The best Bluetooth wireless speaker to buy for 2020
There is a large selection – perhaps too much – in today’s wireless Bluetooth speaker market, including pocket-sized micromodels, compact mini-versions, and more powerful models that can really produce some sound. Narrow your selection and take a look at our current favorite competitors for the best portable Bluetooth speakers.
Do you need a larger selection? Check out our lists best smart speakers and best wifi speakers and music systems.
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At $ 33, the Tribit XSound Go is one of the best Bluetooth speakers for the money. Not only does it sound great for streaming your favorite music and more, it is also a fully waterproof Bluetooth speaker.
Read our Tribit XSound Go test.
Sarah Tew / CNET
This fully waterproof wireless Bluetooth speaker (IPX7) not only has an improved battery life and better sound than the Clip 2, but is also more durable, according to JBL, because the integrated carabiner frames the entire circumference of the speaker and acts as a bumper. It has a built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery and is one of the best wireless Bluetooth speakers due to its small size. It sells for $ 60.
Read our JBL Clip 3 review.
David Carnoy / CNET
Ultimate Ears Boom Bluetooth speakers come in different sizes, but none of them are as big as the brand new one Hyberboom. The Hyperboom is a super large wireless speaker that weighs in at 13 pounds. It undoubtedly makes the Megaboom 3 look puny. It’s not cheap, but it sounds better than many of the portable jumbo speakers currently on the market.
Ultimate Ears representatives told me that the hyperboom was created after the company received feedback from customers looking for a larger speaker that could play loud enough and have enough bass to power a party. The speaker can do just that – Ultimate Ears says it’s three times as loud and has six and a half times the bass of Megaboom 3 – and has no problem filling a fairly large room with sound.
Read the CNET recording first.
Sarah Tew / CNET
The Tribit MaxSound Plus ($ 56) is about 30% larger than its sibling XSound Go and costs about $ 25 more. However, it offers much better performance and is one of the best sounding speakers in its size and price range. It has a long-lasting rechargeable lithium-ion battery and excellent audio quality for a Bluetooth speaker.
Read our Tribit MaxSound Plus review.
Sarah Tew / CNET
The Tribit StormBox speaker looks like a cross between a UE and a JBL speaker. We suspect that this is not an accident. Fully waterproof, it costs about $ 30 less than the JBL Flip 5, produces a larger sound, and has a battery life of up to 20 hours to play music and more. Tribit’s XSound speakers may be better value for money, but the Stormbox is more elegant.
David Carnoy / CNET
We liked the original Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker, which sounded good due to its compact size and was also waterproof. The company has now published them Wonderboom 2This is a tad bigger than the original and sounds a little better for streaming your favorite music, with more bass and a special outdoor boost mode that boosts the treble.
Like its predecessor, the fully waterproof Wonderboom 2 with Bluetooth connection has a list price of $ 100, but costs less (around $ 80). What differs is the degree of protection IP67, which means that it is dustproof, shockproof and floatable. According to Ultimate Ears, it has a 30% better battery life – up to 13 hours at a moderate volume – and you can pair two together to create a stereo sound pairing by pressing a button on each speaker.
Sarah Tew / CNET
Bose SoundLink Micro is probably the best sounding speaker due to its small size. Although this Bose SoundLink is a little expensive, Bose has lowered its list price by $ 10, which has kept it to a minimum $ 99. It is fully waterproof and available in three Bose SoundLink color options.
Read our Bose SoundLink Micro Test.
David Carnoy / CNET
JBL’s Flip 5 ($ 100) is slightly larger than the Flip 4 and offers improved audio sound with a little more bass. It is IPX7 waterproof certified, meaning it can be submerged in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes and survives. Tribit’s StormBox costs around $ 30 less and plays louder, but I like the Flip 5’s sound balance better. It also offers USB-C charging, which is better for securing the future.
The Sonos Move is the first portable Bluetooth speaker for indoor and outdoor use by the company. It has a built-in battery that lasts 900 charges or approximately three years and is replaceable. It is Wi-Fi enabled and can be connected to other Sonos speakers in your home system. According to Sonos, the Move has the best Wi-Fi connectivity of all previous speakers. It also has a Bluetooth connection so you can remove it out of range of your Wi-Fi network and stream directly from your Android, iPhone, or other Bluetooth enabled audio device.
Read our Sonos Move test.
Angry
The new portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth speaker from Bose is more compact and easier to transport than the Sonos Move and costs a little less. It delivers a large, loud sound due to its relatively small size, and connects to other speakers in the Bose Wi-Fi home speaker range to create a multi-room audio system.
Read our Bose Portable Home Speaker first.
