A good Bluetooth speaker is a great way to liven up a gathering of friends, whether it is at a picnic in the park or a home setting. The best Bluetooth speakers give you a powerful range of frequency, clarity of sound, and portability for listening on the go.
The ideal Bluetooth speaker is strong enough to fill a medium to large sized room yet small enough to be moved around easily. However, with the sheer number of Bluetooth speakers on the market, finding the right one for your needs can be difficult. Luckily, we are here to give you a comprehensive look at some of the top-rated portable Bluetooth speakers currently available.
If you are worried that a quality Bluetooth speaker will break the bank, don’t fret. There are plenty of great speaker options that cost only as much as a trip to the grocery store. Additionally, many Bluetooth speakers double as home interface devices that can sync your Google assistant or Siri – you can kill two birds with one stone.
Best Bluetooth speaker
Bose SoundLink Revolve
- Weight: 1.46 lbs
- Battery Life: 12 hours
- Wireless Range: 30 feet
- AUX Input: Yes
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX4
Best wireless speaker
OontZ Angle 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- Weight: 0.56 lbs
- Battery Life: 14 hours
- Wireless Range: 100 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX5
Loudest Bluetooth speaker
JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Portable Stereo Speaker
- Weight: 1.14 lbs
- Battery Life: 12 hours
- Wireless Range: 50 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
Best budget
Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker
- Weight: 12.6 oz.
- Battery Life: 24 hours
- Wireless Range: 66 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX5
Best small
AOMAIS Sport II Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speakers
- Weight: 1.36 lbs
- Battery Life: 7-15 hours
- Wireless Range: 66 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
Best sounding
Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Phantom Wireless Mobile Bluetooth Speaker
- Weight: 1.2 lbs
- Battery Life: Up to 15 hours
- Wireless Range: 100 feet
- AUX Input?: No
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
Best mini
Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth Speakers
- Weight: 13.4 oz.
- Battery Life: 24 hours
- Wireless Range: 66 feet
- AUX Input: Yes
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
Top rated
DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 Portable Speaker
- Weight: 1.65 lbs
- Battery Life: 12 hours
- Wireless Range: ~100 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX5
Best home
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
- Weight: 6.8 lbs
- Battery Life: 5 hours
- Wireless Range: ~40 feet
- AUX Input?: No
- USB Charging?: No
- IP Rating: Not Indicated
Best portable
Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker
- Weight: 10.2 oz
- Battery Life: 6 hours
- Wireless Range: 30 feet
- AUX Input?: No
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
Table of Contents
- 1. Bose SoundLink Revolve
- 2. OontZ Angle 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- 3. JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Portable Stereo Speaker
- 4. Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker
- 5. AOMAIS Sport II Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speakers
- 6. Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Phantom Wireless Mobile Bluetooth Speaker
- 7. Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth Speakers
- 8. DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 Portable Speaker
- 9. Harman Kardon Onyx Studio Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
- 10. Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker
- Bluetooth Speaker Buying Guide
1. Bose SoundLink Revolve
Best Bluetooth speaker
- Weight: 1.46 lbs
- Battery Life: 12 hours
- Wireless Range: 30 feet
- AUX Input: Yes
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX4
- Long battery life (12-16 hours)
- AUX input for multiple audio sources
- Voice-command functionality
- Low enough frequency may sound crackly
Bose is one of the most well-known audio equipment manufacturers in the world, and for good reason. Bose consistently makes high-quality products designed by audio engineer experts for optimal performance. The Bose SoundLink Revolve uses Bose’s outstanding speaker technology and puts it in a portable package for home and on-the-go listening.
Of course, like every other Bose product, the quality comes with an impressively steep price tag. While this won’t break the bank, per se, this is a good deal more expensive than the 2nd costliest speaker, so it might not be worth it if you aren’t an audiophile.
The circular design gives 360-degrees of sound coverage that can fill a medium to large sized room. The sleek gray casing is IPX4 rated for moisture resistance, so you don’t have to worry about water damage if you use at the pool, beach, or while taking a shower. The SoundLink Revolve is compatible with voice commands and can sync to Siri or Google assistant, allowing you to easily make (and receive) calls.
You can also link two SoundLink Revolve speakers to each other using the Bose Connect app for those times when loud is not loud enough.
Although this speaker performs incredibly well – especially for the money – it does have a drawback. I noticed that, when a song has very low frequency bass, the audio begins to sound a bit crackly, but only when the speaker is at full blast.
Still, considering the speaker doesn’t have a large dedicated subwoofer, it can still output rumbling bass. If you’re using the speaker at full blast, it’s probably because you’re in a party setting, and you wouldn’t be able to notice the slightly fuzzy bass anyway.
2. OontZ Angle 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Best wireless speaker
- Weight: 0.56 lbs
- Battery Life: 14 hours
- Wireless Range: 100 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX5
- Very small and light (~0.5 lbs )
- IPX5 rated resistant casing
- Has trouble with low-frequency bass notes
- No “low battery” warning; the speaker will die in the middle of a song
Weighing just over half a pound, the Oontz Angle 3 portable Bluetooth speaker gives a great ratio of sound quality/size at an extremely affordable price. If you’re concerned about range, then this is probably the best wireless speaker on the market considering it has a 100 foot wireless range.
Just like the previous speaker, this one struggles a bit with very low frequency bass – in addition, the speaker doesn’t have a low battery warning. Instead, it will simply die in the middle of a song, which can be annoying.
Anyway, the angled design is made to project sound efficiently. This small speaker can easily fill a room with a hearty soundscape, just don’t expect its bass to be particularly punchy.
The battery is more powerful than other speakers of similar size and can play for 14 continuous hours at 2/3rds max volume (it will be shorter than that if you’re at max volume, though). Since you can charge your battery while using it, the music does not have to stop. The splash-proof and dustproof IPX5 rated casing means you can take this with you out on the trail and not worry about any technical failures.
A built-in mic for making and taking calls from your phone, an AUX input for alternate audio sources, and the 100-foot wireless range makes the Oontz Angle 3 a versatile speaker for all environments.
3. JBL Flip 4 Bluetooth Portable Stereo Speaker
Loudest Bluetooth speaker
- Weight: 1.14 lbs
- Battery Life: 12 hours
- Wireless Range: 50 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
- IPX7 rated casing extremely resistant to water, dust, and mechanical damage
- Dual external passive radiator for an improved bass sound
- Battery can degrade quickly
- Slight crackling at very high volumes
The JBL Flip 4 is the next generation of the award-winning Flip series of Bluetooth speakers. The Flip 4 offers crystal clear audio in a tiny package that can easily fit in your backpack, purse, or coat pocket. The new IPX7 rated casing is extremely resistant to water and dust– so resistant you could completely submerge the Flip 4 in water, and it would still work.
The 3000mAh battery offers 12 hours of continuous playtime and comes in 6 vibrant color options to match your style. The built-in noise canceling and echo canceling speakerphone is perfect for making and taking calls and its voice command functionality means you can sync up Siri or Google. Just press the front button to activate voice commands.
The JBL Connect+ app lets you link up to 100 individual JBL speakers together so you can stream the same music on multiple devices.
This speaker will crackle a bit at its highest volumes, but believe me when I say this speaker can get loud. I have one that I use in my college dorm, and I am – more often than not – annoying my neighbors when it’s blasting at a high volume.
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4. Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker
Best budget Bluetooth speaker
- Weight: 12.6 oz.
- Battery Life: 24 hours
- Wireless Range: 66 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX5
- IPX7 rated casing extremely resistant to water, dust, and mechanical damage
- Dual external passive radiator for an improved bass sound
- Battery can degrade quickly
- Slight crackling at very high volumes
The Anker Soundcore portable Bluetooth speaker is one of the best values amongst these speakers with good sound despite its small price tag.
The small black rectangular design is discrete, allowing for easy transportation. The IPX5 rated casing is highly resistant to dust and moisture, so you won’t have to worry about using this speaker outdoors. Two high sensitivity drivers and a patented bass port give high fidelity low sounds without crackling or distortion.
The Anker Soundcore is slated for 24 hours of continuous play from a full battery charge. Thanks to the speaker’s 66-foot wireless range, you won’t lose connectivity as you move around. Unlike many other speakers in its weight class, the Anker uses Bluetooth 4.0 to ensure maximum clarity connection.
The device will also save the most recently synced device so you can pick right up where you left off without a hassle. The Soundcore can also connect to Alexa enabled devices so you can issue voice commands from your speaker.
This speaker only has one major drawback– after prolonged use and multiple chargers, the charging port may begin to deform. If you’re gentle, it shouldn’t be a problem, but I wasn’t any rougher with this speaker’s charging port than I am with all of my other devices so it is worth being conscious of.
5. AOMAIS Sport II Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speakers
Best small Bluetooth speakers
- Weight: 1.36 lbs
- Battery Life: 7-15 hours
- Wireless Range: 66 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
- Extremely durable, tough, and waterproof
- Special acoustic chamber enhances bass tones on the 20W speakers
- Speakers can be damaged by playing loud for extended periods
- Long charging times (3-4 hours)
The AOMAIS Sport II is a high-quality speaker built to withstand all kinds of damage and weathering. The IPX7 rated casing is tough enough to handle being run over by a car and can still operate while submerged under 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Virtually indestructible, the AOMAIS Sport II is a perfect option for the outdoor music enthusiast and can be used while camping, hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, etc.
Its two powerful speakers can output 20W of full-bodied stereo sound with rumbling bass tones and crystal-clear high notes. The AOMAIS Sport II has a uniquely designed acoustic cavity to minimize feedback and harmonic distortion.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to listen to music for hours, you’ll love this speaker – it has a 15-hour battery life and it charges quickly too. The music never has to stop! Although the speaker has exemplary battery life, it also takes three to four hours to fully charge.
This speaker’s 4.0 Bluetooth connectivity is compatible with most smartphones, MP3 players, tablets, laptops, PC, and Amazon Echo. Like many Bluetooth speakers, you can link two AOMAIS Sport IIs together for up to 40W surround sound. Each speaker also comes with a 12-month worry-free warranty.
6. Ultimate Ears BOOM 2 Phantom Wireless Mobile Bluetooth Speaker
Best sounding Bluetooth speaker
- Weight: 1.2 lbs
- Battery Life: Up to 15 hours
- Wireless Range: 100 feet
- AUX Input?: No
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
- Software updates keep speakers optimized
- 100+ foot wireless range
- One-touch syncing/playback
- Front buttons are not labeled and can be ambiguous
The BOOM 2 Phantom Wireless Mobile Bluetooth Speaker is the latest in the BOOM series of wireless Bluetooth speakers. Boasting an impressive 360-degree sound design, the BOOM 2 is a tough and powerful portable speaker that you can take with you wherever you go.
The IPX7 rated casing is very resistant to mechanical stress and water damage. This speaker’s simple button interface allows device syncing, pause/play, and skip/rewind functions all at the touch of a single button.
On the sides of the device is a USB charging port and a 3.5 mm auxiliary jack for alternate audio sources. The PartyUp app allows you to connect your BOOM 2 to up to 50 separate speakers for true surround stadium sound.
Additionally, a downloadable companion app allows you to control your speaker from your phone and add some voice functionality for making and taking calls and talking to Siri/Google. Downloading the app also gets you access to free software updates that add new specs and tweaks to optimize speaker performance.
The only bad thing about this speaker is its control interface. There aren’t any labels, so it takes some time to figure out what each button does. Of course there’s a manual, but we already have standards for this sort of thing (sideways triangles is play; two vertical lines is pause; etc.) to ensure controlling devices is intuitive.
If you struggle with technology, this might not be the speaker for you; otherwise, the speaker’s sound quality makes up for its intuitive controls.
7. Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth Speakers
Best mini Bluetooth speaker
- Weight: 13.4 oz.
- Battery Life: 24 hours
- Wireless Range: 66 feet
- AUX Input: Yes
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
- 24-hour battery life for continuous play
- Waterproof and damage-resistant
- Underwhelming high tones
Believe it or not, you don’t always have to sacrifice quality for a lower price – and the Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth speaker is a perfect example. The XSound Go is a powerhouse of a speaker, capable of outputting 12W of pure audio sound. The state-of-the-art bass radiators deliver powerful bass tone without distortion or crackling at higher volumes.
This speaker has a sleekly designed, IPX7 rated, black casing that’s perfect for outdoor use at the pool or while camping, the tough casing ensures you won't accidentally break it from an accidental drop or spill.
A powerful rechargeable lithium-ion battery allows up to 24 hours of continuous play, and it can be charged quickly, even while being used.
The 4.2 Bluetooth connectivity is good for up to 66 feet – it also has an added voice command functionality. Press and hold the center button and you can issue commands to Siri or Google right from the speaker.
Even better, the XSound Go comes with an 8-month product warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can return it for full price if you are not completely satisfied.
8. DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth V4.0 Portable Speaker
Top rated Bluetooth speaker
- Weight: 1.65 lbs
- Battery Life: 12 hours
- Wireless Range: ~100 feet
- AUX Input?: Yes
- USB Charging: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX5
- MicroSD port
- Easy-touch controls are intuitive and responsive
- IPX4 rated casing is not as resistant to moisture and damage
- Lower battery life than some portable speakers (only 12 hours at 75% volume)
The DOSS Touch Wireless Bluetooth speaker may not look like much, but don’t let appearances deceive you. Its elegant design is discrete and can easily be taken with you wherever. This small speaker is capable of outputting 12 Watts of sound from its two 6W speakers, creating dramatic bass and crystal clear high pitches as well.
The 2200 mAh battery can give you up to 12 hours of battery life while playing at 75% volume and the 360-degree sound design exhibits less than 1% harmonic distortion when cranked up to loud volumes.
In addition, this speaker remembers the last device it synced to so it will automatically connect to the closest recognizable device as soon as you turn it on. The control panel uses a simple 5-button touch display, making for easy navigation through your music library. It’s also simple to adjust volume, pause/play, and skipping/rewinding songs.
Like many speakers, the DOSS Touch has a 3.5 mm auxiliary jack for non-Bluetooth audio sources. Unlike most other speakers on the market, the DOSS has a MicroSD slot so you can load and play music from a MicroSD card, an uncommon yet nice feature for a portable Bluetooth speaker.
9. Harman Kardon Onyx Studio Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Best home Bluetooth speakers
- Weight: 6.8 lbs
- Battery Life: 5 hours
- Wireless Range: ~40 feet
- AUX Input?: No
- USB Charging?: No
- IP Rating: Not Indicated
- 4 15W speakers are extremely powerful with a full range of sound
- Several drivers and passive radiators for powerful bass sound
- Low battery life (4-5 hours from full charge)
- No AUX input
The Harmon Kardon Onyx Wireless Bluetooth Speaker is one of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market and is an absolute beast when it comes to volume and sound quality.
The trademark Harmon Kardon design uses some of the most advanced audio engineering around, creating a powerful speaker with a wide range of frequencies, from shaking bass notes to shimmering high tones.
Built-in dual passive radiators give the Onyx wireless speaker unparalleled sound quality relative to other Bluetooth speakers in its weight class. The Kardon’s four 15W speakers and the circular acoustic chamber produce a high-fidelity sound that is resistant to distortion and crackling at high volumes.
The speakers are tough enough to play at full blast for a long time without suffering damage. The Onyx Studio Wireless Bluetooth speaker is great for activities that require a large range of sounds, such as movies or very bass heavy music.
One minor complaint that we have is that this speaker doesn’t have an AUX input. There are several other speakers on this list that are also exclusively Bluetooth compatible, but none of those are larger speakers. Likewise, while they might sound good, they don’t have that same robust soundscape; the type of soundscape you might like to use with a dedicated stereo setup.
10. Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker
Best portable Bluetooth speaker
- Weight: 10.2 oz
- Battery Life: 6 hours
- Wireless Range: 30 feet
- AUX Input?: No
- USB Charging?: Yes
- IP Rating: IPX7
- Small size + straps for attaching = great portability
- Waterproof and shockproof
- Voice-command compatibility
- Smaller design sacrifices power, volume, battery life
One of the best mini Bluetooth speakers on the market, this tiny speaker is small enough to fit in your pocket and comes with straps to attach to your backpack or purse, so you can listen while you walk.
The small 4-inch speaker face is surprisingly loud, especially when compared to other Bluetooth speakers its size. The IPX7 rated casing is completely waterproof and resistant to damage from scratches or drops.
This speaker’s Bluetooth 4.2 connectivity is compatible with all smartphones, tablets, laptops, and PCs. Added voice commands mean you can link up to Siri, Alexa, or Google and issue voice commands just by pressing a button on the front of the speaker. Furthermore, you can also link up the SoundLink Micro to other Bose speakers using the Bose Connect+ app.
The speaker’s portability comes at a cost: the speaker’s battery life and max volume suffer when compared to other speakers on this list.
Bluetooth Speaker Buying Guide
Bluetooth speakers are great when you have friends over at your place, or you want to bump some of your favorite tunes on the go. Personally, I love using my Bluetooth speaker when I’m at the top of a mountain after a hike.
In any event, there are a few things you should consider before you purchase a Bluetooth speaker. After all, not all Bluetooth speakers were created equally, and you should be getting the best bang for your buck.
IPX
IPX is a rating of a device’s water resistance on a scale from 0 to 8, with 0 being not water resistant at all, and 8 being fully waterproof. You can learn more about IPX ratings here.
The only speaker without a rating is the Harmon Kardon Onyx Studio, but since it is the largest speaker that’s somewhat to be expected; I’d assume they expect you to take it outside around water less often. All of the other speakers are at least IPX4, which means it will be fine if it is splashed.
However, if you plan on taking your speaker around the pool, then you might want to get one of the speakers that are rated IPX7 (almost half the speakers are IPX7) since they are fine in up to 3 feet of water. And if you’re quick, they should be fine in deeper water… just don’t make a habit of making your hapless Bluetooth speaker swim.
Portability
In general, the smaller the speaker, the better suited it is for taking places. However, smaller speakers usually mean less volume and power, so small and more portable Bluetooth speakers tend to be quieter than larger Bluetooth speakers.
All things being equal, this holds relatively true, but you can pay more to get a better sounding, portable speaker, like the Bose SoundLink Micro. Still, the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio trades a lot of that portability for more robust audio at a similar price point.
Audio Input Options
Since this is an article about “Bluetooth” speakers, all the reviewed products are Bluetooth compatible. Nevertheless, many speakers come with an external audio jack for non-Bluetooth audio sources, like some TVs, game consoles, and stereos.
If you only plan on streaming music from your phone or other Bluetooth devices, then don’t worry about an external jack. However, if you have multiple non-Bluetooth audio sources you would like to use, make sure to get a speaker with an auxiliary jack. Most auxiliary jacks use a standard 3.5 mm connector head and you can buy aux cords for cheap.
Battery Life
Most Bluetooth speakers will give you at least 6 hours of battery life, though depending on how powerful they are, battery life may be less. Typically, larger speakers with more wattage have less battery life, but that is to be expected since they require more power to run. Smaller speakers can work for almost a day straight without interruption, although these speakers tend to be smaller and less powerful.
If you frequently find yourself in places without nearby sources of electricity, then a speaker with a long battery life is the best option. If you plan for more home use, then don’t worry too much about the battery life as you can just plug it in whenever you need a charge.
Multi-Device Connectivity
Many Bluetooth speakers offer multi-device connectivity – in other words, they can link up to multiple speakers and play music simultaneously. This feature is pretty great when you need to fill up a large room for a party with many people. Otherwise, a single speaker probably wouldn’t be loud enough (assuming your party is lit!).