Tested: The Best Bluetooth Speakers Worth Your Attention

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There's nothing better than kicking back at home or outside with your phone by your side, streaming your go-to playlist, podcast, or audiobook to a Bluetooth speaker. The delight of occasionally going headphone-free is worth the cost of admission.

The latest Bluetooth speakers are more capable than ever and incredibly well-priced — many great ones cost just around $100. Today's best will deliver great sound, have next-level craftsmanship and durability, and pack a plethora of convenient additional features.

We're constantly researching and testing the latest top Bluetooth speakers on the market today to find you the absolute best.

The Best Bluetooth Speakers

• Best Overall: Soundcore X500

• Best Budget: Soundcore X300

• Most Versatile: JBL Charge 5

• Best Rugged Speaker: Sony SRS-XE300

• Best Smart Speaker: Sonos Roam

How We Tested

Before the testing began, I spent a few days researching today's latest portable Bluetooth speakers from leading brands like Bose, JBL, Marshall, Sony, Soundcore, and more. I looked for products with stellar audio hardware, made from durable materials with an official rating for water resistance, and futureproof connectivity in various forms and price points.

The Bose SoundLink Flex is a big-name Bluetooth speaker that didn’t make the cut in early 2024 due to its dated Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity. This version of the wireless protocol dates back a decade, so it has a more limited range and power efficiency than newer iterations.

The testing process included rocking out with the products at home and during park outings while evaluating the following criteria:

• Audio Quality — the speaker's ability to deliver bass, treble, and midrange sounds while listening to various types of content.

• Design and build — evaluating the product's craftsmanship and durability, including its ability to survive exposure to water.

• Battery endurance — testing the speaker's real-life performance between charges.

• Additional features — app-enabled controls, compatibility with virtual assistants, and more.
  

What to Consider

Sound

Good sound is a must for a top-tier Bluetooth speaker, and the more audio drivers it packs, the better its fidelity will be. Unless you are looking for a compact offering or one that offers unique features, keep an eye out for at least two onboard audio drivers.

On the other hand, bass radiators will help the product produce a powerful and entertaining low range. More radiators will bring a boomier bass, but keep in mind that the additional rumble might negatively impact the treble and the mid-range.

Durability

Water resistance used to be a niche feature for Bluetooth speakers, but today, the handy functionality's growing availability has made it a must-have for any great Bluetooth speaker.

All product suggestions (with the exception of one) can handle direct exposure to water, and many can survive complete submersion and even float on the surface. Before making a pick, it's essential to know that speakers with an IP rating can survive exposure to water and dust, while IPX-rated ones can only handle the former. So, if you're shopping for a beach- or hike-ready Bluetooth speaker, consider one with an IP rating.

Battery Life

A good Bluetooth speaker should offer double-digit battery life, regardless of its size and price point. The product category's finest offer endurance beyond the 10-hour bare minimum.

Additional Features

Bluetooth 5.0 (and higher) is the most desirable wireless connectivity standard a speaker should offer. Depending on your usage preference, options beyond Bluetooth (e.g., wired and Wi-Fi) are worth considering, too.

A companion app with speaker controls and audio customization options is also worth considering for your next Bluetooth speaker. Thankfully, there's no need to break the bank to access this functionality.

Now that you know how to shop, find the best Bluetooth speaker for your lifestyle and budget among these high-quality tested products.

Best Overall

The Soundcore X500 Bluetooth speaker by Anker is the best for most consumers, offering an elegant design, a waterproof build with a decidedly premium finish. It produces excellent sound that’s easily customizable via the Soundcore app, all at an agreeable price — around $150 before discounts.

Available in black, blue, or pink, the aluminum handle and speaker grille make the Soundcore X500 look like a pricier product. Its backlit button controls sitting on both sides of the illuminated upwards-firing audio driver are super easy to operate. I found the backlighting convenient, as it practically eliminated the learning curve of the speaker's controls when I began testing it. I also liked adjusting the lighting color via the companion app.

Equipped with two full-range audio drivers and an upward-firing unit, the Soundcore X500 delivers the best sound for the money. Unlike its rivals, the device is capable of producing immersive spatial audio. Available with the press of a button, the feature makes the speaker sound more entertaining than its compact footprint suggests.

What’s more, the X500 can stream Hi-Res Audio content wirelessly. The functionality allows it to deliver high-fidelity sound than its rivals. My go-to Tidal tracks for testing audio gear came out detail-rich and vibrant, once again making me feel like I’m interacting with a speaker that costs more.

Consider the Soundcore X600 if you are looking for even more powerful sound and don’t mind spending an extra $50. It weighs an extra pound, but it packs two more drivers than the X500.

Best Budget

Priced well below $100 before additional discounts, the Soundcore X300 is the best budget speaker, overdelivering in design, durability, audio performance, and value. Weighing less than two pounds, the Bluetooth gadget is also compact and ideal for use on the go. It has a detachable strap for attaching it to a bag, a bike handle, and other objects.

The stereo sound of the Soundcore X300 is surprisingly detail-rich for such an affordable speaker. Like the pricier X500 and X600 Bluetooth speakers from the same maker, the Hi-Res Audio-capable X300 made me feel like I was playing my test tracks on a pricier device. Its bass is also stellar, and you can boost it with the press of a button.

Like costlier products, the Soundcore X300 has been tuned to deliver an optimal sonic experience depending on its placement. I enjoyed great sound when I placed it facing up or standing, though the second option treated me to a better stereo experience. And once again, the Soundcore app is packed with intuitive tools for customizing the sound.

Available in black, blue, and green, the Soundcore X300 has a soft-touch rubber shell and a luxurious metal grille. If you are shopping on an even tighter budget, consider the Soundcore X100. For around $50, it has a more compact design, a fully waterproof build, and great sound quality for its size.

Best Design & Battery Life

Marshall’s Emberton II Bluetooth speaker sets itself apart with a unique design that’s a nod to the brand’s iconic guitar amps, convenient controls, and fantastic battery life. With up to 30 hours of wireless playback on a single charge, the speaker can get you days’ worth of entertainment between power-ups. And unlike its rivals, the Emberton II has an LED light battery indicator.

Featuring a rectangular shape with rounded corners and a distinctive speaker grille with an embedded Marshall logo, the Emberton II looks like a miniaturized guitar amp. Impressively, you can stack multiple speakers like the Marshall amps to create an even more powerful sound system.

The multi-direction control knob is another thoughtful design bit that makes the Emberton II a great buy. I like that instead of peppering the speaker with buttons, Marshall opted for a single, do-everything key. I found the setup to be cooler and more convenient than a standard set of buttons.

The audio performance of the Marshall Emberton II is worthy of its design and brand credentials. Two full-range audio drivers produce crisp and enjoyable stereo sound while a pair of passive radiators pump out a powerful bass that defies its compact form factor. The sound is customizable via a companion app with an intuitive interface.

You can order Emberton II in black or cream colors, each featuring contrasting branding and control knob. Consider the spendier Marshall Middleton speaker if you’re after a more powerful sonic experience. It is slightly bigger, and its controls feature dedicated buttons for adjusting the bass and treble. The Willen speaker from the same maker is a smaller and cheaper Emberton II alternative.

Most Versatile

The JBL Charge 5 is the most versatile portable speaker worth your attention and a strong alternative to our top pick from Soundcore. JBL’s offering has longer battery life and an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, so it’s more suitable to use in outdoorsy settings like going to the beach or camping, to name a couple. The speaker can also charge other gadgets via a dedicated USB port if necessary.

Sound-wise, the Charge 5 is one of the most entertaining Bluetooth speakers for the money, courtesy of two audio drivers and two passive bass radiators. Sitting on the sides of the speakers, the last-mentioned bits pump out a powerful low-range that can turn any outdoor gathering into a full-on party. That said, as powerful as it is, the Charge 5 can match the Soundcore X500 and X600 in transparent audio fidelity.

I enjoyed my favorite downtempo albums on a JBL Charge 5, both indoors and outside. The additional bass rumble served the beats-heavy tracks well without seriously distorting the mid-range and the treble. Thankfully, the sonic experience is customizable via an app, so you can tone down the bass if necessary.

I like the speaker’s design, too. Its fabric-covered housing with an oversized JBL logo is available in several colors, and it will look equally great on a kitchen counter, a patio table, a beach towel, or a camping site.

The fabric-covered JBL Flip 6 is a smaller alternative to the Charge 6 that doesn’t skimp on durability. Its sound and battery life are a step behind those of the Charge 5, but it’s considerably cheaper.

Best Rugged Speaker

Sony's SRS-XE300 Bluetooth speaker is one of the best in this product category, thanks to a pleasantly understated design with an elegant fabric finish, a relentlessly tough construction, fantastic audio quality, and long battery life, all at an agreeable price. It also packs additional features like an onboard microphone for making calls, elaborate app controls, multi-device connectivity, and fast charging tech.

Equipped with full-range audio drivers and passive radiators, the SRS-XE300 delivers a detail-rich and powerful sound that’s customizable via the Sony Music Center app. The drivers have a non-circular shape, allowing the speaker to blast distortion-free audio at any volume. I was particularly impressed by this feat, as many portable speakers lose detail to thumping bass and screaming treble at high volume.

The SRS-XE300 sounds like a bigger product thanks to a clever line-shaped sound diffuser. It delivers an equally great sonic experience when placed horizontally or vertically, and there's also an option to seamlessly connect many units for a bigger sound. That said, its lack of support for Hi-Res Audio or immersive spatial content are glaring omission in 2024.

Sony offers the SRS-XE300 in black, blue, red, and light gray. If you want a smaller Bluetooth speaker, consider the Sony SRS-X200 with the same design and features for less.

Best Mini Speaker

The JBL Clip 4 is our favorite mini Bluetooth speaker, thanks to a minuscule-yet-durable build, a powerful sound with a surprisingly thumping low end, up-to-date Bluetooth connectivity, and great battery life for its size.

Powered by a single 40-millimeter audio driver, the JBL Clip 4 emits a bigger sound than its palm-sized form suggests. By providing me with a good harmony between bass, treble, and midrange, the tiny gadget exceeded my toned-down expectations when I streamed my playlists for evaluating audio gear.

Thanks to the JBL Clip line's signature carabiner, the speaker can easily attach to a bag or a bicycle, among countless other items. With a weight close to that of a big-screen phone like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Clip 4 is also impressively light for a Bluetooth speaker.

Available in a multitude of color options that range from understated to eclectic, the latest Clip iteration rocks an oversized JBL logo and a back with a textured finish that makes the speaker easier to handle and less prone to slipping on any surface.

Best Smart Speaker

The Sonos Roam is not only an excellent Bluetooth speaker but also a versatile smart home gadget with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant on board. When connected to a Wi-Fi network, the Roam will allow you or the gift recipient to control the audio playback, set timers, manage connected home appliances, and get quick answers to random questions.

Having Wi-Fi connectivity and up to 10 hours of battery life makes the speaker ideal for use in a patio, garden, poolside, or another outdoor spot that’s within the range of the user’s home network. Mundane tasks like changing playlists and adjusting the volume, to name a couple, are more convenient than reaching for your phone or the speaker itself.

Sonos speakers are known for delivering top-notch audio, and the compact Roam is no exception. The device treated me to a well-balanced sound with easily customizable bass and treble via the Sonos app. Thanks to sophisticated tech, the Roam will automatically optimize its sound based on where and how it’s placed (horizontally or vertically).

The speaker’s IP67 durability rating is on par with that of the JBL Charge 5. I wish the Roam had more than 10 hours of battery life, but its USB-C port and wireless charging compatibility more than make it for this omission.

Sonos offers the Roam in several colors. The Move 2 speaker from the same maker is a great buy if you are looking for a more powerful and longer battery life. It’s worth the extra coin over the Roam.

Best Lighting Effects

The JBL Pulse 5 Bluetooth speaker stands out by featuring a 360-degree light underneath its transparent housing, allowing it to complement its sound with eye-catching visuals. The glow is customizable via the device’s companion app, and the possibilities range from static colors to light shows that sync with the audio playback (hence the name). I found it super handy for setting the mood during a dinner party, a late-night work session, or to help you or the giftee unwind after a long day.

A built-in tweeter, woofer, and passive bass radiator allow the Pulse 5 to deliver powerful 360-degree sound that’s customizable via the JBL Portable app. The speaker is designed to sit vertically, ensuring that the bass is stronger than the low-range output of its rivals. It sounds much boomier than its footprint suggests.

However, in terms of transparent audio fidelity, the Pulse 5 is far from the level of our top picks due to its inability to produce stereo sound. You can link two speakers to get the latter and more striking visuals, but that’s too expensive for my taste.

The Pulse 6 is more durable than its looks suggest. The speaker is water- and dustproof and equally suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Its 12-hour battery life is solid, considering the lighting effects it brings.

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