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Article updated on March 16, 2024 at 2:20 PM PDT

Best Bluetooth Speaker for 2024

After testing the best wireless Bluetooth speakers on the market, from tiny micro speakers to big boom boxes, here are our favorites.

Our Experts

Written by 
David Carnoy
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement
David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
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Our Picks

$130 at Amazon
Image of Soundcore by Anker Boom 2
Best new Bluetooth speaker
Soundcore by Anker Boom 2
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$149 at Amazon
Image of Bose SoundLink Flex
Best mini Bluetooth speaker
Bose SoundLink Flex
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$60 at Amazon
Image of Tribit StormBox Flow
Tribit's take on Bose Flex
Tribit StormBox Flow
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$72 at Amazon
Image of Soundcore Motion 300
Top compact Bluetooth speaker
Soundcore Motion 300
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$120 at Amazon
Image of Harman Kardon Luna
Top-sounding mini Bluetooth speaker
Harman Kardon Luna
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$60 at Amazon
Image of Tribit StormBox Micro 2
Best value micro Bluetooth speaker
Tribit StormBox Micro 2
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$237 at Amazon
Image of Marshall Middleton
Top-sounding midsize Bluetooth speaker
Marshall Middleton
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$140 at Amazon
Image of Soundcore by Anker Motion Boom Plus
Top Bluetooth boom box
Soundcore by Anker Motion Boom Plus
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$48 at Amazon
Image of Sony SRS-XB100
Best mini canister speaker
Sony SRS-XB100
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$150 at Amazon
Image of Soundcore by Anker Motion X600
Top mini boom box Bluetooth speaker
Soundcore by Anker Motion X600
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$130 at Amazon
Image of JBL Flip 6
Better-sounding Flip
JBL Flip 6
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$41 at Amazon
Image of Anker Soundcore Mini 3
Good value mini Bluetooth speaker
Anker Soundcore Mini 3
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$200 at Amazon
Image of JBL Pulse 5
Best compact Bluetooth speaker with 360-degree light show
JBL Pulse 5
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$60 at Amazon
30-tribit-maxsound-plus
Top-sounding Bluetooth speaker under $50
Tribit MaxSound Plus
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$180 at Best Buy
The JBL Charge 5 in gray is being held in the palm of a hand.
Impressive sound for a relatively compact Bluetooth speaker
JBL Charge 5
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$322 at Amazon
ue-hyperboom-20
Top-sounding jumbo Bluetooth speaker
UE Hyperboom
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$60 at Amazon
jbl-clip-4-1
Best for clipping onto a backpack
JBL Clip 4
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$68 at Amazon
Image of Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
Most durable
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
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$309 at Amazon
Image of JBL PartyBox 110
Best portable party speaker
JBL PartyBox 110
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$50 at Amazon
Image of JBL Go 3
Pocket-friendly wireless speaker
JBL Go 3
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What is the best Bluetooth speaker overall?

It's tough to name one Bluetooth speaker as the best, but this list includes a bunch of great picks. After testing dozens of Bluetooth speakers over the last 10 years, I can say that there are many great ones available in various shapes and sizes. In this list, I've put my favorites near the top. These include the Soundcore by Anker Boom 2, Bose SoundLink Flex and Tribit StormBox Flow.

You can get Bluetooth speakers at a variety of prices, and there's something for every listener. In our testing, we evaluate sound quality, battery life and design, including a speaker's water-resistance rating and durability. We take into account how good a value the speaker is at its given price point.

I've tested all the Bluetooth speakers on this list, and update the list regularly as new speakers hit the market and some products become outdated. Certain premium models can get pretty expensive, but we also have several value picks for people on a tighter budget.

Best Bluetooth speakers of 2024

$130 at Amazon

Best new Bluetooth speaker

Soundcore by Anker Boom 2

I liked the original Soundcore Motion Boom, which made our best Bluetooth speakers list and was one of the better mini boom box Bluetooth speaker values over the last few years, selling for around $80. The 3.75-pound Boom 2 costs more but sounds substantially better, with more than double the power rating of the original, so it not only plays louder but kicks out more bass and offers better clarity at higher volumes (it's equipped with two tweeters and one subwoofer). It also has a couple of built-in LED lights to help create that party vibe. It's an impressive-sounding speaker for its size and good value.

Waterproof (IPX7-rated) with a floatable design, the speaker's battery life is rated at up to 24 hours at moderate volume levels (it charges via USB-C) and you can tweak the sound and customize the lighting with the Soundcore app for iOS and Android. There's also a USB-out port to charge your devices.

$149 at Amazon

Best mini Bluetooth speaker

Bose SoundLink Flex

When the SoundLink Flex speaker launched, Bose made some bold claims about its new Bluetooth speaker, particularly its bass performance. It mostly lives up to the hype and is arguably the best-sounding wireless speaker for its compact size.

Available in three colors -- black, white smoke and stone blue (pictured) -- it's equipped with Bose's PositionIQ technology to automatically detect the speaker's orientation and deliver optimized sound based on whether it's upright, hanging or flat on its back.

$60 at Amazon

Tribit's take on Bose Flex

Tribit StormBox Flow

Tribit's StormBox Flow is another Bose SoundLink Flex knockoff for less that shares some similarities with the Soundcore Motion 300, including the same list price. The Tribit may sound slightly better than the Motion 300, edging it out for bass performance by a tad, but the Anker speaker wins on design.

Like the Bose SoundLink Flex, the Tribit StormBox Flow can be laid down flat with its speaker firing up. You can also wirelessly pair two of the speakers together for stereo sound.

It has an IP67 water-resistance rating, which means it's dust-resistant and fully waterproof. Tribit says it delivers up to 30 hours of audio at moderate volume levels. That's impressive.

$72 at Amazon

Top compact Bluetooth speaker

Soundcore Motion 300

Bose makes its excellent SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker that sells for around $150 and sometimes goes on sale for less. The Soundcore Motion 300 is Anker's answer to that Bose speaker. Around the same size as the Bose, it doesn't sound quite as good, but it sounds impressive for its compact size and lists for only $80 (it's been on sale for as low as $55). 

Like the SoundLink Flex, it can be laid down flat with its speaker firing up toward the ceiling or propped up as shown in the photo above. It's IPX7 waterproof and delivers up to 13 hours of audio at moderate volume levels. There's also support for Sony's LDAC audio codec for Android and other devices that support Bluetooth wireless streaming with LDAC. 

The speaker has a bass boost button that does amp up the low end a bit, but I actually thought the speaker sounded a little better without the bass boost engaged because the speaker seemed slightly overdriven with the boost. 

$120 at Amazon

Top-sounding mini Bluetooth speaker

Harman Kardon Luna

Harman Kardon, which is owned by Samsung, makes popular JBL Bluetooth speakers like the Flip 6 and JBL Charge. The under-the-radar Harman Kardon Luna may just be the best mini Bluetooth speaker you've never heard of. It's not only attractively designed -- it comes in black or white -- but sounds surprisingly good for its size, with clear, natural sound and punchy bass (it's a mono speaker with a dual-driver design that features a woofer and a tweeter).

While it's slightly bigger than JBL's Flip series speakers and slightly smaller than the JBL Charge series, the Luna's got a bit of heft to it, weighing in at 1.56 pounds (0.71 kg). Equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, it's also fully waterproof and dustproof, with an IP67 rating. Battery life is rated at up to 12 hours at moderate volume levels. I did find it to be a better-sounding speaker than the JBL Flip 6 and preferred it in some ways to the JBL Charge 5.

$60 at Amazon

Best value micro Bluetooth speaker

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

Back in 2020, Tribit released the StormBox Micro, a budget version of Bose's excellent SoundLink Micro speaker that delivered surprisingly good sound for its size and modest price. The second-gen StormBox Micro 2 offers improved sound and battery life, along with a charge-out feature that turns the speaker into a power bank for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. An integrated strap allows you to clip it to your backpack or your bike's handlebars.

Like the original, it's an excellent value and easy to recommend if you're looking for a super-compact portable wireless speaker. It does cost $60 but sometimes goes on sale for closer to $50.

$237 at Amazon

Top-sounding midsize Bluetooth speaker

Marshall Middleton

Marshall's 2023 Middleton speaker isn't exactly compact. It also isn't so beefy that you get a workout carrying it around. Weighing 4 pounds (1.8kg), it's bigger than Marshall's Emberton speaker and smaller and more portable than its Kilburn II speaker. Any way you look at it, it sounds very good for its size and puts out a surprising amount of quality bass while offering good treble detail and natural-sounding mids (where vocals live). I also liked that it has equalizer controls on the speaker itself -- I did bump the bass a bit -- and is fully waterproof and dustproof with an IP67 rating. 

Battery life is rated at up to 20 hours at moderate volume levels and Marshall says it takes 4.5 hours to fully recharge the speaker. Its USB-C charging port also has a charge-out feature that allows you to use the speaker as a power bank and charge your devices.

You can pair two or more speakers to amplify the sound but you can't pair two speakers together to create a stereo pair. Marshall says the Middleton uses True Stereophonic, "a unique form of multidirectional stereo sound" and I did think the soundstage was bigger than what you typically get from a speaker this size. The only downside to the speaker is that it's fairly expensive but I was otherwise impressed.

$140 at Amazon

Top Bluetooth boom box

Soundcore by Anker Motion Boom Plus

Anker's original Soundcore Motion Boom speaker (see below) has been on this list for a while and is still a decent value at (sometimes) less than $100. The Motion Boom Plus is significantly improved. 

Weighing 5.29 pounds (almost a pound more than the Motion Boom), it uses Bluetooth 5.3 and is equipped with upgraded dual 3.5-inch woofers and newly added dual 1-inch tweeters, delivering up to 80 watts of audio output (60 watts for the woofers and 20 watts for the tweeters). Battery life is rated for 20 hours at moderate volume levels. It's also IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and it floats if you happen to drop it in a body of water.

I was impressed with the sound quality, which measures up well against a few more expensive -- and some larger -- speakers on this list. For its size, the speaker can put out a lot of sound and mostly manages to avoid distorting at higher volumes.

$48 at Amazon

Best mini canister speaker

Sony SRS-XB100

Sony's smallest Bluetooth speaker was once again modestly upgraded in 2023, with a new Bluetooth chipset, slightly improved sound and speakerphone performance. This portable Bluetooth speaker is both dust- and waterproof with an IP67 certification and, like its predecessor (the SRS-XB13), it's rated for 16 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels and it charges via USB-C. Equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 with support for the AAC and SBC audio codecs, the speaker plays bigger than you'd think for its small size, with some punch to its bass. It's pretty impressive for a mini mono speaker.

Although the 9.6-ounce (272-gram) speaker appears to have the same design as the XB13, Sony says its new sound diffusion processor "realizes richer spread sound," which means this has a bit wider soundstage, which I can confirm. It can output only so much sound, but if you add a second XB100, you can get stereo-quality sound. There's no companion app, but that isn't a huge deal.

The XB100 is available in multiple color options and includes a strap so you can attach it to various objects. It also has speakerphone capabilities with an integrated microphone (as I said, the speakerphone's performance has been improved, and callers said they could hear me clearly indoors).

$150 at Amazon

Top mini boom box Bluetooth speaker

Soundcore by Anker Motion X600

Anker's Soundcore Motion X600 mini boom box not only has a premium look and feel with a metal grille and carrying handle but includes some interesting features like spatial audio and support for Sony's LDAC audio codec. It sounds impressive for its relatively compact size and is a good value.

Weighing 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg), it's got some heft to it, but it's light enough to carry around without feeling like you're getting a workout. The speaker is available in gray, green and blue color options and is equipped with five drivers, including two woofers, two tweeters and one full-range, upward-firing driver "in a unique speaker array that combined with Soundcore's audio algorithm and DSP helps create a wide (and tall) soundstage for listening to any type of music," according to Anker. It's rated for 50 watts of total power, with two 20-watt amps devoted to the woofers and tweeters and a third 10-watt amp powering the upward-firing driver.

At the default sound setting without bass boost or spatial audio engaged, I wasn't exactly wowed with sound quality (the bass is a bit underwhelming, the mids are recessed and there's a bit too much treble push). As soon as you engage the bass boost and spatial audio, everything sounds more balanced and full. You can also tweak the sound profile further in the Soundcore companion app for iOS and Android. 

$130 at Amazon

Better-sounding Flip

JBL Flip 6

With each new version of the Flip, JBL makes small improvements, and while the latest model, the Flip 6, doesn't look much different from the Flip 5 on the outside, it does feature improved sound. It has two-way drivers with a woofer and tweeter and dual passive radiators that help the Flip 6 deliver much deeper bass than you think it could. 

It's fully waterproof and dustproof with an IPX67 rating. Like the Flip 5, it's rated for up to 12 hours of audio playback at moderate volume levels and charges via USB-C. Available in multiple color options, it's one of the best-sounding speakers for its compact size.

$41 at Amazon

Good value mini Bluetooth speaker

Anker Soundcore Mini 3

The very compact Soundcore by Anker Mini 3 Bluetooth speaker may not deliver huge sound, but it delivers more sound than you'd think -- with just enough bass -- from a speaker of its size. Available in multiple color options and weighing around 8 ounces (223 grams), it has an integrated strap and is fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating.

The 6-watt Mini 3 sounds fairly similar to the new , which retails for $60, around $20 more than the Anker, and features good battery life -- up to 15 hours at moderate volume levels. You can wirelessly link multiple Mini 3s together to create a wider sound field, but most people will use this speaker for casual listening on the go. It also makes for a good bathroom or shower speaker and does have speakerphone capabilities with a built-in microphone.

$200 at Amazon

Best compact Bluetooth speaker with 360-degree light show

JBL Pulse 5

JBL Pulse speaker is now in its fifth generation, and both the sound quality and 360-degree light show have been improved. JBL has "expanded the transparent outer body" so the customizable light show (there's a companion app for iOS and Android that allows you to alter the colorful lighting effects) looks more impressive. The speaker is also IP67 dustproof and waterproof, and it offers up to 12 hours of battery at moderate volume levels.

The speaker now has a separate tweeter and a passive bass radiator that delivers fairly punchy bass. I'd say the speaker delivers very good but not great sound for its size and price (it distorts a little at higher volumes). For sound, it's sort of in between JBL's Flip 6 and Charge 5, so you'll arguably get slightly better sound from the Charge 5. You're really buying this speaker for the light show; that's what makes it unique and special and it does look mesmerizing.

Note that you can pair this with another JBL PartyBoost compatible speaker for stereo sound or link multiple JBL PartyBoost speakers for augmented sound. Also, you can find this speaker on Amazon as thrown in for the same price as the speaker by itself.

$60 at Amazon

Top-sounding Bluetooth speaker under $50

Tribit MaxSound Plus

The Tribit MaxSound Plus is about 30% bigger than its sibling, the XSound Go, and costs almost twice as much, but it performs substantially better and is one of the best-sounding speakers in its size and price class. It has a long-lasting rechargeable lithium-ion battery and superior sound quality for a Bluetooth speaker.

$180 at Best Buy

Impressive sound for a relatively compact Bluetooth speaker

JBL Charge 5

JBL's Charge 5 offers a good balance of size, performance and durability. It's bigger than some of the mini speakers on this list, like the Flip 5, but is still compact and packs more bass punch and overall volume. Featuring a built-in USB charging port for juicing up your mobile devices, it offers improved audio and a dust- and waterproof design that's elevated from the previous Charge. According to JBL, the speaker is equipped with a "racetrack-shaped driver," with a separate tweeter and dual passive radiators, to improve both clarity and bass performance over the Charge 4. (In my tests, this indeed proved to be the case.) 

Battery life is rated at 20 hours at moderate volume levels. This model is also equipped with JBL's PartyBoost feature that allows you to connect it to other compatible JBL portable speakers to augment their sound. The Charge 5 comes in six color options: black, blue, gray, red, teal and "squad" (which looks like a kind of camo).

$322 at Amazon

Top-sounding jumbo Bluetooth speaker

UE Hyperboom

Ultimate Ears' Boom Bluetooth speakers come in a few different sizes, but none of them are as big as the Hyberboom. A supersize wireless speaker that tips the scales at a hefty 13 pounds, the Hyperboom makes the UE Megaboom 3 look unquestionably puny. It's not cheap, but its sound quality is better than a lot of the jumbo portable speakers on the market right now.

UE Boom reps told me the Hyperboom was created after the company got feedback from its customers looking for a bigger speaker that could play loud enough and have deep enough bass to power a party. The speaker can do just that -- Ultimate Ears says it's three times as loud and has six-and-a-half times the bass of Megaboom 3 -- and has no trouble filling a fairly large room with sound.

$60 at Amazon

Best for clipping onto a backpack

JBL Clip 4

For its first three generations, JBL's Clip micro Bluetooth speaker had a circular design. For the fourth-gen Clip 4, JBL has moved to a more oval shape, bulked up the speaker slightly and added USB-C charging. This portable Bluetooth speaker does seem more durable, with a sturdier integrated carabiner clip. Also, it sounds a little better, with more volume, clearer sound and more bass. With an IP67 water-resistance rating, it can survive being dunked in shallow water and is dustproof. The Clip 4 is right up there with the best overall micro Bluetooth speakers.

$68 at Amazon

Most durable

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3

We liked Ultimate Ears'  and the third-generation model, the Wonderboom 3, offers some small improvements, including slightly better battery life (up to 14 hours instead of 13, at moderate volume levels) and a new Bluetooth chip that allows for extended wireless range of over 130 feet (40 meters). The design has not changed, although the speaker now comes in different color options.

Like its predecessor, the Wonderboom 3 started at $100 but sometimes sells for less. Its IP67 rating means that it's not only waterproof but also dustproof (and able to float).

This model retains the special Outdoor Boost mode that boosts treble and you can link two together (or pair a Wonderboom 3 to a Wonderboom 2) to create a stereo sound pairing by simply pressing a button on each speaker. As far as I can tell, the Wonderboom 3 sounds similar to the Wonderboom 2 and features very good sound for its small size. That said, while there's some punch to the bass (being short yet squat helps it produce more low-end), it can only deliver so much kick. 

Alas, Ultimate Ears, which is owned by Logitech, has not upgraded the charging port to USB-C. The speaker still charges with a Micro-USB cable, which is a bit of a bummer.

$309 at Amazon

Best portable party speaker

JBL PartyBox 110

Released in 2021, the PartyBox 110 packs some serious punch and delivers a bigger sound than many portable boombox speakers, including JBL's own Boombox 3. There's an integrated handle for toting the speaker, but the PartyBox 110 is pretty hefty, weighing in at 23 pounds and measuring slightly more than 22 inches tall. You can stand this Bluetooth boom box up vertically as shown in the picture above or place it horizontally, as it has rubber feet on both sides of the speaker.

It's rated for up to 12 hours of playback time at moderate volume levels and has a redesigned light show that syncs to the beat of your music (you can customize the light show from the speaker itself or use the JBL PartyBox companion app). 

The speaker has Bluetooth or a wired USB connection and there are guitar and mic inputs. It's also worth noting that the speaker is IPX4 splash-proof and you can wirelessly link two PartyBox 110 speakers together for stereo sound.

$50 at Amazon

Pocket-friendly wireless speaker

JBL Go 3

The JBL Go 3's durable design, coupled with surprisingly decent sound for its tiny size, makes it one of the top micro Bluetooth speakers out there.

Available in multiple color options, it has an IP67 water-resistance rating, meaning it can be dunked in water and is dustproof. Battery life is rated at up to 5 hours.

Other Bluetooth speakers we tested

Tribit XSound Go: Despite being on the market for several years, the Tribit XSound Go remains one of the top Bluetooth speakers for the money. Besides sounding decent for streaming your favorite music and more, this affordable Bluetooth speaker is also fully waterproof. It has had some small upgrades over the years.

Anker Motion Boom: Anker's more expensive Soundcore Motion Boom Plus (see above) is a substantial sound upgrade over the original Motion Boom but this model remains a very good mini boom box for the money. Equipped with a handle and weighing a little over 4 pounds, the speaker reminds me of one of those giant flashlights or "floating lanterns" that were in vogue about 30 years ago. For the record, the Motion Boom actually does float and is fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating. 

Marshall Willen: Marshall's little mono Willen speaker is similar to Bose's SoundLink Micro and other micro speakers like the Tribit StormBox Micro 2. Also like those speakers, it has an integrated strap on its base so you can clip it onto a backpack or even to your bike's handlebars. Its 2-inch full-range driver and two passive radiators put out more sound than you'd think it would for its tiny size, and it offers decent clarity as well as just enough bass to avoid sounding tinny (you can choose from three preset sound modes). 

Tribit StormBox: The StormBox looks like a cross between a UE and a JBL speaker. We suspect that's not an accident. This fully waterproof speaker costs about significantly less than the JBL Flip 5 and Flip 6 and produces a bigger sound. Its rechargeable battery offers up to 20 hours of battery life for playing music and more. Tribit's XSound speakers are probably a better value, but the StormBox is more stylish.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen): A couple of years ago, Bang & Olufsen upgraded its dome-shaped aluminum-clad A1 speaker with improved battery life, better speakerphone performance (it now has a three-microphone array) and slightly improved sound. It's not only the smallest wireless speaker from the Danish company, it's technically the most affordable.

Sonos Roam: Available in white or black for $179, the Roam is currently the smallest and most affordable Sonos speaker (if you don't count those $99 Sonos-compatible Symfonisk Ikea Wi-Fi bookshelf speakers), although it's fairly expensive for a mini wireless speaker. This Sonos Roam model, like the bigger Sonos Move 2 portable speaker, is equipped with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and can tap into an existing Sonos multiroom audio system and link with other Series 2-compatible Sonos speakers.

Bose SoundLink Micro: Although a little pricey and due to be upgraded, the Bose SoundLink Micro sounds remarkably decent for its tiny size, delivering more bass than other pocketable speakers. It's a fully waterproof Bluetooth speaker and is available in three color options, although the blue version appears to be hard to find. 

Anker Soundcore Motion Plus: Anker's Soundcore Motion Plus came out in 2019, but it remains one of the best-sounding speakers for around $100. It's larger than many mini Bluetooth speakers, but it's still compact. It manages to sound quite a bit fuller than much of the competition in its price range, with bigger bass, more volume and better clarity. It's also fully waterproof (IPX7-rated) and has support for the aptX streaming codec for devices like Samsung's Galaxy phones that support it.

Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore: While it's a little overpriced for the sound quality it ultimately delivers, the Beosound Explore is a very good little speaker that has a sleek, eye-catching design, is fully waterproof and dustproof (IP67 rating), and offers excellent battery life, with up to 27 hours of music listening at moderate volume levels. 

Monoprice Soundstage 3: Monoprice tends to make pretty generic-looking electronic products, and its understated Soundstage 3 Bluetooth speaker probably isn't going to wow you with its design although its minimalist aesthetic has its appeal. I wouldn't buy this speaker at its list price of $250, but it's often discounted to closer to $150, where it's a good value thanks to its ability to play big sound with strong bass and decent clarity, with 50 watts of power that drives a 5.25-inch "concave aluminum cone woofer" flanked by two 1-inch silk-dome tweeters. It also has good connectivity options, including digital optical, 3.5mm analog and RCA analog wired inputs that allow you to connect your television or another stereo component. There's also a sub-out port. 

Tribit XSound Mega: Over the last few years, Tribit has made several Bluetooth speakers that deliver a lot of boom for the buck. Add its new XSound Mega to the list. Tribit is billing the XSound Mega as more of an outdoor speaker -- a lanyard is included for toting it around as a sort of mini boombox -- but it works just fine indoors. It has an LED light show that you can turn on or off and there are three EQ settings for sound: XBass, Music and Audiobook. Additionally, it can be used as a power bank to charge your mobile devices.

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Factors to consider when choosing a Bluetooth speaker

Budget

Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on a new Bluetooth speaker. Value-priced wireless speakers continue to improve, so you can find good "cheap" Bluetooth Bluetooth speakers from Chinese brands like Tribit for not too much money (less than $60). If you're looking for a more premium speaker, you can expect to pay $100 or more, especially for larger portable speakers that deliver better sound

Size 

Bigger speakers tend to sound better, delivering a bigger sound with more bass. Going bigger means they weigh more, which can make them a little harder to carry around. So you have to balance size with performance if you're looking for something that's easily portable. If you're interested in a larger portable speaker, one feature worth looking out for is a built-in handle. 

Durability

Many Bluetooth speakers are now fully waterproof and some are fully dustproof. If you're planning on taking the speaker with you to the beach or on a hiking trip, having a more durable speaker is a desirable trait.

Speakerphone capabilities

Some speakers have a built-in microphone that turns them into a speakerphone when making calls on your cell phone. Many speakers don't offer that feature, so choose accordingly if that's something you're looking for.

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How we test Bluetooth speakers

In assessing what the best Bluetooth speakers are, we consider the design of the speaker and how durable it seems, along with sound quality, battery life, extra features (such as additional connectivity options) and overall value. We test speakers in real-life environments both indoors and outdoors and compare it to other speakers in the same price range.

The list includes everything from compact mini models and pocket-size micro versions to heftier models with powerful audio. For more, check out our lists of the best smart speakers, and the best Wi-Fi speakers and music systems.

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Bluetooth speaker FAQs

How do I choose a Bluetooth speaker?

When choosing a Bluetooth speaker, it comes down to size and price. If you're looking for a very portable speaker, you'll want to get something very compact, but remember that smaller speakers usually produce less sound and bass than larger ones. While there are plenty of mini Bluetooth speakers that deliver a bigger sound than you might expect, they do have their sonic limitations. For a lot of people, it's a question of finding a speaker that's not too big or too small -- one that travels well but also is capable of producing good sound for its size. Finding the best portable Bluetooth speaker also comes down to your budget.

Price can be a limiting factor. You may not want to spend $150 or more for a small speaker. Luckily, there are plenty of good options for $100, and some decent mini Bluetooth speakers can cost less than $50. Also, certain "value" brands that sell primarily on Amazon are strongly worth considering because they do offer a lot for the money.

If you're looking for the best sound quality, as I said, bigger is usually better, and some larger portable Bluetooth speakers -- sometimes referred to as Bluetooth boom boxes -- can put out a lot of sound and have an integrated handle for toting them around.

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How do I connect a Bluetooth speaker to my TV?

Well, first of all, you need a TV, video streaming device or set-top cable or satellite box that has Bluetooth. You connect a Bluetooth speaker just like you do Bluetooth earbuds: through the Bluetooth settings menu on your TV or those aforementioned devices (Apple TV, for instance, has Bluetooth connectivity, making it easy to connect your AirPods). 

The only issue with connecting a Bluetooth speaker to your TV is that there can be some audio-video syncing issues due to Bluetooth lag. In some cases, where your Bluetooth speaker has an audio input (a few high-end Bluetooth speakers even have digital audio inputs), you can use a wired connection to the speaker via the audio outputs on your TV. 

Soundbars tend to use the optical or HDMI connection on your TV to get sound. Many soundbars have a Bluetooth option so you can wirelessly stream music from your phone to the soundbar.

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What is the loudest Bluetooth speaker?

The loudest Bluetooth speakers are the biggest ones. Sometimes they're referred to as boom boxes or "party" speakers. Some of those speakers are portable and have built-in rechargeable batteries while the biggest party speakers have wheels on them for transport and need to be plugged in with an AC adapter because they require so much power. 

We have a list of the best wireless boom box speakers if you're looking for a bigger Bluetooth speaker. It's also worth noting that Bluetooth speakers from the same company can be daisy-chained together to augment their sound or paired together as a left-right stereo pair. Often, the best way to get a bigger sound is to pair two Bluetooth speakers together in a stereo pair.

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