The best Bluetooth speakers have recently become smaller, more powerful and are able to generate much higher quality sound than ever before. Some are battery powered, while others are designed to fill an entire room with rich sound. You’ll even find a few Bluetooth speakers that are waterproof, so you can take them to the beach or on a boat.
A Bluetooth speaker will pair with your smartphone, tablet or computer. So whether you'll be listening to music, your favorite podcasts, audiobooks or any other types of audio, you’re able to stream content without needing cables.
While a dedicated “smart” speaker like an Amazon Echo Dot is not necessarily designed to produce the highest quality sound, there are some high quality Bluetooth speakers that also incorporate digital assistant functionality if that’s something you want. So, whether you’re looking to add a Bluetooth speaker to a room in your home or want a device you can easily travel with, there are plenty of options in our list of the 10 best Bluetooth speakers for 2022.
- Best Bluetooth Speaker Overall: Bang & Olufsen Beosound 1
- Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore
- Loudest Bluetooth Speaker: Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
- Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker: Sonos Move
- Best Bluetooth Speaker For iPhone: JBL Flip 6
- Best Small Bluetooth Speaker: Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
- Best Bluetooth Smart Speaker: Apple HomePod
- Best Battery Powered Bluetooth Speaker: Sonos Roam
- Best Buget Bluetooth Speaker: Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
- Best Bluetooth Speaker For Traveling: Bose SoundLink Flex
Best Bluetooth Speaker Overall
The Beosound 1 Looks Unique But Offers Superior Audio Quality
- Weight: 7.72 pounds
- Battery life: Up to 12 hours
- Volume: 91 bB
- Features: 360-degree sound; customizable sound EQ; aluminum casing; supports Google Assistant
It may look like a silver traffic cone, but Beosound 1 is designed to fill a room—between 100 and 500 square feet—with ultra-rich and crystal clear sound. This is a high-end option when it comes to Bluetooth speakers for use within a home. You can use one speaker alone or pair two of them together for the ultimate (but costly) stereo listening experience.
The cone-shaped unit measures 6.38 x 12.87 x 6.38 inches. It can be used while plugged into an electrical outlet or with an internal rechargeable battery, and there’s a charging dock sold separately. For even more volume and power, check out the Beosound 2 (which will set you back $3,000).
Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
Take The Explore Speaker With You On Your Next Adventure
- Weight: 1.4 pounds
- Battery life: Up to 27 hours
- Volume: 91 dB
- Features: Rugged and waterproof (IP67 rated); offers heavy bass; True360 sound
While you wouldn’t want to risk your $2,000 investment and take the Beosound 1 outside, especially on a rainy day, the much more affordable Beosound Explore can be taken and used just about anywhere. It’s designed to be durable and waterproof, yet generate clear, 360-degree sound that will nicely resonate indoors or outdoors.
In fact, this speaker will nicely fill a 50 to 300 square foot room with sound that’s ultra-customizable using the Bang & Olufsen mobile app. This is the perfect Bluetooth speaker for camping, boating or taking on any outdoor adventure.
Loudest Bluetooth Speaker
The Bass Goes Boom With The Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
- Weight: 13 pounds
- Battery life: Up to 24 hours
- Volume: 100 dB
- Features: Customizable EQ; Supports Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music and Deezer Premium
While it’s not a device meant to be handheld, the Hyperboom is portable and will sit nicely on almost any surface. It represents Ultimate Ears’ biggest and loudest portable speaker, but its max volume isn’t everything. You’ll experience extreme bass, adaptive EQ and an overall high-fidelity listening experience no matter what type of audio you’re pumping through this speaker. Hyperboom is truly a party-oriented speaker.
It offers three times the loudness and six times the bass as the company’s popular MegaBoom 3. Plus, it can be paired with up to 150 devices at once, so more than one person at a party can control the playlist. Thanks to its IPX4 rating, this speaker is splash-resistant, but not fully waterproof. Its rechargeable battery will outlast even the most dedicated party animal with up to 24 hours of playback. The speaker measures 14.33 x 7.5 x 7.5 inches and it generates audio that you can hear from up to 150 feet away.
Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker
Sonos Move Looks Classy And Sounds Wonderful
- Weight: 6.61 lbs
- Battery life: Up to 10 hours
- Volume: Up to 85 dB
- Features: Dust- and water-resistant; auto true play; pairs with other Sonos speakers; voice control via Amazon Alexa and Google assistant
The Sonos Move costs twice as much as the Megaboom 3, but it’s not quite as loud as the smaller speaker. It maxes out at 85 dB, but that’s still plenty loud. While still extremely portable, the Sonos Move is comparatively heavy, weighing in at 6.61 pounds. It’s also around 10 inches high, so although you can move it around easily, you’ll probably want to find a place to put it and leave it there.
The Move aims to sound good just about anywhere thanks to a feature called Auto Trueplay. It automatically calibrates the sound it puts out according to the environment. Built-in microphones measure the surrounding sound and adjust accordingly.
The Move fits seamlessly into a Sonos household, linking up to all your other Sonos speakers easily. On its own, however, the sound is magnificent. It’s room-filling, with subtlety, richness and plenty of bass. It’s less a party speaker and more one that a small group will enjoy listening to during a social gathering, for example.
Battery life is 10 hours. Keep in mind, while not waterproof, this speaker is dust- and water-resistant. Don’t worry about a splash or two, but protect it from a dunking.
Best Bluetooth Speaker For iPhone
The JBL Flip 6 Is The Perfect Companion For Your Mobile Device
- Weight: 1.21 pounds
- Battery life: Up to 12 hours
- Volume: 75 dB
- Features: Pair with a second Flip 6; good battery life; waterproof
Available in 11 colors, this two-way Bluetooth speaker system is portable, waterproof and offers up to 12 hours of continuous play per battery charge. While the sound is particularly clear for a speaker of this size, the power of the bass really stands out. You can position this speaker either vertically or horizontally and enjoy the same listening experience. Pair any two of JBL’s “PartyBoost” speakers together for even more volume and a broader listening range.
Best Small Bluetooth Speaker
It’s Small, Loud And Lives Up To Its Megaboom Heritage
- Weight: 2.9 lbs
- Battery life: Up to 20 hours
- Volume: Up to 100 dB
- Features: Waterproof, drop-proof, pairs with other MB speakers
The Megaboom 3 is small. In fact, you can easily hold it in one hand. But if you drop it, don’t worry as the speaker is designed to be rugged. It can even survive a fall into a pool (where it will actually float). Despite its small size, it manages volumes as high as 100 dB.
Megaboom 3 has an intuitive Magic Button that sits on top as a way to pause, skip tracks or even cue up a favorite playlist. Of course, you can also control these things—and much more—from your mobile device or computer.
You’ll discover the Megaboom 3 has plenty of bass to make the lower end of the music really throb, but it also manages a crisp and precise mid-range. Keep in mind, you’re able to pair multiple Megaboom 3s (or some other UE Boom units) to blast audio across a wider area. Battery life is strong too—up to 20 hours between charges.
Best Bluetooth Smart Speaker
Apple HomePod Mini Offers The Siri Voice Assistant
- Weight: 0.76 pounds
- Battery life: Must be plugged into an electrical outlet
- Features: Tiny size (3.9 inches wide by 3.3 inches high); Siri functionality built in; comes in five colors; AirPlay 2 compatible; Bluetooth 5 compatible
Most dedicated smart speakers work with a digital assistant such as Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s Siri. They’ll also play music, but the audio quality of these small speakers often leaves much to be desired. This is not true with Apple’s HomePod Mini.
These tiny smart speakers are not battery powered, but they do support Siri and generate really impressive 360-degree room-filling audio at a very competitive price. Especially if you’re an Apple iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple TV user, a HomePod Mini serves as a really nice companion to these devices.
These speakers are available in six colors. If you connect two or more of them to the same Wi-Fi network, they can serve as a multi-room intercom system, or the audio you’re listening to will literally follow you as you move from room to room.
You’ll get a free six month subscription to Apple Music when you purchase a HomePod Mini, so more than 50 million songs are immediately available on demand. Simply ask Siri to play whatever you’re in the mood to hear.
Best Battery Powered Bluetooth Speaker
The Sonos Roam Is Both Smart And Waterproof
- Weight: 0.95 pounds
- Battery life: Up to 10 hours
- Volume: 80.7 dB
- Features: Waterproof; voice-enabled; works with AirPlay 2, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; audio automatically adapts to the speaker’s surroundings; pairs with other Sonos speakers; adjustable EQ
Sonos is an industry leader in premium-quality wireless speakers. Thus, it makes perfect sense that the company was able to create a portable and battery powered speaker that’s drop resistant, waterproof and that sounds amazing.
Whether it’s used indoors or outdoors, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the sound quality, depth and volume this speaker is able to generate. Using its TruePlay tuning feature, the speaker analyzes its environment and how its positioned (horizontally or vertically) and automatically adjusts the audio output accordingly. The sleek design makes it easy to transport, although it’ll also look great sitting on your desk or bookcase, for example.
Best Budget Bluetooth Speaker
Big Sound Comes From This Pocket Size Bluetooth Speaker
- Weight: 0.77 pounds
- Battery life: Up to 12 hours
- Volume: 90 dB
- Features: Ultra-small; large buttons to control the volume; rubber belt clip; pair two StormBox Micro 2 speakers together to generate a stereo listening experience
While this waterproof (IP67 rated) speaker fits comfortably within the palm of your hand, it generates size-defying sound. Lending to its portable nature is a rubber strap that allows you to securely attach the speaker to a belt, backpack or bike handles, for example.
The internal battery can even be used to recharge your smartphone while you’re on the go. (Doing this will decrease audio listening time, however.) If you’re looking for a durable and low-cost Bluetooth speaker option, both your wallet and your ears will quickly fall in love with the StormBox Micro 2. The entire unit measures 3.93 x 3.93 x 1.69 inches. And yes, you can take it into the shower and hang it with no worries of water ruining your private concert.
Best Bluetooth Speaker For Traveling
Take The Bose SoundLink Flex Wherever You Go
- Weight: 1.3 pounds
- Battery life: Up to 12 hours
- Volume: 90 dB
- Features: Pairs with other Bose speakers; waterproof; great for outdoor use; can work as a speakerphone when paired with a smartphone
Measuring 2.06 x 7.93 x 3.56 inches, this battery-powered speaker somewhat resembles a lightweight brick. However, unlike the bricks you build with, this one plays crisp Bose audio.
Using Bose’s Position Q Technology, no matter how the speaker is positioned, it continuously analyzes its surroundings and adapts the audio output accordingly. When the speaker is paired with your smartphone, you’re given one-button access to its voice assistant from up to 30 feet away. You can fully customize your listening experience using the Bose Connect app on your mobile device. This speaker is loud enough for a small group to enjoy while clustered close together at a social gathering, for example, but it does not have the power or volume to fill a party space with loud music.
Features To Look For When Choosing A Bluetooth Speaker
Ultimately, when it comes to choosing a bluetooth speaker, the key feature to consider is sound quality. After all, you want to hear the audio you'll be playing clearly—without distortion and at the volume you choose. Keep in mind, a higher price does not always mean better sound quality, however. In some cases, you'll wind up paying a premium for a brand name, like Bang & Olufsen, Sonos, or Bose (although each of these companies do offer superior speaker products).
The size of the physical speaker may impact sound quality. However, you do want to know whether the speaker is battery powered or needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet to function. If it's battery powered, choose a speaker with a battery that lasts at least 10 hours between charges. Also pay attention to how long the speaker’s battery takes to recharge and whether it can be used during that time.
Depending on where you'll primarily be using the speaker, choosing one that's truly waterproof may or may not be a priority. However, if you plan to take the speaker outside, go with one that's at least water-resistant.
By default, a Bluetooth speaker pairs with your computer, smartphone, or tablet. This means you can stream content to the speaker wirelessly. The bluetooth range of the speakers does vary, so pay attention to this feature if you know you'll often be more than 33 feet away from the speaker when controlling it remotely.
Based on the size of the space you want to fill with sound or how large of a group you want to entertain with audio generated from the speaker, its maximum volume (measured in decibels) is an important consideration. For personal use and to generate sound that'll nicely fill a room, a speaker that generates up to 70 dB audio is more than adequate.
Keep in mind, prolonged and close range exposure to audio that's louder than 70 dB can damage your hearing. Meanwhile, anything louder than 120 dB will cause immediate harm to your ears. With this in mind, a speaker that offers a 360-degree, room-filling sound field will allow the audio generated by the speaker to clearly be heard from all directions. Thus, you won't need to position yourself directly in front of or next to the speaker to hear whatever you're listening to.
Some Bluetooth speakers are designed to work in conjunction with a voice-based digital assistant, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Smart Assistant or Apple’s Siri. If this is functionality you want, determine if the smart assistant is built into the speaker itself, or whether it must be paired with a mobile device (such as a smartphone) that already has a built-in smart assistant. Which smart assistant the speaker works with should also be one that you’re already using with your other equipment.
Yet another thing to consider is whether you’re able to pair two or more of the same speakers together wirelessly (or speakers from the same manufacturer) to create an authentic stereo listening experience. You might also want to generate louder audio across a larger indoor or outdoor space. For example, if you’re hosting a social gathering in your backyard, you may want to position several Megaboom 3 speakers around the perimeter of the yard so everyone will be able to hear the same music playing.
While sound quality is what's most important when focusing on speakers, appearance may also be a consideration. After all, you don't want some ugly box sitting in your living room for all to see. Many Bluetooth speakers offer a contemporary design and come in a variety of color options, so choose one with an aesthetic you like.
How Many Watts Is Good For A Bluetooth Speaker?
Amplified power in a speaker is measured in watts. When listening to music from a portable Bluetooth speaker, any one that has a wattage between 20 and 50 should be more than adequate to fill an average size room with quality sound.
More wattage, however, does not directly correlate with a speaker’s maximum volume. If you want to determine how much volume a speaker can generate when playing audio, this is measured in decibels (dB).
The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore, for example, utilizes two 30 watt class D amplifiers, which together can generate audio up to 59 dB. Meanwhile, the Hyperboom speaker puts out 100 dB sound using a 229 watt speaker.
What's The Best Bluetooth Speaker Brand?
Brand names like Band & Olufsen, Bose, Sonos and JBL, for example, are all known for offering premium quality speaker products, including portable Bluetooth speakers. However, there are plenty of lesser-known brands, like Tribit and Ultimate Ears, that also offer high-quality, powerful and well-designed Bluetooth speaker options.
If you already own speakers from a specific brand, like Sonos, it makes sense to stick with that brand when purchasing additional speakers, since all wireless Sonos speakers can be paired together to create a more powerful audio listening experience. This is also true with the JBL speakers, for example, that have what the company calls its “PartyBoost” feature.
Instead of focusing on brand names, however, pay more attention to a speaker’s technical specifications, and think about how and where you’ll be using the speaker. Also consider what type of audio or genre of music you’re be playing, and at what volume you want to play it.
For example, if you’ll be using the speaker outdoors, go with a Bluetooth speaker that’s waterproof and that can generate more powerful sound so it’ll be heard over a greater distance. That said, if the speaker will be used within a specific room of your home, you want it to fit in with the decor and be able to fill that area with rich and clear sound that takes advantage of 360-degree audio.
