The best portable Bluetooth speakers in 2024
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Even if you rock the latest and greatest iPhone or Galaxy S phone, there are occasions when the speaker of your fancy smartphone is not enough, and you need more power. This is where Bluetooth speakers come in. While some are designed for casual listening, others are intended to provide sound suitable for entire parties and gatherings
However, given the fact that the market is full of Bluetooth speakers, there are a few things you need to take into consideration when searching for a Bluetooth speaker yourself. The first and most important thing is the sound quality. Then you should consider other factors such as build quality, size and weight, durability, features, and weather sealing. Oh, yeah, and price.
Now, no one BT speaker's perfect for everyone, but there are many great ones, each with the potential to be the perfect one for you. We have made a list of the ones we think are the best right now, so feel free to go through it and scope for anything that might fit your needs.
Best Bluetooth speakers under $100:
- JBL Clip 4 – ultra-portable, waterproof, easy to clip onto a bike or backpack
- UE Wonderboom 2 – waterproof, 360 sound
- Bose Soundlink Micro – ultra-portable, waterproof, easy to clip
- Anker Soundcore Flare Mini – flashy lights, waterproof, 360 sound
Best Bluetooth speakers under $200:
- UE Boom 3 – waterproof, 360 sound
- JBL Flip 6 – waterproof, good price
- Beats Pill+ – Lightning port, well-priced for a Beats product
- Bose SoundLink Mini 2 Special Edition – classic design
- UE Megaboom 3 – waterproof, long battery life
- JBL Charge 5 – nice sound, waterproof, long battery life
Best Bluetooth speakers over $200:
- Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation) - dustproof, waterproof, amazing sound, nice battery life, great portability
- Marshall Kilburn 2 – long battery life
- JBL Boombox 2 – waterproof, long battery life, stylish boombox design
- Sonos Move – balanced sound, Alexa smart assistant
Bluetooth speakers for $100 or less
JBL Clip 4
Battery life: Up to 10 hours
The JBL Clip 4 is categorized as an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker, designed to be compact and easy to carry around. Yes, this isn't a powerful speaker, but it's portable, dust- and water-resistant with an IP67 rating, and it packs a built-in carabiner, making it great for outdoor adventures. Its compact size and versatile clip allow for effortless attachment to almost any object.
Despite its compact body and affordable price tag, this is still a JBL speaker, so expect to be pleasantly surprised when you hear it for the first time.
UE Wonderboom 2
Battery life: Up to 13 hours
Maybe more than anything, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 impresses with its reliability. It can survive a drop of up to five feet, will safely float rather than sink to the bottom of a pool, and features like its multi-speaker mode are always easily accessible, without forcing users to download an extra app. You just take it with you, and the music follows. Plus, it just looks cute!
Bose SoundLink Micro
Battery life: Up to 6 hours
Just like the JBL Clip 4 above, Bose's SoundLink Micro is perfect to clip on your bike or backpack. This speaker also comes with an IPX7 rating for water resistance and again, is light enough to be clipped to almost anything. Compared to the previous two speakers, however, the battery life is a bit short and might not get you through a day of hiking. Still, it's a good choice for a compact Bluetooth speaker from a highly reputable brand.
Anker Soundcore Flare Mini
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
Time for something affordable that can provide a bit more powerful sound. It provides a 360-degrees sound, has improved bass capabilities and even some light effects at the base. The speaker also has an IPX7 water resistance rating and can last up to 12 hours on a single charge.
Bluetooth speakers from $100 to $200
UE Boom 3
Battery life: Up to 15 hours
The waterproof and shockproof UE Boom 3 is a fantastic speaker that you can take anywhere without much worry. While earlier, UE Boom speakers had support for Amazon's Alexa voice assistant, it has now been revoked and this is just a regular speaker focused on great sound quality, without smart assistant commands.
In terms of sound quality, the UE Boom 3 is excellent, with crisp highs and mids, and an overall surprisingly powerful sound for its size.
JBL Flip 6
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
A successor to the highly popular JBL Flip 5, the JBL Flip 6 is where great sound quality, cool design and an affordable price tag meet. It's the kind of speaker you'd be proud to whip out of your backpack and play some music for your friends, as its name carries some weight in the Bluetooth speaker enthusiast community.
The Flip 6 comes with a Type C charging port, which means you don't need to carry an extra cable and can use your phone's charger (unless it's an iPhone, of course). It's also just as durable as the best of them, with its IP67 waterproof and dustproof resistance.
Beats Pill+
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
Now here's something for the iPhone users of the world. Of course, the Beats Pill+ can be paired with Android phones as well, but it charges through a Lightning cable which makes it a lot more convenient for those who are into Apple's ecosystem. The Pill+ packs a punch, despite what its design might suggest.
The sound is loud and clear and there's even a decent amount of bass to go with it. Best of all, you don't have to pay a hefty premium for this Beats product, as the price of the Pill+ is in line with other products from its class.
Bose SoundLink Mini II Special Edition
Battery life: Up to 12 hours
The Bose SoundLink Mini 2 might have the most outdated look of them all, but it has absolutely stellar sound quality that beats the JBL Charge 3 and UE Boom 3 by a long shot. It has a more open sound stage, with much better defined sound in both highs and lows, and it has sufficient volume to fill a room nicely. It sounds exquisite, especially considering its rather small size.
Unfortunately, it's not the best partner for your outdoor activities as it's lacking an IP rating, but if you're into its classic look and don't plan to use it at the beach or near a pool, it's well worth considering.
UE Megaboom 3
Battery life: Up to 20 hours
The UE Megaboom 3 is probably the most popular large Bluetooth speakers out there and for a good reason: it blasts powerful 360-degree sound, allows pairing two speakers to get even more boom and has a rock solid connection that it can keep at distances of up to 150 feet.
If the regular Boom 3 isn't good enough for your purposes then the Megaboom 3 will surely be able to deliver.
JBL Charge 5
Battery life: Up to 20 hours
The JBL Charge 5 is another Bluetooth speaker under $200 that is worth considering. It packs great sound and comes with an IP67 rating, which means it's water-resistant and dustproof. In addition to that, the speaker offers up to 20 hours of playtime on a single charge. So, with its great battery life, water-resistant rating, and great sound, this speaker is perfect for gatherings by the beach or pool.
Bluetooth speakers over $200
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation)
Battery life: Up to 18 hours
As a true Bang & Olufsen speaker, the Beosound A1 (2nd Generation) delivers incredible sound. In addition to that, it has a built-in microphone and supports Amazon Alexa, enabling you to control your music playback with voice commands. It also has an awesome IP67 dust and water resistance rating, which gives in incredible durability. Oh, and the speaker offers up to 18 hours of listening time on a single charge.
Marshall Kilburn II
Battery life: 20+ hours
The stylish-looking Marshall Kilburn will look great in any home with the recognizable Marshall design. But it's not just about the visual appeal as it also boasts a very clear and loud sound output that will definitely satisfy music enthusiasts. And while it's bigger and heavier than most other speakers on the list, it does have a strap to carry it around so you can take your premium music experience anywhere and enjoy it for more than 20 hours. The price tag is a step above what we've looked at so far, but if it's within your budget, you won't regret getting the Kilburn II.
JBL Boombox 2
Battery life: Up to 24 hours
With boomy bass and an overall impressive sound quality, the large-sized JBL Boombox 2 is one more great big Bluetooth speaker. All speakers on this list can be used for an outdoor party but the Boombox 2 is probably the only one that can do it without any compromises.
To top it off, you can also use this speaker's 10,000mAh battery as a power bank to charge up your phone while on the go. And that classic boombox design could be a major plus for the right kind of person.
Sonos Move
Battery life: Up to 10 hours
The Sonos Move will fill your room or even garden with loud and balanced sound that will impress your guests. The company's traditions in audio tech have translated perfectly into this premium Bluetooth speaker and while it comes with a hefty price tag, it also has a lot to offer. The clean design will fit any contemporary living room nicely and if you need it somewhere else, just pick it up from the charging stand and place it wherever you feel like.
Did you find the best Bluetooth speaker for your needs?
There we have them, the best portable wireless Bluetooth speakers you can buy in 2024! Whether you're looking for wireless speakers for camping, or for when you're riding your bike, or even for your next outdoors or heck, indoors party, one of these should suit you! You may also find interesting our other musical picks below:
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