool design, and it’s built to survive outdoor adventures. But it’s a little chunky, and it uses an outdated Micro-USB port for charging.

Buying Options

May be out of stock

small travel bluetooth speaker

Soundcore Motion 300

If usb-c charging is a must-have.

This speaker is larger than our top pick, but its slender form may fit more easily into tight spaces. The sound quality is comparable, and it offers convenient USB-C charging.

Upgrade pick

small travel bluetooth speaker

Larger and louder, yet still portable

This speaker plays very loud while maintaining its clear, full sound, and it has a long battery life. But it’s larger and a little less rugged than our top pick.

Budget pick

small travel bluetooth speaker

Tribit XSound Go

Very good sound for under $50.

This is the best speaker we’ve heard in its price range, and it’s compact and waterproof to boot. But it can’t play as loud as our larger, more expensive picks.

small travel bluetooth speaker

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom

For pool parties and tailgating.

This speaker plays loud enough to fill a backyard and sounds much like a good small stereo system. However, it’s much larger and pricier than our other picks.

How we picked and tested

We tested Bluetooth speakers with expert listeners, and we concealed the identities of the speakers to eliminate bias.

The speakers we tested ranged from tiny travel models to 40-pound backyard blasters. All of them included rechargeable batteries.

We continue to spend many hours with our recommended speakers to make sure they survive day-to-day use.

To give readers a full picture of the category, we tested models priced as low as $10 and as high as $500.

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 had our listeners raving over how clear and spacious it sounded, and they couldn’t help cooing over its cute design. With its IP67 water-resistance rating, it can handle immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. Plus, it’s dustproof, it can survive a 5-foot drop onto concrete, and it floats. We got 11 hours of battery life in our tests.

It’s too chunky to pack easily into a purse or a small bag, and it uses a Micro-USB jack for charging, which may require you to carry an extra cable when you travel.

Although the simpler, smaller, more rugged design of the Wonderboom 3 won the day with our listening panel and staff, the Soundcore Motion 300 is a great alternative because of its slim, suitcase-friendly styling, USB-C charging, and lower price.

Sound quality is similar between the two, but the Motion 300 plays a few decibels louder and puts more emphasis on instruments than vocals. A carrying strap with a snap closure lets you hang the speaker from objects such as a shower curtain rod or backpack strap.

This speaker is IPX7-rated, so it can withstand immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. The battery ran for about 12 hours in our tests, but the Bluetooth signal range was lower than that of the Wonderboom 3.

The W-King X10 is an astonishingly affordable upgrade for those who need a larger, louder speaker with a long battery life. It plays almost 8 decibels louder than the Wonderboom 3, so it can easily be heard over a roomful of chatty partygoers. Even when cranked full-blast, it sounds clear and doesn’t seem to lose any bass. We got 24 hours of playtime from the internal battery—less than the claimed 42 hours but still impressive.

The X10 is about the size of a football and weighs 6.5 pounds, but its shoulder strap makes it easy to carry. Its IPX6 rating means it can withstand being sprayed by a hose—but it can’t be safely submerged in water like some of our other picks.

If you want to spend less than $50 on a good portable Bluetooth speaker, the Tribit XSound Go is the best choice. It’s been our budget pick for five years because it still clearly beats almost all of its similarly priced competitors with its loud, full sound—though it can’t play as loud as our larger, more expensive picks.

The XSound Go is small enough to slip into a laptop bag, it runs 10.5 hours on a charge, and it charges via USB-C. Plus, it has an IPX7 rating, so it can survive a half-hour dunking in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes.

The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is the best choice for those who need high-quality sound for large areas, such as tailgate parties and neighborhood barbecues. It plays almost twice as loud as the W-King X10, and it sounds beautiful, with smooth vocals, ample bass, and surprising ambience.

At 14.3 inches high and 16.6 pounds, it isn’t the type of speaker you can just toss in a backpack or suitcase, but it is light enough that most people can carry it easily. It has an IPX4 rating, so it’s splashproof but not waterproof.

In our tests, it played at a fairly loud volume for 27.5 hours on a single charge, but it relies on a dedicated charger that you have to remember to bring along on any extended outing.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, our pick: ultimate ears wonderboom 3, runner-up: soundcore motion 300, an upgrade pick for larger spaces: w-king x10, best budget portable speaker: tribit xsound go, best for pool parties and tailgating: ultimate ears hyperboom, other good portable bluetooth speakers, what to look forward to, the competition, frequently asked questions.

I’m a senior staff writer at Wirecutter. I’ve worked as an editor or writer in audio publishing for over 30 years, and I’ve previously served as a consultant on speaker tuning and measurement for some of the world’s biggest tech companies.

In the course of producing the original version of this article and many updates, we’ve enlisted feedback from numerous listeners, including senior staff writer Lauren Dragan and Dan Gonda, a Los Angeles woodwinds player, who is also a certified Avid Pro Tools user .

Veteran audio enthusiasts Darren Vaughan and Tony Krawzik also contributed their opinions when we conducted brand-concealed listening tests at Innovative Audio , a vintage-audio dealer based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Anyone who owns a smartphone or tablet is likely to enjoy owning a portable Bluetooth speaker, which usually has a rechargeable battery and is often waterproof and/or dustproof. Bluetooth support is available in every current smartphone and tablet, as well as in most laptop computers, so you don’t need additional equipment.

Unlike smart speakers and Wi-Fi speakers, Bluetooth speakers don’t require a network connection, and most don’t require the use of special apps—whatever you play on your phone will play through the speaker.

If sound quality and volume are your top priorities, and you don’t plan to take your speaker out of your house, you may want to check out the larger, more powerful speakers featured in our tabletop speaker guides:

We use the following criteria to help us decide which portable Bluetooth speakers to call in for testing:

  • Portability and battery life: We focus on models that have rechargeable batteries and are designed to take a trip to the beach or the park with no hassle. In selecting our top pick, we prioritize speakers that are compact and easy to toss into a backpack or beach bag.
  • Ruggedness and waterproof design: We give priority to speakers that are built to survive the knocks and bumps of travel. We prefer speakers with an Ingress Protection (IP) rating , which tells you exactly how dustproof and waterproof a speaker is.
  • Price: We set a bottom price of $10. Less-expensive models often don’t sound better or play much louder than a phone’s built-in speakers.
  • Playback controls: Because you can control the playback from your Bluetooth source device (usually a phone or tablet), we don’t require the speaker itself to have playback controls, but it’s a convenient perk.
  • Bluetooth codecs: We don’t award extra points for inclusion of additional Bluetooth codecs beyond the standard SBC codec found in all Bluetooth devices. The sonic differences among these codecs are insignificant next to the easily heard differences among the speakers themselves.
  • Special features: Bluetooth speakers may offer extra features, including speakerphone capability, multi-speaker pairing (the ability to play the same material through two Bluetooth speakers at once), and built-in lighting. We don’t consider any of these features essential, but they can be convenient add-ons.

For each new round of tests, I begin by comparing the new models with each other and with some of our previous picks. I measure the maximum output of each speaker indoors at a distance of 1 meter, using an NTi Minilyzer audio analyzer and a calibrated NTi MiniSPL test microphone and playing a 34-second section of ZZ Top’s very loudly mastered tune “Chartreuse” (video) .

The chart below shows the results for our current speaker recommendations, plus a few models mentioned in Other good portable Bluetooth speakers . For more details, see our results and our explanations of our testing process .

A chart measuring portable bluetooth speaker output compared to price, with volume in decibels ranging from 80 to 110 on the x-axis and price from 0 to $400 on the y-axis.

From these tests, I narrow down the group of contestants to the models that have a real chance to impress our listening panel, in addition to all of our past picks. To prepare for our brand-concealed panel testing, I hide the speakers behind black fabric and divide them into four groups: ultra-compact, small, medium, and large. To make the test fair, I set the volume within a particular group to the same approximate level by using a shaped-noise channel-balancing test tone recorded from a Dolby Digital receiver.

During our brand-concealed tests, our listeners pay particular attention to:

  • how clear the speakers sound at normal levels
  • how the speakers balance bass to midrange to treble
  • how loud the speakers are able to play when cranked up
  • how clear they sound when cranked up

Lastly, I check the battery life of each of our top picks by repeating Steely Dan’s “Aja” (video) at an average level of 75 dB (measured at 1 meter) over and over until the power runs out. (For the larger Ultimate Ears Hyperboom speaker, I increased the level to 81 dB.)

I also measure the maximum Bluetooth range of all our picks by placing my Samsung Galaxy S10 phone indoors, in a window, and carrying the speaker away in my backyard until the connection becomes unreliable. There are no industry-standard methods of testing these functions, but our methods have worked well through 10 years of testing 393 portable Bluetooth speakers to date.

With each model that offers speakerphone functionality, I try placing a call to Wirecutter senior staff writer Lauren Dragan. I note how the speaker sounds to me, and she tells me how my voice sounds on her end.

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, our pick for best Bluetooth speaker.

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is the closest thing we’ve found to an ideal all-around Bluetooth speaker, thanks to its great combination of performance, ruggedness, and portability.

It sounds great for its size. Both of the panelists in our most recent listening test picked the Wonderboom 3 as their favorite in its class without hesitation, citing a more “open, 3D sound” than on the others, as well as a natural balance of bass to midrange to treble—which means no instruments or voices are unnaturally boosted.

It’s loud enough for most everyday uses. We measured maximum volume at 84.4 dB at 1 meter; that’s enough to fill a bedroom or kitchen with sound. The Outdoor Boost button kicks up the level by about 3 decibels, which makes the speaker a little louder but sacrifices bass.

It’s tough. This IP67-rated speaker is dustproof, can be submerged in up to 1 meter of water for a half hour, and also floats. When we dropped it from 5 feet onto a backyard deck and then onto concrete, it kept playing and exhibited just a couple of small scuff marks.

A close-up of the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, our pick for best Bluetooth speaker.

It’s practical. We measured its Bluetooth range at an impressive 100 feet, and we got 11 hours of battery life—not quite the 14 hours that Ultimate Ears promises, but still plenty. An elastic strap on top lets you hang the speaker from various objects. You can pair one Wonderboom 3 with another to create stereo sound or to deliver sound in a second nearby room.

It’s fun. This round speaker is available in four color schemes— black , pink , light gray , and blue .

How the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom has held up

The Wonderboom sitting on a table outside along with laptop and coffee

Numerous Wirecutter staffers have bought some version of the Wonderboom. Our editor-in-chief selected it from the thousands of top picks on Wirecutter to write about in our “ 52 Things We Love ” series, and it’s still going strong.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • It uses an outdated Micro-USB charging jack. While the world has moved on to USB-C and Apple Lightning connectors, with this speaker you have to carry a USB-A–to–Micro-USB charging cable when you travel. If that sounds intolerable, check out our runner-up pick .
  • It’s light on bass. It doesn’t have the oomph for hip-hop or heavy rock.
  • It’s chunky. This speaker’s 3.75-inch diameter makes it too stout to fit comfortably in a briefcase or laptop bag.
  • It lacks some features. The Wonderboom 3 has neither a speakerphone function nor an analog input, but we seldom use those.

Our runner-up pick, the Soundcore Motion 300, against a beige backdrop.

The Soundcore Motion 300 is a great choice for those who need a Bluetooth speaker for travel. The slim design lets it fit into spaces where many Bluetooth speakers might not, and its USB-C charging jack is the same as you’ll find on most smartphones and tablets, so you may be able to use the same cable for both.

The travel-friendly design is only 2 inches thick. This speaker fits more easily into places where the rotund, 3.75-inch-diameter Wonderboom 3 might not, such as a suitcase or a car’s glove compartment. Even if you lose your charging cable while traveling, USB-C cables are easier to find than the increasingly rare Micro-USB cable that the Wonderboom 3 requires.

That said, the Motion 300 is larger overall than our top pick, and a little on the heavy side. At 1.7 pounds, it is substantially heavier than the 0.9-pound Wonderboom 3.

The speaker comes in three different colors: black, light blue, and light green. A carrying strap with a snap closure lets you hang it from objects such as a shower curtain rod or backpack strap.

It sounds excellent for its price and size. Whether the Motion 300 sounds better than, or not as good as, the Wonderboom 3 depends on your taste. The Motion 300 doesn’t sound as clear with voices as the Wonderboom 3 does, but it does a much better job of reproducing musical instruments, so you hear more of the band (especially the bass) and less of the singer. The Motion 300 also plays about 4 dB louder—not quite party level, but loud enough to fill a large living room—although the bass thins out when the speaker is fully cranked.

We listened mostly in the Soundcore Signature EQ sound mode, found in the app. A few other modes are available, and there’s a Bass Boost button on top, but we usually preferred the sound without it.

The Motion 300 also includes a sensor that detects whether it’s standing vertically or lying flat, and it optimizes the sound for that position.

Soundcore touts the Motion 300’s inclusion of Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec, which allows the transmission of higher-quality sound if you have an LDAC-equipped smartphone. However, with inexpensive speakers like these, the Bluetooth codec has a negligible effect on sound quality.

A close-up on the Soundcore Motion 300's easy-to-use controls on the top of the speaker.

This speaker is not as rugged as our top pick, but it is waterproof. The Motion 300 is IPX7-rated, so it’s not dustproof but can survive 30 minutes of submersion in 1 meter of water. The battery ran a little longer than that of our top pick: 12 hours in our tests, which is probably enough for a weekend trip without a recharge.

However, the Bluetooth range in our tests was notably less than the Wonderboom’s: about 60 feet, which is adequate but not impressive by today’s standards. The Motion 300 has a speakerphone function that works pretty well; my voice sounded a little muffled to the person on the other end, but the speaker did seem to cancel room echoes.

Like the Wonderboom 3, this model has no 3.5 mm analog input. Also, Soundcore’s promotional materials don’t mention stereo pairing, and we can’t find that option in the app; this is a surprising omission, as stereo pairing is found even in many under-$25 models.

Our pick for best portable Bluetooth speaker for large areas, the W-King X10.

The W-King X10 is the best portable speaker to use in larger areas, such as at a picnic, a small beach party, or a yoga class. This speaker costs only a little more than the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, but it sounds about as good as, and plays louder than, our previous upgrade pick, the much more expensive Sony SRS-XG300 .

It plays louder. The X10 maxes out at about 7 decibels louder than the Wonderboom 3, which is roughly the difference between talking normally and raising your voice to address someone 30 feet away. Even at that loud volume, during our tests it sounded smooth and balanced, with clear voices and plenty of bass. The Outdoor mode cut the bass some but didn’t boost the volume. (Unfortunately, the speaker has no indicator to tell you which mode it’s in.)

The battery life is impressive. In our tests we got 24 hours, which is excellent—although short of W-King’s claimed 42 hours.

It’s larger. The X10 is about the size of a football and weighs 6.5 pounds, a manageable weight when you use the included shoulder strap (which sports an integrated bottle opener). Once you reach your destination, you can lay the speaker down horizontally or stand it on end.

A close-up of the light-up buttons on the top of the W-King X10 Bluetooth speaker.

It isn’t quite as rugged. The X10 has an IPX6 rating, which means it can withstand spraying from a hose but not submersion in water, and it’s not dustproof. Its buttons require a firm push; the similar but slightly less powerful W-King D8 has bigger buttons that are easier to use.

It has a lot of helpful features. The back panel offers a USB-C charging port, a 3.5 mm analog audio input, an SD card slot for playing MP3s, and a USB-A output for charging mobile devices. You can pair two X10 units for stereo audio. Its speakerphone function worked okay in our tests, but for both my conversation partner and me, it sounded dull and somewhat noisy, as if we were both in our cars.

We measured the speaker’s Bluetooth range at 70 feet, which is more than adequate.

The Tribit XSound Go, our budget-pick for best portable speaker.

If you want a great all-around portable Bluetooth speaker for under $50, the Tribit XSound Go is a terrific choice. Five years after its debut, it still sounds better than almost everything else in its price range. It’s also small enough to slip into a laptop bag, and it’s IPX7-rated, which means it can survive a half-hour swim in 1 meter of water.

It sounds surprisingly good for its size and price. When the XSound Go accompanied me through four weeks of travel, I continued to be surprised by how clear and full its sound was. Voices were natural and distinct, never bloated or hoarse, as they can be on most inexpensive Bluetooth speakers. In our tests, the XSound Go didn’t sound as full, or play quite as loud, as the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 , but all of our panelists thought it delivered amazing sound quality for its price.

A close-up of the buttons on the side of the Tribit XSound Go.

It has good features for the price. In addition to top-panel controls, you get a 3.5 mm analog input to connect external audio sources that lack Bluetooth support, plus a usable if somewhat noisy speakerphone function.

Although the battery life is rated at 24 hours, we got only about 10.5 hours—but for a cheap Bluetooth speaker, that’s okay.

It’s not dustproof, and it doesn’t offer stereo pairing. We measured its Bluetooth range at about 50 feet, which is good for a speaker in this price range.

How the Tribit XSound Go has held up

A few Wirecutter staffers have purchased the XSound Go and lived with it for a while. Here are some long-term test notes:

The Tribit XSound Go sitting on a nightstand.

The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom is a huge step up from your average portable Bluetooth speaker—in performance, size, and price. You could call it our ultra-upgrade pick, and it’s great for a variety of listeners, from the person who wants to fill their backyard with music for a pool party to the audio aficionado who wants a portable speaker with sound quality approaching that of a decent stereo system.

It plays very loud. In our tests, the Hyperboom maxed out at 99.1 dB—almost 8 decibels louder than the W-King X10 . That’s enough volume for a big pool party. “For picnics or group workout sessions in the park, this is ideal,” one of our panelists said.

It performs more like two good stereo speakers in one box. With two tweeters (to reproduce the higher-frequency sounds), two woofers (for the lower-frequency sounds), and two passive radiators (to further help with bass reproduction), this speaker produces the kind of clear, robust sound we’re used to hearing from a good small stereo system.

The Hyperboom also incorporates an Adaptive EQ feature, which Ultimate Ears says will adapt the sound to suit the surroundings. During our tests indoors, Adaptive EQ sometimes made the sound a little too bassy, but outdoors it worked great. Ultimate Ears also offers an app with special sound modes and a manual EQ function for tuning the sound.

A close-up of the input options on the side of the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom speaker.

It has an optical digital audio input. This rare inclusion on portable speakers makes it easy for you to connect the speaker to a TV set for louder, fuller sound. (In this case, though, you have to control the volume on the Hyperboom, rather than on the TV.) A top-mounted ring switch lets you choose between two Bluetooth sources and select the optical or analog input. Through the app, you can connect this speaker to any number of additional Hyperboom units, as well as any speakers from the Ultimate Ears Boom and Megaboom lines.

It’s heavy and big. The Hyperboom weighs 16.6 pounds and measures 14.3 inches high, but its rear-mounted retractable rubber handle makes it pretty easy to lug around. It has a rated battery life of 24 hours; we got 27.5 hours with it running at 81 dB, or 6 decibels louder than the other speakers. We measured its Bluetooth range at 110 feet, but getting Bluetooth at that length sometimes required us to turn the Hyperboom in a particular direction.

It has a proprietary charger. If you take the speaker along on your vacation for more than a day or two, you’ll have to remember to bring the charger with you. It lacks a speakerphone function, and it’s only IPX4-rated, which means it’s splash resistant but not waterproof or dustproof.

If you want a powerful portable speaker with Wi-Fi and smart-speaker functions (and don’t mind paying a premium): The Brane X is about 50% more expensive than our also-great pick , the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom, but it’s half the size, offers similar sound quality and maximum volume, and includes many more features. In addition to Bluetooth, it has onboard microphones that allow it to work as an Amazon Alexa device. It can stream many services directly through Wi-Fi, including Spotify, Pandora, Prime Music, TuneIn Radio, and iHeart. It’s IP57 rated, so it’s better armed against the elements than the Hyperboom. It requires a separate AC adapter for charging, and in our tests it typically ran for 11.25 hours on a charge.

If you want bigger, fuller sound than our picks offer, in a midsize package: The Tribit StormBox Blast is the best value if sound quality and volume are most important to you, and if you don’t mind lugging around a 12-pound speaker. This affordably priced speaker provides excellent sound quality, and it plays about 5 decibels louder than the W-King X10 .

If you want smart-speaker functions or a speaker that works with a Sonos system: The Sonos Roam is technically a portable Bluetooth speaker, with a travel-friendly, IP67-rated design—but it’s so much more. It offers Wi-Fi support and can join a Sonos S2 multiroom speaker system , automatically reconnecting to your Wi-Fi when you bring it home from an outing. It also works as an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant smart speaker, and any content you stream to the Roam from a Bluetooth source can beam to the rest of a Sonos system. On top of all that, the Roam sounds smoother and more natural than any small Bluetooth speaker we’ve tried. As you can read in our first look at the Roam , the downsides are a roughly six-hour battery life and a high price.

If you want the least-expensive portable Bluetooth speaker that still sounds decent: The Punkwolf D68F sounds fuller and more natural, and plays louder (an impressive 84 dB), than any other under-$25 Bluetooth speaker we’ve tried. Plus it has cool-looking internal lights that can be switched off, and it even offers stereo pairing. This speaker is also sold under the Rofall brand on Amazon, but other than the Rofall model being silkscreened “PUNK WOLF” instead of “PUNKWOLF,” we found no difference between the two.

If you want a speaker for your bike: The JBL Wind 3 includes a mount that lets you attach it quickly and securely to handlebars. It also has a simple FM radio and an SD card slot for playback of downloaded or ripped tunes. It’s surprisingly satisfying to cruise around town with this speaker playing.

At the CES 2024 trade show, JBL introduced numerous portable Bluetooth speakers . Most relevant to this guide are the Xtreme 4 ($380), the Clip 5 ($80), and the Go 4 ($50). All three feature Auracast , a new technology that allows Bluetooth streaming to multiple speakers—and also allows one speaker to tune in to multiple Bluetooth streams. The speakers are made from recycled plastic and fabric. The Xtreme 4 features a replaceable battery, so you can carry multiple batteries to get longer run time or replace a battery that’s nearing the end of its useful life.

JBL also announced two additions to its high-powered PartyBox line , the PartyBox Stage 320 ($600) and PartyBox Club 120 ($400). Both feature a replaceable battery, and the Stage 320 includes Auracast. Also in the lineup is the new PartyBox Wireless Mic ($150 for two), which JBL says is compatible with all PartyBox speakers.

EarFun showed its largest portable Bluetooth speaker yet, the UBoom X ($180), which measures nearly 16 inches long.

Soundcore launched the Boom 2 ($130), a new version of its Motion Boom speaker with a higher power rating and a floating design.

We’ve reviewed hundreds of Bluetooth speakers for this guide. Below are capsule descriptions of some of the models that might be of most interest to Wirecutter readers. If you don’t see a certain model you’re interested in, check out our running list of portable Bluetooth speakers we’ve tested .

The Avantree BTSP-850 is an especially affordable and versatile Bluetooth speaker, offering SD card playback and FM radio (with stations tunable by number or auto-programmed). In our tests, it had hardly any bass and didn’t play loud, but as a system for light background music in a cubicle or office, it’s a good choice.

The EarFun UBoom L is a former runner-up pick, but we prefer the more portable design and somewhat clearer sound of the Soundcore Motion 300 .

Most people won’t need something as big or loud as the JBL PartyBox 110 and PartyBox Encore Essential , but they’re both very good-sounding, muscular speakers that are great for pool parties and tailgating, and can also be used as instrument and/or microphone amplifiers for performance. The PartyBox 110, in particular, plays loud enough for even the wildest pool party, and it has separate microphone and instrument inputs. The PartyBox Encore Essential is about half the size and doesn’t play as loud, and it has just one microphone input (which can be used for instruments, though).

By a small margin, the Marshall Willen is the best sounding speaker of the ultra-portable Bluetooth models we’ve tested, but it typically costs more than twice as much as—and plays only slightly louder than—the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 (see below)n.

The Skullcandy Terrain sounds fairly full, although its internal limiter thins the bass out when the speaker is turned up. If you want a decent-sounding, nice-looking speaker for about $50, it’s a solid choice.

The Sony SRS-XG300 (a former upgrade pick) is a great-sounding speaker with a cool design, but the W-King X10 sounds as good and plays a little louder for a much lower price.

The upward-firing “immersive” speaker in the Soundcore Motion x600 sounds crude and excessively bright. The speaker sounds pretty good when the immersive sound is turned off, although it needs more bass. When the bass boost is activated, the bass tends to distort.

The Sway MagBoom is the only one of the many golf-ball-sized portable speakers that we consider worth buying. It sounds surprisingly full, plays reasonably loud, and has a magnetic base for attaching to phones, appliances, and other surfaces.

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is great for lightweight traveling, with a compact design and a rubbery strap that attaches it to poles and straps. It sounds much like the Tribit XSound Go , but it costs more.

The Tronsmart Bang Max delivers the most decibels per dollar (100.2 dB) of any large portable Bluetooth speaker we’ve found. It sounds less smooth and you can hear more bass in the midrange than the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom , but for outdoor parties, it might be better. As one of our listeners said, “I’d prefer the UE for indoor listening and the Tronsmart speaker for dancing or playing music by the pool.”

The Ultimate Ears Epicboom is like a bigger, more advanced version of our top pick, the Wonderboom 3 . But despite its size and fairly high price, it has a rather trebly sound that didn’t appeal to us.

The Zvox AccuVoice AV70 has a voice-boosting mode that, as with other Zvox models, does a nice job of making voices sound clearer for those with hearing-health issues. It can’t match the volume or bass output of our top picks, though.

This article was edited by Adrienne Maxwell and Grant Clauser.

Can I connect multiple Bluetooth speakers?

Many portable Bluetooth speakers can pair for stereo operation, with one speaker playing sound from the left stereo channel and the other playing from the right channel. Some offer the option of mono pairing, which plays the same sound from both speakers; this feature lets you play sound in two different rooms. Note that both speakers must be within range of a Bluetooth signal.

How can I reset my portable Bluetooth speaker?

Most portable Bluetooth speakers can be reset, which restores the factory control settings and erases any previous Bluetooth connections from memory. Many speakers have a tiny reset button, often placed near the charging jack and sometimes hidden behind a rubber jack cover. Usually, pressing this button for a few seconds with a slim object, such as a toothpick or an unfolded paper clip, resets the speaker; sometimes the button is hidden inside a tiny hole. Other speakers allow you to reset them by pressing the control buttons in a certain way, such as holding down the power and volume-down buttons simultaneously for 10 seconds. Some speakers that you control through a dedicated smartphone app let you reset them through the app. Consult your speaker’s operating manual to find its reset procedure.

How waterproof are most waterproof Bluetooth speakers?

Many portable Bluetooth speakers offer some degree of moisture resistance, a characteristic that is rated according to the IP (Ingress Protection) standard. You’ll see ratings such as “IP67” or “IPx4”; the second digit indicates the moisture resistance. A rating of 7, the best moisture resistance currently available in a portable Bluetooth speaker, indicates that the speaker can be submerged in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes without damage. A rating of 4 means that the item is splashproof. For more, see this complete list of IP ratings .

Meet your guide

small travel bluetooth speaker

Brent Butterworth

Brent Butterworth is a senior staff writer covering audio and musical instruments at Wirecutter. Since 1989, he has served as an editor or writer on audio-focused websites and magazines such as Home Theater, Sound & Vision, and SoundStage. He regularly gigs on double bass with various jazz groups, and his self-produced album Take2 rose as high as number three on the Roots Music Report jazz album chart.

Further reading

The Earfun Free 2s earbuds in black with one earbud out of its case against a blue background.

Great Sound on a Small Budget

by Grant Clauser

Good sound doesn't have to cost a lot. We found the best audio gear for around $100 or less.

Two of our top picks for the best multiroom wireless speaker systems, the Sonos Era 100 and the Sonos Era 300.

The Best Multiroom Wireless Speaker System

by Dennis Burger

The Sonos multiroom music platform offers great-sounding speakers, supports the widest variety of streaming services, and is easy to set up and use.

The best outdoor speaker, the OSD Audio AP650, shown mounted to a wooden post outdoors.

The Best Outdoor Speakers

by Brent Butterworth

The OSD Audio AP650 is the best all-around choice in a passive outdoor speaker because it sounds great and has a rugged, sealed design with a versatile mount.

Our three picks for best bluetooth audio receiver, shown next to a white Triangle speaker.

The Best Bluetooth Audio Receiver for Your Home Stereo or Speakers

The iFi Audio Zen Air Blue Bluetooth receiver offers excellent signal range and surprisingly good audio performance for the price.

The 11 Best Mini Bluetooth Speakers for Bringing and Sharing Your Tunes

The good news with speakers this small: Most of them cost less than $100.

ultimate ears wonderboom 3 small portable wireless bluetooth speaker and tribit portable speaker stormbox micro bluetooth speaker

If you buy something from the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?

A typical Bluetooth speaker weighs 2 pounds or more, so we focused here on speakers weighing around 1 pound (or less) and made for easy carrying. Read on for quick info of the best, followed by features you should keep in mind, and in-depth reviews of the best small Bluetooth speakers.

The Best Mini Bluetooth Speakers

Clip 4 Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Best Overall

Jbl clip 4 mini bluetooth speaker.

P1 Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Polaroid Originals P1 Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Anker Mini 3 Bluetooth Speaker

Best Companion App

Soundcore anker mini 3 bluetooth speaker.

Willen Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Best Design and Controls

Marshall willen mini bluetooth speaker.

3 Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Stereo Sound

Soundcore 3 mini bluetooth speaker.

SRS-XB13 Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Sony SRS-XB13 Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Wonderboom 3 Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Most Durable

Ultimate ears wonderboom 3 mini bluetooth speaker.

StormBox Micro Bluetooth Speaker

Tribit StormBox Micro Bluetooth Speaker

SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker

The Classic

Bose soundlink micro bluetooth speaker.

Portable BT Mini Bluetooth Speaker

Versatile Connectivity

1more portable bt mini bluetooth speaker, what to consider.

Audio quality is (unsurprisingly) at the top of the list. Be mindful that mini Bluetooth speakers typically pack fewer audio drivers than their larger siblings so that the manufacturers can keep them compact. Except for one model here, none of the speakers can deliver stereo sound, so if audio fidelity is a priority, consider a larger, fully waterproof speaker with multiple active audio drivers. That said, every product we suggested can pump out a powerful, vastly more enjoyable sound than your phone or tablet’s onboard speakers.

Mini Bluetooth speakers are designed so that you can take them with you, including to places where they might get dirty or be otherwise exposed to the elements. So focus on their ability to withstand intrusion by solids and liquids, denoted by an IP (ingress protection) rating . The first digit signifies how well the speaker can resist solids getting in, while the second signifies liquids. The higher the number, the better the device keeps things like dust and rain out, respectively. The scale for solids ranges from 0 to 6, and for liquids, 0 to 9.

Keep in mind that if either digit has an X in its place, the manufacturer hasn’t tested the speaker for either solids or liquids. So, a rating of IPX6 means that the speaker is water-resistant but hasn’t been evaluated for how well it fends off dust.

Battery Life

Regarding battery life, a top-level mini speaker should deliver at least 10 hours of wireless playback between charges. Some deliver more or slightly less than that, but 10 is the average. Also consider features like the convenience of each speaker’s built-in controls, its ability (or inability) to easily attach to a bag or other objects, and whether or not it has a companion app.

With the above in mind, find your favorite mini Bluetooth speaker among these options. The best part? Most of them are less than $100.

JBL’s Clip 4 is the best all-around mini Bluetooth speaker. The palm-sized gadget is rugged, has convenient controls and long battery life, and delivers a crisp and dynamic sound, all at an agreeable price.

We like the speaker’s fabric cover, and the integrated metal carabiner makes it easy to attach to a bag or a backpack. The back is rubbery to keep it from slipping when you put it down.

More: The Best Cheap Wireless Earbuds Under $100

While Polaroid’s better known for its instant cameras , the P1 mini Bluetooth speaker is a great alternative to the JBL Clip if you want more battery life and can do without some durability.

It has a retro design, headlined by a white housing with contrasting color bits and a fabric loop in Polaroid’s signature colors. Its rotating volume button is a nice nod to a time when Polaroid's iconic cameras were must-have gadgets.

The speaker produced great sound that defies its palm-sized footprint. If you want to pair it to another P1 for an instant sound upgrade, just tap the two together. And the speaker has a metal carabiner loop for lashing it to a backpack.

Anker’s Soundcore Mini 3 Bluetooth speaker stands out for its terrific companion app, which allows you to customize its sound to your liking. Its similarly priced rivals typically lack such functionality.

The Mini 3 delivers its sound equally in all directions and has a fairly rich bass. If you want more decibels, you can simultaneously connect more than 100 speakers. Its battery life is excellent, too.

Marshall’s Willen mini Bluetooth speaker is worth its hefty price because it looks like a miniaturize version of the brand’s iconic guitar amplifiers. The tough gadget looks equally great on a table, a desk, or when attached to a bag or a bike via its flexible mounting strap. Its control knob and battery indicator are also great.

Sound-wise, the Willen speaker is a contender for the best in its class. Its sole dynamic driver is paired with passive bass radiators for surprisingly powerful audio, which you can adjust via an app. Better yet, there’s an option to stack multiple Willen speakers for mini concert-like sessions.

The 15-hour battery life is excellent, and so are its fast-charging capabilities. You can get 3 hours’ worth of tunes after only 20 minutes of it being plugged in.

The compact Soundcore 3 by Anker is the only speaker on this list to deliver stereo sound with a left and a right channel. Its audio drivers have titanium coating, allowing them to provide distortion-free tunes even at high volume. Like with the Mini 3 above, Soundcore offers customization tools via a mobile app. Its understated design, ample button controls, and a loop for attaching a strap give the 3 versatility and portability. It has the longest battery life on this list, too, along with an 18-month warranty.

The SRS-XB13 Bluetooth speaker produces sound with uncannily powerful bass despite its tiny size. The reason behind its solid low range is Sony’s Extra Bass (hence the XB in the name) technology.

The speaker also has a rugged build and intuitive controls with a button for pairing two units in stereo mode. A loop for attaching a bundled strap to the speaker is also on board. The battery life, like its bass output, defies the SRS-XB13’s size.

The Wonderboom 2 is a follow-up to an already amazing speaker that blasts its sounds in 360 degrees. A calling card for all Ultimate Ears speakers , the no-nonsense controls with oversized volume buttons of the Wonderboom 3 are excellent, too. There are multiple finishes to choose from, each sporting a hang loop. And the speaker floats, should it tumble into a pool.

The battery life of the speaker is among the best. However, its microUSB connector is decidedly dated by today’s standards.

The fabric-covered StormBox Micro has an elegant yet durable design and top-tier sound. Weighing less than 10 ounces, its audio output and bass bely its size. You can pair a duo of speakers in the stereo setup, too. Its rubber strap helps when lashing to to something like a bike.

The 8-hour battery life of the Stormbox Micro is adequate if unremarkable. Like our top picks from JBL and Soundcore, it has a USB-C port for charging.

This mini Bluetooth speaker by Bose has been around since 2017 — an eternity for an industry this fast-paced. However, the SoundLink Micro is still one of the finest, thanks to a cool and Bose’s signature excellent sound. The bass, treble, and midrange are nicely balanced.

Thanks to an onboard microphone, the Micro doubles as a reliable speakerphone. The battery life isn’t great but still sufficient. We appreciate the easy-to-read LED battery indicator but not the dated micro USB port.

The Portable BT speaker stands out by rocking not one but two active audio drivers, tuned by a Grammy-winning sound engineer. This allows it to blast sound with more oomph than most rivals. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, there’s a standard audio jack for wired playback and speakerphone functionality.

The Portable BT has a sophisticated design with a fabric finish and carrying strap. Its rating for water resistance is acceptable but not on par with others here. Don’t even risk submerging it.

House of Marley No Bounds Mini Bluetooth Speaker

No Bounds Mini Bluetooth Speaker

House of Marley’s No Bounds is made of reclaimed, sustainably sourced, and recyclable materials like aluminum, cork, fabric, and silicone. Because of its ability to trap air, the cork also helps the speaker float in water. That build lends it an eye-catching design and a pleasant feel.

The No Bounds delivers rich sound with enhanced bass, which is ideal for outdoor use. You can connect two speakers in a stereo pair or use one as a speakerphone.

Headshot of Stefan Vazharov

Stefan is the senior technology editor for Best Products , where he’s been covering the tech industry and testing the latest gadgets since 2015. He is an award-winning editor with more than a decade of experience reporting on and reviewing consumer tech products, especially smartphones, tablets, laptops, and audio gear like headphones, earbuds, speakers, and soundbars. Stefan was previously the U.S. editor for GSMArena.com. His writing can also be found in Popular Mechanics .

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travel speakers

10 Tiny Wireless Travel Speakers You Can Take Anywhere

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Ashley Rossi

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

After interning at SmarterTravel, Ashley joined the team full time in 2015. She's lived on three continents, but still never knows where her next adventure will take her. She's always searching for upcoming destination hotspots, secluded retreats, and hidden gems to share with the world.

Ashley's stories have been featured online on USA Today, Business Insider, TripAdvisor, Huffington Post, Jetsetter, and Yahoo! Travel, as well as other publications.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "A reusable filtered water bottle—it saves you money, keeps you hydrated, and eliminates waste—win-win."

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Summer means outdoor BBQs, sunsets on the beach, bonfires, hikes, and everything outdoors—liven things up with some music courtesy of these wireless travel speakers. Whether you’re looking for a super compact version or a durable, waterproof speaker, you’ll find a perfect match for your vacation on this list.

The Best Wireless Travel Speakers

Marsboy portable bluetooth speaker.

This small and powerful pocket-sized wireless travel speaker is great for travel. The best-selling, tiny speaker has a 50-foot Bluetooth range and a battery that lasts up to 12 hours—perfect for long days at the beach.

Price and Where to Buy: $20 on Amazon (originally $35)

Kunodi F4 Outdoor Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Bring this guy to the pool deck or outdoor shower on your summer vacation. Amazon reviewers love the high-quality sound and waterproof feature. This is one of the best wireless travel speakers out there, and also has a hands-free function and displays the battery life on your phone (when connected to Bluetooth).

Price and Where to Buy: $17 on Amazon (originally $24)

Anker SoundCore Mini  

Anker makes some of the best tiny speakers on the market, and the AnkerSoundCore Mini is no different. The SoundCore Mini travel speaker delivers 15 hours of playtime and a connection range up to 66 feet. The speaker also has a microSD card reader, Bluetooth connectivity, and an AUX port, so you can choose how to connect to your devices. Amazon reviewers love the sound quality and long battery life.

Price and Where to Buy: $30 on Amazon

PINGKO Sport Speakers

At just four ounces, this is one of the smallest travel speakers out there. The top-rated speaker on Amazon has a six-hour battery life and has a handy LED-light battery level indicator. I love the attachment options for this one, which allows you to hang the speaker almost anywhere.

Price and Where to Buy: $24 on Amazon (originally $49)

AOMAIS Ball Bluetooth Speakers

This wireless travel speaker has the highest waterproof rating on the list (IPX7), making it your perfect pool companion—it even comes with a pool float. Buy two and you can pair them together for a surround-sound experience.

Price and Where to Buy: $36 on Amazon (originally $130)

Anker SoundCore Nano

This is one of the lightest travel speakers on the list, weighing in at just 2.9 ounces. The small speaker packs a big punch, with Amazon reviewers raving about the sound quality and volume. Due to its smaller size, the battery life is four hours and the connectivity range is 33 feet.

Price and Where to Buy: $21 on Amazon (originally $50)

Aud Mini by iLuv

About the size of an iPhone 6, this tiny travel speaker has a loud bass and high-quality sound, especially for its size. I own a similar iLuv speaker and have been impressed by its quality and connectivity strength for the price.

Price and Where to Buy: $11 on Amazon (originally $40)

dodocool Mini Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

Another super-lightweight travel speaker is the dodocool Mini; at 3.2 ounces you get four hours of battery and a 33-foot connectivity range. This tiny speaker has a few other functions too: It’s also a selfie remote and has a built-in microphone for hands free calling.

Price and Where to Buy: $13 on Amazon

LESHP Portable Bluetooth Mini Speaker

This super-small speaker has a five-star rating on Amazon and reviewers love the sound quality for the speaker size. The battery lasts up to five hours and has a built-in mic for hands-free calling.

Price and Where to Buy: $16 on Amazon (originally $30)

Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM

While this is one of the larger wireless travel speakers on the list, it’s the smallest speaker out there that offers 360-degree sound. So, if you’re serious about your sound quality but are still looking for travel speakers, this may be your perfect match.

Take it from Senior Editor Caroline Morse: “The  Wonderboom speaker  delivers crisp, clear, and loud music that will liven up a party of any size. You can play your music for up to 10 hours on a single charge, so there’s no need to worry about electricity … The sound quality is worth the price tag, which is an average price for a drop-proof, water-proof speaker.” Read her full review here .

Price and Where to Buy: $80 on Amazon (originally $100)

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We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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Recent updates, all reviews, the 5 best small bluetooth speakers - spring 2024 reviews.

Best Small Bluetooth Speakers

Love listening to music on the go? A small Bluetooth speaker may be the right choice for you. We already have a list of the best portable Bluetooth speakers  we've tested, which includes some heartier, heftier models, many of which come with built-in handles for easier transport. However, this list focuses on smaller and more compact models, including some of the best mini speakers on the market. With a portable design, these speakers easily slide into your pocket or handbag to listen wherever you go; some even weigh less than a pound. Plus, they tend to be more wallet-friendly than larger picks on the market—and improving technologies offer solid sound at a more affordable cost.

We've tested over 130 speakers, and below, you'll find our recommendations for the best small speakers with Bluetooth. If you're interested, check out our recommendations for the best-sounding Bluetooth speakers and the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers .

Best Small Bluetooth Speaker

Sonos Roam/Roam SL Style Photo

The Sonos Roam/Roam SL is the best small Bluetooth speaker we've tested. This premium smart speaker boasts a portable design with many cool features to make the most of your listening experience on the go. As with the manufacturer's top-of-the-line models, you can connect the speaker to other Sonos devices to spread audio throughout your home or backyard. The TruePlay room correction feature automatically adjusts the speaker's output based on your room's unique acoustics, and thanks to built-in Alexa and Google Assistant support, you enjoy hands-free control right from the comfort of your couch.

This speaker comes in lots of different color variants to suit your style. If you aren't interested in voice assistants, you can purchase the SL variant, which comes without a microphone and is slightly more affordable. All models are rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, so they're protected against some light exposure to the elements. The manufacturer says they're drop-resistant, too. Weighing in at less than a pound, this feature-packed speaker is lightweight and easy to carry, and it's a great way to enjoy your favorite tunes wherever you go.

See our review

Best Budget Small Bluetooth Speaker

Anker Soundcore Motion 300 Style Photo

If you're looking for a small Bluetooth speaker for less, check out the Anker Soundcore Motion 300. This small Bluetooth speaker doesn't have built-in voice assistant support like the Sonos Roam/Roam SL , but it still offers great sound quality at an affordable price. This speaker has a feature called Smart Tune designed to automatically optimize its audio reproduction based on whether you set it on its side, lay it on its back, or hang it off a bag using its detachable strap, which is handy for listening on the go. It's lightweight, portable, and even rated IPX7 for water resistance to protect it against the elements.

With over eleven hours of playtime, you can listen to your favorite tunes all day. This speaker reproduces voices and lead instruments in the mid-range with accuracy and clarity but has a slightly dull sound out-of-the-box due to its underemphasized treble. Luckily, you can customize it thanks to its graphic EQ and presets in the Soundcore app. It doesn't bring as much low bass as the slightly pricier Bose SoundLink Flex , which fans of EDM and hip-hop may want to check out instead. However, it's less customizable than the Anker since it lacks a graphic EQ, so you don't have as much control over its mid-range.

Best Cheap Small Bluetooth Speaker

Sony SRS-XB100 Style Photo

Budget-conscious shoppers can look at the Sony SRS-XB100. It's the best mini Bluetooth speaker in the budget range we've tested, and while it doesn't have sound customization tools like the Anker Soundcore Motion 300 , it still has a solid sound for the price. Thanks to its small and compact design, this speaker is a great choice for listening to your favorite tunes while on the go. It's lightweight enough to carry in one hand, and its detachable strap makes it easy to clip onto a bag or backpack. Plus, since it's rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, it can withstand some exposure to the elements when you bring it outside.

This speaker is the next generation of the Sony SRS-XB13 , and it comes with some big improvements in the overall sound. Notably, it can reproduce a more extended low bass, so you notice more thump and rumble in the mix, especially with genres like EDM and hip-hop. Its battery life is longer, too, so you can listen to your favorite tracks for well over 20 hours without interruption. This speaker's bass-heavy sound is ideal for listening to genres like EDM and hip-hop. With a clear reproduction of vocals and other instruments in the mids, it's versatile enough for different types of music, too.

More Affordable Small Bluetooth Speaker

JBL GO 3 Style Photo

If every penny counts, then the JBL GO 3 is an even more affordable alternative to the top picks on our list. It's another standout mini Bluetooth speaker that's great for listening on the go. Overall, this small and compact speaker is one of the most portable models we've tested, with a lightweight build that's ideal for taking your music with you. It also comes in various colors to match your style, and the built-in hook lets you attach it to a bag or backpack. It's even rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, which is great for the price.

This speaker doesn't come with as many features as the top picks on our list—there's no voice assistant support, for example—but you may find it's the better value if you're just looking for a simple device to pair with your smartphone. Out-of-the-box, it boasts a pretty clear and detailed sound for the price, making it suitable for everything from music to podcasts. Large controls on the speaker's side make it easy to adjust settings while you're out and about. Plus, its compact size helps it stand out from the crowd, and it's great if you want a speaker to slide into your pocket wherever you go.

Best Small Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 Style Photo

Love listening by the pool? The Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 is the best small speaker for you. It's a little larger than some of the top picks on our list, but it comes with some added features to ensure your speaker stays protected against the elements while you rock out in your backyard. Notably, it can float in water, making it a great choice for your next day at the lake or the pool. As with many other picks on our list, it's rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, and it adds an impact rating to ensure it holds up if you drop it while on the move. It has a built-in hook and is available in many colors and styles.

In addition to its solid build, this speaker offers great sound quality for the price. It has a 360-degree design similar to the Sony SRS-XB100 , which is great for parties or larger group settings. Set it in the center of the table, and enjoy a clear sound from all angles. It lasts over 22 hours off a single charge; you don't have to worry about recharging it regularly. However, you won't find voice assistant support like the Sony speaker. Also, this speaker takes up more space than other picks on this list, which isn't ideal for everyone. Still, it's worth considering for days when you want to chill out and listen to tunes by the water.

  • Bose SoundLink Micro: The Bose SoundLink Micro is another small Bluetooth speaker with a great build quality that's ideal for listening to music on the go, especially if you love a signature Bose sound. It's not as customizable as the Anker Soundcore Motion 300, though. See our review
  • JBL Clip 4: As its name implies, the JBL Clip 4 is a small Bluetooth speaker with a built-in carabiner hook to attach to your bag. Some may prefer this design over the fabric hooks common with our top picks, though this speaker's battery life isn't quite as impressive as similarly-priced picks like the Sony SRS-XB100. See our review
  • Marshall Willen: The Marshall Willen is the manufacturer's smallest, most portable offering, but it still packs a punch. Like the Anker Soundcore Motion 300, it doesn't reproduce low bass very well, but its directivity isn't as good as the Anker, and this speaker doesn't get as loud. The Marshall is better built and has a longer continuous battery life. See our review

Apr 04, 2024: We've checked all our picks to ensure they're still relevant and in stock but have kept them the same. However, the Marshall Willen has been added as a Notable Mention due to its long continuous battery life and solid build quality.

Mar 07, 2024: Confirmed our product picks, and made some small text updates for clarity.

Jan 12, 2024: We've added a link to the Sonos Roam SL if you're looking for a microphone-free alternative to the original Sonos Roam.

Dec 06, 2023: Replaced the Marshall Willen with the Anker Soundcore Motion 300 as it's more customizable and supports voice assistants.

Oct 11, 2023: Product picks remain the same after confirming their accuracy and availability.

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best Bluetooth speakers for portability. We factor in the price (cheaper speakers win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no speakers that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).

If you would like to see more products, here's the list of all our Bluetooth speaker reviews sorted by their portability. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect speakers. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.

The best Bluetooth speakers 2024: top portable speakers for any budget

Simply the best Bluetooth speakers and portable speakers you can buy

  • Best overall
  • Best budget
  • Best mid-range
  • Best for sound
  • Best for parties
  • Best for charge
  • Best for battery
  • Best premium
  • Best for design
  • Also consider
  • How to choose
  • How we test
  • Latest updates

The Sonos Roam against a multi-colored background

1. The list in brief 2. Best overall 3. Best budget 4. Best mid-range 5. Best for sound 6. Best for parties 7. Best for charge 8. Best for battery 9. Best premium 10. Best for design 11. How to choose 12 . How we test 13. Latest updates

The best Bluetooth speakers have become a staple household (and travel) item thanks to their compact size and convenience for listening anywhere, whether you're in the shower, mowing the lawn, chilling in your hotel room, having a house party or cleaning the kitchen. 

We've been testing the best portable speakers for years, in all shapes and sizes – and crucially, for all budgets. Audiophile sound quality and a thumping low end is always going to be a big ask if you're looking at something the size of a coffee cup, but you can get a portable speaker that delivers balanced and clear audio outdoors. These are our priorities when testing Bluetooth speakers and obviously we balance that with battery life and price – aka value for money. 

You don't need to be an engineer to know that the smaller and cheaper a speaker is, the more compact and congested the sound can become. That said, there are some very decent affordable options these days, which we've ranked among the best of the best. 

We also have a guide to the best party speakers if you want huge sound and don't need it to be especially light or portable. Similarly, if you want a more permanent speaker for your home, check out our guide to the best wireless speakers . On the other hand, if your biggest priority is a rugged speaker design in case of being knocked and dropped, our separate guide showcasing the best waterproof speakers will show you the options that can take a proper dunking.

Becky Scarrott

I've reviewed over 150 audio products since becoming a tech journalist, ranging from super-budget earbuds to high-end Hi-Res Audio music players. Before joining TechRadar, I spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing everything the world of audio had to offer; before that, I was a professional dancer. I'll always extol the virtues of listening (and dancing) to the best musical file quality and audio gear you can stretch to.

The quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out which Bluetooth speakers are the absolute best in the business? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices for different needs. You can also jump to a more detailed review of each product, and the best deals on them online.

Sonos Roam

The best Bluetooth speaker overall

The Sonos Roam delivers powerful sound for a small box, a rugged design that can take a tumble, excellent connectivity features (including Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth) and even smart home control. 

Read more below

The tribit audio stormbox micro 2 on a white backgrond

The best budget Bluetooth speaker

The most fully-featured mini Bluetooth speaker we've tested, with great sound quality. It's not the loudest option, but at this size and price, you can't buy better. 

the jbl flip 6

The best mid-range Bluetooth speaker

This is a speaker that sticks to the basics, and gets them all right. This rugged model is super simple to use, sounds good and can be linked to up to 100 other JBL speakers to create a big wall of sound.

Bang & Olufasen Beosound A1 2nd Gen in green on white background

The best Bluetooth speaker for sound This sophisticated speaker offers crisp audio performance that makes it ideal for the audiophile: think impeccable balance between bass, mid and treble in a bijou design. Read more below

Tribit Stormbox Blast on white background

Te best Bluetooth speaker for parties The Blast is heavy and unsubtle, but that's where the criticism ends. It sounds every inch as detailed as models from better-known audio specialists at three times the price (and you can turn its flashy lights off).

JBL Charge 5 speaker on white background

Best Bluetooth for reverse charging 

Looking for a portable speaker that can charge your phone too? Here it is. In terms of features it's fairly basic other than this trick, but the sound is solid and it's built tough (and waterproof).

Read more below  

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The Tribit Stormbox flow on a white background

The best Bluetooth speaker for long battery life

It's not a looker and it's a tad heavy to boot, but that's because it's got a massive 30 hours of battery life under the hood. With a sub-$80 / £80 price tag, it's hard to complain…  Read more below

The Sonos Move 2 on a white background

The best premium Bluetooth speaker

This is great for both the home and outdoors. It's got big sound and big battery life, but that means a big size and big price tag, so it's not for everyone.    

Ultimate Ears Epicboom on white background

The best Bluetooth speaker for design

This 2023 starlet looks the absolute business. It's pricey, but if you want that funky Ultimate Ears design aesthetic and sound, it's back – in a big way. Read more below

Sonos Roam held in hand outdoors

1. Sonos Roam

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

✅ You own more Sonos speakers: Given that you can pair multiple Sonos speakers together, the Roam – alongside the Move 2 at #9 in this list – is perfect for a home audio system.   ✅ You like your tech to look as good as it sounds: Sonos' minimalist design aesthetic makes it standout in the crowded Bluetooth speaker space. 

❌ You're an audiophile: The Roam's sound quality isn't flawless due to the bass being a little unruly. Instead, look to B&O at #4 in this list for the best in portable audio.     ❌ You're often far from a plug: With only 10 hours of battery, the Roam offers a lot less than most like the JBL Charge 5 at #7 in the list , which doubles it at 20 hours. 

What you need to know: Since its release in 2021, the Sonos Roam has remained our favorite Bluetooth speaker, winning the TechRadar Choice Awards two years in a row (2021 and 2022). While there are plenty of portable speaker options around, the Roam remains our top pick for its big, room-filling sound, compact design and long list of connectivity features, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which means it can work as both a portable speaker and as part of your wider multi-room Sonos system. It also has  Google Assistant and Alexa onboard (when you're on Wi-Fi) to make it double as a smart speaker too. 

Audio performance: The first thing we noticed about the Roam's audio performance is that it's bass-heavy, which makes it ideal for outdoor use. During our testing, we found that the bass was powerful enough to cut through wind noise but it was a bit overbearing while inside. Despite its small stature, the Roam delivers a powerful sonic performance – even if it does lack the rhythmic accuracy you'd expect from an audiophile speaker.

Design: Its slick design means the Sonos Roam won’t look out of place in your home. But it also has a rugged, waterproof and dust proof build that makes it ideal for listening to music outdoors. The battery life isn't huge, though. It's enough for a day out, but if that's a priority then check out either JBL Charge at #7 in the list or the B&O Beosound A1 Gen 2 at #4 in this list instead.

Value: Compared to similar priced Bluetooth speakers we've tested, you’re getting a lot of features for your money here. Sonos has also now added the Sonos Roam SL to its lineup, which is a slightly cheaper version of the Roam that lacks a microphone – but it's otherwise identical in terms of specs. If you’re concerned about privacy and want to save around $20 / £20 / AU$30, then the Roam SL could be exactly what you want.  

Read our full Sonos Roam review

  • ^ Back to the top

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 held in a hand over a yellow table

2. Tribit Stormbox Micro 2

✅ You love to listen to music while on the move: As the smallest and lightest speaker on this list, the Stormbox Micro 2 is by far our most portable pick. ✅ You don't want the music to stop: At 12 hours, this doesn't have the longest battery life but it is above average. If you need 30 hours, look to the Blast at #5 on this list . 

❌ You want the best sound quality: It's a small speaker, which is why it goes for such a low price, don't expect big volume and class-leading detail. ❌ You value a good control app: While Tribit does have an app for some of its other products, this isn't one of them so you won't be able to access settings through your phone. 

What you need to know: Considering its extremely small size, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is the best-sounding and most fully-featured mini Bluetooth speaker we've had the pleasure of testing. It's not the most powerful or the loudest out there, but at this size and price you can't currently buy better. 

Audio performance: We particularly enjoyed the bass response here, which is where small speakers usually fall down. Tribit is keeping quiet about the exact specifications of the driver in this model but whatever it is, it delivers impressive bass for such a small footprint. And battery life is superb, up from the 8 hours of the original Micro to a travelling or beach day-friendly 12 hours.

Design: The Micro 2 is a brilliantly pocketable portable speaker that delivers a surprisingly loud audio performance, which makes it an excellent option for listening to podcasts or just watching TV shows on a mobile device. It's also a great option if you're looking for a stereo pair of speakers for a small room: you can pick up two of these for what you'd pay for one of its better known rivals.

Value: If you're looking for a speaker to toss in a bag or clip to a bike, you'll find it hard to get a better speaker for such a low price. It's superb, and its flaws are very minor – only that there's no wired connection, really.

Read our full Stormbox Micro 2 review

JBL Flip 6 held in someone's hand by a pool

3. JBL Flip 6

✅ You're a technophobe: JBL has made the Flip 6 extremely easy to use. Just connect the speaker to your phone or laptop and that's it! ✅ You love the great outdoors: The Flip 6 has one of the most hardiest shells, boasting an IP67 rating, which makes it both water and dust resistant.  

❌ You want the best possible sound quality: Without Wi-Fi like the Sonos Roam at #1 in this list , the Flip 6 is restricted to Bluetooth's limited bandwidth. ❌ You tend to run out of charge often: If this is feature you value, then we suggest looking at the JBL Charge 5 at #7 in the list as it can also charge your phone.  

What you need to know: There's not a lot that a portable speaker needs to do outside of delivering good quality audio while on the go – and if that's all you need, then look no further then JBL. The Flip 6 is a no frills Bluetooth speaker that is easy to use and sounds great. It was released in 2021 so we're expecting a new model to be announced soon but until then, it remains our top pick at this mid-range price point. Being a JBL speaker, it also offers access to features like being able pair up to 100 speakers from the brand at once to create an even larger sound system, but there is no reverse charging with this model – instead check out at #7 in the list if that's something you need.  

Audio performance: Given that the Flip 6 doesn't have a lot of features, its main focus is on delivering clear and accurate audio – yes, it does one thing but it does it very well. While we were reviewing the Bluetooth speaker, we  described its sound as warm and well-balanced, which was surprising for a speaker of this size. Its small stature does mean that the treble can sound a little harsh at times when played at loud volumes but there's still a lot of clarity and detail on offer.   

Design: Unlike a lot of other portable speakers on the market, the Flip 6 doesn't have an obscure shape to it. Rather, it comes in a classic cylinder style that fits in the side pocket of any backpack. There's also a wide range of colors to choose from so there's plenty of options to make sure it matches your gear. It is also extremely rugged, and can withstand a splash of water so you don't have to worry too much about it breaking or running out of battery with its 12 hours battery life. 

Value: The Flip 6 is an ideal speaker for anyone who wants to simply play their music, crank it up loud, sit back and enjoy for a reasonable price – no matter whether you're listening at home or on the go. It's also priced slightly lower than the  JBL Charge 5 due to it not having the extra phone charging feature, which places it firmly in the mid-range part of the market.       

Read our full JBL Flip 6 review

The best Bluetooth speaker for sound

the beosound a1 2nd gen portable speaker on a beach

4. B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)

✅ You appreciate a well designed speaker: Bang & Olufsen is renowned for its Scandi style and the Beosound A1 embodies that minimalist charm effortlessly. ✅ You're an audiophile: This speaker values premium sound quality above all else and really does pull it off. It is by far the best sounding we've come across with Bluetooth.   

❌ You want a speaker with big, powerful sound: This is better suited to a more intimate environment. For something bigger, look at UE's Hyperboom at #8 in this list . ❌ You're known to be clumsy: Yes, it's waterproof and dust proof but it isn't as tough as say the JBL speakers in this list like the Flip 6 at #3 and Charge 5 at #7 .  

What you need to know: Bang & Olufsen didn't make too many changes to the second generation of the Beosound. The A1 is quite similar in looks to its predecessor but there are some helpful improvements at the feature level. One of those features is Alexa support, although being a Bluetooth speaker without any Wi-Fi support, this does require you to connect to your phone so can be a bit slow sometimes.  

Audio performance: Despite being a small speaker, the Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) delivers an exceptionally clear and crisp sonic performance. It manages the difficult task of balancing treble with the mids and bass to produce a smooth sound. During our review, we found the sound quality to be so accurate that it was as if we were listening to our favorite songs for the very first time. The way it manages to control the bass, while still delivering a punchy and exciting sound is outstanding for a Bluetooth speaker. 

Design: Thanks to its circular shape, it can also achieve a full 360-degree soundstage that is surprisingly immersive for such a small device. It's also simply stunning to look at. It has been designed with a slick, minimalist look that makes it feels very classy thanks small details like a thin leather strap. However, although it has an IP67 water and dust resistance rating, it is not the most rugged of Bluetooth speakers we've tested and didn't feel it would be best suited for say a muddy hike. 

Value: Bang & Olufsen is known for being a premium audio brand and so the Beosound A1 is a top shelf Bluetooth speaker. Despite this, it is half the price of our top premium pick, the Sonos Move 2 at #9 in this list . As a result, we think the Beosound A1 is best suited to hardcore music lovers who appreciate a beautifully designed speaker. 

Read our full Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) review

The best Bluetooth speaker for parties

Tribit Stormbox Blast on a blue table outside

5. Tribit Stormbox Blast

✅ You like to have your music up loud: Like its namesake, the Stormbox Blast really does knock your socks off with its powerful room filling sound. ✅ You're all about the bass: Like the UE Hyperboom at #8 in this list , this really does deliver exceptionally balanced bass that doesn't overpower the sound. 

❌ You don't want a dumb speaker: Okay, this isn't dumb by any means but without any mics, you won't be able to use voice assistants like Alexa or Siri.    ❌ You want something portable: The Stormbox Blast is reminiscent of a hefty boombox. Look at the Stormbox Micro 2 at #2 in this list for something more compact.   

What you need to know: The Tribit Stormbox Blast isn't going to be for everyone. Its heavy, has flashing lights that don't turn off completely (the best you can do is make it so they only flash when you're switching the volume levels) and doesn't have the same smart features as some of the other Bluetooth speakers in this list. But if you're after a dedicated party speaker that is powerful enough to be heard when outdoors, then it is hands down the best. 

Audio performance: If you're looking for a portable speaker that you can take into the backyard without annoying the neighbors, then this isn't it. We think it's important to note that during our tests, we found the difference of two to three volume increments was enough to go from too quiet to too loud indoors, so if you want quiet background playlists then we'd suggest looking at the Beosound A1 at #4 in this list .  

Design: Out of all the speakers we've seen, the Stormbox Blast is definitely not the subtlest of looking device we've tested. But that's where the criticism ends. The Stormbox Blast is the biggest and most powerful Bluetooth speaker in Tribit's ever-growing arsenal of portable speakers and it sounds every inch as detailed – even at higher volumes – as models from better-known audio specialists at three times the price. 

Value: Compared to other portable speakers of this size, the Tribit Stormbox Blast offers the best value we've found. Its priced at the middle end of the market, which means its closest rivals are speakers like the JBL Flip 6 at #3 in this list . If, however, you can afford to spend a bit more and still want that big room-filling sound, then we would point you in the direction of the UE Hyperboom at #8 in this list , which like the Stormbox Blast has banging bass. 

Read our full Tribit Stombox Blast review

The best Bluetooth speaker for charging

JBL Charge 5 on a shelf in a home

6. JBL Charge 5

✅ You want a speaker that sounds detailed: Compared to its predecessor, the Charge 5 has an additional tweeter that makes it have better clarity, with more impactful bass.     ✅ You tend to need a charger while on the go: With 20 hours of battery life, the Charge 5 can top up your device's battery life thanks to a USB-C port.  

❌ You want to play music extremely loudly: It may not have the big sound that the Tribit at #5 and UE at #8 can deliver, but it holds its own against the loudest. ❌ You want delicate audiophile sound: It sounds great, but it's still made for impact outdoors, not for refined ears. Think fun and energetic, not classy and controlled.

What you need to know: There aren't a lot of speakers on the market that are extremely small and portable and have detailed sound alongside helpful features like reverse charging, but JBL has pulled it off with the Charge 5. It's priced a little bit more than JBL's more streamlined Flip 6 at #3 in this list , but that's down to the added tech, which we think makes it's a worthwhile pick if these are the three main things you need out of a Bluetooth speaker.  

Audio performance: One of the big highlights of the Charge 5 is its balanced sound, which has a striking amount of clarity. The only downside is that it unfortunately starts to distort at high volumes. Because of this wouldn't advise turning it up past 60% of the volume bar as this is where we found it started to struggle. For the optimum volume, we found the sweet spot was more between 50–60%.   

Design: The cylinder-shaped speaker looks exactly the same as the Flip 6 except for a waterproof USB-C charging port and flap hiding the USB-A port that can be used to charge up your smartphone. There's no aux input for a 3.5mm jack but you do still have access physical buttons for playback, volume, power, pairing and dedicated party sound mode that turns up the volume up to 11 (use this sparingly).  

Value: The only thing about the cost of the Charge 5 is that it puts it squarely in line with the Sonos Roam at #1 in this list , which we think is by far the better all-rounder based on its added connectivity features like Wi-Fi that unlocks multi-room pairing and access to voice assistants. But frankly, there's no reverse charging so this will be the biggest point to consider if choosing between the two.   

Read our full JBL Charge 5 review

The best Bluetooth speaker for battery life

Tribit StormBox Flow on a bench

7. Tribit Stormbox Flow

✅ You take long vacations: Going away, don't have the necessary adapter, want music to last the whole trip? You'll get a whopping 30 hours from this. ✅ You like a clean, fuss-free aesthetic: Look, it's not the last word in design, but it's durable, solid, and does the job of playing your music very well indeed. 

❌ You like to pump up the volume: the Tribit Stormbox Flow sounds best up to 75% volume, because of its bass-heavy tuning. Crank it up further and things get a little congested. ❌ You're concerned about baggage weight allowance: considering its bijou dimensions, the Tribit is heavy, at 660g, so if you're struggling with flight carrier weight stipulations it may be a little much.

What you need to know: It's one of the newer products in this list, arriving in August 2023 and Tribit's making quite a name for itself in this particular arena – ie. Bluetooth belters at around $79 / £79. It's not winning any awards for design, but it is IP67 water- and dustproof and it has a loud, likeable, bass-heavy sound that'll work for many a summer gathering – at home or on the road. 

Audio performance: For a little speaker, the Stormbox Flow can boom out tunes at the pool party, or give you some impressive sound-per-pound audio if you're chilling at home. The bass is arguably the most impressive aspect – although it does get a little cluttered and bloated you turn things up beyond 75% volume.

Pair two of them up in stereo mode (like we did, because they're affordable little speakers, so this is a viable and cost-effective option for a desktop or party) and it’s even more compelling, with a much wider soundstage, just don’t be surprised if you lower the volume a little more than usual. Another tip for the best listen: stick to the XBass sound mode, for the punchiest, crispest sound through the low end. 

Design: Tribit's a little hit-and-miss when it comes to design flourishes and, truth be told, you won't be bowled over by how the Stormbox Flow looks. There's nothing offensive or ugly about it, but there's nothing particularly classy about it either. Also the power button takes a bit of getting used to for timing. Other than that, it's a solid home run here – oh, and did we mention the awesome 30-hour battery? 

Value: Compared to similarly-priced Bluetooth speakers, the battery life here offers immense value for money. In fact, value for money is one of Tribit's main selling points as a brand, and the Stormbox Flow proves it. Yes, the Stormbox Micro 2 (above) is a great little thing, but if you want a slightly larger, louder product that'll last out your entire trip without needing a charge, you may have found it. 

Read our full Tribit Stormbox Flow review

Sonos Move 2 being lifted by its handle

8. Sonos Move 2

✅ You want to go from indoors to outdoors: Sonos has essentially added portable features like waterproofing and a carry handle to one of its elite home speakers.     ✅ You're looking for a long battery life: Like its namesake, the Sonos Move 2 can keep moving for a full day, with one charge lasting a full 24 hours.   

❌ You're on a budget: Sonos isn't as affordable as the likes of the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 at #2 in this list , and that comes down to its premium features, design ando sound.    ❌ You want to take your music wherever you go: There is a handle to make it easy to carry, but at 3kg it isn't the lightest so isn't best suited for constant manoeuvring.

What you need to know: If you're after a Sonos speaker for your home but also want the ability to be able to take it outside with you, then the Move 2 is the Bluetooth speaker you've been looking for. It's both flexible and reliable, and looks classy to boot. There's both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, a USB-C port that can be used for a 3.5mm jack with an adapter, multi-room support including through the Sonos control app, a 24-hour battery life, and you can charge your phone from it. 

Audio performance: The Move 2 also delivers premium sound to match its premium price tag. It has a three-driver speaker system, made up of two angled tweeters and one central midwoofer. Although we found the audio quality to be excellently balanced with great detail, the stereo sound wasn't very convincing, but that's okay. 

Design: Sonos has also updated the design of the Move 2 from its predecessor, slightly. It has new plastic finish, slightly different curved edges, a new top panel, is splash-proof and comes in an olive color, which is a new option in addition to black or white. It's sleek and good looking but loses points for the lack of a proper handle, because it weighs 3kg, and that weight isn't balanced when you lift it.

Value: It's a lot more heftier and heavier than your average portable speaker though, and a has a larger than average price tag to match of $449 / £449 / AU$799, which is a lot more than most options. As a result, the Move 2 is firmly a premium speaker, but you do get a lot of features for the price. 

Read our full   Sonos Move 2 review

Ultimate Ears Epicboom on a navy and orange sofa, held in a hand

9. Ultimate Ears Epicboom

✅ You appreciate UE's iconic aesthetic: If you adored the mug-sized 2019 Wonderboom, you'll love this much bigger version. ✅ You've just redecorated your apartment: Few audio products will look as good next to the clean, chic lines in your newly-updated bedroom, den or kitchen as this speaker. 

❌ You want a speaker that'll work over wi-fi: No dice here. For all its talents, it is just a Bluetooth speaker, unlike the Sonos Move 2 listed above. ❌ You're on a tight budget: UE kit doesn't often come with a tiny pirce-tag (the Wonderboom being a notable exception) but this one of the priciest options on this list, owing to its size, newness and talent. 

What you need to know: Epicboom arrived in September 2023 and, we mean this, it is finally something to get excited about from Ultimate Ears. It is surprisingly big, very talented and essentially does for big Bluetooth speakers what the Wonderboom 2 did for mug-sized options – level up the game in terms of audio prowess. But this is also a fair wedge of money for a Bluetooth speaker and however likeable it is, it won't play nice with your home Wi-Fi to create a multi-room system, where cheaper options from Sonos (above) can. 

Audio performance: It's meaty, it's zealous, it's fun, it's resoundingly tight through the bass even at high volumes. It's basically everything that made Ultimate Ears a household name in this product category. If we were worried, we needn't have been; this is where Ultimate Ears' engineers shine.

Design: Those big tactile plus and minus signs for volume are back along its body, and the flecked rubberised plastic is now much more eco-conscious. The wrist strap is somewhat surplus to requirements (don't allow it to take the full weight of the thing on your arm – it's 1979g and that might hurt) but it's a beautifully crafted thing – and it offers truly omnidirectional sound too. 

Value: The Boom companion app here is an excellent addition. That said, at this level we might have expected wireless connectivity using your home broadband (hey, Sonos!). Another fly in the ointment is this: although a fan-favorite feature within UE's Boom app, PartyUp, lets you pair multiple compatible Ultimate Ears speakers to beef up the audio, it's limited to Epicboom, Boom, Boom 2,  Boom 3 ,  Megaboom ,  Megaboom 3 , and Hyperboom speakers. Want to pair it with your beloved Wonderboom 2 or newer Wonderboom 3 ? Sadly, that's not possible, because PartyUp is not compatible with any Wonderboom, Blast or Megablast UE speaker. Harrumph! 

Read our full Ultimate Ears Epicboom review

Other Bluetooth speakers to consider

At the start of April 2024, we decided to remove the Cleer Audio Scene . We originally recommended it as an alternative to the JBL Flip 6 with an aux-in but it has since been surpassed by newer models. Of course, if a 3.5mm port is important to you then we’d recommend looking at the Tribit Stormbox Blast at #5 in this list . There are other options, too, like the Orange Box , for example, but as a whole, an aux-in does not appear to be readily available among top Bluetooth speakers. If the Stormbox Blast or Orange Box are not as portable as you’d like, then the Cleer Audio Scene can still be found available to buy.  

We also dropped the Ultimate Ears Hyperboom as the best Bluetooth speaker for powerful sound. While it packs in tons of bass, this entry was too similar to other recommendations we have included such as the Sonos Move 2  at #8 in this list and Ultimate Ears Epicboom at #9 in this list . If big sound is what you're after, we'd also recommend looking at the Brane X speaker that was launched in December 2023. The reason why we haven't included this in our list more permanently is because it has limited availability at the time of writing. When that changes, we'll look to reconsider the ranking of our list to best reflect what's available in the market. 

Another two Bluetooth speaker that we're looking forward to becoming more widely available are the JBL Clip 5 and the not yet announced successor to the Sonos Roam. JLB's Clip 5 is pitched as having support for next-gen Bluetooth Auracast, which is a highly-anticipated upgrade that is also set to feature in its upcoming Xtreme 4 and Go 4 models. And while no official details have been announced about the Roam 2 , it is rumored to arrive in June. 

How to choose the best Bluetooth speaker

What's the best bluetooth speaker brand.

The best Sonos speakers are great if you want to bridge the gap between indoors and outdoors, with the ability to form part of a wider multi-room system – and you can be sure that they’ll sound fantastic, too. 

JBL is well known for making some of the best waterproof speakers affordable prices, and it’s line of party speakers even come with built-in light shows.

If waterproofing is a priority then look out for models from Ultimate Ears, which combine fun, colorful designs with rugged builds – many of which can withstand a dip in the pool.

Consider high-end audio brands such as Bose and Bang & Olufsen if you want a combination of stylish design and great sound – but be prepared for relatively high prices. If you want to save money then Tribit and Anker offer strong speakers that won’t break the bank.

Is JBL or Bose better?

Both JBL and Bose produce a range of speakers, some are small and compact whereas others are big enough to fill a room with sound at a party. Bose tends to make products that are at the premium end of the spectrum in terms of both excellent audio performance, design and price. JBL is more affordable and its products tend to fall in the mid-range when it comes to quality. 

The brand you choose is all about what you're looking for. If you value quality sound above all else, pick a Bose option, like the Bose SoundLink Flex. But the JBL Flip 6 pushes this speaker out of our list because it's a fantastic all-rounder, sounds good and handles drops, knocks and splashes well. Bose might be the better audio tech brand, but we think JBL outperforms in the portable Bluetooth speaker competition, especially when it comes to sheer value for money.

Is Bose better than Sonos?

Both Bose and Sonos create excellent-sounding audio tech that tends to be at the premium end of the spectrum. We love Bose products and often recommend them, but in terms of the best Bluetooth speakers and portable speakers, we think Sonos is the better option.

The Sonos Roam has been sitting at the top of our best Bluetooth speakers list for some time now and we love that it seamlessly becomes part of your Sonos Wi-Fi multi-room setup indoors, too.

How we test the best Bluetooth speakers

We've tested and thoroughly reviewed all of the Bluetooth speakers in this guide ourselves by listening to them on their own and by comparing them to the current class-leaders. Basically, if it's listed here, you know we think it's worth it over the myriad rival models we've reviewed (because plenty do not make it here, believe us). 

We test countless portable speakers every year at TechRadar, and that means we know exactly which features and specs to look out for. It's important for us to compare the performance of these speakers against the specs claimed by their manufacturers, which is why we take the time to make sure the battery life and connectivity is as good as the brands say they are. 

We test each Bluetooth speaker in a range of environments and against its chief competitors too, so you know that the product will work just as well in the great outdoors as it does in your home. We live with these speakers in our homes to make sure that their performances are consistent, and we don't finalize our testing until we are certain of the sound quality.

On this, we test the audio performance using a range of musical genres and stream from various sources, to ensure that these speakers can handle everything from thumping dance tracks to softly-spoken podcasts. 

With more years in this game than we'd care to admit behind us, we are truly confident that our star-rated reviews are the best indication of the quality of the Bluetooth speakers in this list. There are no sales teams involved in our verdicts, which means if we don't like it for sound, design, usability and features, we simply won't recommend it. 

The latest updates to this Bluetooth speakers guide

April 4, 2024 Removed the Cleer Audio Scene as best for aux-in and Ultimate Ears Hyperboom as best for powerful sound. Added in a new 'Also consider' section that highlights upcoming new releases to look out for.  

March 4, 2024 Added Tribit Stormbox Flow and Ultimate Ears Epicboom to this buying guide. Updated biog and key points. Reworte intro to reflect current tech updates in the category. 

January 25, 2024 Updated write-ups for each product to include extra summaries from key points of their respective reviews. 

Read more updates

November 30, 2023 Updated copy throughout, added Sonos Move 2 details. September 25, 2023 Updated lead image, added 'buy it if' boxouts to product write-ups and swapped out the Sonos Move for the Move 2 as the best premium Bluetooth speaker.   Aug 10, 2023 Updated intro, checked prices, considered other competing options for entry to this guide 

July 25, 2023 Added links to our recent IKEA shower speaker feature and mini Bluetooth speakers roundup. Updated the intro to reflect current trends and best choices. 

June 15, 2023 Updated the format of this guide to make it easier to navigate. Added more about how we test Bluetooth speakers to the introduction. Updated FAQs at the end to reflect our current choices. Removed a discontinued product from the list.

June 6, 2023 Updated introduction to reflect the new season, and checked all products.

May 18, 2023 Changed images to our own hands-on pictures. Reordered products to reflect the latest prices.

April 13, 2023 Checked all products against our latest reviews and ratings.

February 17, 2023 Added Cleer Audio Scene to the list. Reordered products accordingly.

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Becky is a senior staff writer at TechRadar (which she has been assured refers to expertise rather than age) focusing on all things audio. Before joining the team, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.  

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small travel bluetooth speaker

Best Bluetooth speakers 2024: tried and tested for every budget

The best Bluetooth speakers for your at-home and on-the-go needs

  • Best overall
  • Best portable
  • Best budget
  • Best mid-price
  • Best premium
  • Best multi-room

Best for music and movies

Also consider.

  • How to choose
  • How we test

Recent updates

JBL Charge 5 JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi

1. The list in brief 2. Best overall 3. Best portable 4. Best budget 5. Best mid-price 6. Best premium 7. Best multi-room 8. Best smart 9. Best for music and movies 10. Also consider 11. How to choose 12. How we test 13. FAQ 14. Recent updates

Bluetooth speakers are one of the easiest, most versatile and budget-friendly ways to get music playing. These wire-free wonders come in so many shapes and sizes that their various use cases are near-endless, from sticking them in the corner of your office to popping one in a backpack and taking it with you to the park.

Ok, the sound is rarely audiophile-grade quality, but brands such as JBL have realised that people do care about sound quality alongside other user-friendly features, meaning the level of audio has improved over the last few years.

We’ve heard everything from large room-filling Bluetooth speakers to dinky travel options, and many have impressed by offering great value for money, lengthy battery life, waterproofing and even engaging, competent audio quality. Naturally, there are plenty of speakers that haven't made the grade, which is why our team of experienced reviewers have created this guide recommending only the best Bluetooth speakers that are worth considering for your budget.

Every single model has been tested by our team of expert reviewers both in the real world and in our dedicated test rooms to ensure they’re worth your time. You can find out more about  our testing process or else keep scrolling to see our pick of the best Bluetooth speakers currently available.

  • IP ratings explained: how waterproof are your speakers?

The quick list

JBL Charge 5

Best Bluetooth speaker overall

The Charge 5 is currently as good a sound as you can get in a portable Bluetooth speaker for under £200/$200.

Read more below

Wireless speaker: JBL Flip 6

Best portable Bluetooth speaker

With its diminutive dimensions, 12-hour battery life and punchy bass, the Flip 6 is the ideal travel companion. 

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2

Best budget Bluetooth speaker

A tiny budget speaker that makes a big impact – if you’re watching the pennies there’s no better option right now than Tribit's Stormbox Micro 2.

B&O Beosound A1 2nd Gen

Best mid-price Bluetooth speaker

B&O’s eye-catching compact speaker justifies its price with a refined performance and typically classy build.

Dali Katch G2

Best premium Bluetooth speaker

A luxurious, lovely-sounding speaker that’s just as comfortable in your home as it is on the road.

Sonos Era 100

Best multi-room Bluetooth speaker

If you’re looking to build a multi-room system that also has Bluetooth capability, the brilliant Sonos Era 100 is the speaker for you.

Load the next 2 products... ↓

Amazon

Best smart Bluetooth speaker

A versatile little speaker that combines Bluetooth connectivity with a handy voice assistant that does much more than just read the weather forecast. 

Audio Pro C20

Best Bluetooth speaker for music and movies 

Audio Pro’s feature-packed C20 offers a raft of features and such an impressive sonic profile that it will excel no matter how you use it. 

Harry McKerrell headshot

I'm a staff writer who has listened to and reviewed dozens of products during my time at What Hi-Fi? . Hi-fi loudspeakers and fancy amps are all well and good, but I love a great Bluetooth speaker that can offer a fast, fuss-free and often fantastically affordable solution to your everyday needs. I've had hands-on experience with every model on the list below, putting them through their paces to ensure you know exactly which speaker to go for. Good sound quality, durability, waterproofness, features and connectivity; we've assessed them all to put you fully in the picture before buying.

JBL Charge 5

1. JBL Charge 5

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

The JBL Charge 5 has become one of the most enduringly impressive Bluetooth speakers we've ever tested, wowing us not only with the quality of its sound but with the longevity it continues to display. After multiple What Hi-Fi? Award wins, JBL's bottle-shaped speaker is still the best in its class. 

The IP67-rated Charge 5 is fully dustproof and waterproof and can be submerged in water up to a meter for around 30 minutes before doing itself any damage. Thanks to its 10W tweeter and racetrack-shaped driver, it's imperious and forthright sounding, trouncing the competition at this £200 / $200 / AU$300 price point. The arrival of the slightly more expensive Charge 5 Wi-Fi (£230 / $230 / AU$330) has made things a little more complex,  but the invigorating, cohesive listen of the standard Charge 5 model remains very tough to beat. 

That new Charge 5 Wi-Fi model does offer a slightly more refined sound alongside more flexible wi-fi-enabled capabilities such as AirPlay 2 and Alexa Multiroom, but the more affordable Charge 5 remains a superb portable speaker that offers enjoyable sound in a neat, durable package. With a Charge 6 surely on the horizon soon , expect prices to fall if and when the sixth-gen model is finally unveiled to the world.  

Read our full JBL Charge 5 review

Andy Madden bio pic

Which JBL speaker to choose has been made trickier by the emergence of the Charge 5 Wi-Fi , a wi-fi enabled speaker model that earned five stars during testing. The big bonus of the Wi-Fi model is that you can use features such as AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, giving you the freedom to continue using your phone or source player without affecting your music. The Charge 5 Wi-Fi does also sound a little better, but bear in mind that we tested it at £230 / $230 / AU$330, a significant advance on the standard Charge 5's current £130ish ($160 / AU$250).

JBL Flip 6 being held in front of a bush

2. JBL Flip 6

Anyone who finds the considerable heftiness of the Charge 5 above to be a little too much for them should consider stepping down to the five-star JBL Flip 6. When we say "stepping down", incidentally, we mean that with regard mainly to price and size, as while it may be a slimmer model, the Flip 6 remains a consummate pro at delivering everything you'd expect from a JBL portable companion.   

The Flip's durability is up there with the more costly Charge 5 (it's IP67 water- and dust-proof), while the sound offers space, zeal and musicality in spades. Ok, it won't hit the breadth of sound that its bigger brother can, never mind those higher volumes, but that's what you sacrifice if you want a smaller form factor. 

If you desire more from the midrange and less from the treble, you can tweak it thanks to a new EQ feature in the app, which adds significant value. For a nominal price hike over the launch price of the soon-to-be-redundant Flip 5, there’s certainly more detail here, too.

If you need more oomph and drive, the larger JBL Charge 5 is the speaker for you, but for a more compact and admirably musical performer, the Flip 6 is the way to go. All in all, another winner courtesy of JBL.

Read our full JBL Flip 6 review

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 on a wooden surface

3. Tribit Stormbox Micro 2

If all you need from your ideal Bluetooth speaker is portability alongside affordability, you'd struggle to improve on the small, satchel-friendly Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. A great and inexpensive alternative to the Flip 6 above, the Micro 2 fits flat in your hand in contrast to the cylindrical form of the Flip.

Sporting a utilitarian but not unattractive woven finish design, the Micro 2 pumps out genuinely enjoyable audio and a rather impressive battery life of around 12 hours during testing. Better yet, its IP67 rating allowed one of our team to test it in the shower without causing any lasting damage. Again, the Stormbox Micro 2's compact size and robust construction make it well-suited for venturing far beyond the confines of a bathroom or kitchen.

The audio is certainly a big plus point, too, going bigger, punchier and louder than you’d expect from such a diminutive unit, doing justice to most tracks in terms of tempo, rhythm and dynamics. The Stormbox's Midrange is particularly pleasing, and we'd even go so far as to say that it's as good as anything else we’ve seen at this price. 

Fine, the Stormbox Micro 2 can suffer from distortion at louder volumes, but it's still one of your best-value options if you’re really on a tight budget. 

Read our full Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2 review

Bang and Olufsen A1 next to a sitting man

4. Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)

This is definitely the Bluetooth speaker for those among us who don't like to follow the herd. You can have your JBLs and your Tribits, as the Bang & Olufsen A1 (2nd Gen) is for anyone who prioritises luxury, style and a bit of personality from their electronics. This is the speaker for those people who could choose an Audi, VW or BMW, but go for an Alfa Romeo instead.

Admittedly, saying that the A1 sports similar dimensions to a medium-sized hamburger doesn't sound that luxurious, but rest assured: it's a beautiful, very well-made burger only bested in the looks department by the rather stunning Dali Katch G2 below.  

The Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) supports Qualcomm’s latest  aptX Adaptive  Bluetooth 5.1 codec and features Alexa built-in, as long as you're connected to the wi-fi when you want to speak to her. That's a smart feature that most of the rivals on this list don't have, by the way.  

Sonically, we consider this to be one of Bang & Olufsen's best models, presenting a pleasingly comfortable yet authoritative performance that you could easily listen to all day. Throw in its classy, well-made design, easy-to-use operation and the bonus of Alexa, and suddenly things start to make a whole lot of sense. 

Incidentally, look out for discounts around sales periods, as we've seen certain colourways plummet considerably during Black Friday, Prime Day and the festive period. 

Read our full Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) review  

Dali Katch on a wooden window sill

5. Dali Katch G2

Now this is how you make a premium Bluetooth speaker. A step up from the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 in terms of price, sound and style, the Dali Katch G2 proves that you don't need to sacrifice a premium look and feel for portability or sonic prowess: the G2's compact dimensions, retractable travel handle and 30-hour battery mean it could easily become your go-to travel speaker. If you've got the money, of course - a current RRP of roughly £349 / AU$749 isn't exactly budget.

The rather lovely Katch oozes a sort of continental class, finished to the highest quality and with a luxurious aesthetic that really can rival some of the best dedicated domestic speakers in the style stakes. Our white and caramel unit slots in perfectly to the aesthetic of a clean conservatory or cosy living room, and when it came time to take some hands-on pics, the G2 proved itself to be the ideal model thanks to its timeless beauty from every angle.

And the sound! The G2 is still picking up Awards in 2023 thanks to its unbeatable sonic chops at this level, delighting us with phenomenal clarity, impressive bass weight and a real adeptness at understanding the music played through it. That's now three What Hi-Fi? Awards for the Katch 2 (in 2021, 2022 and 2023), and it'll take some beating to stop it picking up any more.  

If you've got the money and want to push beyond even what most JBL speakers on this list are offering, this is our go-to recommendation. For musicality at this size, the Dali Katch G2 is the king of the hill.

Read our full Dali Katch G2 review  

Upright Sonos Era 100 next to a wooden bookshelf

6. Sonos Era 100

It isn't just traditional, portable Bluetooth speakers on this list. The Era 100 is, alongside the Award-winning Era 300, one of the best speakers that Sonos has made in quite some time, and thanks to its Bluetooth capabilities, it's eligible for a spot on this rundown

The Era 100 is a certified five-star performer, combining updated specs and features with an overhauled design to deliver one of the most sonically satisfying speakers Sonos has ever made at this level. Reconceived from the ground up, the Era 100 sports brand-new drivers in the shape of two angled tweeters with customer waveguides alongside a woofer that's 25 per cent larger than the Sonos One,  with each unit powered by its own Class D amplifier. 

This, alongside a faster processor, translates into a much better sound than Sonos managed with the Sonos One, and while the One was mono only, the Era 100 can pump out a satisfying stereo experience. The bass profile feels deep, full and substantial, while the clarity and detail across the spectrum make for a cohesive, balanced listen. Even the timing is excellent!

The Era 100 is more of a stationary, use-at-home unit, but that Bluetooth connectivity does afford you more flexibility in terms of how you use it. With such ambitious levels of performance, we think it's one of the finest wireless Bluetooth speakers you'll find at this price. 

Read our full Sonos Era 100 review

Echo Dot on a wooden shelf with some books

7. Amazon Echo Dot (5th Generation)

No, the Echo Dot isn't a traditional Bluetooth speaker according to our usual criteria. It's not portable as it requires a plugged-in connection to the wall, plus it relies on wi-fi for Alexa to work at all. You can (and will), however, utilise Bluetooth to connect your iPhone to the Echo Dot, especially if you want to play music stored locally, qualifying it as a Bluetooth speaker on more than a mere technicality.

Either way, the Echo Dot (5th Generation) truly earns its place on this list thanks to its all-round excellence and hugely attractive price tag. It may be cheap, but nothing about the Dot feels tacky or cut-price, and whereas once Alexa was a one-note performer capable of answering basic questions about the weather and knowing the capital of France, now she's as bursting with skills and knowledge as Keanu Reeves after he's been uploaded with various handy computer programs. The Dot's AI assistant is more helpful than ever, stuffed with so many tricks that you'll often find yourself falling into the trap of speaking to Alexa as though "she" were a real person.

Audio has come a long way, too. Amazon's so-called “best-sounding Echo Dot yet” lives up to its billing thanks to a single 44mm front-firing speaker (4mm larger than the previous gen’s 40mm), offering audio that feels, for the size, weighty, listenable and surprisingly versatile.

For non-Apple devotees seeking a smart companion on a budget, the Echo Dot is a fine alternative to the HomePod Mini.

Read our full Amazon Echo Dot (5th Generation) review

Audio Pro C20 wireless speaker

8. Audio Pro C20

If it's a cliché to use the term "jack-of-all-trades", then you know what? Let's use a cliché. The five-star Audio Pro C20 is yet another supremely capable performer from one of the most consistent, and underrated, audio brands around, melding a variety of functionalities and potential use cases into a unified, deeply impressive package. If ever there was a time to use that jack-of-all-trades label, this is it. 

The C20 is a Bluetooth speaker thanks to its 5.0 connectivity, yet its wi-fi capabilities allow the C20 to stream tracks up to 24-bit/96kHz via AirPlay 2 and Google Cast, as well as via Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and even Audio Pro multi-room. That's a lot of choice, and it makes this mains-powered powerhouse an incredibly versatile solution that goes far beyond the capabilities of your traditional Bluetooth speaker.

That's before we get on to physical connections. The C20 offers a set of RCA inputs alongside HDMI ARC for boosting your TV's sound, as well as a sub out if you want to add a subwoofer into the mix. There's also an optical input for hooking up to digital sources, plus an MM phono stage if you're planning on connecting up your turntable to the C20's convenient, one-stop-shop.

And we haven't even arrived at the sound of the thing yet. What's remarkable about the koala-faced wonder (it does look like a koala, right?) is just how open and broad the soundscape it conjures is, offering a presentation that grows and expands with an awesome sense of breadth and scale for your music and movies. Painted within this wide sonic landscape are plenty of details and nuances, each one finding its own happy place within the wider composition. If you thought the C20 would go so heavy on features that it would forget about proper sound, boy is there egg on your face.

A superb speaker that does a lot of things very, very well, there are very few single-box units that can compete. 

Read our full Audio Pro C20 review

JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi: A wonderful spin on one of our favourite JBL speakers of all time, the Charge 5 Wi-Fi, naturally, adds wi-fi streaming and a little bit of extra musicality to the Charge 5's Award-winning recipe. It's more expensive than the basic model (sitting at around £200 / $200 at the time of writing), so you'll be forking out a little more for the convenience of AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Chromecast. That said, it's a great speaker in its own right and a lovely addition to the JBL family. As far as spin-offs go, this one's a hit in our book.

JBL Xtreme 3: One of the biggest speakers in the JBL range that could still be confidently classified as "portable", the Xtreme 3 is a powerful, robust marvel that tasks the basic form and recipe of the Charge 5 and makes it, well, bigger. It's not just a brainless brute, though - instead, the Xtreme 3's sound is laden with snap and detail, not to mention an impressive sense of dynamics and musicality. A five-star alternative that we'd urge you to check out.

Sonos Move 2: One of the big benefits of any Sonos speaker is its ability to integrate into the peerless Sonos ecosystem. Don't let its burly design fool you; the Move 2 is portable by virtue of its Bluetooth connectivity, even if it's more the sort of speaker you'd take down the bottom of the garden rather than anywhere much further afield. 

Audio Pro C10 MkII : Just because it didn't fit into this particular list, don't ignore the C10 Mk II. Despite qualifying as what we'd normally call a "wireless speaker", the C10 is a fine alternative to the models on this list courtesy of its Bluetooth capabilities. A former What Hi-Fi? Award-winner, it's versatile, portable, great-sounding and often enjoys major discounts. What's not to like?

Sonos Roam: We like the Roam, and we're confident that the legions of Sonos lovers will like it even more. Despite not being outstanding for timing and dynamics, it's a speaker with a meaty, full-bodied presentation that boasts a lovely build quality, slimline design and plenty of features, including wi-fi capabilities and AirPlay 2. Plus, you can immerse it into the exceptional Sonos multiroom ecosystem, so if you have other Sonos speakers, the Roam makes a good deal of sense.

JBL Authentics 300: Big, handsome and extremely versatile, the Authentics 300 is an excellent choice for anyone who wants something semi-portable that can be carted from room to room before blasting out a robust, enthusiastic sound when it gets there. With dual voice assistants, Bluetooth, wi-fi streaming and Alexa Multiroom, the 300 is a lot more than a pretty face. 

How to choose the best Bluetooth speaker for you

When choosing a Bluetooth speaker , the first thing you should ask yourself after setting a budget is what you want from it. Does the speaker need to be portable and versatile enough to use both indoors and outdoors ? Or are you happy with a mains-powered speaker that can fill a big room with brilliant audio?

Sound , of course, should play a huge part in your decision, because there's absolutely no guarantee that two models of a similar price will end up sounding the same in terms of quality, audio presentation and general timbre. Some Bluetooth speakers will be peppy and exciting, while others will prioritise pulsating bass to get the party started.

Size and power , too, should be a consideration. The Tribit Micro 2 is a handy little speaker to take into the shower or clip onto your rucksack during a hike, but you'll find it practically useless if you plan to rave away your nights to the sound of the best house, dance and electronic floor-fillers every weekend. A bigger option, like the JBL Charge 5, or models that allow daisy-chaining, will be more appropriate for ravers or users who prioritise loudness. 

If you're choosing portability , you'll want to think about battery life and other aspects such as how waterproof, dustproof and rugged the design is. How durable a Bluetooth speaker is can quickly become a determining factor, especially if you want to, say, take one to the park or the beach and on holidays.

Generally, the more you spend the more features you get, such as multi-room functionality, higher-quality Bluetooth codec support (for aptX or aptX HD , for example), and the ability to answer calls hands-free. Some portable Bluetooth speakers even allow you to charge a smartphone or tablet using their own built-in battery. Naturally, you should only consider treating a buying decision as a box-ticking exercise based on the features you think you'd benefit from.

Once you've narrowed down your search, it's time to draw up a shortlist of contenders and, if you have the time, search around a few retailers and outlets for the best price. Or, alternatively, you can use our best Bluetooth speaker deals hub to find discounts right away.

How we test Bluetooth speakers

At What Hi-Fi? we review hundreds of products every year at our state-of-the-art testing facilities in London and Reading. We have complete control over the testing process, and we also review products as a team as opposed to individually, ensuring no opinion goes unheard and that our final verdicts are consistent. Our expert, trusted team has over 100 combined years of reviewing experience.

Besides the sound quality of a Bluetooth speaker, which we test with every genre of music from classical to pop, we also scrutinise other aspects of its design. These include its battery life, the robustness of its Bluetooth connection, how easy it is to use and set up, and finally, how well built and rugged it is – especially if it will be used outdoors. Our review philosophy doesn't change whether we're evaluating a portable budget Bluetooth speaker or a more premium model with extra streaming features.

All new Bluetooth speakers are judged on a performance-per-pound basis and, as part of our tried-and-tested process, put up against the current class leader(s) at its respective price point to see how they compare and to help us settle on a star rating.

There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with  What Hi-Fi?  proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for nearly five decades.

What's the difference between wireless and Bluetooth speakers?

Bluetooth speakers are wireless in that they don't require a wire to connect to an audio source; they use the Bluetooth streaming protocol. However, Bluetooth speakers don't necessarily also support wi-fi, which is a necessary feature of what we term 'wireless speakers'. A wireless speaker can connect to an audio source via the internet (i.e. your home wi-fi) – by way of Apple AirPlay or Google Chromecast, for example – whether or not it also has Bluetooth.

While this will depend on the kit you are using and your wi-fi limitations at home, transmitting audio over wi-fi rather than Bluetooth comes with certain benefits: wi-fi doesn't have as limited a signal range as Bluetooth, generally facilitates better sound quality and is capable of transmitting higher-quality audio. The standard Bluetooth codecs (SBC and AAC) are not widely capable of transmitting CD-quality (or higher) files, and even the higher-quality codecs like aptX are lossy (i.e. data gets lost during the transmission).

However, Bluetooth-only speakers are generally more portable, as they don't require an internet connection or being plugged into the mains, and often more affordable than wi-fi-enabled wireless speakers. If you're interested in wi-fi-ready speakers, you should look at our best wireless speakers guide instead.

How many watts is good for a home Bluetooth speaker?

There isn't a simple answer here, as a higher wattage number doesn't necessarily equal good sound quality, but it does determine how loud your speaker can go. Basically, you'll want a speaker that's going to be able to fill your intended space with a good amount of sound. So, if you're looking for a small, portable Bluetooth speaker to use casually on the table in a small space, a relatively low-powered speaker output (10W or thereabouts) will get that job done for you without any problems.

However, if you've got a big, spacious room or the outdoors that you want to fill with sound at decent volumes, a bigger speaker with a higher watt output (25W to 50W) will likely serve you best.

How does a Bluetooth speaker work?

Bluetooth is a short-range, low-powered, low-bandwidth streaming protocol used to connect compatible devices together wirelessly. Bluetooth uses radio waves just like wi-fi does but at a different scale.

A Bluetooth speaker relies on this short-range Bluetooth connection to connect to a Bluetooth-supporting audio source and accept audio data from it. Both the speaker and source device need to have compatible Bluetooth codecs to send this information between them – SBC and AAC are the standard codecs. A wireless speaker operates similarly but instead relies on a wi-fi network connection to accept audio data transmitted from an audio source.

Pairing a Bluetooth speaker and Bluetooth device is easy: you simply put the speaker in 'pairing mode' (usually by pressing a button), go into a device's Bluetooth settings and 'scan' for available speakers and then select your speaker.

Is JBL a good brand? Better than Bose?

At What Hi-Fi? , we have reviewed many products from both JBL and Bose and find that many of JBL's current speakers provide excellent audio quality and great value, earning them many five-star reviews. Bose speakers tend to satisfy on the features and design front, and while we used to see budget and great-sounding speakers from Bose a few years ago, recent models have seen costs rise. These pricier models don't always offer the same performance-per-pound value as their rivals.

In the audio world, it is tough to compare how good one brand is to another on the whole, especially when it comes to big brands that have many products in their arsenal. While we do recommend a fair few JBL speakers on the above list, don't assume that everything JBL makes is better than everything Bose makes.

  • April 2024: Added the Audio Pro C20 following a five-star review.
  • March 2024: Added an also consider section to offer more alternative buying options for readers.
  • February 2024:  Added FAQ section to help with buying decisions and frequently asked questions.
  • November 2023:   What Hi-Fi?  Award winners labelled after the 2023 Awards Best Buys and Product of the Year announcements.

Planning on a pool party? These are the best outdoor speakers

For an alternative to Bluetooth, here are the best wireless speakers

Adventurers will also need the best running headphones and wireless earbuds

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Harry McKerrell

Harry McKerrell is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. He studied law and history at university before working as a freelance journalist covering TV and gaming for numerous platforms both online and in print. When not at work he can be found playing hockey, practising the piano or forcing himself to go long-distance running.

  • atkins14 What is actually the best sounding speaker though? You don't actually seem to compare them to each other? Such as the Dali Katch to say the UE Megablast, Audio Pro C3 etc. Ignoring hardwired speakers and price. Also how do they hold up to say the Sonos Move, Bose home, Vifa Oslo, Beolit 17 etc? I had the Dali Katch but had to return as bluetooth connectivity was too temperamental. Reply
  • StevieDee No mention of the Soundcore Flare or Flare+ which are well regarded? Reply
  • Jmr1969x This article should say best bang for your buck. Best bluetooth speaker title makes me think best sounding and bose and UE don't come to mind for sound quality. Maybe do an best sounding or audiophile like sound. I would look for speakers like B&O, Harmon Kardon, Klipsch ? Mini Rig ? Not JBL and Sony. I come to What HiFi for audiophile info. Reply
StevieDee said: No mention of the Soundcore Flare or Flare+ which are well regarded?
Jmr1969x said: This article should say best bang for your buck. Best bluetooth speaker title makes me think best sounding and bose and UE don't come to mind for sound quality. Maybe do an best sounding or audiophile like sound. I would look for speakers like B&O, Harmon Kardon, Klipsch ? Mini Rig ? Not JBL and Sony. I come to What HiFi for audiophile info.
  • DailyDose Inappropriate content deleted by moderation. Reply
  • MrBuffy Minirig 3 is the GOAT, don't bother with anything else. Reply
  • View All 7 Comments

small travel bluetooth speaker

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RS Recommends: The Best-Sounding Mini Wireless Speakers

By John Lonsdale

John Lonsdale

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

From the road to the shower, every music fan needs one of the best mini speakers on hand for on-the-go jamming. Hauling heavy wired speakers everywhere you want to go just isn’t realistic, and even trying to travel with some of today’s best Bluetooth speakers won’t always cut it. But fortunately a few well-known brands from Sony to JBL have found a way to fit in a mix of serious tech and quality sound into these compact pieces of gear — all at a budget-friendly price.

Today’s best mini speakers offer louder sound than ever before, with high-tech features like microphones for wireless calls and the ability to pair them with others for a mini stereo setup on your next trip. Sure, you won’t need to go out and replace your high-end stereo system , but these portable powerhouse devices are a worthwhile buy for taking your music on any commute.

Below, we picked the best mini Bluetooth speakers for any situation that won’t disappoint.

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When researching this guide, we only picked brands with speakers that produce great-sounding models. When you’re streaming music, each of the speakers in this guide guarantee a high-quality sound for their small size. Here are a few other features to keep in mind when you’re choosing your next mini speaker.

Size: When we talk about mini Bluetooth speakers, we mean gear that’s extremely easy to stash in a pocket, a backpack, and that’s easy to travel with. Everyone’s version of “mini” might vary, but it’s now much easier to find better-designed speakers with a smaller overall footprint. After all, the point of a mini speaker is to make sure you always have music when you’re on the go, so you want something that’s nearly handheld, or can clip to, say, a bag. We picked the best mini speakers that are lightweight and smaller in size than your typical wireless units.

Portability: Along with their smaller size, a handful of mini speakers come with smart design features that make them even more portable, from built-in handles and clips that you can attach to luggage or a bike.

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Battery Life:  A common misconception about the best mini speakers is that they have a battery life to match their size, but that’s not the case anymore. New mini Bluetooth speakers come with a surprisingly amount of runtime that make them contenders for your all-day music source. In this guide, we picked speakers with about 10 hours or more of battery life.

What Are the Best Mini Speakers?

Go ahead and plan the rest of your trip — these are the best mini Bluetooth speakers you can trust to get the job done on the road, from brands like JBL, Sony, Bose, and other well-trusted brands.

1. JBL Clip 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

jbl-clip-4-portable-speaker-bluetooth

Our pick for the best mini Bluetooth speaker comes from JBL, the latest, greatest entry in its Clip speaker line. The JBL Clip 4 uses, of course, a clip-on handle that you can attach to nearly anything, whether you’re at home or on the road. Though it’s one of the best-designed and durable portable models out there, its sound might surprise you even more with 5 watts of output power and what the brand sums up as “rich audio and punchy bass.” The bottom line: Consider JBL the new frontrunner for the best ultra-portable speakers in the audio game.

Buy JBL Clip 4 Speaker $79.95

2. Sony Extra Bass Wireless Portable Travel Speaker

sony-extra-bass-portable-mini-speaker

We’re fans of Sony’s Extra Bass headphones because of their stellar audio. But for days when you just want to listen to a playlist out loud, go for the brand’s Extra Bass portable speaker — a must-have mini speaker for any music fan. Its mini size delivers plenty of power for booming bass and clear-and-crisp audio. It’s both waterproof and dustproof for days at the beach or camping, and it can play music for up to 16 hours on a full charge — among the longest-lasting mini speakers we’ve seen. You can even use it for calls thanks to its built-in microphone. Pro tip: Get a second so you can pair them for stereo sound.

Buy Sony Extra Bass Speaker $58.00

3. Bose SoundLink Portable Speaker

bose-soundlink-flex-bluetooth-portable-speaker

Despite its smaller size, this excellent-sounding Bose portable speaker can blast tunes for a whopping 12 hours on a charge. That’s among the longest-lasting runtimes we’ve seen in a speaker of its size. As far as the sound goes, expect the same kind of solid audio quality that music lovers have come to trust with Bose’s line of speakers, headphones, and earbuds. The SoundLink is among the largest of the speakers in this guide, but it’s still small enough to stash in a pack or a cup holder.

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Buy Bose SoundLink Speaker $149.00

4. JBL Go 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker

jbl-go-3-portable-speaker

Another entry from JBL, the Go 3 comes with a truly mini frame that, like its name will tell you, was made to get out on the road and go. With a built-in hanging loop, you can tie it to a belt, backpack, or loop it around a latch on a cooler so you’re never without nearby tunes. We love its rugged and durable construction, so you also don’t have to worry about it getting damaged out in the wild.

Buy JBL Go 3 $49.95

5. Pitras Portable Mini Outdoor Speaker

portable-bluetooth-mini-outdoor-speaker

Whether you hang it up in your shower or you tie it to your hiking pack, this Bluetooth mini outdoor speaker can run for about 10 hours when charged. Bass-heavy tracks come through loud and clear, while the built-in mics make it easy to hop on a call without taking your phone out of your pocket. It features an IPX7 waterproof rating, meaning it’s tough enough to withstand getting wet outdoors. Best of all, you can get it for under $17 on Amazon at the time of this writing.

Buy Pitras Mini Speaker

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  • > Travel

The-Best-Portable-Bluetooth-Speakers-for-Travel,-Tested-

The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers for Travel, Tested

I love music. Can’t live without it. It doesn’t matter where I am: office, in transit or home. I’ve always got sweet grooves washing through my headphones. So when I travel, be it weekends away or international voyages, I need not only great tunes, but great sound quality. It’s super important to me.

And sure, in most traveling scenarios headphones work well for solo music appreciation, but sometimes I want to fill a room or a poolside with waves of sound. Invite people over. Get a ‘vibe’ going. Cut loose a little, you know? And that’s when a portable bluetooth speaker comes into play. Something small and compact (and hopefully waterproof) that’s easy to pack, but can push out one heck of a jam at ample levels, cleanly and crisply, for a good stretch of time.  

So, in the search for the best portable bluetooth speakers for travel, I’ve sourced the very best, to pit them against each other, in the hope of finding… well, the best option for most people. 

Here’s my shortlist.

JBL-Clip-3-Review

Tough, waterproof, and compact, the JBL Clip 3 is designed to offer a lot in a little package. It includes a carabiner to attach it to clothing or a bag, with lots of colorways to suit your own style. In addition to its IPX7 waterproof rating you get 10 hours of playtime, plus an inbuilt noise and echo-cancelling speakerphone. And it’s not too pricey either, coming in at US$59.95.

JBL-Flip-4-review

The JBL Flip 4 costs a little more than the Clip 3, with a price tag of $79.95. But you get up to 12 hours of battery life and can wirelessly connect up to two smartphones or tablets to take turns as DJ. The Flip 4 has an IPX7 waterproof build and provides a noise and echo-cancelling speakerphone for clear calls. And if you feel the desire (unlikely, but who knows where a party might lead), you can wirelessly link over 100 JBL Connect+ enabled speakers for one heck of an amplified tune session. And the Flip 4 also allows button activation for Siri or Google Now.

Anker Motion Q

Anker-Motion-Q-Review

An understated design, 360-degree sound, a waterproof IPX7 rating (and it floats), a respectable 10 hours of battery life, and all for $45.99? The Anker Motion Q is firmly set on showcasing that you don’t need to break the bank in order to enjoy functional, versatile design.

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom

Ultimate-Ears-Wonderboom-Review

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom has plenty of great features in a burly design that lets you showcase your personality a little, with a wide range of colorways to choose from (because sometimes you want something a little different to black, ya know?). It’s got an IPX7 waterproof rating, it floats, and aims to deliver 360 degrees of sweet tunes for up to 10 hours. All yours for the cost of $99.99.

And if you’re looking for something with more volume, you can upgrade to their Boom 3 or Megaboom .

Bose SoundLink Micro

Bose-Soundlink-Micro-Review

Small but mighty, the SoundLink Micro aims for quality sounds in a rugged, waterproof and easily portable form. It comes with an IPX7 waterproof rating, speakerphone capabilities, and Siri and Google Assistant voice command. For portability it also includes a tear-resistant silicone strap that can secure to bikes, bags and more. Price-wise the SoundLink Micro will set you back $99.95.

Again, if you’re looking for more volume, and don’t mind the size / weight penalty, an upgrade to their Revolve is certainly recommended.

Beats by Dre Pill+

Beats-Pill-Plus-review

At $179.95 the Beats by Dre Pill+ is the most expensive speaker on the list. So what do you get for the money? A sleek and durable style that adapts to diverse environments and adds a little suave to your music setup. Up to 12 hours of battery life. And the ability to charge your phone or similar devices, as the speaker doubles as a battery pack. The music can be controlled from two separate Bluetooth sources and you can tag-team with a second Pill+ to play simultaneously from both speakers. Worth noting though is that unlike the others on the list, it’s not waterproof.

First, I pinpointed the key elements of what makes an excellent travel speaker and ordered them in a table from highest to lowest priority as below (granted, your criteria may look a little different from mine, but this should act as a solid base). And then measured, weighed, listened, dunked and dropped my way to a result. 

Sound quality / strength

This is my number one. Not only am I looking for quality of sound across the entire spectrum, from lows to mids to highs, but also strength of sound. Sound that can fill a room (and not crackle or distort when pushed to its limits). So I locked myself and a few friends in a room, blindfolded ourselves, and scored each speaker on its ability to nail this playlist –  filled with  Classic Rock (mids),  Soul (mids and highs),  RnB (highs) and  Hip-hop and Dance (lows) – and here are the averaged scores. 

portable-bluetooth-travel-speakers-battery-life-1

Size and weight

When traveling anywhere, the space in your bag is at a premium. And when lumping your bag onto a plane, be it carry-on or checked, its weight (or lack thereof) is also a defining factor. So speakers that swallow as little space and tip the scales as little as possible get big points here, no doubt.

portable-bluetooth-travel-speakers-weight-comparison

Space it’ll take up in your bag

The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers for Travel, Tested

Battery Life

Nothing hurts more than a speaker running out of juice mid-playlist. Sure, if you’re hotel-bound and near an outlet then you can simply plug it in and carry on. But if you’re on a boat or around a campsite, then it’s the pits. So a long battery life goes a long way (quite literally) in certain circumstances.

portable-bluetooth-travel-speakers---battery-life

Durability / Protection against the elements

Can my speaker of choice survive dust or dirt swirling about? Can it survive a drop from a tabletop? Can it survive a dive into the pool or ocean… and will it float so I can retrieve it? All questions most of us will ask ourselves before or after we elbow our speaker of choice off of the tiki bar.

Murphy’s law . This. Will. Happen. Be prepared.

portable-bluetooth-travel-speakers-waterproof rating comparison

Personally, all I want is a compact speaker that chucks out great sound that will last me a long time, period. But I’m a simple man with simple needs. Other folks care a whole lot about features like speaker phone adaptability or voice activation or being able to pair your speaker with another sister speaker or one hundred other sister speakers like the below JBL Flip 4 (for the record, I think the latter is kinda cool but totally impractical).

portable-bluetooth-travel-speakers-comparison

Portability

portabilty - portable travel speakers

Bluetooth range

Not a huge deal for me because most of the speakers here have ample range but certainly something worth considering if you’re likely to be a good distance away from your speaker.

The best portable bluetooth speaker?

Editor’s Pick – Bose SoundLink Micro

The SoundLink Micro scores our Editor’s Pick with a well-rounded design and feature set. It feels ultra-premium in the hand, with Bose’s signature world-class sound quality offering very minimal distortion even when the volume is maxed out. It’s the perfect size and weight for travel use, with added portability for extra points. And importantly, it’s well protected against drops (y ou won’t even cringe when you drop it) and water.

bose-soundlink-micro---best-speaker-for-travel

Granted, if I wanted to throw a big party I’d upgrade to the SoundLink Revolve or pair two Micros. It’s lovely sound and bursts forth volume that’s totally ample for traveling or chilling, but you’ll want something with more grunt if you want to throw a real shindig.

Best Budget Option – Anker Motion Q

Scoring the Best Budget Option nod is the Anker Motion Q. The d esign is very subdued and good for professionals, with a  durable build. The  IPX7 waterproof rating is a definite benefit too, enabling full submersion up to 1 metre for up to 30 minutes. Plus it f loats in water, so you’ve got ample opportunity and time to retrieve it if disaster strikes. The speaker’s buttons are also e asy to press and the X2 pairing is handy. In terms of sound quality it offers a bright mid-range and vocals are clear and distinct, though the low end could be better. In addition it’s very loud and very reasonably priced at US$45.99.

High Commendation – Ultimate Ears Wonderboom and JBL Flip 4

Well-deserved High Commendations go to the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom and the JBL Flip 4. Both worthy additions to your packing list. They’re incredibly loud. And  both benefit from a good low end that offers deeper base and full-bodied sound. 

Both offer an IPX7 waterproof build, with the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom’s added ability to float making it a savvy pick for travels involving water-based activities. Though the Flip 4 gets its nose ahead in the battery life department and might appeal to outdoor enthusiasts looking for added playtime.

Durability is on point with both, though the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom’s d rop test win from the height of 5 metres gets bonus points. And if you like a little color pop they’re both good picks too, in particular the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom with its f un color choices and patterns.

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Michael Knispel

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Editor-in-chief.

Mike’s our head honcho, master wordsmith and token urban dude. When he’s not talking carry or digging up stories, he’s scouring the interweb for obscure hip hop.

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Minimalist.Travel

We Listened to the Best Travel Speakers — Here Are the Top Small, Durable Marvels with Great Sound

small travel bluetooth speaker

Mose Hayward

Travel Nerd

I’ve been travelling the world for a decade and a half, and no matter how much I whittle down my luggage to the bare essentials, I always have room for a small speaker. I love to follow my podcasts, to share and discover music with people from all over the world, and to improvise occasional mini-dance party on the go. My phone’s speaker just doesn’t cut it.

It’s pretty vital to travel with good sound.

We’ve tried out dozens of different Bluetooth speakers for this site, and we also continue to read all speaker reviews from top consumer test organizations, tech sites, and bloggers around the world. It’s not easy to pick just one travel Bluetooth speaker from the heap, but if we had to do it, here’s the current winner we’d take on any trip.

The Best Travel Speaker

The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is our favorite travel speaker.

Why: An even mix of punchy, dynamic sound in a small, nearly indestructible waterproof cylinder; the overall best portable replacement for a full speaker system

But:  While we think the Boom 3 is the best speaker for its size and price, there are also cheaper, smaller options discussed below that are quite worthwhile (though with less loudness and bass)

small travel bluetooth speaker

Our first Bluetooth speaker article was published way, way back in 2015. It has since been updated every few months with additions, changed recommendations, and new speakers. On April 14, 2017, we started logging these changes here; we added the UE Wonderboom to the recommended cheaper speakers. On May 3, 2017 we made a few changes and added the Etekcity RoverBeats T3. On May 8, 2017 we added the CRDC Life. On May June 2, 2017 we added a discussion of the JBL Flip 4 and made a few other updates. On June 21, 2017 we updated the discussion of the CRDC Life. On August 11, 2017, we updated the information on the Fugoo and Bose Soundlink Revolve speakers. On August 15-16, 2017, we removed speakers that were no longer available, updated the descriptions of our main pick, added some great alternate recommendations that have been recently released. We also rewrote the dumb parts. On Nov. 2, 2017, we added the AOSM speaker. On Nov. 3, we added the Bose Soundlink Micro. On Nov. 7, 2017, we added the supercheap tiniest speaker. On July 18-20, 2017, we did a major overhaul of the whole article with some updated recommendations concerning new speakers and eliminating those that are no longer available. On July 22. 2018: removed the no-longer-available the AOSM Portable TWS Bluetooth speaker, CRDC Life and Etekcity RoverBeats T3. Complete overhaul with updated recommendations on October 23, 2018. April 8, 2018: Updated with more opinions on the sound of the Boom 3 and better photos. Updated on Oct. 1, 2020 with a much better cheap pick. Added the JBL Flip 5 on Nov. 5, 2020. Updated with some minor changes to cheaper picks on July 21, 2022. Updated to remove older speakers and fix links on May 2, 2023. Similar update to remove outdated speakers but keep our main recommendation, with updated photos of it, on July 11, 2023.

This site (and our travel adventures) are rather meagerly funded through affiliate links; this means that when our readers click on shopping links to Amazon or pretty much anywhere, if they buy something, like it, and keep it, we get a small percentage. So we’re not particularly incentivized to recommend any one brand over another, but rather to have people find what they will like and use. We have received free speakers on occasion from manufacturers (who have no input on what we write) for review. Some of of those speakers sounded terrible, as noted below (Dodocool, Rise, etc.). Some of them sounded good. Ultimate Ears, for its part, only woke up and sent us a free speaker after we had been buying them with our own money and recommending them for years.

Why the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 Is Our Favorite Travel Speaker

We’ll discuss its main road-worthy features first, then its sound — including a meta-take on critics views of this versus other portable speakers.

small travel bluetooth speaker

Features of the Boom 3: Rugged, Ready to Travel

This is not a feature-rich speaker, but it does include everything we find essential for use anywhere.

Waterproof, dustproof, drop-proof

No you’re not actually going to listen to your speaker underwater. But with the Ultimate Ears Boom 3, you could. The IP67 waterproof rating means that the unit is rated to be immersed under a meter of water for up to 30 minutes with no damage. This is a specific and meaningful claim (with legal implications) under the conditions of the International Electrotechnical Commission’s standards .

In our test it sounds fine in the bathtub, but really, just put it next to your bath, shower, or pool. We do like knowing that we can easily wash it when needed, and that the odd splash of water won’t hurt it, but the 7 rating in waterproofing (meaning it can be submerged) is a bit overkill.

The 6 in the rating also means that it is “dustproof” and meets the standards for keeping dust out of the unit — an extra level of protection that is rare in such speakers, even those that are rated as waterproof.

The “drop-proofing” is a vaguer claim from Ultimate Ears that meets no specific standards, but the company claims that the Boom 3 passed various drop and durability tests. We were not so interested in testing this particular claim, but clumsier Amazon reviewers report that they’ve dropped it with no problems or even scratches . (The same was reported with its predecessor UE Boom 2 .) And prior to picking up a Boom 3, I myself was using, dropping, and bumping an (ancient-model, long discontinued) UE Mini speaker from the same manufacturer for many, many years and to this day it plays perfectly. The battery still works great too.

 Convenient Charging and a 15-hour Battery for Long Parties Away from a Power Source

This is not the longest battery life for a quality small travel speaker (the Fugoo Tough described below goes for 40 hours) but the Boom 3 has more battery time than most reasonable people will ever need. (We also recommend carrying a backup battery for devices when on the road, which could be used to charge a speaker in a pinch.) The Boom 3 lasts for 15 hours of constant use. In the real world, I used it without charging for a two-week trip that included several spurts of use in (3-4-hour) car trips, and use in hotel rooms, showers, little improvised dance parties, and more with more battery to spare at the end.

small travel bluetooth speaker

The Boom 3 charges via a standard mini USB-B port, and you may be traveling with other devices using the same cable, like a Kindle for your language learning or your headphones. It’s too bad that the Boom 3 doesn’t use USB-C, like modern phones, but most other Bluetooth speakers are still on USB-B (micro) ports as well.

small travel bluetooth speaker

If you’ve seen our commentary on  toiletry kits , you know that we’re obsessed with the utility of being able to hang things while travelling, and staying in cramped quarters.

Gold Lion Gear Aluminum Carabiner with Lock 3' - Carabiners - D Shape Heavy Duty Buckle - Locking Carabiner Clip - Key Ring - Backpack Clip - D Clips - Key Holder for Belt - Key Clip - Back Pack Clips

You can use a carabiner —or, my favorite, a travel hook —to attach your Ultimate Ears Boom 3’s hang loop to a backpack, a fence, a chair, a towel hook when you’re the shower… this is a very small but incredibly convenient feature. At least I think so; I always seem to run out of space to set stuff out on when I’m staying in weird corners of the world.

The Boom 3’s Dedicated Apps: Equalizer, Pair Multiple Speakers, and More

You can use the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 without installing any special apps as a simple Bluetooth-connected speaker. But you’ll want the relevant  Android or iOS  app for your phone as they add quite a bit of functionality.

  • The “block party” features allows three people to share/fight for DJ-rights to the speaker.
  • You can remotely turn the speaker on and off, which turns out to be quite convenient for making sure you save battery when the speaker is a bit further than you’d like to reach, or for turning it on to find it by sound if misplaced.
  • Customize the EQ to your taste.
  • Use the speaker as a musical alarm.
  • Connect multiple Boom 3 speakers for bigger sound. You can also connect 150+ Ultimate Ears Boom, Boom 2, Megaboom, and Megaboom 3 and have them all blasting music from your little old phone.

Portable Size and Weight

small travel bluetooth speaker

The Boom 3 is a very packable 2.9-in. (7.3 cm.) diameter cylinder and is 7.2 in. (18.4 cm.) tall. It weighs 1.34 lbs. (608 g.).

The Feature It Lacks: The Boom 3 Is Not a Smart Speaker

If you want a speaker you can chat with (ask about the weather, news, control a smart home) that is similar to the Boom 3, you can see our comparison  of it with the Ultimate Ears Blast . But note that we wouldn’t really recommend  any  smart speaker, at least in terms of travel, as all smart speakers currently only work when connected to WiFi.

We also think that smart speakers are a bit gimmicky and not all that useful; if you want an assistant we’d just talk to the one built into any modern smart phone. And for a home unit, go instead for a (much more useful) unit with a screen like the Echo Show or Google Home Hub  for your home.

How the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 Sounds

The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is, as you may expect, the third in a series. The previous versions, the UE Boom and UE Boom 2, were both revolutionary  hits   with   reviewers   when   released   with tech   press , audiophiles , and international consumer and  testing  organizations. These were the first speakers to really do 360-degree audio and they packed an incredible punch for their small size.

The competition has caught up, definitely, and plenty of other portable Bluetooth speakers sound wonderful. But the Boom 3 has improved over the Boom 2 too . Thus far the critics have   been heaping  praise on the new portable party guy from Ultimate Ears, saying that its sound has a bit better performance at top volumes. Since speaker tastes are subjective, our meta-take is always to look for an overall consensus in this way rather than taking just our ears or any other one critic’s tastes as gospel.

And overall the experts think that the Boom 3 sounds fantastic. Its 2-inch drivers and 2×4-inch passive radiators punch out powerful sound and relatively deep bass for such a small unit with little risk of distortion. It’s an impressive feat of engineering and it doesn’t — like certain competitors, hike up the bass end to try to cover sloppy performance. The sound is balanced and rich, clear and sweet in the mids, and often described as “punchy” or “dynamic”.

small travel bluetooth speaker

Of the many Bluetooth speakers that I’ve personally listened to, the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is the best sounding of its size, and certainly has the most convincing bass — not quite as deep and pleasing as high-end home bookshelf speakers, but it’s getting well close, which to my mind is fantastic for someone who is rarely in my living room enough to enjoy those.

The speaker  goes quite loud (up to 90 dBA) and doesn’t have issues with distortion or odd mix effects when it gets up to its limits. Pushed to the max it was uncomfortably loud in a large interior living room/dining area, and could certainly serve as the sound system for a house party if needed.

Also crucial for good sound in practical outdoor settings or larger rooms is the Boom 3’s 360-degree output . No matter which side of the speaker you’re on, it sounds the same. The speaker is designed to be placed in the center of the action, and be equally enjoyable from any side. This means you can take a party to go and place the speaker in the center of the action, and it will sound great to everyone.

Downsides of the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 (But Not Enough to Hold Us Back)

  • There is always a trade-off between a speaker’s size and its ability to deliver convincing bass and volume, so of course some larger Bluetooth speakers do sound better, especially on the bass end. In this article we focus on portable units and compare the Boom 3’s sound to them; we separately cover bigger, less portable Bluetooth speakers here . The Boom 3 is to most ears the best-sounding speaker with the features and the size that a traveller wants, but you might also compare it to the Megaboom 3 if you’re willing to carry about twice the weight.
  • It’s a bit expensive. You can certainly spend less and still have a great-sounding and robustly durable travel speaker (see below ).

Buying Options for the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 and Scoring the Best Prices

Ultimate Ears Boom 3

In addition to the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 at Amazon , you can check for it on  Best Buy , although we haven’t thus far seen better prices there. Amazon sometimes has different prices depending on which color you buy, so you may want to click around to different colors if you’re flexible.

We wouldn’t recommend buying a used Boom 3 —or any other battery-containing electronic device — as there is no telling how many cycles the battery has already been through at the time of purchase. You may end up having to replace the battery too soon (though our experience with Ultimate Ears batteries has generally been quite good).

Protecting Your Boom 3: Carrying Cases

The Boom 3 is an incredibly rugged speaker and we don’t think it really needs a case (we do travel with our cables neatly stored and protected in a  Skooba Cable Stable however).

But we know that lots of our readers do buy cases. Such cases do at least provide a nice way to organize and protect the charging cable and keep it alongside the speaker. Our readers’ top three picks are below.

co2CREA Hard Travel Case Replacement for Ultimate Ears UE Boom 3 Portable Bluetooth Wireless Speaker (Black Case)

A Larger Travel Speaker—with Even More Volume and Bass: The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3

Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3

We’re all about travelling light so we’ve focused this article on speakers that are about the size and weight of the Ultimate Ears Boom 3.

If you think you can carry more, you’ll also be able to get more volume and better sound — this is a basic law of speaker tech.

Our rugged, larger travel speaker recommendation is the  Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 . In our direct comparison of the Boom 3 and Megaboom 3 we note that they’re almost identical in terms of design but the Megaboom 3 offers a bit more soundstage and performs better on the bass end. It goes deeper, and its lows on bass-heavy tracks are more full and convincing.

Otherwise it’s nearly the same as the Boom 3, so if you’re willing to carry a bit more weight (and pay a slightly higher price), this would be the one to go for.

The Most Rugged Bluetooth Speaker We’d Recommend—and with a Crazy Long Battery Life

Fugoo Tough

The  Fugoo Tough is designed to withstand snow, mud, shocks, and submersion underwater. It has an IP67 rating just like our main pick and a removable jacket that suggests it’s going into war — It’s not going to have any issues with being dropped, bumped, or kicked around.

Of the speakers we recommend it also has the most battery life: 40 hours.

Overall it doesn’t get near as many accolades for sound as our main pick, but it’s not too bad either.  Several   reviewers quite like how it handles music, while another faults it for lack of bass and volume.

Fugoo sells basically the same speaker in Sport , Style S , and Fugoo Style versions, but the Tough version is the only one that might make sense for some travellers as it is the most indestructible of the lot, and that’s what Fugoo has going for it in comparison to other options. We have done a full analysis of the differences between these Fugoo speakers . And we have a more complete comparison of the Fugoo, UE, and Bose lines of speakers .

The Best Smaller Bluetooth Speaker (Slip it in a Pocket, Clip it to Your Pack): Bose Soundlink Micro

Bose Soundlink Micro

At about half the size and weight of our main pick, the Bose has introduced a clippable, pocketable marvel that still somehow manages to deliver signature Bose evenness and clarity, and even enough loudness to fill a room or work for outdoor listening.

The Bose Soundlink Micro measures 3.87 inches (9.8 cm) square and is 1.37 inches (3.5 cm) thick; it weighs 0.64 pounds (.29 kg), making it one of the lightest speakers we’ve ever recommended. It’s fully IPX7 waterproof and has a very durable rubberized chassis.

The tech critics   and audiophiles   who   have reviewed it tend to agree that its clarity is great and there is even somewhat of a soundstage and a solid bass end; it’s widely held to be the best-sounding small speaker of its size.

The main complaint it gets is its price; this costs more than most such tiny speakers. And the battery life of six hours may deter some (though if you’re carrying your own spare USB battery in your pack you don’t have to worry).

Overall, if you’re someone who is into extremely light packing and you need your tunes on the go, this is the speaker to go for.

See also our  comparison of the Micro with the Bose Soundlink Color II .

The Best Cheap, Small Clip-on Speaker for Travel: The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2

small travel bluetooth speaker

The Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is half the price of the Bose Soundlink Micro above, and to some sounds even better. I personally have loved listening to most music on it, as it really excels in delivering a full, well-rounded impression of the mid-range that you’d normally get from a much larger speaker.

It’s also significantly cheaper and more portable than my top-choice Boom 3. While it can’t come anywhere near delivering the powerful bass and immersiveness of my top travel speaker pick, if I were just slightly less snobby about sound, or if I needed to lighten my load, I’d happily carry the Stormbox Micro 2.

It charges via USB-C (how modern), so you can use it with the same USB-C travel charger that you likely already use for your phone and perhaps laptop and other devices. The new version adds to that the ability to charge a phone or other device off of the speaker’s battery—a lifesaver after a long flight.

Add to that Bluetooth 5.0 and full IP67 waterproofing, and it’s hard to find any objection.

small travel bluetooth speaker

Other Travel Speaker Options (Not Our Top Picks)

A quieter but excellent-sounding travel bluetooth speaker: bose soundlink color ii.

Bose Soundlink Color II

The Bose Soundlink Color II is the small-to-mid-sized Bluetooth speaker to get if you want a decent soundstage and the smooth mids and trebles that the Bose universe tends to provide.

The Color II not as loud, and doesn’t kick out as much powerful bass as some of the other options, but the critics and consumer organizations report that holds it own and is excellent for filling a room with clean, detailed sound. We offer a full comparison of the Soundlink Color II with the other Bose speakers .

The Color II is directional, meaning that it sounds best when you’re right in front of it, and it’s spash-resistant (but not waterproof) and has a rubberized body so is expected to survive drops well. Overall, that makes it a nice-enough speaker to travel with, but the Boom 3 seems like a better deal to us.

The Bose Soundlink Color II measures 2.2 x 5.0 x 5.2 inches (5.6 x 12.7 x 13.2 cm) and weighs 1.2 pounds (.544 kg).

Generally Well-Liked: The JBL Flip 6

JBL Flip 6 - Portable Bluetooth Speaker, powerful sound and deep bass, IPX7 waterproof, 12 hours of playtime, JBL PartyBoost for multiple speaker pairing for home, outdoor and travel (Blue)

We think that the JBL Flip 6 is a good speaker and a slight improvement on the JBL Flip 5 (see this review for full thoughts) . It could be a decent in-between-priced pick if your budget falls between our main pick and the cheaper pick above.

A Few More Notes…

AYL Mini Speaker System, Portable Plug in Speaker with 3.5mm Aux Audio Input, External Speaker for Laptop Computer, MP3 Player, iPhone, iPad, Cell Phone (Black)

The AYL Portable Mini Capsule Speaker System is not actually a bluetooth speaker, but connects via a mini cable. It’s really small and really cheap, and considering that sounds decent  according to some . If you have a modern smartphone or tablet, though, your sound may already be better directly from that.

Bose SoundLink Revolve (Series II) Portable Bluetooth Speaker – Wireless Water-Resistant Speaker with 360° Sound, Black

We completed a comparative meta-review of the differences between the Bose Soundlink Revolve II and Bose Soundlink Revolve + II , which we think are both quite fine Bluetooth speakers but perhaps not what we’d want to take on the road, as they’re not as waterproof and dustproof.

OontZ Angle 3 Bluetooth Speaker, up to 100 ft Wireless Range, Portable Speaker for iPhone, Android Phones, Louder Volume, Crystal Clear Sound, Rich Bass, IPX5 Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

As of this writing there are a couple of reviews out there of the Oontz Angle 3 , but no serious comparisons to other speakers by anyone who is an expert in audio. This speaker is quite popular on Amazon, and most reviewers there seem to be enjoying their purchase as a functional and loud-enough option for “rocking out in the shower” or listening to audio books. We can’t recommend this over the other cheap options (above)  until we see more written about it or try it out ourselves, but it may be another good option at the lowest price point.

small travel bluetooth speaker

The Rise MiniBoom Wireless Speaker is a tiny, palm-sized and well-built speaker that would be a great road companion if it sounded better. Unfortunately, I found the sound at high volumes to be so harsh and unpleasant that I didn’t even want to use it for listening to podcasts — the sound from my Pixel phone itself was actually more even and listenable. If you lower the volume and listen to music, there is a bit more body and presence than a cell phone’s own speaker, but unsurprisingly not the clarity of the larger speakers we review here, and the sound is muffled. I wanted to love this speaker for its small footprint and obvious convenience as a minimalist travel accessory, but unfortunately the sound quality for me is overall not worth adding to one’s bag (or even pocket).

Motorola X Sol Republic Deck Bluetooth NFC Wireless Speaker - Gunmetal - 89641N

The SOL Republic Deck was pretty well-liked by some reviewers , though they weren’t in completely in love with it or anything. It is long and thin, and its price has dropped significantly, so it could now be considered a decent cheap option, but still not as good as our other cheap picks above.

Wrap-Up: And the Best Speaker for YOUR Travels Is…

With Ultimate Ears speakers especially, it’s very worth clicking over to Amazon and checking out prices for various colors in order to get the best deal, as they vary widely at times.

Ultimate Ears Boom 3

Our Reviewers’ Picks of Underrated, Useful Travel Gear

A Universal Travel Adapter with 3 USB-C Ports

About The Author

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31 thoughts on “We Listened to the Best Travel Speakers — Here Are the Top Small, Durable Marvels with Great Sound”

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I’d like to see Minirig Mini and Wonderboom 2 compared, they’re both smaller than Boom 3 and sound quality would be at least close.

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I’d agree that Wonderboom 2 (or previous version, both reviewed here) is excellent and an in-between spot for a small, great-sounding travel speaker. I haven’t heard the Minirig Mini yet but others’ reviews for it have not been good at all.

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I recently purchased two Creative Muvo 2c speakers as my go to travel speakers. They connect as a stereo pair and the sound is great, not overly bass heavy (which I prefer) but the mids and trebles are crystal clear and they don’t distort at maximum volume. Priced at around Euros 35 each they don’t break the bank and are easily portable. Wonder if you would review a set and see what you think?

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Great reviews. Can you recommend something that’s small and flat like the jbl go 2 or altec lansing h20 3, that can pair with another, that sounds decent? Neither of these get loud enough. I have a pair of oontz angles, but they’re too big for a pocket and won’t pair to each other.

Thanks, you’re all so sweet. In your shoes I think I’d go for two UE Roll 2s, as mentioned above. They’re flat-ish, but not quite pocket-sized. You really do have to trade off larger size for larger sound, I’m afraid.

Creative Muvo 2c Buy two, pair them up and you won’t be disappointed.

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This is one of the best reviews I’ve read about any item. It’s given added credibility because you draw on third party opinions. I’m seeking lightweight, stereo and good battery life. Still deciding, but you’ve given plenty of food for thought Thanks!

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I think leaving out any Marshall product is a terrible oversight in this otherwise very useful roundup!

I own the 1st gen Kilburn, and it still pumps out more bass than almost anything listed here, boasts a carry handle, solid highs and mids with very pleasing, warm sound, and excellent battery life. It falls right in line with the price of several entries in this list, and has great build quality.

The only negative is the weight, but if you’re traveling by vehicle to your campsite (or other destination) the weight is less of an issue, and you are rewarded with shockingly good sound for the size of the speaker.

They make a smaller portable BT speaker, in addition to the Kilburn.

Agreed. We love the Marshall Kilburn II too, but it’s much larger than the speakers in this article. We cover the larger speakers like the Kilburn here: https://minimalist.travel/en/reviews/big-loudest-bluetooth-speakers/

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Nice job. You say that some critics say the Charge 2+ sounds better than the 3, and you give a link. 3 links indeed. Well, in none of them there is such a statement. The Charge 3 isn’t mentioned at all. Wrong links?

You’ll want to look at the links reviewing the Charge 3 in the paragraph above that; several reviewers made that comment though it was a mixed sentiment. Thanks for your careful reading, hope you find the right speaker for you!

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How can it be voice controlled with google home?

Edit (Oct 23, 2018): Nope. Voice-controlled speakers need to be connected to wifi to work and we’re discussing travel speakers here. We’d recommend checking out our smart speaker reviews .

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What a fantastic review!

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Which bluetooth speaker has the smallest form factor because portability is my main requirement. Thanks

Hi Akshat, we have a separate review of the smallest speakers . Enjoy!

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I was wondering. Would two UE Roll 2’s in stereo be better than one UE Boom 2?

In a word, yes. The two UE Roll 2s can provide stereo separation or simply more sound. On the other hand, it’s more to carry around than if you get a single UE Boom 2 . The best speaker is the one that you have with you; you may be more likely to carry a single UE Boom 2 more often than if you have two UE Roll 2s.

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Attention Aussie customers …

The Fugoo Style is available on the Official US site for $89US The same item in the AU site is $289AU

You do the math… (not great value for money for the Aussies)

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What about JBL Flip 3? No mention of that?

I realisre the article must have been written before Flip3 was released. So if you could give an opinion now?

Frankly, an oversight from our last update. We’ve now updated our coverage from the JBL Flip 2 to JBL Flip 3. As we describe in our update (above), it’s pretty well liked by critics and not a bad option, but most people will frankly prefer our other budget picks. It’s a decent speaker though. Thanks for commenting.

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I purchased the phk brick sounds really good its punchy and clear !

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Awesome article. I love your thorough, meta style. Q: any word on the UE Megaboom? Given the fine coverage you give of the Boom 2, surely the Megaboom deserves some discussion, and a comparison of its sound with the Boom 2. Thx!

Thanks! We’re glad you found it useful. Perhaps a bit late for you, but we now have a comparison of the UE Boom 2 and UE Megaboom . The Megaboom was considered too large for this article.

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No mini rig?

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? How can you not have JBL Extream and Fugoo XL in this list?

We certainly considered them; both the JBL Xtreme and the Fugoo XL are quality speakers, but far too bulky (I’ve added them just now to that list).

In this analysis, we focus on options that are small enough that you are always tempted to throw them in your bag, and yet they still deliver on great audio. Our bigger, chunkier recommendation would be the Bowers & Wilkens T7 , which we think is a bit of a step up from those two…

Our recommendations are very much focused on portable options. It sounds like the Bowers & Wilkens T7 would be the best option for you, however.

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This article is fantastic — thank you!

I’m looking for something self-powered that gets produces good sound and gets loud — that’s my main requirement. Cost, portability etc are less important. Do you have any recommendations? The only really loud option I could find is the Soundboks, but review sites indicate that the sound quality isn’t very good. What’s the next loudest option out there that has good sound quality?

This site focuses on portable equipment at this time; it sounds like you want battery-powered loudspeakers like these — you might start your search there.

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Parker Hall

The Best Bluetooth Speakers

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

Ultimate Ears Boom 3 bluetooth speakers

Best Overall UE Boom 3 Read more

small travel bluetooth speaker

Pocket Bass JBL Charge 5 Read more

Sony SRSXB1000 bluetooth speaker

Best Micro Speaker Sony SRS-XB100 Read more

Tribit Stormbox bluetooth speaker

Best Bargain Tribit StormBox Read more

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 require stable Wi-Fi and updates to work. By (mostly) forgoing voice assistants and Wi-Fi radios, Bluetooth speakers are more portable, 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 as their smart-speaker equivalents.

We've tested hundreds of Bluetooth speakers since 2017 (and many before that), and we can happily say they are still some of the best small devices for listening on the go. 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 February 2024: We've added the JBL Charge 5 and Tribit Stormbox Flow, as well as honorable mentions for the Tivoli Model Two and Dali Katch G2.

Special offer for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off) . This includes unlimited access to WIRED. com , full Gear coverage, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

Best Overall

There are bigger and badder Bluetooth speakers, but none match the fun and convenience of the Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ). It's been our top pick since 2018 and the Boom 2 was our favorite before that. It puts out some of the most pleasant and 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.

If you really need to get a party kicking, Ultimate Ears' Megaboom 3 ($148) is a beefier model that amps up the bass.

Pocket Bass

If you like to shake the room even if the “room” is the Great Outdoors, you can’t do better than the latest Charge from JBL. The speaker is IP67-rated against dust and moisture and offers a 20-hour battery life. It has up to eight different finishes and the ability to charge your phone while off the grid. Its tubular shape is designed to fit neatly into your hand, and just as important, it’s capable of kicking the party right off if you want it to. It’s not a blunt instrument, but its prodigious and frankly unlikely low-frequency response never stops surprising. If it’s portable party time you’re after, JBL has you covered in fine style. — Simon Lucas

Best Micro Speaker

This sub-$100 speaker from Sony has become a go-to when riding to gatherings, thanks to a clever built-in strap, and the fact that it sits flat in a bike basket. It gets up to 16 hours of battery life, is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, and you can even link two of them together for stereo sound. It comes in a variety of awesome colors—my favorites include bright blue and bright orange—so you'll never be lost in the crowd. At just under 4 inches tall, they're also some of the smallest speakers to take everywhere.

Best Bargain

You 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 our 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 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.

Tribit Stormbox Flow

Biggest Battery

Tribit has been raising its game in the portable audio category lately, and the Stormbox Flow ( 7/10, WIRED Recommends ) is another great example of the brand’s portable prowess. The headline here is a rival-stomping 30 hours of max battery life, but the Stormbox Flow has plenty more to give, from an elegant yet weatherproof design to clear and punchy audio with thumpy bass to match. Maybe the speaker’s best feature is its low price of $80 or less, making it a fine fit for budget shoppers seeking a versatile speaker that keeps rocking long after the party is done. — Ryan Waniata

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom speaker

Best for Water Slides

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom was a WIRED Gear of the Year award winner in 2017 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, 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 pair two together for proper stereo sound.

Ultimate Ears Epic Boom Bluetooth Speaker

A Medium-Size Speaker

Ultimate Ears appears many times in this guide because it makes some of the best-looking, best-sounding, and most durable speakers we test. The Epicboom is no exception to this trend, with a curvy, pill-shaped body that is easy to transport and place anywhere. It projects sound well in medium-sized outdoor spaces and can connect to other Ultimate Ears models inside the Boom app, potentially creating a party channel of up to 150 speakers. We also like the fact that this speaker is made from 100 percent recycled polyester fabric and 59 percent post-consumer recycled plastic.

JBL portable clip speaker

Adventure Time

We like the JBL Clip 4 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.

TriBit StormBox Micro 2 bluetooth speaker

Handlebar Ready

We loved the first generation of the Tribit StormBox Micro for its easy-to-use silicone strap, which firmly held it against bicycle handlebars. In this update, Tribit has maintained the rugged IP67 rating against water and dust, and given us more battery life (around 12 hours) plus better bass. Also, the new Bluetooth 5.2 tech allows it to cast a wider signal than its predecessor, for when you're wandering around the yard or house.

★ Also handlebar-ready: Bose also makes a great speaker of a similar design called the SoundLink Micro ($119) , which was previously our top bike handlebar pick. It sounds about the same but is twice as expensive as the Tribit.

sonos roam bluetooth speaker

Best Smart Bluetooth Speaker With a Battery

The larger Sonos speakers are great if you want a speaker that usually lives inside, but they aren't the kind of thing you'd want to throw in a backpack. That's where the Roam comes in ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ). 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.

★ A bigger portable Sonos: The Sonos Move 2 costs $449 ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ) and is a larger version of our top pick, the Sonos Roam. It's good if you're trying to fuel a real dance party, or if you want a mostly indoor speaker you can take onto the patio for get-togethers.

Sonos Era 100 speaker

Best for Home

If you want a home speaker that can occasionally connect to friends' phones or other devices not on your Wi-Fi, snag an Era 100 ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ). It's a speaker that must be plugged in and mostly streams music over your Wi-Fi network, but it can also function as a Bluetooth speaker. We love that this model is stereo. With dual beam-forming tweeters aimed off-center, you get real, room-filling sound. It's our favorite smart speaker right now .

Positive Grid Mini Amp

A Bluetooth Guitar Amp

Positive Grid's Spark Mini ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ) is one of our favorite portable tools for musicians. You can pair your phone and play music via the cube-shaped speaker, but also plug in a guitar and blend yourself in to jam along. It's a perfect playing tool for campfires and backyard barbecues (8 hours of battery), and it even doubles as an audio interface if you need to scratch down an idea quickly. Because it's a guitar amp, the thing is much louder than it looks, easily able to fuel sing-alongs and shredding interpretations of The Star-Spangled Banner on Independence Day.

Looking for a smaller way to shred on the go? The Spark Go ($129) is about half the size of the Spark Mini and comes with all the same great sounds, making it perfect for those who don't need much volume (or who plan to practice with headphones anyway).

JBL Authentics 200 speaker

Another Smart Speaker

This smart speaker from JBL ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ) gives Sonos a run for its money, thanks to the ability to use both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa at once. We like it as a Bluetooth speaker as well, given its classy, old-school aesthetics (especially evident in the foam grill cover). If you want a Bluetooth speaker that you can park at home between trips outdoors, this is a great Sonos alternative.

marshall stockwell speaker with strap

Rock and Roll

If you're a music fan or just love the classic Marshall guitar amplifier design, this Bluetooth speaker is ready to rock. Like 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 ($267) is similarly excellent, and the Marshall Emberton ($121) is a great extra-portable addition to the amp company's Bluetooth line. Like the Stockwell II, it has a built-in battery gauge.

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom speaker

Porta Party

With 24 hours of battery life, a rugged design, and a 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.

Beosound A1 speaker

Elegant Accessory

Bang & Olufsen's round, IP67-rated Bluetooth speaker has a luxe price, 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.

Urbanista Malibu Wireless Solar Speaker next to a pool

Powered by the Sun

We're not the biggest fans ever of the Urbanista Malibu's sound ( 7/10, WIRED Review ), but it is notable in that it can be charged using solar power. That makes it a great speaker for those of us who are forgetful beach bums, or who only use a speaker like this on rare outdoor occasions, but stick to smart speakers or earbuds at home.

Victrola ReSpin Record Player

A Bluetooth Record Player

This suitcase-style turntable has a built-in Bluetooth speaker that you can pair your phone to, and it can also transmit the sounds of your record to other speakers and headphones. We're big fans . It's made of 25 percent recycled plastic, comes in cute colors, and all it requires is a single power outlet. It's the perfect little case to bring along with you on your next trip out of town, and the lid even doubles as a record holder when it's not protecting the deck.

Sennheiser Ambeo Mini Soundbar with Subwoofer

A Tiny Soundbar

Sennheiser's Ambeo Mini is the best-sounding compact soundbar I have ever tested, and it does exceptionally well as a Bluetooth (or smart speaker) for music. Pair a phone and put on some tunes between viewing sessions on your TV, or do like I recently did and use the speaker for karaoke (you supply your own karaoke mic, or just sing a cappella). The German brand's excellent drivers and audio design work to keep things balanced, and you can get this setup with or without a subwoofer, depending on how much you hate your neighbors.

KEF LSX II speakers

For Proper Hi-Fi

This pair of wireless bookshelf speakers from Kef not only look great, they sound amazing ( 9/10, WIRED Recommends ). They're easily mountable, thanks to threaded 1/4-inch mounting holes on the bottom, and they feature numerous wired and wireless connection types, including Apple AirPlay, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth. A companion app on your phone controls everything, with the speakers providing extremely high-fidelity, room-filling audio with a wide stereo image.

Beosound Level bluetooth speaker

Made to Last

Bang & Olufsen makes some of the best high-end audio gear, and it has 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.

If you want something portable designed on the same principles, check out the basket-like Beosound A5 ( 8/10, WIRED Recommends ), which has a cute wooden handle and a wicker-like grill cover.

Scosche speaker

Honorable Mentions

Here are a few other products we've tested that aren't as nice as our picks above.

  • Dali Katch G2 for $600 : Danish specialist Dali's second generation of its remarkably elegant Katch speaker is a balanced, open, and extraordinarily positive listen, able to extract a stack of information from even the meanest Bluetooth stream. Thanks to a choice of three finishes, a leather handle, and some typically Scandi industrial design, it looks the part as well as sounding it, but its price is very high.
  • Tivoli Model Two for $450 : This radio is gorgeous to look at, with its midcentury modern feel, and it can sit both vertically and horizontally. It’s almost a little too minimalist, with its single button and surrounding LED light to control and indicate what mode the speaker is in. It has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming options that you can toggle between, works with Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay, and gets plenty loud. It’s pricier than it needs to be, unless you’re looking for a design statement first and a speaker second.
  • 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.
  • Oontz Angle 3 Speaker for $40: This speaker has thousands of positive reviews on Amazon and is pretty great for a dirt-cheap Bluetooth speaker in our testing. 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 $219: Both this speaker and the Soundlink Revolve+ II ($329) aren't the cheapest, cutest, or most waterproof speakers, but we like their sound and their aesthetics. If you're not hard on your speakers, they're worth considering.
  • Sony SRS-XG500 for $498: 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.

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The 28 Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers for Taking Music With You

By Philip Sherburne

A collection of the best outdoor Bluetooth speakers

The best outdoor Bluetooth speakers are portable, waterproof, rugged, and ergonomic, making it simple to take your music with you wherever you go, from the beach to the pool side to the cliff face. In the 1980s, the Walkman made music both portable and personal, giving everyone the potential to craft a private soundtrack to their day. Bluetooth, launched in 1999, preserved the portable half of that equation while shifting the emphasis back to the public sphere. Bluetooth technology exists in everything from headphones to hearing aids, but for many of us, Bluetooth is something like a virtual aux cord, not only giving us the chance to take our music wherever we wish, but also—unlike the cassette boomboxes of yore—letting us share DJ duties with our friends.

We spoke to a number of experts and music professionals about the best outdoor Bluetooth speakers they bring along when they want to take the party on the road.

All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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JBL Charge 5 ($180)

You can find the JBL logo everywhere from the concert stage to movie theaters to recording studios. These days, it’s also a popular brand for Bluetooth speakers. “I think JBL makes some of the best portable speakers,” says Na-Kel Smith, the multi-hyphenate skater, actor, and rapper. “They’re loud, indestructible, waterproof, nicely sized. Somebody always has one on the skate session and they come in different sizes, but they all slap.”

The Charge series, which comes in an array of eye-grabbing colors, is a particular highlight. “They’re reliable, durable, waterproof and they sound good,” says Willie Green , a producer and engineer whose credits include Armand Hammer, the Roots, and Wiz Khalifa. “Plus you can link them together—I’ve got a couple of them.”

Berlin-based Adam Marshall, an electronic musician and graphic designer, likes the Charge 3 , which he bought as a “bigger, bassier” alternative to the Charge 2. (Both units have been discontinued, though the Charge 3 is still available from Amazon and other retailers.) Los Angeles jazz musician Carlos Niño is also a fan of the Charge 3. “It’s easy, has a simple design, kinda bumps. I really like that it’s waterproof, even though I would likely never have mine in or around water.” A step up from the merely splash-proof Charge 2, the Charge 3 and its successor, Charge 4 , are IPX7 waterproof, which means they can theoretically be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes, and the soft fabric covering doubles as an easy grip, in case you wanted to toss one to a friend on the other side of the pool. (Caveat swimmer: The Sound Guys ’ IPX7-rated JBL Flip 4 broke after just 10 seconds under water.) Both the Charge 3 and Charge 4 are said to hold an impressive 20-hour charge, too, though some reviewers’ results differ. One nice battery-related feature: You can charge your phone off the Charge 4’s stored power, though that will draw down the unit’s power faster.

The Charge 5 is the latest addition to the series, boasting slightly more refined sound, a minor physical redesign, and a few more new features. Among them, it’s IP67 waterproof and dustproof, which means you can toss it in your beach bag and not worry about getting sand in the cracks. One downside of the Charge 5 is that, like its predecessors, it’s a mono speaker (though it can be linked in stereo pairs). The IP67-rated JBL Xtreme 3 includes four drivers—dual 25-watt woofers and 25-watt tweeters—which means true stereo sound. “Apart from the best battery life I ever got out of any device, the sound is definitely okay for the general public,” says Tom Verhoeven, head of Belgian’s Curle Recordings. “It’s not audiophile quality, but it is stereo, and I remember from my quest for a Bluetooth speaker that that wasn’t something most offered.”

If you need even more power, the JBL Boombox 2 delivers, thanks to its dual 30-watt tweeters (the speaker components that drive treble frequencies) and 40-watt woofers (which drive bass). Like other JBL Bluetooth products, it can be linked to other units for added stereo fun. The attached handle gives the device an ergonomic feel and sleek, slightly retro design, while its IPX7 rating means you needn’t worry about rain showers, poolside splashes, or spilled drinks. It’s like a “portable nightclub,” says Chris Smith, founder of Sheffield’s Central Processing Unit label. “I bought one when I had to pack away my delicate floor-standing speakers due to a toddler arriving. It's waterproof, very sturdy and sounds great at low or high volume. The Bluetooth implementation is also great, allowing easy switching between phone, laptop and hifi receiver.”

At the other end of the spectrum is the JBL Clip 4 : Where the Boombox 2 weighs a whopping 13 pounds, the Clip 4 is small, light (just half a pound), and, thanks to its carabiner-like handle, easy to take anywhere. Just fasten it to your backpack or your handlebars, and you’re off and running.

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Ultimate Ears Boom 3 ($150)

California’s Ultimate Ears—founded, as the origin story goes, in the back of a Van Halen tour bus—started out making in-ear monitors for musicians on stage, but these days their portable speakers have turned them into a popular consumer brand, too, one known for substantial sound and sleek design.

The centerpiece of their product offering is the waterproof Boom line (Wonderboom 2, Boom 3, Megaboom 3, and Hyperboom) which features long-lasting battery life, robust sound, and multi-speaker connectivity—as many as 150 speakers, the company claims. “The Boom series of speakers all sound great for their size, but the ability to link them—in stereo pairs, or in larger groups with the ‘Party Up’ feature—makes the whole line worth investing in,” says Pitchfork’s Matthew Ruiz. “I bought my first years ago, have added several since, and they’re all still going strong.” (Boom speakers can’t be linked with speakers in UE’s Blast or Roll series, however.)

The series’ smallest offering is the Wonderboom 2 : a genial little device, not much bigger than a beer can in a neoprene cozy, that comes in quirky colors, boasts 13 hours of battery life, and features a 360-degree soundstage. The Wonderboom 2 is water-resistant, with an IPX7 rating; unique to this speaker is a feature the company calls “Outdoor Boost,” which is specially tuned for listening outside. Two Wonderboom speakers can be linked in a stereo pair, though they are not compatible with other Boom speakers on a Party Up network.

The Boom 3 is a step up in size and quality, with 15 hours of battery life, an IP67 waterproof/dustproof rating, and a 50-percent greater Bluetooth range (150 ft.), but it’s still nicely portable—it can even slot inside a bicycle’s water-bottle cradle. “It’s genuinely surprising how mighty and sturdy this small portable speaker is,” says Debi Ghose, aka the London DJ and NTS Radio resident DEBONAIR. “It fills any room, no problem, and is powerful enough to function well outdoors, with a link capability to optionally pair it with other Booms, as well as being waterproof and pretty much unbreakable. I love its minimal aesthetic, and emitting 360 sound is a great feature—it's certainly enabled some impromptu party moments.”

For $50 more, you can move up to the IP67-rated Megaboom 3 , which delivers even bigger sound—the company promises 50% deeper bass than the Boom 3. “The Megaboom is wireless, rugged, and waterproof, so you can take it to the beach or just leave it on the back deck, rain or shine,” says Wired magazine’s Michael Calore. “I keep mine in the shower—not in the bathroom, but in the actual shower. The battery lasts 20 hours between charges and the volume buttons are can't-miss-them huge. Best of all: the thing gets ridiculously loud without distorting. If you like Dino Jr played back at Mascis-approved levels, this is your jam.”

Ultimate Ears’ most sociable product is the Hyperboom : a splash-proof (IPX4 rating) box promising 24 hours of battery life and a bunch of features designed to make it the center of any house party, including USB phone charging and the ability to remember up to eight paired devices. Naturally, it boasts the most impressive sound in the Boom range—up to 100 decibels—thanks to its two woofers, two tweeters, and two passive radiators (to enrich the low end), plus features like adaptive EQ, which automatically adjusts according to the dimensions of the room.

small travel bluetooth speaker

Sonos Roam ($170)

Sonos may have made its name with multi-room systems, but the company’s product line has expanded to include various models to bring into the yard, or beyond.

The handheld Roam , the latest addition to the Sonos line, is IP67 waterproof, drop resistant, and manages 10 hours of battery life. Another nice feature is that it supports wireless charging, via Qi-compatible pads. In addition to its product design and sound quality, “The thing I appreciate most about the Roam is its integration into my already vast Sonos system,” says Noah Goldstein, a Grammy-winning engineer with credits for Kanye, Frank Ocean, and Travis Scott. Though it’s the lowest-priced Sonos speaker on the market, it’s fully compatible with any Sonos system. Unlike most of the Sonos line, however, the Roam is compatible with Bluetooth as well as wifi and Apple AirPlay 2—a must, if you’re going to take it out of the house.

And while it’s small, the speaker packs a punch. Given its hand-held dimensions, the Sonos Roam is neither as loud or as deep as the Sonos One, but some listeners find its sound more faithful than some of its bassier competitors. “For a small, portable speaker, Roam sounds big and genuine,” says Emily Lazar , a Grammy-winning engineer who has mastered records for Haim, Vampire Weekend, Clairo, Beck, and more. “It doesn’t sound forced or artificial, and that’s a testament to its technical design. It’s unique in its class because it actually performs like a finely tuned speaker as opposed to a megaphone.”

The Move is an even more substantial offering: It’s got the look, feel, and sound of one of Sonos’ home units, but it’s meant to travel, with an ergonomic handle, drop-proof case, and weatherproof IP56 rating, as well as Bluetooth compatibility. “I know this sounds obvious but it’s cool that it can move about,” says Emily Kempf, singer and bassist of Chicago’s Dehd. “I wake up every morning with the Sonos alarm and it plays for an hour while I do my meditation journaling and drink coffee. I also dance to club music in my kitchen alone, and for one week when I tried to be a workout person I used them to really crank up my energy on the yoga mat. Overall it’s just nice to have impeccable sounding speakers in almost every room in my house.”

“I love the Sonos Move,” agrees Nabil Ayers, general manager of 4AD U.S., writer, and Pitchfork contributor . “It's big, but that's why it sounds good. You can switch it from Bluetooth to wifi, and when my wife and I shared a house with some friends last year, we put two Moves together to make a stereo pair.”

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The Italian brand IK Multimedia bills its iLoud as a portable Bluetooth speaker developed specifically for musicians, with an emphasis on generous output, accurate audio resolution, and deep bass. Peter Kirn, editor of Berlin’s Create Digital Music magazine, is a fan. “Those of us making music are used to having some power and actual bass response. iLoud has both. There aren't such fancy looks on this model, but you get 40W power, frequency response at the low end, jacks for plugging stuff in—even a guitar/instrument jack so you can practice with it. And it's still portable and runs well on batteries, so you can take it to the park—and even play your mix on it there.”

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Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II ($300)

Bose is well known for its noise-cancelling headphones, but it’s also great at filling spaces with wireless sound. The Bose SoundLink Revolve has been one the most stylish offerings on the market since it was introduced a few years ago, with sleek metal casing and cylindrical design delivering true 360-degree sound. It’s recently been updated to the SoundLink Revolve II ; the new model is splashproof and drop-proof and said to offer 17 hours of battery life. I’ve been using a first-gen model for a few years now, and I find it makes for particularly good sound outdoors as opposed to in enclosed spaces, where the bass and mids can get a little muddy. For maximum portability, you’ll want to pony up for the Revolve+ II , which comes equipped with a nifty little handle on top—although with a $100 price difference between the two units, that might seem like a lot to shell out for a handle. An optional charging cradle, for $29, gives your speaker a stable resting place when it’s not out on adventures.

For a much smaller footprint, there’s also the SoundLink Mini II , a trim little speaker not much bigger than your phone. Or if you really want the freedom of movement, go for the SoundLink Micro , an IPX7 waterproof, ultra-portable speaker equipped with a tear-resistant strap that lets you hook it onto a backpack or hang it from your handlebars.

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IKEA Eneby Portable ($25)

IKEA has been making headlines in recent years with some pretty high-profile audio collaborations. The Swedish furniture retailer teamed up with cult synth manufacturer Teenage Engineering on FREKVENS , a hackable modular mobile sound-and-light system that’s sadly no longer available, and with Sonos on SYMFONISK, a line of Bluetooth speakers. But IKEA’s audio efforts don’t end there. While the company’s Eneby model was designed as a bookshelf speaker—the 12"x12" version fits nicely on a Kallax record shelf—the 8"x8" version comes with a handle and can be fitted with an optional battery pack that lets you take it anywhere. An even more portable option is the 6x3" Eneby , an ultra-portable model that runs on AAA batteries. Use the insertable cork divot—a striking design flourish—to prop it up, or slip a cord through the center hole to affix it to your backpack.

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Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 ($250)

Danish maker Bang & Olufsen’s runway-ready portable speakers are a testament to the notion that good sound and good looks are perfectly compatible. The lozenge-shaped Beosound A1 fits practically in the palm of your hand, which is fitting, because its pearl-finish aluminum shell and leather carrying strap are just begging to be touched. Its appearance may be refined, but the Beosound A1 is IP67-rated dustproof and waterproof, and the Alexa-ready unit is equipped with Bluetooth 5.1, which claims a range of 800 feet. And despite its small size, it packs two 30-watt amps to provide up to 92 decibels of output, and far deeper bass than you’d think possible. For bigger sound and even more luxurious looks, there’s the Beolit 20, which looks a bit like a drinks cooler you’d expect to see in Jay and Bey’s yacht. Equally at home indoors and outdoors, the Beolit 20 features dual 35-watt amps, four speakers and two passive bass radiators, for a 360-degree soundstage. Two units can be paired in stereo for maximum surround-sound effect, and the sleek flat surface is a Qi-compatible wireless charging pad—think of it as a helipad for your phone.

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Vifa Helsinki ($399)

For design fans, there are plenty of portable Bluetooth speakers out there that are as nice to look at as they are to listen to. Denmark’s Vifa makes eye-catching speakers (with, admittedly, eye-watering price tags) that double as conversation pieces. The Helsinki , which looks like a purse, comes covered in fabric woven by Danish textile designer Kvadrat and features a leather strap from Swedish leather manufacturer Tärnsjö Garveri. The Oslo , a semi-portable version of the company’s flagship Copenhagen speaker, is made of die-cast aluminum and Kvadrat textile, and comes with its own travel bag. The demure Reykjavik takes the shape of a fabric- or anodized aluminum-covered disk that hangs from a leather strap; despite its size, it features three drivers and 360-degree sound, and can be linked in stereo pairs. The smallest and cheapest of Vifa’s speakers is the Vifa City , a stylish waterproof mini speaker whose nylon cord is perfect for looping around the handles of your favorite handbag.

The splash-proof specs of Lexon’s Tykho 3 radio and Bluetooth speaker means that many people may leave it in their bathroom, where few are likely to see it. But make no mistake, the rubber-coated unit is a feast for the eyes. Its design is an homage to the French firm’s iconic waterproof radio: Designed in 1997 by Marc Berthier, it graced the cover of TIME magazine’s “ The Rebirth of Design ” issue in 2000, and today it’s also a part of the MOMA collection . The Tykho 3 boasts 20 hours of continued playtime, supports Bluetooth audio and analog radio, and is available in an array of colors including duck blue, khaki, mastic, and taupe gray.

Japanese firm Mori Mori’s LED Lantern Speaker looks even further back in time: Its distinctive shape could easily be mistaken for a hurricane lamp from the early 20th century. Suffice to say, your grandparents’ kerosene lantern could never: Mori Mori’s lamp features a dimmable LED and 360-degree sound. It’s hardly the most high-fidelity offering on the market. But if you’re in the market for something to bring along on your next camping trip, Mori Mori’s speaker will certainly blend in with the surroundings.

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MobileSpec MBS14102 ($40)

Bluetooth speakers don’t have to break the bank. For the budget conscious, it’s possible to find perfectly acceptable devices for well under $100. “For backyard dinners in the city I use Comiso's portable waterproof speaker ,” says flower designer Nicole Rossi, owner of Philadelphia’s Texture Florals . “It holds a fairly long charge, and is loud enough to keep up with outdoor city noise.”

Britt Brown, label head of California’s Not Not Fun and 100% Silk, picked up the MobileSpec MBS14102 for $40 at a “random Utah truck stop.” He says, “It does these amazing budget-rave light patterns and runs for like a week straight without charging. And my girlfriend’s dad got me this Rokono BASS+ speaker, which sounds pretty solid and fits in a small pocket so I bring it on walks through the dunes and test how far I can stream Bandcamp in the wilderness.”

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The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers for Patio Parties and Picnics in the Park

small travel bluetooth speaker

By Emily Farris

A Sonos JBL and three Wonderboom outdoor speakers.

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

We love a chance to dine alfresco , so we set out to find the best portable Bluetooth speaker to use outdoors, something that will work whether we’re hosting a dinner party , picnicking in the park , or headed to the beach for a week. With prices and specs all over the place, the options can seem overwhelming: How much volume is enough for a casual outdoor dinner? What will give you enough battery life for an all-day barbecue? And how portable and durable does a speaker really need to be if you’re not taking it any further than your own backyard ?

To find the best portable Bluetooth speaker I tested eight highly rated models ranging from $35 to $400 and found three that stood out above the rest. And just to make sure I wasn’t hearing things (or not hearing things) I recruited my husband to help. We inadvertently got our kids in on the testing too since they’re really good at helping to determine whether or not something is actually durable.

Find our top picks for portable Bluetooth speakers—and learn why we couldn’t pick just one—below. To read more about how we tested, scroll to the bottom.

Table of contents

The best portable Bluetooth speaker overall The best portable Bluetooth speaker under $100 The best smart Bluetooth speaker for outdoor entertaining   How we tested What we looked for   Other speakers we tested The takeaway

The best portable Bluetooth speaker overall: JBL Xtreme 3

small travel bluetooth speaker

JBL Xtreme 3 Bluetooth Speaker

Let’s just get this out of the way now: The JBL Xtreme 3 doesn’t have the absolute best audio quality of all the speakers we tested, but it’s a very, very close second. And it’s our top pick because it’s the most powerful, best-sounding speaker that’s truly portable—even though it’s a hefty piece of equipment. At nearly a foot long and more than four pounds, it’s not exactly something you can throw in your purse or backpack on your way out the door, but you can’t expect to get this kind of powerful sound from a compact speaker. Luckily, JBL made it easy enough to tote the Xtreme 3 around by adding an adjustable strap—with a built-in bottle opener!—so you can at least throw it over your shoulder when you leave for the park or pool. If you don’t want to use the strap, it’s very easy to remove.

This is a true party speaker, somewhat reminiscent of an old-school boombox—perhaps because its two exposed bass radiators very physically and visibly pump along to the beats. Like most Bluetooth speakers, the Xtreme 3 is mono, but if you have other JBL speakers that are compatible with the brand’s Party Boost mode, you can pair them for a stereo sound listening experience (or to double your volume).

It’s got an IP67 rating, which means it’s been tested and found to be waterproof, dustproof, and sandproof, so it can handle the beach, the dirt, and even a shallow dunk in the pool. A single charge should give you about 15 hours of battery life (as long as you don’t try to charge your phone via the USB port) and this speaker comes with an actual wall plug, not just a USB charging cord.

While this speaker produces amazing sound that rivals that of more expensive speakers, like the Sonos Move (another one of our picks, below) the output is somewhat directional. The sound coming from the Xtreme 3 is best when you’re positioned directly in front of the speaker and you will sacrifice some (but not too much) audio quality if you’re off to the side or behind it. Also, while this likely won’t be a deal breaker for most people, unlike some of the smaller JBL speakers I’ve used over the years, including JBL Clip and JBL Flip models, the Xtreme 3 doesn’t have a microphone, so it lacks speakerphone or voice assistant functionality.

The best portable Bluetooth speaker under $100 and the best small portable Bluetooth speaker: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2

small travel bluetooth speaker

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Bluetooth Speaker

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is at the top of many reviewers’ lists for best Bluetooth speakers and it’s easy to see why. This little speaker brings big, balanced sound you won’t get from other speakers this size—and you definitely won’t find anything comparable at this price. For such a small speaker, it brings the bass. It handles high-pitched vocals and mid-range sound well too. And because it’s round, it’s less directional than other wireless speakers.

If you want even bigger sound, it’s easy to pair two with just a button (no app necessary) to get a true surround listening experience. When we paired two Wonderboom 2s and stood between them, the sound was completely immersive. In fact, after testing so many speakers, I highly recommend two Wonderboom 2s over any $200 speakers on the market. This is especially true if you plan to use it for outdoor group activities because you can have them on separate kayaks or canoes or clipped to different bikes or coolers, but you can also have one inside and one on the patio if you’re hosting a party.

The Wonderboom 2 is also incredibly durable. My toddler dropped it and threw it more times than we could count (he even tossed it down the stairs once) and it’s fine. Like the Xtreme 3 it’s got an IP67 rating so it’s waterproof, dustproof, and sandproof. It floats too. A reinforced fabric hang loop makes it easy to suspend this speaker from a small hook, or you can use a carabiner to attach it to a backpack or bike. You can expect to get 12 or 13 hours of battery life from a single charge but less time if you’re pairing speakers.

There’s not much we didn’t love about this speaker, but out of the box it defaults to the Outdoor Boost mode, which the brand claims “rocks a surprisingly bigger, bassy-er 360-degree sound.” We found it was brassier , not bassy-er, and we much prefer the sound when this speaker is in its original mode, whether indoors or out. Luckily, Outdoor Boost can easily be turned off by pressing a little button with a pine tree icon on the underside of the speaker.

The best smart Bluetooth speaker for outdoor entertaining: Sonos Move

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Sonos Move Smart Bluetooth Speaker

“This speaker sounds like I’m at a concert!”

That’s what my husband said as we made our way through our testing playlist on the Sonos Move in our cavernous garage. This was on the first of two nights we spent methodically evaluating audio quality, after we’d casually used each speaker at home for a couple of weeks. Before that, the Move had been perched in our living room, where it was connected to our Google Assistant. We’d mostly been using it to control the lights and listen to music at very reasonable indoor levels—volumes that wouldn’t wake the kids at 10 p.m. It wasn’t until we lugged this speaker outside and cranked it all the way up that we realized its true capabilities. The Sonos Move delivered clear, powerful sound across the board and didn’t distort high-pitched vocals or horns, even at the maximum volume. Looking strictly at sound, it’s definitely the best Bluetooth speaker we tested (though maybe not $100 better than the JBL Xtreme 3), and if it were more portable, it might have been our top pick.

This is a big speaker—much bulkier and two pounds heavier than the JBL—and it definitely feels like more of a home speaker than a portable speaker. Still, it can hold a single charge for about 10 hours (the official Sonos battery life claim is “up to 11 hours of continuous playback at moderate volumes”) and while not truly a waterproof speaker, it is weatherproof. The Move has a rating of IP56, which means it can handle dust, sand, and "high-pressure water streams,” so it shouldn't die if you accidentally leave it out in the rain after a wild dinner party on the patio.

The Move can be used with a straight Bluetooth connection, but part of the appeal is that it’s a versatile smart speaker with voice activation that also connects to Wi-Fi and can be seamlessly integrated with existing Sonos speakers and soundbars, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa, and it’s super simple to use with Apple's Airplay 2. If you already have Sonos at home, this speaker is an impressive addition (Sonos speakers can be paired for stereo sound or multi-room listening). And if you don’t already have Sonos, the Move just might be your gateway Sonos speaker.

The Sonos Move is an amazing speaker, but it’s not nearly as portable as the JBL Extreme 3 or Wonderboom 2. I’d call it semi-portable—like, you can move it from your dining room to your patio , but you probably won’t want to lug this thing to the park. And if you do lug it to the park, you’re definitely going to want to keep it in one spot. Instead of a strap or hook, this speaker has an indentation for a handle, and while it can be charged with a compatible USB-C cord, it comes with a charging port, which makes it feel even less portable. It’s really too heavy (6.61 pounds) to hang from anything anyway, though Sonos does offer a special wall hook for its weird handle (alternatively you could buy the $80 travel bag ).

How we tested

As the speakers arrived, we charged them to full capacity and used them casually, inside and out, sometimes even taking them into the shower to listen to our favorite music and podcasts. We also let our speaker-obsessed toddler toss them around a little (except for the less-portable Sonos Move, which mostly stayed on a high shelf). When it came time to officially test and rate each speaker, we set up shop in our oversized garage and I connected each to my iPhone. We spent two nights playing through a playlist we curated to show us the full range of what each speaker can (and can’t) do. To test the limits of each speaker, we listened to every song adjusting the volume frequently between 75% and full volume. While the speakers stayed in a control spot, we moved around and outside of the garage to get a true sense for their power. Though some of the speakers can be used with an equalizer in an app, we left each on its default settings to keep things fair.

What we looked for

First and foremost, we rated the speakers on audio quality. How’s the sound when playing a variety of music genres? Does the treble get tinny or fuzzy at max volume? Can it handle deep, intense bass beats or does it sound distorted when the bass booms? Does the speaker truly showcase the layers in a full-band arrangement? Are the vocals clear? Is the music punchy when it’s supposed to be? Does the speaker work better in a certain position?

Is the speaker loud enough to power an outdoor dinner party or picnic in the park ? Some of the smaller speakers we tested had impressive audio quality but simply didn’t get very loud and others distorted when the volume was set above 85%.

Our main interest in portable speakers is outdoor dining, but we also want something we can take to the park, pool, or beach, so we looked for durable, waterproof or water-resistant speakers. Most of the speakers we tested have an IP67 rating, which means they're completely dust-proof, sand-proof, and waterproof, though we did test one (the Sonos Move) with an IP56 rating. We avoided speakers with ratings IPX7 (waterproof but not necessarily dustproof) and IPX4 (splash resistant).

Is the speaker easy to move, or is it heavy and unwieldy? Is there an included carry strap or loop to make it more portable?

How easy was it to pair the speaker with my iPhone? (Unfortunately, I didn’t have an Android to test with.) What’s the Bluetooth range? Did the speaker stay connected when I walked away with my phone?

When a brand promises so many hours of battery life, the marketing copy should really say “up to” because a number of factors can affect how long a speaker will run on a single charge. If you turn the volume all the way up, that’s going to use more power. Connecting a speaker to multiple devices and pairing with another speaker for surround sound can drain the battery, too. We kept that in mind when testing speakers, and while we didn’t time them, we did notice when a speaker died much more quickly than it seemed like it should have.

We reviewed speakers in the way that we here at Epicurious will use them. That means we focused almost entirely on how a speaker sounded in a real world context instead of on technical specs like watts, woofers, tweeters, and passive radiators. While those things impact the sound, we didn’t consider any of them in the abstract to enhance or detract from a speaker’s rating.

Other speakers we tested

Going by looks, the JBL Charge 5 is basically a smaller version of our top pick, the JBL Xtreme 3, but it’s not quite small enough to be considered a compact portable Bluetooth speaker and it doesn’t have any kind of hoop or handle for easy transport. Though it’s not as powerful as the bigger JBL, it’s still a great-sounding, powerful speaker, especially when cranked up for hip hop, guitar, and vocals. It was slightly less impressive when we turned on symphonic music or played anything with a full band at top volume, and like with the Xtreme 3, directionality really matters with this style of speaker. Unfortunately, the directionality is more obvious with a smaller speaker. Given the price ($150 to $180 depending on the retailer at the time of publication) you’re better off buying two Wonderboom 2 speakers instead of one JBL Charge 5. That said, we were able to use the app to pair the Charge 5 with the Xtreme 3 for Party Boost and stereo pairing, so if you already have other JBL speakers, you have a good reason to buy this one.

The Sonos Roam is the smallest Bluetooth speaker Sonos makes. It’s compact, dustproof, sandproof, and more waterproof than the Move (the Roam has an IP67 waterproof rating, like the JBL Xtreme 3 and UE Wonderboom 2). It also has a visually appealing minimalist design available in a handful of pretty colors. Like the Move, the Roam is a voice-enabled smart speaker and it was easy to connect it to our home’s Google Assistant. If you already have a Sonos system the Roam is definitely worth considering because it can be used on the go and at home with your existing speakers and soundbars for multi-room listening and it can switch between Bluetooth and your Wi-Fi network as you come and go. It’s also a decent option for if you just want something with better sound quality than the standard Google Home or Amazon Alexa speakers. However, it’s not the best small Bluetooth speaker on its own. While we were impressed with the balanced sound quality of the Roam, it doesn’t get as loud as other speakers its size. This speaker would be sufficient for playing background music at an indoor or outdoor dinner party, but if you want a compact portable Bluetooth speaker, and don’t need the Sonos or smart functions, the Wonderboom is a better and more affordable option.

The Bose Soundlink Flex is another small portable Bluetooth speaker with really good sound that just didn’t quite impress us as much as the less expensive UE Wonderboom 2. Like you might expect from a Bose, the Soundlink Flex handles bass and other big sounds really well, but directionality and positioning really matter. We found everything sounded better when this speaker was laid on its back on a table, versus standing up. For a Bose portable speaker that’s meant to travel (it even has a convenient fabric loop for hooking onto a bag or bike with a carabiner) the fact that the sound is so significantly affected by the positioning is a drawback.

I first learned of Bang & Olufsen when I dated an audio engineer in the aughts, and I’ve since associated the Danish brand with high-end audio. Needless to say, I was thrilled to learn they made a portable Bluetooth speaker—and that it’s beautiful. Unfortunately, the Beosound Explore didn’t have the same rich, full sound as many of the other speakers we tested. While it’s unfair to expect too much from such a small speaker, this one lacked strong bass (even when I messed with the equalizer in the app). It’s still a good, durable speaker with a convenient strap and included carabiner, but for a compact speaker, it doesn’t compare to the Wonderboom 2, which is half the price.

Tribit makes a handful of portable, waterproof Bluetooth speakers, including the sporty Stormbox Micro. I decided to test the hot-dog-bun-shaped Tribit XSound Go instead because it’s recommended elsewhere as a budget pick. And while it may outperform other speakers that cost $35 (I tested it against a few similarly priced speakers I already had at home to verify that claim), it paled in comparison to every other speaker we tested for this review. My official verdict is that it’s not a terrible speaker if you’re determined to spend less than $50 and you’re not an audio snob. But it’s not good enough that I’d recommend it. If you want sound quality, power, and durability, it’s really worth it to upgrade to the Wonderboom 2 if your budget allows.

The takeaway

For a portable Bluetooth speaker that can power a patio party or a picnic in the park, we recommend the JBL Xtreme 3 . It offers loud, high-quality audio and for a bulky speaker, it travels well. If you’re on a budget or just want something more compact, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is a truly impressive portable Bluetooth speaker under $100 and it outperforms speakers twice the price (and size). If you’re less concerned with portability and just want the absolute best-sounding speaker that won’t short out if it rains during your outdoor dinner, the Sonos Move is the way to go.

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Best Bluetooth Speakers for Travel & More: 5 Options Under $100

Elevate your next trip with these top-tier Bluetooth waterproof and colorful speakers. 

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Best Bluetooth Speakers To Take on the Go

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JBL Clip 3 Bluetooth Speaker

This waterproof, durable, and portable Bluetooth speaker is a great hands-free option that carries around a “big sound,” with its built-in microphone. Unlike other Bluetooth speakers, this one has a metal carabiner clip design, where you’ll be able to attach this speaker to anything you’d like from backpacks to bike handles. Its wireless feature and compact size make it a perfect choice for on-the-go trips. 

Anker Soundcore Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker 

If you are looking for an affordable option, this Anker Soundcore Portable Wireless Bluetooth speaker is the one for you. It has great sound, fast connection, and you won’t have to worry about it running out of battery with its 24-hour-long battery life. This one is easy to use and carry around with you and it’s available in three different colors: black, blue, and red.

Marshall Willen Portable Bluetooth Speaker

Get ready to listen to music and sing in the shower with this Marshall Willen portable speaker. With its versatile strap you can hang it up anywhere you’d like. You can’t go wrong with this long-lasting and durable speaker. There is no complicated set-up, all you need to do is click play. 

Erkei Sehn Portable Bluetooth Speaker

With this waterproof-wireless Bluetooth portable you are unstoppable. This one comes with not one, but two speakers. Its Bluetooth range goes up to 100 feet. According to Amazon, you can also turn the multicolored lights on and off, as well as the two hidden speaker lights when clicking on the light button—this can help conserve battery life. If you want a colorful light show, make sure to click on the asterisk icon to active it. 

Veatool Bluetooth Speaker, 8H Playtime Portable Home Wireless Bluetooth 5.3 Speaker with Stereo Bass

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TRONICA The Musical Boombox-X 100 Watts Powerfull Tower Party Speaker with Disco Party Lights, Bluetooth,USB,Digital Fm,Mic/Aux with Remote & Free Wireless mic

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Tronica 6.5″ Thunder Rowdy PartyPal 50W Speaker with Two Wireless Karaoke mics-Supports BT/USB/SD Card/FM & Mobile/pc/Laptop/aux (6 Hours Play Back)

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Tronica Boom Box Powerful 90W RMS Bluetooth Party Box Speaker Home Theater with High Powerfull Bass with 2 Mics (Wireless & Wired Mic 1 Each) USB,FM,Aux,Smart TV Support & Vivid Lights

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Tronica TR-8888 Karaoke Speaker Trolley 8Inch Woofer Portable Multimedia Bluetooth; Audio Recording; USB; SD; TF; AUX PA System with Wireless UHF Mic; Remote Control; FM (Black)

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Tronica Sargam PRO Wireless Bluetooth 50W Party Portable Speaker Supporting LED Display, RGB Lights, USB, SD Card, AUX, MIC in, FM, TWS & Comes with Free Wireless Mic

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TRONICA Wireless Portable Rockstar Bluetooth Speaker, The Rocking TWS Bluetooth Rechargeable Speaker with Vivid DJ Lights 16Wx2 Along with Remote & Wired Mic, Powerful Bass Party Speaker

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Tronica BT-777 Wireless Bluetooth Home Theater Speaker Supports SD Card, USB, AUX, FM & Remote Control. (70 Watt, 5.1 Channel)

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IMAGES

  1. Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker for Travel: Compact and Budget-Friendly

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  2. Top 10 Best Small Bluetooth Speakers 2018

    small travel bluetooth speaker

  3. Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker for Travel: Compact and Budget-Friendly

    small travel bluetooth speaker

  4. AMGRA Mini Small Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker with LED Light and

    small travel bluetooth speaker

  5. Anker SoundCore Mini Portable Bluetooth Speaker

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  6. onn. Small Rugged Portable Bluetooth Speaker, Cobalt

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COMMENTS

  1. Best Portable Mini Bluetooth Speakers for 2024: Top Compact ...

    Tribit XSound Go. At around $30, the Tribit XSound Go is one of the top speakers with Bluetooth connectivity for the money. Besides sounding decent, it's also fully waterproof. It also has ...

  2. The 8 Best Portable Speakers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

    The Sony XB 100 comes with a little carrying sack, but we especially love that the speaker itself has a strap that can be used to attach it to the outside of any bag. The Details: 16 hours of ...

  3. The 5 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers of 2024

    Most relevant to this guide are the Xtreme 4 ($380), the Clip 5 ($80), and the Go 4 ($50). All three feature Auracast, a new technology that allows Bluetooth streaming to multiple speakers—and ...

  4. 11 Best Mini Bluetooth Speakers in 2023

    JBL Clip 4 Mini Bluetooth Speaker. Now 25% Off. $60 at Amazon $47 at Walmart $45 at dell.com. JBL's Clip 4 is the best all-around mini Bluetooth speaker. The palm-sized gadget is rugged, has convenient controls and long battery life, and delivers a crisp and dynamic sound, all at an agreeable price.

  5. The 6 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers

    The JBL Boombox 3 is the best portable Bluetooth speaker we've tested. This mid-size speaker is a little larger than the other picks on our list, but it's a fair trade-off for you if you want the best possible sound. ... or the best small Bluetooth speakers. Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker. JBL Boombox 3 11 Music 7.5. Videos/Movies 6.5 ...

  6. 10 Tiny Wireless Travel Speakers You Can Take Anywhere

    This small and powerful pocket-sized wireless travel speaker is great for travel. The best-selling, tiny speaker has a 50-foot Bluetooth range and a battery that lasts up to 12 hours—perfect for ...

  7. The 5 Best Small Bluetooth Speakers

    JBL Clip 4: As its name implies, the JBL Clip 4 is a small Bluetooth speaker with a built-in carabiner hook to attach to your bag. Some may prefer this design over the fabric hooks common with our top picks, though this speaker's battery life isn't quite as impressive as similarly-priced picks like the Sony SRS-XB100.

  8. The best Bluetooth speakers 2024: top portable speakers

    Best overall. 1. Sonos Roam. View at Amazon. View at Walmart. View at Best Buy. The best Bluetooth speaker overall. The Sonos Roam delivers powerful sound for a small box, a rugged design that can ...

  9. Best Bluetooth speakers 2024: tried and tested for every budget

    The Charge 5 is currently as good a sound as you can get in a portable Bluetooth speaker for under £200/$200. 2. JBL Flip 6. With its diminutive dimensions, 12-hour battery life and punchy bass, the Flip 6 is the ideal travel companion.

  10. Best Mini Bluetooth Speakers for Movies, Music, and Mobile Devices

    The bottom line: Consider JBL the new frontrunner for the best ultra-portable speakers in the audio game. Buy JBL Clip 4 Speaker $79.37. 2. Sony Extra Bass Wireless Portable Travel Speaker.

  11. The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers for Travel, Tested

    Tags: portable bluetooth speaker Beats Pill+ Pill+ Beats by Dre Beats by Dre Pill+ ultimate ears wonderboom wonderboom flip 4 Clip 3 SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker Bose SoundLink Micro Bose Ultimate Ears Travel. Here are our top picks for the best portable bluetooth speakers for travel, all tested: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, Bose SoundLink ...

  12. Amazon.com: Small Travel Speaker

    Small Bluetooth Speaker with 360°HD Stereo Sound and Robust Bass, Mini Portable Speaker with Built-in Mic, Hands-Free Call for Hiking, Biking, Car, or Trip, Ideal Gift for Men, Women ... Wireless Portable Mini Shower Travel Speaker with Subwoofer, Enhanced Bass, Built in Mic for Sports, Pool, Beach, Hiking, Camping. 4.5 out of 5 stars 13,781 ...

  13. 10 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers for Travel

    Quick Answer: Best Bluetooth Speakers. Below is a list of the best portable Bluetooth speakers for travel: JBL Flip 5. UE Wonderboom 2. Sonos Move. JBL Clip 3. Anker Soundcore. Bose Soundlink Micro. UE Boom 3.

  14. We Listened to the Best Travel Speakers

    This is not the longest battery life for a quality small travel speaker (the Fugoo Tough described below goes for 40 hours) but the Boom 3 has more battery time than most reasonable people will ever need. ... A Quieter but Excellent-Sounding Travel Bluetooth Speaker: Bose Soundlink Color II.

  15. Amazon.com: Bluetooth Speakers Travel Size

    EWA Travel Case Packed, A106 Pro Portable Bluetooth Speaker with Custom Bass Radiator, Brief Design, IP67 Waterproof, Perfect Mini Speaker for Shower, Room, Bike, Car (Black) 44,800. 4K+ bought in past month. $2199. Save 5% with coupon. FREE delivery Mon, Apr 8 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon.

  16. 21 Best Bluetooth Speakers (2024): Portable, Waterproof, and More

    If you want a little more power and heft, the Marshall Kilburn II ($267) is similarly excellent, and the Marshall Emberton ($121) is a great extra-portable addition to the amp company's Bluetooth ...

  17. Amazon.com: Travel Bluetooth Speaker

    Small Speaker, Bluetooth Speaker with 360°HD Stereo Sound and Robust Bass, Mini Speaker with Built-in Mic, Hands-Free Call, Portable Speaker for Hiking, Biking, Car, or Trip, Ideal Gift for Men, Women ... Wireless Portable Mini Shower Travel Speaker with Subwoofer, Enhanced Bass, Built in Mic for Sports, Pool, Beach, Hiking, Camping. 4.5 out ...

  18. The 28 Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers in 2021: Portable ...

    Comiso Portable Waterproof Speaker ($40) / MobileSpec MBS14102 ($40) / Rokono BASS+ G10 ($23) MobileSpec MBS14102. Bluetooth speakers don't have to break the bank. For the budget conscious, it ...

  19. Best Portable Bluetooth Speaker (2022) for Outdoor Gatherings

    The best portable Bluetooth speaker under $100 and the best small portable Bluetooth speaker: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2. Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Bluetooth Speaker. $100 $80. Target. $100.

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    Why visit Moscow? Majestic churches, impressive historic fortresses, and palatial buildings: Moscow is a fascinating city whose emblematic architecture reflects the turbulent history that has defined Russia throughout the centuries. The traces of the USSR can be found around every corner of the city, side by side with the iconic relics of Imperial Russia, like the mythical Red Square, the ...

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    TRONICA Home Theater MADHELL 2.0 Bluetooth Speaker System with 45W RMS Stereo Sound, Display & Remote 220V AC Operational, Home Audio Speaker System. Rated 5.00 out of 5. ₹ 4,000 ₹ 2,099. Add to cart.