The best Bluetooth speakers to buy in 2023

Wireless Bluetooth speakers have become indispensable gadgets that are everywhere. Everyone has one somewhere he has and the use case varies from person to person. You might use your speakers around the house, or use them as a soundtrack to your shower. It might be nice to take it to the park or the beach. And there are people who carry portable speakers virtually everywhere they go and share music from their bikes or backpacks with their neighbors.

I know a lot of people reuse old Bluetooth speakers. If your Bluetooth speaker is still working, you don’t need to upgrade to a new one right away.But the bluetooth speaker very good in recent years. Sound quality continues to improve, battery life is breaking records, and it’s sturdier and more durable than ever.

I The Verges A resident audio equipment reviewer, I’ve spent dozens of hours testing the following selections in a variety of scenarios. I was. Each product can easily be recommended for different reasons.

When buying new speakers, first consider the size you need. This guide mostly sticks to portable Bluetooth speakers and excludes those that are impractical for on-the-go use. From there, you’ll have to weigh other criteria such as audio quality, usability, durability, and bonus features like speakerphone functionality. Some speakers can be paired in stereo, while others have a “party mode” feature that allows you to link many speakers together. If you don’t mind that too much, you can get a small Bluetooth speaker for about $25. But all of our recommendations here are a little more advanced in terms of features and style.

weight: 1.3 lbs/ Battery life: 12 hours / water resistant: IP67/ Can you do a stereo pair 2?: yes / Speakerphone: yes / Charging port: USB-C

I don’t know what kind of engineering magic goes into Bose’s Bluetooth speakers. But when I went back to the SoundLink Mini II, the sound was clearer, Better — At least to my ears, better than similar-sized competitors.

Despite having only a mono driver (not uncommon in Bluetooth speakers), the SoundLink Flex delivers spacious sound with amazing bass. And importantly, its low end isn’t muddy or boomy. Everything about this speaker is rich and clear. This is all the more surprising given that it only supports the baseline SBC Bluetooth codec, not AAC or the more advanced LDAC. Still, this speaker sounds great.

You can expect about 12 hours of battery life. And like many of the other speakers in this guide, the SoundLink Flex is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. Bose is confident it can withstand falls and swims. Whether you lay the speaker flat or upright, Flex automatically optimizes his EQ in either orientation. It also works as a speakerphone with the help of the built-in microphone. Not everything in SoundLink Flex is ideal. The button is hard to use just by feeling it. It’s odd that Bose chose Bluetooth 4.2 instead of the newer version of the spec, but if those are my biggest gripes, it’s safe to say the SoundLink Flex is the winner.

weight: 1.34 pounds / Battery life: 15 hours/ water resistant: IP67/ Can you do a stereo pair 2?: yes / Speakerphone: no / charging: Micro USB

Frankly, it’s a little daunting that I’m still writing about the UE Boom 3 in 2023. Perhaps that says something about how stagnant the Bluetooth speaker market is. Or maybe UE just hasn’t come up with anything that beats the $149.99 Boom 3 in any meaningful way. yeah.

The company considers it a “perfect” interpretation of the cylindrical, 360-degree speaker design pioneered in previous Booms. With 15 hours of battery life, a fully waterproof exterior that floats in swimming pools, and giant volume buttons that work for everyone, the UE Boom 3 still holds up. A standout feature compared to older models is the Magic Button, which allows you to quickly play a specific playlist by simply pressing and holding the top button. But what gives the Boom 3 such staying power is its simplicity, solid construction and satisfying sound. Even if the Boom 3 lacks the detail and sharpness of some of its competitors, you get a vast soundstage when the drivers fire in all directions.

weight: 0.95 pounds / Battery life: 10 hours / water resistant: IP67/ Can you do a stereo pair 2?: yes / Speakerphone: no / charging: USB-C, Qi Wireless

If you’re considering buying the Sonos Roam, it’s important to keep your expectations reasonable. That’s not necessarily the case with the tiny Roam. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t fill the room with music, but if you sit close to it or use it as a shower speaker, it will sound clear and dynamic. I can.

The Roam’s true selling point is its smartness and tight integration with Sonos’ home audio platform. When you’re at home, Roam streams music over his Wi-Fi, which offers better fidelity than Bluetooth. Seamlessly pass playback from Roam to another nearby Sonos speaker with the touch of a button. This is a cheap way to add a turntable to your Sonos system, as long as the turntable supports Bluetooth. It can also be easily grouped with other Sonos speakers for multi-room playback. When using Roam as a smart speaker, choose between Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free voice commands.

Sonos recently released the slightly cheaper Roam SL, which omits the built-in mic. But unless you’re adamantly against having a mic in your gadget, I’d avoid the Roam SL. You’ll only save $20, but you’ll lose some pretty important features like automatic Trueplay sound quality adjustments, the above sound swap feature, and (obviously) all voice interaction. For $99 or $129, I could absolutely see it. But asking $159 for the Roam SL is too expensive.

READ SONOS ROAM REVIEWS.

weight: 2.1 pounds / Battery life: 20 hours/ water resistant: IP67/ Can you do a stereo pair 2?: yes / Speakerphone: no / charging: USB-C

If you’re looking for something a little more powerful, JBL’s Charge 5 is more powerful than the UE Boom in terms of both size and audio reproduction. . So much for subtlety. But if you don’t mind that aesthetic decision, the Charge 5 ticks a lot of boxes for functionality.

It is a stamina champ that can play continuously for up to 20 hours. Speaking of batteries, a unique trick offered by the Charge 5 is the ability to charge external devices. It has a USB-A port for charging your own phone or a friend’s phone while listening to music.

My main disappointment with the Charge 5 is the mono driver, which has to downmix stereo content. If you’re dealing with mono portable speakers, some songs or certain instruments may not be as prevalent as stereo speakers. It’s also more noticeable here, as the Charge 5 doesn’t sound as primitive and detailed as Bose’s SoundLink Flex.

weight: 0.53 pounds / Battery life: 10 hours / water resistant: IP67/ Can you do a stereo pair 2?: no / Speakerphone: no / charging: USB-C

JBL’s Clip 4 is actually a bit bigger than I expected from looking at the marketing images. However, the integrated carabiner makes it easy to attach to bags, bikes, and more. I was amazed at the sound this compact speaker could produce.

Although the bass is a little dented, the Clip 4 delivers clear, crisp mids and highs. Like our other picks, it has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. Combined with its small size and 10-hour battery life, we’re looking for the perfect speaker to take along on hikes and other adventures.

weight: 6.61 pounds / Battery life: 10 hours / water resistant: IP56/ Can you do a stereo pair 2?: yes / Speakerphone: no / Charging port: USB-C, proprietary wireless

At 6.61 pounds, the Sonos Move is quite heavy to carry around. As such, it is primarily intended to be moved around the house or in the backyard. It’s not as convenient, but you get a significant sound upgrade at the cost of putting up with much louder speakers than the Roam.

Move can fill a room with resonating audio. Like the Roam, you can choose to use it like a regular Bluetooth speaker or use the Sonos app to play music over Wi-Fi. With an IP56 rating for dust and water, Move is weatherproof and designed to withstand minor bumps. Given this speaker’s $400 price tag, you’d expect just as much. But when you add extra features like hands-free voice control and automatic Trueplay, the Move has a lot of tricks up its sleeve, making it a unique choice if you’re after a larger, louder speaker.

Read DAN Seifert’s review of SONOS MOVE.

UPDATE March 21st at 12:35pm ET: The buying guide has been reorganized and the previous selection of outdoor party speakers (Sony SRS-XB43) has been removed as it is now obsolete.