Quick list
1. iMore's favorite
2. Best budget
3. Best for home
4. Best small & rugged
5. Best sounding
6. Best for you
Q&A
How do we test?
When you want to listen to your music without the restriction of a pair of headphones, you'll soon find that your phone speakers just don't cut the mustard. Enter: The Bluetooth speaker. They wireless take a music signal and then pump it into the world around you in the form of sound waves, to make some cool, cool tunes. The trick, of course, is to find the Bluetooth speaker that fits exactly what you want.
So you want a portable speaker, one you can lug to parties and the park? Or do you want a massive, immovable beast that pumps out the best-sounding music you've ever heard? beyond even that you have to take into consideration the size of the room you want to use it in, the decor...
There's a whole lot you need to think about, so we've simplified matters and made it at least easier to find the best options out there. All you need do is read through our list, and then work out which speaker is the best for you.
Audiophile and Bluetooth speaker expert
I’ve been listening to high-fidelity music for longer than I care to admit, and I’ve reviewed all the speakers on this list. I’ve been lucky enough to have early looks at the Sonos Era 300, and even some of the most expensive audiophile headphones you’ve ever seen.
Quick list
Best budget
The JBL Flip 6 is a great-sounding, super portable speaker. Sonically it's solid – it's not going to touch any of the more expensive options, but it's a great-sounding option for the price. There are some funky colors too.
Best for the home
The Sonos Era 300 is a spectacular smart speaker – it sounds at looks better than the HomePod 2, has a Bluetooth connection through a little button on the back, and features stellar Spatial Audio that will impress even the most cold-hearted anti-spatial audio listener.
Most small & rugged
The Beosound Explore is about the size of a coke can, and pumps out some stellar sound. It's a little quiet perhaps, but it's a very premium portable package that's great for when you want to listen to some music when you're on the trail.
Best compact smart speaker
The Denon Home 150 is a very good-sounding speaker for the price, and its small stature means it fits almost anywhere. It's a great smart option, and the Bluetooth connection makes it an even more useful speaker to have around the house. One of our favorites.
Best sounding
There's not much to say about the Naim Mu-So that isn't overwhelmingly positive – it looks like a piece of modern art, sounds like a gift from the gods, and feels every bit worth its lofty price tag. If you can afford one, buy it.
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Loudest
The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is anything but subtle – it's big, it's super loud, and it looks wicked. It's not going to make you cry tears of joy with its sound profile, but its got plenty of sonic punch where it counts, as well as ridiculous amounts of volume headroom.
Most colorful
The Ultimate Ears Boom 3 is a super solid speaker that packs a punch in the low end. You could hardly call it 'HiFi', but it will carry any gathering and pump out bassy tunes galore. It's priced well too – an excellent all-around option.
Best battery bank speaker
The Tribit StormBox Pro isn't just a Bluetooth speaker – it's a power bank as well. This tower of power sounds good, and looks cool, and its water resistance will make you feel more comfortable when you take it out and about.
Our favorite
The Soundcore Motion X600 is a brilliant Bluetooth speaker. It's not the cheapest, but it comes with some great features that you'll not even find on speakers more expensive. It's got 50W of output, giving it plenty of volume headroom, and its multiple drivers lend it impressive soundstage and sonic capability.
One of those drivers is a small upwards-facing driver, found under a small grill on the top of the speaker. It allows for Spatial Audio – something that not many other Bluetooth speakers can do. It's pretty good as well, easily filling a room with sound and music that while not on the same level as something like the HomePod 2 or Sonos's Era 300, is still super solid.
I particularly like the way that the speaker looks, with its retro look sitting well on almost every shelf. I particularly like the handle across the top – it's a sturdy strip of metal, with a rubberized surface underneath to make it easier to hold. At $200, it's again not the cheapest, but the speaker you get for the money is an excellent piece of kit.
Best budget
The JBL Flip 6 is an excellent little speaker for the price – especially when you remember that you can pick one up for under $100. It looks super cool, with its dual bass radiators on either side and slick, fabric-covered chassis. That chassis hides some impressive internals as well.
It's capable of some pretty good sound replication, with rich bass, present mids, and crisp highs. When spending this much, you can't expect the sound to rival something like a HomePod 2, but it will easily fill a small campsite with some solid-sounding tunes. We found that turning it to full volume left a slight amount of distortion – although if you're listening to it outside, you're unlikely to notice.
throwing one around isn't going to worry you at all, with its relatively low price and rugged build giving you a sense of confidence in the little speaker. If you want to strap it to your bag, however, it might be worth looking at a beefier strap – the one that comes in the box feels a little weak.
Best for the Home
The Sonos Era 300 isn't primarily a Bluetooth speaker – it's a wifi connected smart speaker, and a very, very good one at that. It sounds phenomenal, and looks the part too. There's a reason that we gave it five stars, after all.
Bluetooth-wise, there's a small button on the back at the bottom of the speaker that you press to enter pairing mode, so that you can connect your phone without having to go through the app or AirPlay. If you do, you'll be treated to excellent sound quality, with plenty of low-end, lovely fat mids, and some detailed highs.
If you want to use some of the cooler features of the speaker, such as Spatial Audio and hi-res support, then you'll want to either use the Sonos app, or AirPlay. Both work well, and are super easy to use. Whichever you choose, however, you're in for a treat. At $450 it's more expensive than a HomePod 2 – but it is far, far better.
Best small & rugged
If you want something that's compact, super luxurious, and that sounds really good, then the Bang & Olufsen Beosound explore is the way to go. Made of aluminum and looking a little like a very posh beer can, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound explore is a great option if you want to feel a little more high-class on your next outdoor expedition.
It sounds good, although bass heads will want to look elsewhere. The aluminum shell adds a super rugged feeling to the speaker, and its price is uncommonly not super high as you might expect from a Bang & Olufsen product. We loved the little speaker – although we wish it could have gone a little louder.
The best sounding
The Naim Mu-So is a beast. A beast that costs $1599 – and while it's worth every cent of that lofty price tag, it's still an expensive option. It's also not strictly just a Bluetooth speaker, with AirPlay and wifi connection. The Bluetooth connection on board works well, however, and its sound quality is enrapturing.
You can even plug it into your TV so that it acts like a very expensive soundbar, and there's an aux in on the back that you can plug other pieces of kit in as well – so you're not short of ways to get connected.
We loved the Mu-So – although we are not blind to that price. If you're looking for the best of the best, then you've got it here. Just make sure that you can afford it.
Which is the best Bluetooth speaker for you?
As always, it depends entirely on what you’re looking for. If you want something a little less expensive, then the JBL Flip 6 is an excellent choice. It’s only $100, and it sounds good to boot. It’s small enough to fit into a bag, and the battery life is long enough to last for a hike.
If you want something truly rugged, then you’re going to want to take a look at the Bang & Olufsen. It’s a super premium-feeling aluminum speaker that sounds excellent, and its carabiner will clip to your backpack super easily. It could be a little louder, but it’s the perfect companion for a short camping trip.
Need the loudest speaker you can lay your hands on? The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus is your go-to. It’s light so that you can take it out and about, but it packs a sonic wallop with some truly ridiculous volume. Its battery life is super solid as well, and the handle makes carrying it around super easy. Don’t expect HiFi, but it’s a monster of a portable speaker.
Want the best of the best sound quality – the Naim Mu-So. It’s massive, it’s expensive, drop-dead gorgeous, and crucially sounds like you’re being sung to by angels. The price is more than justified by its incredible looks and sound – and it’s also a little smarter than most of the other Bluetooth speakers on the list.
Q&A
What is AirPlay?
Some of the speakers support AirPlay, a method of connecting with an Apple device. That includes phones, Macs, and iPads – so you’ll be able to easily connect your Apple devices to the speaker. It’s also capable of pumping out more impressive sound quality, thanks to its reliance on WiFi rather than Bluetooth.
For more information about AirPlay, check out our AirPlay guide.
What’s the difference between wireless and Bluetooth speakers?
Mostly the connection method. A Bluetooth speaker uses, obviously, Bluetooth to connect to your device and play music. A wireless speaker may use a different form of connection – that could be WiFi, AirPlay, Chromecast, or another form of wireless connection. These speakers require a wifi connection.
How do we test?
We take great pride in our testing of sound equipment. Our audio experts test everything that comes over their desks vigorously, playing a range of different genres and styles. If we're not a fan of the way something sounds, we'll tell you.
We also recognise thats there's more to it than just sound quality – so we also test compatibility, battery life, and other aspects of each speaker. We love audio – and we want to help you find the best speaker for you.
