Finding the best Bluetooth speaker for your particular needs can be a hard thing to do, unless you rely on our expertise here at What Hi-Fi?. Every brand from Apple to Sonos is vying for a bite of the Bluetooth pie (and many, specifically, are targeting the portable speaker market) and by association, your investment, but which model is most worthy of your hard-earned cash?
And do you want a speaker designed for portability, or do you want something bigger, more powerful, and more full-featured that's tougher to bring around with you? Furthermore, you'll have to consider what codecs you want support for, if you need hands-free calling support, and a million other things.
Luckily, we at What Hi-Fi? test tons of different Bluetooth speakers of all different feature sets and prices, so we know what goes into making not just a great speaker but a great value, too. On this page, you'll find all kinds of excellent Bluetooth speakers to choose from, depending on what you're looking for.
Accordingly, we've rounded up our pick of the best portable speakers and best Bluetooth speakers across all shapes, sizes, and prices to make sure you find a product you'll love.
- See all the best Bluetooth speaker deals live right now
How to choose the best Bluetooth speaker for you
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
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?
Read more
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 cute JBL Go is a charming 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 Xtreme 3, or models that allow daisy-chaining, will be more appropriate for ravers or users that 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. To help you, we have a great selection of the best portable speakers and best Bluetooth speakers below that span a range of types and budgets. There should be something for everyone here...
Given that the Flip 5 (listed, below) is a past What Hi-Fi? Award winner, it will come as little surprise to learn that the Flip 6 is another resoundingly five-star product. We might have thought we’d be advising JBL to rework the Flip by now – add a few more features, change it up a bit to keep up with the competition – but instead, we are left praising the sonic chops of a proposition that now offers extra durability (it is now IP67 water- and dust-proof, over the waterproof-only IPX7 Flip 5) as well as an extra ounce of space within its trademark zealous and musical presentation. Yes, it's still 'just' a Bluetooth speaker – but what a great-sounding Bluetooth speaker it is.
If you want more from the midrange and less from the treble, you can now 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 Flip 5, there’s certainly more detail here, too.
Read the full review: JBL Flip 6
The JBL Charge 5 is even more durable and better sounding than the four Charges before it. Its predecessor carried an IPX7 rating, meaning it could handle being submerged in water to a depth of 1.5m, but the IP67-rated Charge 5 builds on that durability by also being fully dustproof. Want a speaker roughly the dimensions of a bottle of wine that'll charge your phone and sound great? You've found it.
Thanks in part to a new 10W tweeter and racetrack-shaped driver, the Charge 5 is currently as good a sound as you can get in a portable Bluetooth speaker design for under £200 ($200, AU$300). It boasts marginal improvements, both sonically and aesthetically, over its predecessor, the five-star Charge 4 (below).
One day JBL may produce a Charge that can be outdone by a new and plucky rival, but rest assured, that has not happened with the rather splendid (and What Hi-Fi? 2021 and 2022 Award-winning) Charge 5.
Read the full review: JBL Charge 5
JBL has practically built its name on rugged, portable hardware capable of surviving anywhere (we imagine) from the bottom of an icy ravine to the top of a snow-capped summit. The JBL Xtreme 3 is no exception with its durable design and is a versatile, talented five-star wireless speaker that’s as happy chilling at home as it is being the life and soul of a sweaty student party. As rugged as the rest of its stablemates, it is IP67 dust and waterproof-certified, making it perfect for getting its (metaphorical) hands dirty in the great outdoors.
You might be forgiven for thinking that, given the bulky construction, the Xtreme 3 might be more preoccupied with the amount of bass it’s producing rather than focusing on musical quality. Let us put your mind at rest: the Xtreme 3 proves to be a careful and considerate performer from the lowest of lows to the highest highs, giving impressive detail, dynamics and a strong sense of timing.
Still, bassheads will be more than satisfied with the healthy low-end clout on offer, but there’s quality as well as quantity on display. The JBL Xtreme 3 gained five stars across the board during our rigorous in-house testing, never appearing out of its depth no matter how complicated the musical arrangement.
Read the full review: JBL Xtreme 3
If all you want is a portable Bluetooth speaker that sounds as good as you can currently buy for around £100 ($100, AU$119), you’ll be hard-pressed to better the fantastic Flip 5. JBL’s newest offering sounds great for the price and is rugged enough to cope with a day at the pool.
The Flip 5 is waterproof to an IPX7 rating, boasts a 12 hour battery life and has a USB-C charging port, meaning it goes from flat to fully juiced in just 2.5 hours. It's a pleasure to use and scores highly for portability, with a wrist strap that slips comfortably over our hand. There's also a PartyBoost button that helps you pair two PartyBoost-enabled speakers to create a stereo pair, or link over 100 PartyBoost-compatible speakers in mono.
Sound is impressively weighty and agile, with a good punch of bass and a real sense of openness and texture. Assuming you don't mind the lack of an aux-in port or inbuilt microphone (as seen in the Flip 4), you'll almost certainly be wowed by this speaker's sonic chops. A superb performer.
Read the full review: JBL Flip 5
If all you want from a decent outdoor speaker is portability and affordability, you really couldn't do much better than the excellent Stormbox Micro 2. A tiny, satchel-friendly Bluetooth speaker that's one of the cheapest options on this list, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is easily one of the best we’ve tested at this meagre price point.
The small-form-factor speaker doesn’t have the 360-degree sound design of many of its rivals like the dinky UE Wonderboom 3, but during our tests we found it is one of the best value options if you’re really on a tight budget.
Building on the success of the original Stormbox Micro and featuring an all but identical woven finish design, the Micro's sequel trumps its predecessor when it comes to delivering enjoyable audio and massively improved battery life. We easily coaxed 12 hours of listening out of a single charge, while an IP67 rating let one of our reviewers use it in the bathroom/shower without any issue or damage. Again, the Stormbox Micro 2's diminutive size and durable design make it well-suited for travelling far beyond the confines of a bathroom or kitchen.
Audio is really strong, too, bigger, punchier and louder than you’d expect from such a small box. Play Juice by Lizzo and the Micro 2 does justice to the song’s upbeat tempo with her vocals vibrantly portrayed. Midrange in particular is dealt with in a much more appealing manner than anything else we’ve seen at this price.
The only issue is that it can start to suffer from distortion at louder volumes, but based on our head-to-head tests, you’ll have to pay more and invest in either a JBL Flip 6 or Wonderboom 3 to get a better speaker. Really impressive stuff.
Read the full review: Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2
The spiritual successor to the excellent Sonos One had a lot to live up to. Sonos' five-star smart speaker has been one of its most popular models, a superb entry point into the broader Sonos network that does everything asked of it with poise and clarity. It was hard for many of us to conceive of how the much-vaunted Era range, consisting of the Era 100 and its bigger brother, the Era 300, could push the bar higher.
Sonos, thankfully, showed us that our misgivings were ill-founded. The Era 100 is a true five-star performer, blending updated specifications with a revamped design to deliver one of the most sonically satisfying speakers the company has ever produced at this level. Redesigned from the ground up, the Era 100 packs in new drivers: two angled tweeters with customer waveguides and a 25 per cent bigger woofer – each powered by its own Class D amplifier.
What this all translates into is vastly improved sound, and while the Sonos One was mono only, the Era 100 distinguishes itself by providing a superb stereo experience. The bass is deeper and fuller, there's more clarity and detail throughout and even at higher volume, timing is excellent and the tonal balance is wonderfully even. It's predominantly a stationary, use-at-home type of product, but the Era 100's Bluetooth connectivity makes it more flexible in use and makes it eligible for a spot on this list.
With such high levels of performance, it's one of the best speakers you can find on the market today at this price.
Read the full review: Sonos Era 100
Bang & Olufsen isn’t noted for following the herd. In the Danish electronics specialist’s catalogue you'll find a wheel-shaped wireless speaker, a TV that opens up like a butterfly, and an 8200-watt monolithic speaker comprising 18 drivers. Its output could reasonably be described as "premium" and "innovative" – and the B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) wireless speaker is no exception.
It boasts similar dimensions to a large floury bap, but that's where any comparisons with baked goods end. The new A1 supports Qualcomm’s latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth 5.1 codec, and of course, Alexa is built-in.
It works a treat, too, delivering a pleasingly comfortable yet authoritative performance that you'd be happy listening to all day. Throw in its classy, well made design, easy to use operation and the bonus of Alexa, and you're looking at a Bluetooth speaker sequel that has very much been worth the wait.
Read the full review: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)
Ultimate Ears has really made a splash in the Bluetooth speaker market with a number of colorful, fun-sounding and portable models. And the follow-up to the five-star Wonderboom 2 is the Wonderboom 3.
It's waterproof and dustproof; plus, it's also designed to float, so it should withstand the most lively of pool parties and outdoor adventures. Battery life is 14 hours and a full charge takes around 2.6 hours on average.
Sonically, the Wonderboom 3 is an exciting listen. Bass is impressive given its small form factor, and the sense of dynamics on display is similarly impressive. You also get a ‘boost’ button on the underside of the unit that's a rollover feature from the Wonderboom 2. When pressed, it restricts the bass frequencies, allowing the UE to play louder through the midrange, which in turn makes the sound easier to hear when the unit is used outdoors, making it all the more attractive a speaker to bring with you on a trip.
There's no built-in mic or app, like the Wonderboom 2, but even still, the Wonderboom 3 is an eminently portable, great-sounding Bluetooth speaker that won't break the bank at its £90 / $100 retail price.
Read the full review: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
The diminutive, soap on a rope-styled Go 3 features Bluetooth 5.1 plus a maximum power output of 4.2W, up from Bluetooth 4.1 and 3W in the previous iteration, the Go 2. The one specification that hasn’t changed is the Go 3's stamina. It takes 2.5 hours to charge fully, and you can still only get a comparatively meagre five hours of playtime from a single charge.
If you can live with this, there's much to celebrate in the sound department at the level. The extra power and overhauled design have resulted in some solid sonic enhancements, so much so that we awarded the Go 3 full five stars in the sound department.
It's also an aesthetically pleasing little fella, perhaps even cuter than the 2nd generation model (if you can imagine such a thing). The problem for the Go 3, sadly, is that it's limited by a poor battery life and a pretty average sound range, so if you're only planning a trip to the end of your street, you'll be fine. Any further, you might want to consider one of this list's bigger boys, or maybe think about digging out a wireless charger instead.
Read the full review: JBL Go 3
At What Hi-Fi?, we know full well the value of revisions. Yet still, it was quite the surprise when first we heard about one made by Naim, with its second generation of the Mu-so Qb wireless speaker. The previous iteration was great, earning five stars when it was first reviewed. This version, however, is even better.
You can now choose between an Olive, Terracotta or Peacock grille alongside the standard black, but the best tweaks Naim has made go far deeper. Remove whatever colour grille you've gone for and you'll be rewarded with upgraded and optimised midrange and bass drive units, all powered by a total of 300W of amplification.
You won't be short of streaming options, thanks to Chromecast Built-in and Apple AirPlay 2 alongside Bluetooth for streaming from a device, as well as Spotify Connect, Roon Ready, internet radio and Tidal. You’ll also be able to access files up to 32-bit/384kHz anywhere on your home network via the updated Naim app
With punchy bass and sparkling and rich tones across the frequencies, we had no hesitation in awarding the Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation our 2022 What Hi-Fi? Award for the best home wireless speaker over £500 – for the fourth year running.
Read the full review: Naim Mu-so Qb 2nd Generation
The 2021 update (sensibly titled MkII) to the three-time Award-winning Audio Pro C10 adds AirPlay 2 and Google Cast to complete a multi-room home run – and earn itself What Hi-Fi? 2021 and 2022 Awards.
When we tested its older sibling, we pitted it against models almost double its price and found it bettered them. We’re happy to report that it's still the case today – if £500 ($500) is your maximum budget, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a speaker that comes close to the Audio Pro C10 MkII.
We miss the leather handle and fun, slightly rock'n'roll aesthetic and sonic presentation of the original, but we can't argue with three options for multi-room streaming (AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast and Audio Pro's own slick and functional app) or the levelled-up grippy bass and improved hi-fidelity performance.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII
Want a Sonos speaker you can drop in a backpack? Meet the Sonos Roam, the multi-room titan's first truly portable battery-powered speaker (the 2019 Sonos Move is technically portable but weighs a hefty 3kg to the Roam's 430g).
The Roam works perfectly well as a standalone Bluetooth speaker but it's also designed to be immersed in the company's burgeoning multi-room ecosystem. Features includes support for AirPlay 2, voice controls and Sonos' Trueplay tech, which uses the built-in mic to tune bass and treble to suit your surroundings.
Headed to the beach or the pool? You'll be pleased to note the IP67 rating, which gives it complete water and dust resistance. The built-in battery offers a pretty decent 10 hours playback and support for Qi wireless charging.
Sound is confident, bold and better than you might expect from an outdoor/party speaker at this price. Other Bluetooth speakers offer a more expressive and detailed sound but if you're invested in the world of Sonos, the Roam is a smart buy.
Read the full review: Sonos Roam
The 2021 update (sensibly titled MkII) to the three-time Award-winning Audio Pro C10 adds AirPlay 2 and Google Cast to complete a multi-room home run – and earn itself What Hi-Fi? 2021 and 2022 awards.
When we tested its older sibling, we pitted it against models almost double its price and found it bettered them. We’re happy to report that it's still the case today – if £500 ($500) is your maximum budget, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a speaker that comes close to the Audio Pro C10 MkII.
We miss the leather handle and fun, slightly rock'n'roll aesthetic and sonic presentation of the original, but we can't argue with three options for multi-room streaming (AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast and Audio Pro's own slick and functional app) or the levelled-up grippy bass and improved hi-fidelity performance.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Addon C10 MkII
No, the Echo Dot isn't a traditional Bluetooth speaker in the sense of what we traditionally deem to be a Bluetooth speaker here at What Hi-Fi?. It's not portable, for one thing, as it requires a plugged-in connection to the wall to work, and it relies on wi-fi to function as an AI-boosted virtual assistant. You can (and will), however, utilise Bluetooth to connect your iPhone to the Echo Dot, especially if you want to play music, 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 filled to the brim with skills and knowledge as Keanu Reeves after he's been uploaded with various handy computer programs (although she doesn't, as of yet, "know Kung fu"). The Dot's cybernetic assistant is more helpful than ever before, stuffed with so many tricks and quirks that you'll often find yourself falling into the trap of speaking to Alexa as though it, or rather she, were a real person.
Audio has come a long way, too. We weren't hugely keen on the sound of Amazon's early Echo models, but the trajectory has been very much one of continual improvement courtesy of Jeff Bezos' tireless team of tech tinkerers. 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 sound that feels, for the size, weighty, listenable and surprisingly versatile.
Read the full review: Amazon Echo Dot (5th Generation)
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, Reading and Bath. 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. Our team is filled with experts in the audio world with 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, including battery life, the robustness of its Bluetooth connection, how easy it is to use and set up, and finally how well built it is. Our review philosophy doesn't change whether we're evaluating a basic, budget Bluetooth speaker or a more premium model.
All products are judged on a performance-per-pound basis and, as part of the process, put up against the current class leader(s) at that 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 decades.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between wireless and Bluetooth speakers?
As you'd expect, Bluetooth speakers are wireless in that they don't require a wire to connect to an audio source; they use a Bluetooth codec. However, they 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. 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 (Bluetooth is not widely capable of transmitting CD-quality or above music).
However, Bluetooth-only speakers are generally more portable (as they don't require an internet connection to work) and often more affordable.
How many watts is good for a home Bluetooth speaker?
There isn't a simple answer here. Basically, you'll want a speaker that's going to be able to fill your intended space with sound. So, if you're looking for a small, portable Bluetooth speaker to use casually on the table outside when you're hanging out, a relatively low-powered speaker with a 30 to 50-watt output will get that job done for you without any problems.
However, if you've got a big, spacious room that you want to fill with sound at decent volumes, a bigger speaker with a higher watt output will likely serve you best.
How does a Bluetooth speaker work?
Bluetooth is like a short-range, low-powered, low-bandwidth version of wi-fi used to connect compatible devices together rather than to the internet. Bluetooth uses radio waves 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, while a wireless speaker operates similarly but instead relies on the internet 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 offerings provide excellent audio quality and great value, earning them many five-star reviews. Bose speakers tend to satisfy on the features and stylings fronts, though are often pricier and don't always offer the same performance-per-pound value.
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 many JBL speakers on the above list, don't assume that everything JBL makes is better than everything Bose makes.
MORE:
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