The market is bursting with Bluetooth speakers right now, and narrowing down a list of the best models is a huge undertaking. There are literally hundreds to choose from, but very few make the grade when it comes to delivering top sound quality for your favorite music. The few that do make the grade are listed here. They deliver the kind of sound quality to make a musical connection and receive a thumbs up from our expert audio reviewers. Each model is also a worthy investment that combines long battery life along with a practical design that is either portable friendly or sits handsomely on a coffee table.
Whether you’re on a budget or looking to splurge on something a bit more powerful, we’ve compiled a list of the best Bluetooth speakers to suit your needs and pocket. It’s important to remember that certain added features will increase the cost, like built-in digital assistance (e.g., Alexa, Google Assistant), or AirPlay support, for example, but you can still find a durable design with strong specs for less with the help of this guide.
Top 3 best Bluetooth speakers
What are the best Bluetooth speakers?
Based on our testing, we think the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is the best Bluetooth speaker overall. It delivers a powerful kick — up to 100 decibels — with 360-degree sound, and can be paired with multiple speakers. It’s also water-resistant — key if you plan on hosting any parties — and lasts up to 20 hours on a charge, so you can keep the tunes going for longer.
However, the UE Megaboom 3 costs around $170; if you’re looking for something cheaper, then we recommend the Anker Soundcore 3 as the best Bluetooth speaker. It’s just $50, and is very compact, yet it delivers a very big sound for its size. It’s also water resistant and has a 24-hour battery life.
It’s important to remember that certain features like Wi-Fi connectivity and digital assistant support (e.g., Alexa, Google Assistant) will increase the cost. All the models here deliver the kind of sound quality to make a musical connection and receive a thumbs up from our expert audio reviewers. Each model is a worthy investment, and combines long battery life with a practical design that is also portable friendly.
Right now many of our favorite picks are currently on sale, making now the ideal time to buy one of the best Bluetooth speakers.
The best Bluetooth speakers you can buy right now
Thanks to its excellent sound quality, long battery life and travel-ready ruggedness, the UE Megaboom 3 is the best Bluetooth speaker you can buy right now. This big, bold portable speaker pumps out rich 360-degree sound complete with detailed highs and satisfying low-end, and maxes out at 100 decibels of noise. It’s one of our best outdoor speakers thanks to an IP67-rated design, which means it can survive drops, shower splashes, and can even be submerged for short periods without skipping a beat.
The Megaboom 3 is on the bigger side compared to other portable speakers, and unlike many of its competitors, it doesn’t have Alexa or Google Assistant support, or any other smart features. But if that’s not a deal breaker, the Megaboom 3’s sound quality and ruggedness can’t be beat for the price. You can also pair it with older Megaboom and Boom models for a stereo sound experience.
Read our full UE Megaboom 3 review.
The Anker Soundcore 3 is an amazing little Bluetooth speaker and makes the top of our list as one of the best cheap Bluetooth speakers around. For just over $50, this tiny powerhouse delivers loud, well-balanced sound within an IPX7-rated design that can survive water and dust, while the robust rubberised outer case takes care of protection from everyday knocks. The speaker lasts up to a whopping 24 hours, thanks to Anker’s best-in-class battery technology, and the Soundcore 3’s dual tweeter drivers and central mid/bass woofer allied to a passive bass driver and Anker’s BassUp technology, ensure you’ll get powerful sound in any setting.
The Soundcore’s compact design makes it perfect for tossing into your bag for a quick road trip, and SharePlay allows multiple Soundcore speakers to be synced for an even bigger sound. It’s also available in blue, red and silver colors for a little extra ($56) cost in addition to the standard slick black we tested.
Read our full Anker Soundcore 3 review.
Building on the success of the Sonos Move which ranks as one of our best smart speakers, the Sonos Roam is a connected smart speaker at home and powerful Bluetooth beast on the road. It’s much more portable and more affordable than the Move, though, and its auto Trueplay feature adjusts the sound to suit your surroundings wherever you’re listening.
It is available in five color options including sunset (orange) as pictured, and although we wish the battery lasted more than 10 hours, it juices up quickly via USB-C or wireless charging. When you return back from your latest excursion, the Sonos Roam should rejoin your larger Sonos system on its own. It also gives you the option to hand off your current soundtrack to the nearest Sonos speaker. Or you could stick to Roam, bringing your voice assistant and streaming services room-to-room, or as far as your Wi-Fi can reach.
Read our full Sonos Roam review.
While it costs about $200, the StormBox Blast is not nearly as expensive as some of our best Bluetooth speakers like the powerful UE Hyperboom or the JBL Boombox 3, but it sounds nearly as good, making it something of a bargain compared to other extra-large portable Bluetooth speakers.
If you’re looking for a big speaker that can withstand the elements, the Tribit StormBox Blast has a lot going for it. It fills whatever space you are in with bassy sound and vocals sound clear. You can boost the bass further with the XBass button on the speaker, and you can link two StormBox Blasts together for an even bigger sound. It can play all day without needing a recharge, and it’s waterproof so you don’t have to worry about it falling into the pool or getting rained on for a while. And it puts on a light show if you want some visuals to go with your audio. .
Read our full Tribit StormBox Blast review.
The UE Wonderboom 2 is proof that great things can come in small packages. This tiny speaker delivers huge sound within a small 4-inch cylinder, complete with throbbing bass, balanced midtones and crisp vocals. It can survive being dunked in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes and is dust-resistant, making it perfect for your next trip to the pool, beach or park.
Other key features include an impressive 13-hour battery life and the ability to pair two Wonderbooms together for immersive stereo sound. If you need an especially small speaker that’s a breeze to tote around and don’t want to spend more than $100, the Wonderboom 2 is hard to beat. Add a carabiner to the clever loop to attach the Wonderboom to your bag as you head out the door.
Read our full UE Wonderboom 2 review.
At fewer than 4 inches wide, the only thing smaller than the Go 3 might be its price; even the Anker Soundcore 2 might sweat when seeing this speaker’s price tag. And despite the small investment, your return is IP67-rated waterproofing. That means it will survive full submersion in shallow water for half an hour, and full dust-proofing is part of the package as well.
Battery life looks poor at 5 hours, but in our testing we could stretch this out to over 10 hours if we didn’t go too crazy with the volume. As such, there are better alternatives if you need to fill a large space, but as a personal, portable speaker, the Go 3 is very likeable indeed.
Read our full JBL Go 3 review.
The JBL Charge 5 makes only a few changes to the Charge 4’s formula, but thanks to the new model’s improved sound output and even greater ruggedness, it’s a deserving member of the best dorm room speakers club. Its IP67 rating, signaling high dust resistance and full waterproofing, is about as good as you’ll get on a portable Bluetooth speakers and along with the UE Megaboom 3 is one of our best outdoor speakers.
JBL’s app isn’t as advanced as the UE Megaboom 3, but the Charge 5 can show off a few tricks of its own. Chief among them being able to act as a power bank for phones and tablets. Running out of juice when you’re streaming music in the yard or at a park? Just plug it into the Charge 5 and the speaker will give you a top-up.
Read our full JBL Charge 5 review.
Looking to go big? The UE Hyperboom is the best Bluetooth speaker for large gatherings, thanks to its massive size and big, booming audio output. This 14-inch tall speaker offers a big and balanced sound that’s especially ideal for barbecues and outdoor parties.
The Hyperboom is as rugged as it is big, with IPX4 water resistance for surviving splashes. And you’ll get 24 hours of battery life for keeping the outdoor tunes going all day and night long. Pair that with seamless Bluetooth connectivity and plenty of volume, and you have the ultimate speaker for filling a large outdoor space with great sound.
Read our full UE Hyperboom review.
The Sonos Move might not be as portable as the newer Roam, but it’s still one of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market. The Move takes the well-tuned sound and rich feature set found in the Sonos One and lets you take it on the go, with a 10-hour battery packed into a portable (albeit fairly chunky) design.
We found the Move delivers a crisp sound with satisfying bass and clear vocals. The speaker works with all major streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music, sports Apple AirPlay 2 support and can seamlessly switch from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi on the fly. Alexa and Google Assistant support allow you to do anything from check the weather to control your smart home, and the Move’s Auto TruePlay automatically tunes the speaker’s audio output for wherever you’re listening, whether you’re having a rooftop party or rocking out in your bedroom.
The Bose Portable Home Speaker is the next-best option for powerful, portable sound with voice assistants. Check out our Sonos Move vs. Bose Portable Home Speaker to see which is right for you.
Read our full Sonos Move review.
For a premium speaker that looks as good as it sounds, look no further than the V-Moda Remix. This drool-worthy showpiece is the best Bluetooth speaker for the design-oriented, and can be customized to your heart’s content. The base model looks slick in aluminum or vegan leather, while, people with bottomless budgets and a penchant for style can opt for steel or platinum finishes (the later of which will run you well over $300,000).
Most importantly, the Remix sounds great, offering plenty of bass as well as a built-in headphone amp to connect to your favorite set of cans. The Remix’s 10-hour battery life certainly makes this speaker worthy of longer jam sessions, and its trusty microphone allows for crisp call quality whether you’re set up inside your house or out.
Read our full V-Moda Remix review.
If you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker that offers practical portability at a great price, the StormBox Micro is currently discounted to $49 at Amazon (opens in new tab). Although it has been around for a while it’s a very worthwhile on-the-go option and has plenty of great features, including IP67-rated to protect it from water (to a depth of 1 meter for up to 30 mins) and against dust and dirt.
Unlike a lot of very small speakers, it also sounds great, producing clear vocals and some surprisingly strong bass. For something tiny enough to clip onto a satchel or bike handlebars, that’s very good indeed. The only drawbacks are the lack of an app (although you can pair with two devices at once) and a relatively low battery life, which sees the StormBox Micro run dry after 8 hours.
Read our full Tribot StormBox Micro review.
Plus: Also consider the slightly more costly Tribit StormBox Micro 2, which adds a USB-C port to enable mobile top ups. This updated model impressed a Tom’s Guide coworker so much it’s become a favorite gadget.
How to choose the best Bluetooth speaker for you
There are a couple things you’ll want to consider when shopping for a Bluetooth speaker, the first of which is whether you want it to be wireless or wired. While a number of wired speakers like the Amazon Echo (4th gen) provide excellent Bluetooth listening, you can’t take them far from a power socket. Stick to a speaker with a rechargeable battery for on-the-go audio.
With that, you’ll need to decide if a Bluetooth speaker with a voice assistant is the best for you. If you plan to use your speaker in your backyard, it could be useful to have Google Assistant’s or Alexa’s powers at your disposal. That way you can change the music using your voice, rather than controlling the audio through your phone. These smart features will not work beyond your home’s Wi-Fi, so opt for a non-smart Bluetooth speaker for the beach or other outdoorsy locales.
How we test the best Bluetooth speakers
Every product on this list is considered the best Bluetooth speaker for one or more standout features, however each must meet basic requirements during our testing to be considered. We spend several hours listening to music, making calls and toting around every speaker to make sure it sounds great across all music genres, provides solid call quality and withstands minor bumps or splashes.
To determine sound quality, we listen to many tracks across multiple music genres as possible, including hip-hop, rock, jazz, classical, and electronic, while evaluating volume, clarity and fullness. Movies, podcasts, and video games are also considered, when necessary.
If a speaker offers smart features, we enable the supported voice assistant to see how it fares against other top rated smart speakers. We’ll use it to control smart home devices, browse playlists and get answers to other common queries.
We also test battery life, exhausting each speaker’s battery after a full charge to see how long it can last under realistic conditions. A smart speaker connected to Wi-Fi should last at least 10 hours, while a standard Bluetooth speaker should last around 20. Most people want to know how much play time they can expect when their speaker comes along on a day trip.
Once testing is completed, we rate the best Bluetooth speakers based on our five-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). Products that hit nearly every mark are awarded an Editor’s Choice badge.
Next: Sony’s most powerful Bluetooth speaker yet, and Marshall’s next-gen Woburn, Stanmore, and Acton Bluetooth speakers.
