Updated: Great news. It's Cyber Monday and Cyber Week, so the best Bluetooth speakers are on sale at deeply discounted prices.
If you want a quick and easy way to get music playing around your home or on the go, then nothing beats the convenience of a Bluetooth speaker.
Simply charge the speaker up, get it paired to your phone, and you'll be able to play your entire music collection wherever you choose.
While they previously offered a weak and tinny sound, in recent years improvements is Bluetooth technology have meant that they're able to offer a very capable audio experience in their own right.
And better yet, battery capacities have improved such that you can use a bluetooth speaker for several days on the trot without needing to recharge it.
But not all wireless speakers are made equal, and with that in mind welcome to our list of our top picks for the best Bluetooth speakers around. Some are rugged, some are stylish, but all of them are well worth a place in your tech arsenal.
UE Boom 2
This sequel to the UE Boom nails everything it aims to accomplish, making it the best Bluetooth speaker available today.
Even better, the addition of waterproofing turns what used to be the best Bluetooth speaker around for most occasions into the best one for every occasion.
If you're looking for a little more power, the Megaboom (also from UE) is a great choice.
Read the full review: UE Boom 2
Fugoo
Meet one of the Bluetooth speaker market's best-kept secrets. The Fugoo comes in your choice of jacket style (Style, Tough, or Sport), but no matter which one you choose, this speaker is just as suited for the elements as it is your coffee table.
Despite its small size, this option offers surprisingly good sound performance and, get this, up to 40 hours of battery life when listening at medium volume. We were able to get nearly 20 hours out of it at a high volume.
Read the full review: Fugoo
Harman Infinity One
The Harman Infinity One is the most expensive speaker on our list, but its performance makes it well worth its sticker price. Audio quality is best-in-class with amazingly deep bass and rich sound making up the rest of the signature.
Additionally, this speaker houses every modern feature that one could desire in a Bluetooth speaker, like NFC connectivity, USB charging and conference calling. A big part of the price goes to the stunning design put forward by Harman. The entire enclosure is a matte grille that allows for sound to pour out of each side. Despite our aversion to spending tons of money, we can definitely give the Infinity One our seal of approval.
Editor's Note : This speaker is available in the US only, but the One bears such close resemblance in terms of its design and performance to the also-fantastic JBL Xtreme below that folks around the world won't be left out of the experience.
Read the full review: Harman Infinity One
Creative Muvo Mini
If you want a budget Bluetooth speaker, then the Creative Muvo Mini is the one to buy.
It's not tough these days to find a Bluetooth speaker full of desirable features like full sound, weather-proofing and a good-performing battery, but for the most part the options capable of all those feats won't be cheap. That's where Creative's Muvo Mini comes in to play.
For $59 (£49, AU$69), this speaker handles all these impressive feats, wiping the floor clean of the competition in the process. It'd be enough to recommend it based on its cheap price alone, but it's actually a really good all-around speaker, so there's that too.
Read the full review: Creative Muvo Mini
UE Mini Boom
Don't knock the UE Mini Boom for its small size. What it offers out of the box in terms of sound performance and battery life isn't just impressive, it's a steal at $99 (£79, AU$99).
Just as we were, you'll likely be surprised by the capabilities of this speaker through its companion app. Packed into a fun, durable form-factor, this speaker is a fantastic value for music lovers.
(Sadly, this speaker has been discontinued, but we're going to leave it in the list for the time being, as it's still pretty easy to find at a good price, meaning it's that much easier to recommend)
Read the full review: UE Mini Boom
Best Bluetooth Speaker
We'll just come out and say it: The JBL Charge 3 is a big speaker. There's no getting around it. At 213 x 87 x 88.5mm, the speaker will take up a fair bit of room in your backpack or purse and at 1.76 pounds, it'll weigh you down as well.
However, what you get for having such a big speaker is impressive. It's got 20 hours of battery life, and it's water-resistant, with an IPX7 rating that means you can submerge the speaker in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. Essentially, while it'll survive a dunk into the pool it's probably best if you don't leave it there for an extended period of time.
As a package, the JBL Charge 3 offers a compelling set of features and excellent sound quality to boot. It punches well above its weight, playing loudly and distortion-free. The Charge line of speakers have been on our shortlist of recommendations for a long time and the latest iteration maintains JBL's dominance in the portable Bluetooth speaker market.
Read the full review: JBL Charge 3
Bose SoundLink Color
When it comes to Bluetooth speakers, Bose is a major player. But something that's been missing from the company's product line is a relatively affordable option that has the same full-bodied sound crammed into a small form-factor.
With the $130 (£120, AU$180) SoundLink Color, Bose has achieved just that, plus a splash of color. There are a variety of flavors to choose from, but whichever you choose, you'll be treated to stellar sound and battery performance.
Read the full review: Bose SoundLink Color
JBL Xtreme
In a list of rugged Bluetooth speakers with rubber and plastic constructions, the Cambridge Audio Yoyo Ms look a little out of place.
These aren't speakers you're going to take to the beach or swimming pool. Instead of plastic, these speakers use British-made wool, which isn't going to respond well to water at all.
The Yoyo Ms are a premium pair of speakers that are designed to sit in the home, where their stereo configuration allows them to offer a level of performance that's quite different from the single-unit devices on this list.
They might be pricey, but they're worth it if you're looking for a pair of Bluetooth speakers to sit in your home.
Read the full review: Cambridge Audio Yoyo M
Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2
The Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 is the successor to the much-loved Sound Blaster Roar SR20 and rings it at a pleasing tune of $169/£149, or about AU$235. This speaker is about the size of a hard-cover book and can compliment a bookshelf or a table top nicely.
Touching on features, the built-in internal microphone allows you to make or take calls with ease. The Roar 2 supports a microSD card, which you can use either to record calls onto or listen to stored music from. Something else you don't see often in a Bluetooth speaker is an overdrive button. "Roar" mode cranks the sound performance up a few notches.
Read the full review: Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2
Razer Leviathan Mini
The Razer Leviathan Mini is a lightweight portable Bluetooth speaker that does a lot right in the company's first attempt at sound in a small package. It's a little costly for what it offers, though, but ultimately sounds as good or better than the competition.
If you're looking to add a portable Bluetooth speaker to your growing arsenal of Razer audio products, the Razer Leviathan Mini is a well-rounded option that might be a bit more than the competition, but delivers in all the right categories.
Read the full review: Razer Leviathan Mini
We'll update this page as we review more speakers, so stay tuned. Let us know if you have suggestions for us to check out in the comments below.
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