12 Best Bluetooth Speakers, Tested and Reviewed

In our Lab tests, Bose has consistently stood out for its high-quality, clear audio. We're fond of the SoundLink Flex for staying true to Bose's beautiful sound, but also like this model's lightweight, portable design. The speaker comfortably fits into the palm of your hand and comes with a loop that makes attaching it to backpacks or bags with the addition of a carabiner simple. Smartphones connect just as seamlessly and on-speaker controls are easy to navigate.

With a claimed 12 hours of battery life, you'll have music flowing throughout the duration of your summer BBQ or hiking trip. Should things get messy, you don't have to worry about your SoundLink Flex as it's built to handle water submersion up to three feet and a little dirt. Though we wish the Bluetooth range was a little greater than 30 feet, it's hard to find better quality for a better price.

This Bluetooth speaker is the best bang for your buck and knocks others featured on this list out of the park for its exceptional 24-hour battery life and waterproof design, according to the brand. It weighs under a pound and its fairly compact design makes it easy to bring around with you. While sound quality may not be equivalent to some of the more premium Bluetooth speakers, our pros love that you get many of the same bells and whistles like being able to pair up to 100+ Soundcore speakers to get the party started.

The Middleton aced our Lab tests with the highest overall score for performance, ease of use and of course its stunning design. Our pros found the sound quality to be excellent and extremely clear. "The sound quality is incredibly crisp, even at high volumes," says GH Lab Assistant Nikolas Greenwald. "The treble has no harshness while the bass is smooth. It sounds good with spoken audio content as well and it's easily the most aesthetically appealing." Though we admit that we miss the iconic analog controls that you'll find on most Marshall speakers for adjusting bass, treble and volume, we like that this model's design is sleek and more compact (and you can still make those same adjustments to customize your sound with intuitive buttons and a control knob). "It features a really cool display system for battery and volume that's integrated," says Alec Scherma, test engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

Though you can certainly bring this speaker with you on the road or show it off at your friend's place thanks to a handy detachable carrying strap, we think its design looks best as a centerpiece on a bookshelf. We do wish it was a bit lighter and that the Bluetooth range was greater, but the extra pounds are worth the rich sound and a claimed 20-hour battery life. We also like that this model is waterproof and more rugged than other Marshall speakers previously tested.

This fun, bright speaker surprised our pros with its big 360 sound, which is shockingly loud for its tiny size. Not only is this Bluetooth speaker super easy to transport at just under a pound, but it has a claimed 14-hour battery life that should be enough for a day at the beach. An Outdoor Mode amplifies your music when you're outside, and you can pair one other Wonderboom 3 speaker with this one to get the party started. It's drop-resistant and waterproof (go ahead, toss it in the water!), and features an impressive 131-foot wireless range so you don't have to keep your phone next to the speaker at all times.

Sonos is so popular for its crisp, clear and excellent audio quality, and the Sonos Move shouldn't be overlooked. Whether you're hoping to leave this speaker on the kitchen counter or bring it outside from time to time, it connects to both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to make things easy and has a built-in handle for convenient transportation.

Our pros admit that this speaker is on the heavier side, but it's our go-to choice for anyone trying to build a sound system throughout the whole house. While the Move creates rich sound on its own, we like that it can link together with other Sonos products to create an immersive sound experience with handy voice control (it has Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant built-in). Our experts also appreciate Sonos's easy-to-use app and seamless pairing as well as the wireless charging base that comes included with your purchase.

Whether you're hosting guests or throwing a beach party, this Bluetooth speaker from Sony makes a statement. It aced our recent tests as one of the loudest speakers, amazing our engineers and experts with how loud it could get without sacrificing audio quality. "The speaker is naturally attuned to mainstream pop sounds, with a distinctive mid-range and emphasized bass," says Greenwald. "Fans of more acoustic or classical music might find it dulls out the high end a bit, but given you can manipulate its EQ via its companion app, there’s plenty of wiggle room for getting the sound you want." We also like that this speaker has a Bluetooth range of nearly 100 feet so you can move around with your phone and it comes with a whopping 25 hours of battery life, according to the brand, to last you all night long (and more!).

"Mega bass mode sounds fantastic," Greenwald adds. "The light show in this mode is well-timed with the music and looks great." On top of lights that sync with your songs, we like that there's a retractable handle that makes this speaker super easy to carry — just keep in mind that it is one of the heaviest speakers on this list, coming in at nearly seven pounds.

Who doesn't love a speaker that's super portable and can float? Our pros raved about this wireless Bluetooth speaker with an IP67 rating that makes it waterproof, resistant to dust and ultra rugged. Perfect for at home or travel, this lightweight option has an impressive 150-foot Bluetooth range and solid 15-hour battery life according to the brand that makes it perfect for listening all day long. Our pros love that it features a "magic button" for easy navigation of playlists without having to reach for your phone.

Should your speaker not be loud enough (it should be!), we like that you can pair the Boom 3 with up to 150 speakers for an even louder, more immersive sound. Or you can opt for the larger sister speaker, the Megaboom 3, which offers five extra hours of claimed battery life and more sound intensity. Though we wish this model could be charged with the more standard USB-C as opposed to micro-USB, keep in mind that you do have the option of purchasing a Power Up charging dock for an extra fee.

The Sonos Roam aced our Lab tests, with our experts noting that it was especially powerful for its size and its lightweight ergonomic design makes it super portable. Though battery life could be better, we like you can charge wirelessly with a Qi-certified wireless charger and that the speaker connects to both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Like the Sonos Move, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are built-in and you can pair your Roam with other Sonos speakers around the house. It even has a superior IP67 rating that makes it better for outdoor adventures as it's been tested for drop-resistance and waterproofing up to three feet for 30 minutes.

Combine a wireless Bluetooth home speaker with voice control and you get the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. Available in both silver and black, the attractive design and well-balanced sound made this a top pick in our tests. Grab the handle to easily move the speaker from room to room, around the house or take it outside. Just keep in mind that the Bluetooth range is only 30 feet, so if you plan to surpass that consider connecting to Wi-Fi instead.

With an IPx4 rating, this speaker's durable and water-resistant design is suitable for the whole family, though our pros advise not leaving it outside in heavy summer showers. If you plan on using it indoors, we love that you can sync it with other Bose smart speakers and soundbars for multi-room listening.

With 20 hours of claimed battery life and a rugged, waterproof design, the JBL Charge 5 was made for outdoor adventures. While it may be a bit heavier and not quite as compact as other models on this list, it packs a punch with powerful, balanced sound and the ability to link even more speakers to it. Our pros love that in addition to being an excellent speaker, you can charge your smartphone through the Charge 5 and leave your power bank behind at home. We also recommend the JBL Flip 6 if you're looking to save some money and don't need quite as much sound.

Small but mighty, this mini Bluetooth speaker blew our pros away with its powerful sound. We love that it features a detachable carry strap that allows you to hang, carry or clip the speaker to your bag. With 16 hours of playtime, you can bring this speaker with you on hiking adventures and park picnics without weighing down your bag (it weighs around half a pound)! Plus, you can upgrade by wirelessly connecting two Sony speakers for even more fun and stereo sound — just make sure to stay close by so your phone is within the 32-foot Bluetooth range.

As the name implies, this ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker can be clipped literally everywhere, including but not limited to your jeans, a pool chair or your beach bag. The Clip 4 is battery-powered and offers decent sound quality, especially considering its miniature size. “Given its demure size, you won’t get a booming bass that compliments aggressive EDM or electronic music, so fans of these genres might want to look for something with a more substantive woofer," says Greenwald. "That said, the treble and mid-range on this speaker sound great and are suitable for most listening applications.”

Our pros also love that it comes in a variety of colors and can even be customized to your liking online by creating your own design. Though we wish battery life was a bit longer and stereo pair was possible, it's hard to find a speaker that's easier to travel with.