When it comes to the best wireless speakers, you’re rather spoiled for choice these days. We’re talking about a product category that spans tube-shaped Bluetooth buddies through to big-money smart speakers and versatile do-it-all devices.
Quality abounds in a category that has exploded in popularity in the past 10-15 years. With so many users wanting the convenience of wireless sound, is it really any wonder they’re this good in 2025?
Our list of Award winners is a diverse mix of forms, functionalities and fees. JBL continues to lead the pack in pumping out the best portable companions to take on your travels, but when it comes to more domestically minded speakers, it’s the likes of Apple and Audio Pro who continue to provide charm and convenience for the greatest value.
This year’s list has seen a decent amount of movement, with three new entries joining two returning winners. Like wireless headphones or even OLED TVs, the world of wire-free speakers is clearly in an extremely healthy state.
JBL is still the portable king
The JBL Flip 6 was a very good speaker, but the rewards it reaped for its fine sound and lovely build maxed out at a still impressive five-star review. This seventh-generation model has gone one better, building on its predecessor’s ample talents to create a portable speaker that we simply couldn’t ignore when it came to this year’s Awards judging. As the best portable speaker under £150, the Flip 7 is without equal.
Practically everything about it is better than before. It sounds richer, clearer and more insightful, all while serving up an expanded feature set which integrates Auracast audio sharing, lossless wired audio and 16 hours of battery life (with Playtime Boost).
Better still, the design has been refined, as the Flip 7 now offers IP68 dust and waterproofing (beating the Flip 6’s IP67 certificate) alongside interchangeable carry accessories and a more durable design.
While we knew that the Flip 6 could conceivably have been improved, it was much harder to imagine how much better JBL could make its enviable Charge 5 when the time came to release a sixth-gen follow-up.
Expectations were sky-high, yet JBL rose to the challenge to produce the truly outstanding JBL Charge 6, our pick as the best portable wireless speaker between £150-£200.
Across the board, this is a generational talent. That sound is powerful, punchy and clearer than the previous generation, while the addition of a carry handle is a really nice bonus. Like the Flip 7, you get Auracast, USB-C lossless audio, an IP68 waterproof rating, not to mention 28 hours of listening with Playtime Boost. At this level, the Charge 6 is streets ahead of anything else we’ve come across.
Last but not least, we have another JBL. This time, though, it’s a returning champ rather than an Awards newbie. The Xtreme 4 was our premium portable winner last year, and once again returns as our pick as the best portable speaker over £200 for 2025. Its price has dropped a bit in that time, too, making the fourth-gen Xtreme even better value if you want a big, bold sound that can come along on your travels.
It was, arguably, the Xtreme 4 that blazed the trail for the newer Flip and Charge models thanks to its early adoption of Auracast and the battery-extending Playtime Boost feature. It really takes performance to the next level, too, melding clarity and detail with a tight, weighty bass output that we just find so entertaining to listen to. Don’t bet against another Award in 2026…
Apple and Audio Pro are domestic gods
It’s still here! We were rather hoping for a new HomePod in 2025. Oh well, we’ll just have to give another Award to the established second-generation Apple smart speaker. It’s still terrific, after all – and 2025 marks a third win in a row for the Apple HomePod 2 as the best home wireless speaker under £300.
If you love all things Apple, we can’t recommend it enough. Naturally, its integration into the iOS ecosystem is a major selling point, but the HomePod 2 has the sonic chops, not to mention the AI smarts, to justify its existence beyond the Apple-sphere.
Higher up the price ladder, the Audio Pro C20 was our best premium wireless speaker choice last year. That old model has been replaced by the Audio Pro C20 W, a tweaked spin on the five-star favourite which integrates access to a LinkPlay-powered app (that’s the parent company of WiiM) and some subtle adjustments to the unit’s overall sonic profile.
To us, it’s all been worth it. That new app makes the C20 W more usable than its predecessor, whereas the speaker’s clear, broad sound renders it easy to recommend no matter your proposed use case. As before, the feature set is enormous (HDMI ARC, Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, line and optical inputs etc.), with an improved phono stage that outstrips the talents of the older C20.
For its considerable talents across a whole spectrum of use cases, it’s extremely hard to look beyond the do-it-all C20 W.
It has been a great year or so for wireless speakers. And we predict that 2026 will push the boundaries even further, as wire-free performance continues to evolve at a rapid pace. We're expecting to see rivals take a swipe at JBL's portable crown, whereas disruptors such as WiiM could have Apple sweating in the smart speaker space.
We also expect the big-name brands to make a big push in 2026. A new HomePod must surely be coming soon from Apple, while Amazon has a host of new Echo speakers designed to make your home audio that bit smarter.
For now, the wireless standards are extremely high. Let's see if they have been pushed even higher by this time next year.
MORE:
New issue of What Hi-Fi? out now: power up with premium floorstanding speakers, marvellous Mini-LED TVs and more
What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025: new faces meet old favourites as five-star CD players keep the humble disc alive and kicking
