If you enjoy listening to music, watching movies, or just want to fill your room with good sound, you will need an excellent Bluetooth speaker. The best speakers provide flawless neutrality, revealing clarity, booming soundstage, and broad dynamic range. With so many options to choose from, finding the right one can be tricky.
After extensively testing over 30 Bluetooth speaker models from top brands, we’re happy to present our picks for the 7 best Bluetooth speakers available today:
- UE Boom 3 – Best Overall
- Anker Soundcore Flare 2 – Best Budget Option
- JBL Flip 5 – Best Bluetooth Speaker for Bass
- Sony SRS-XG500 – Best Upper-Mid-Range
- Sonos Move – Most Versatile
- JBL Xtreme 3 – Best for Outdoors
- Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 – Most Refined Speaker
Below you‘ll find more details on each speaker, including key features, audio performance, design, battery life, and overall value. We‘ll also cover important factors to consider when shopping for a Bluetooth speaker, plus tips for getting the best sound quality.
UE Boom 3
Key Features:
- 360° omni-directional sound
- IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating
- 15 hour battery life
- Can pair 150+ UE speakers
- Floats in water
The UE Boom 3 is our choice for best overall Bluetooth speaker thanks to its superb combination of audio performance, design, features and value. Despite its compact size, it outputs crisp, balanced sound with punchy bass and clear mids/highs.
It‘s also fully waterproof and able to be submerged for 30 minutes without issue. Durable fabrics and rubber housing allow it to withstand drops and dings. An integrated loop at the top makes it easy to hang or attach to bags. Battery life reaches up to 15 hours of continuous playback.
While bigger speakers may provide more volume and bass, the Boom 3 strikes the perfect balance for portable use. It‘s an excellent all-around Bluetooth speaker worthy of a spot in your backpack or beach bag.
Anker Soundcore Flare 2
Key Features:
- 20W sound with punchy bass
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- RGB lighting syncs with music
- 12 hour battery life
- Can link 100+ speakers with PartyCast
The Anker Soundcore Flare 2 is our budget pick for shoppers looking for big bass and lively lights without breaking the bank. Despite costing under $100, it pumps out some serious decibels along with vibrant colors from its LED halo.
Sound performance focuses on strong lows and mids for EDM, hip hop, pop, and rock genres. Customizable EQ lets you tweak to your liking. It‘s also fully waterproof and able to be partially submerged without issue. Battery life reaches 12 hours at moderate volumes.
For an affordable yet powerful Bluetooth speaker, the Flare 2 is hard to beat. The built-in kickstand also makes it great for placement while watching movies or YouTube at home.
Buy the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 on Amazon
JBL Flip 5
Key Features:
- JBL Pro sound with punchy bass
- 12 hours of battery life
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- Connect multiple speakers with PartyBoost
- Integrated carrying strap
The JBL Flip 5 is designed to deliver thunderous bass in a ultra-portable form factor. Its mid-sized drivers are tuned to emphasize lows and sub-lows for modern tracks, EDM, and hip hop. Sound is loud and vibrant.
In terms of design, the Flip 5 has a durable canvas covering with rubber housing to absorb drops and dings. The rear strap makes it easy to grab and go. It‘s also fully waterproof and able to be submerged without issue. Battery life reaches roughly 12 hours.
Overall, the Flip 5 brings massive bass and great portability together in a fairly affordable package. It‘s a great option for bass lovers looking to add some boom on the go.
Sony SRS-XG500
Key Features:
- 30W high-power sound
- IP66 dustproof and waterproof
- 30 hour battery life
- X-balanced speaker unit
- Built-in strap for portability
The Sony SRS-XG500 brings premium Sony audio engineering together with go-anywhere durability. This mid-sized speaker pumps out extremely loud, clear sound with authoritative bass and crisp highs courtesy of its X-Balanced Speaker Unit.
It‘s also designed for outdoor use – seamless scuba-like fabric resists water, dust and dirt without compromising audio quality. Integrated grab handles make it easy to move around. Battery performance is equally impressive, lasting for 30+ hours per charge.
If you want room-filling volume with the freedom to roam in any environment, the SRS-XG500 is an outstanding choice. It brings Sony‘s excellent audio pedigree together with useful features at a reasonable price point.
Buy the Sony SRS-XG500 on Amazon
Sonos Move
Key Features:
- Auto TruePlay tunes audio to environments
- 11 hour battery life
- Bluetooth and WiFi streaming
- IP56 protection from dust, water, etc
- Drop-resistant build
- Works with Alexa
The Sonos Move is designed to deliver superb Sonos sound anywhere indoors or out. It automatically adjusts audio output based on placement via Sonos‘ TruePlay technology, ensuring you get optimized tunes wherever you roam.
It‘s also built tough, with extreme temperature, UV, and weather resistance allowing it to be used by the pool or patio without a hitch. When not on battery power, the Move operates as part of your home Sonos network.
For those seeking excellent versatility paired with the renowned Sonos listening experience, the Move is a fantastic option. Seamless connectivity, resonant sound and useful smart features make this a great addition to your whole-home audio setup.
JBL Xtreme 3
Key Features:
- Massive 4-driver sound
- 15 hours of battery life
- IP67 waterproof and dustproof
- Integrated bottle opener
- Connect multiple speakers with PartyBoost
The JBL Xtreme 3 brings earth-shaking bass and impressive volume thanks to its 4-driver setup with dual passive radiators. Bass is hard-hitting yet balanced. Mids/highs come through crisp and clear even at high volumes.
In terms of design, integrated grab handles make it easy to roam around indoors and out. The durable canvas construction protects the drivers, while front and rear caps keep water away. Integrated hooks allow mounting versatility. Battery life reaches around 15 hours.
If you want a portable Bluetooth speaker that can blast some serious sound at your next get-together, the Xtreme 3 is one of the best options out there. Loud, rugged and full-featured – it‘s built to satisfy true bass lovers.
Buy the JBL Xtreme 3 on Amazon
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1
Key Features:
- Premium aluminum dome design
- 18+ hours battery life
- Dust/water resistant (IP67)
- Powerful sound from 4-inch woofer
- Bluetooth 5.1 with AAC and aptX Adaptive
- Built-in Alexa voice assistant
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 demonstrates that serious sound can come in small packages. Crafted from solid aluminum with soft-touch rubber sides, it oozes refined style while projecting audio way beyond its size.
Sound is spacious with impactful bass reproduction and clear, detailed mids/highs. The latest Bluetooth technology ensures reliable wireless performance. Alexa support plus 18+ hour battery life make it perfect for everyday use around the house.
If you appreciate Scandinavian style blended with innovative technology, the A1 checks all the boxes. It brings B&O‘s renowned acoustic engineering into an ultra-portable yet powerful design that looks as good as it sounds.
Buy the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 on Amazon
How to Choose the Best Bluetooth Speaker
Here are some key factors and features to consider when shopping for a Bluetooth speaker:
Intended Use – Will you be listening indoors or outdoors? Using it mainly at home or on-the-go? This helps determine important traits like sound projection, battery size, durability and weight/portability.
Audio Quality – Higher-end drivers with dedicated tweeters and passive radiators render better bass, clearer mids/highs and wider dynamic range. Pay attention to wattage, frequency response and connectivity.
Battery Life – For portable models, battery capacity of 10+ hours allows you to enjoy a full day‘s use between charges. Quick charge features help minimize downtime as well.
Durability – Waterproof, dustproof and shockproof ratings ensure a speaker can be used anywhere without issue. Rubber, silicone and durable fabrics also resist wear over time.
Design – Compact, lightweight builds enhance portability. Integrated straps, handles and hooks enable grabbing and hanging options. Premium materials project refined style.
Features – Useful extras like speakerphones for calls, built-in voice assistants, customizable lighting, multi-pairing support, EQ/audio adjustments and companion apps increase functionality and personalization.
Budget – Set realistic expectations for what you can get at different price points. More premium options offer better sound, build quality and features – but excellent speakers exist even for budget shoppers.
Using the Best Bluetooth Speaker: What to Expect
Once you‘ve selected the right Bluetooth speaker for your needs and budget, it‘s time have some fun!
Pairing to phones, tablets and laptops generally takes just seconds after you turn the speaker and Bluetooth on. LED indicators confirm successful connections.
Pressing play will instantly beam your music, movies, games, videos and more directly from your device to the speaker. Output stays perfectly synced without delay. Most speakers even allow using features like play/pause and volume right from built-in controls.
Depending on wattage and size, sound can easily fill rooms with immersive audio. Good speakers project defined lows for thumping bass, clear mids for vocals and guitars, crisp highs for cymbals and textures, and expansive dynamic range.
Battery powered models allow roaming wire-free for hours on end – sing along in the shower, soundtrack backyard fun, enhance workouts, amplify video calls, enjoying ocean views with music and much more!
While onboard memory is rare, many speakers have companion apps to manage EQ, access integrated services like Spotify Tap, customize lighting, link multiple speakers in Party Mode, and more unique features depending on the brand.
In short – the best Bluetooth speakers not only sound amazing, but make enjoying your content simpler and more convenient than ever. Why settle for tiny smartphone speakers ever again?
The Bottom Line
A quality Bluetooth speaker enables you to experience your music collection like never before. Crisp treble, accurate mids and thumping bass transform songs into an immersive sonic experience. They make games, movies and videos more engrossing as well.
Portable speakers from trusted brands allow wire-free listening anywhere while matching the connectivity and convenience of smartphones and tablets. Just pair, play and roam freely!
We hope our Bluetooth speaker recommendations and advice assist you in upgrading your audio game. Let us know if you have any other questions!
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