The 7 best Bluetooth speakers for any situation

Who it's for:

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is not a must-have upgrade for anyone who owns the Wonderboom 3, but like the former version, it's a powerhouse for its size and price. This speaker's small (and rugged enough) to take along for a hike, while traveling, and for tossing next to the pool. Plus, it's so easy to find on sale that it's often available at a cheaper price than the older Wonderboom 3.

Why we picked this:

The Wonderboom 4 is basically the same exact speaker as the Wonderboom 3, visually and internally. Like the Wonderboom 3, you can drop it from heights of up to five feet without worrying about destroying it. It’s also waterproof with an IP67 rating. If you drop it in water, it can float for up to 30 minutes and come out the other side working completely fine. It also features a healthy 14 hours of battery life, which is more than other speakers of a similar size.

So what's different? On the sound front, the Wonderboom 4 has less muddiness than its predecessor, especially at higher volumes. In addition to the Outdoor Boost mode, you'll also get a Podcast Mode. We will say that we're not necessarily fans of the new addition — hosts' voices came through compressed, while background static felt more pronounced. Generally, this mode shone much better on the brand's Everboom speaker.

However, the standard audio is good enough for listening to podcasts and music, so ignoring the new EQ feels like a fine concession. As with the Wonderboom 3, we found that overall, the sound profile is well-rounded and can get loud. We do wish that this speaker had been updated with a companion app for more customization.

On the bright side, it's very easy to plug, play, and now charge, thanks to the addition of a USB-C charging port. While it's not all that different from the Wonderboom 3, anyone who wants a no-frills speaker that sounds good will be happy with this one. The Wonderboom 4 is easy to find in stock and on sale, making it our updated pick for the best speaker under $100.

Check out our full review of the Sonos Move 2.

Who it's for:

If portability is at the top of your list when looking for a Bluetooth speaker, the Sonos Move 2 might not be for you. As Mashable's Stan Schroeder writes in his review, "It sounds fantastic, but it's essentially a home speaker that also happens to be somewhat portable." However, if you want great sound, battery life, and smart features, this could be the best Bluetooth speaker for you. It's also the best choice for shoppers who already use other Sonos products in their home.

Why we picked this:

We formerly recommended the original Sonos Move, but we like the newer version for its newly added stereo sound and 24 hours of battery life (as compared to the original's measly 11).

To be clear, this speaker isn't perfect, but we think the trade-offs balance out. For instance, you need a 3.5mm to USB-C adapter for line-in playback, but you can charge your phone from the Move 2's battery by connecting it with a USB-C cable (similar to the Charge 5). It isn't very portable for hikes or trips to the beach, but it's easy enough to move from the kitchen to the backyard (and has IP56 dust and water resistance), making it great for entertaining. It's also a great choice if you like using a speaker to listen to music around the house. While it doesn't work with Google Assistant, it does work great with Alexa.

It can burn through the battery life faster at higher volumes, but it gets plenty loud without sacrificing sound clarity. In essence, there are a few trade-offs you make with this speaker, but if you're looking for the best-sounding smart speaker, and the cons of this one don't clash with your needs, we think the Sonos Move 2 is a great pick.

Who it's for:

While we would never recommend a speaker solely on how it looks, we do care about the aesthetics of a speaker. If you've worked hard on decorating your space, then you deserve a speaker that will make its new home look even better.

So, for folks who appreciate good design, we recommend the new Marshall Emberton III. Not only does this premium Bluetooth speaker have Marshall's iconic vintage look, but it's also a solid-sounding speaker for its price point.

Why we picked this:

No matter where we put the Emberton III — on a desk, the middle of a coffee table, a bookshelf, even the kitchen counter — it instantly elevated the vibe of the room. In all honesty, because it looks so good, we were a little skeptical that it would have the performance to match its pretty face.

To our surprise, the speaker did perform. Right out of the box, it produced clear and well-rounded sound. Though it had a slightly heavier-bass mix, it made Still Woozy's "Get Down" and Billie Holiday's "Solitude" sound equally as good. We wish it had a custom equalizer, but if you download the companion app, you can choose between the Marshall preset (the speaker's default sound), the Push preset that boosts bass and treble, and the Voice preset that enhances the mid-range for voice-focused content. The presets sounded markedly different, which isn't always the case with the audio devices we test. We wouldn't recommend the Voice preset, unfortunately. Like the podcast mode on the Wonderboom 4, this setting made podcast hosts' voices sound compressed and less clear.

As for the on-speaker features, a light indicates battery life and both the power and Bluetooth buttons make the speaker ultra-easy to turn on and pair — we never had to spend more than 10 seconds connecting or switching between devices. Finally, the speaker also comes with a unique knob in the center to toggle the volume and song selection. This worked fine, but the dial control might not be for everyone.

Marshall promises a 32-hour battery life with this speaker, and after several days of medium to heavy use, the speaker still sat at about 60% battery life. With the app, you can also turn on battery preservation features to keep the charge going as long as possible.

For $169.99, it's a good, but not incredible, sounding speaker, but it more than makes up for its small drawbacks with a cool retro design. Released in August 2024, its feature set and design aren't that different from the Emberton II. So, if you want to save some money, you can pick up the Emberton II at a discount without sacrificing much sound quality.

Who it's for:

There are portable speakers, and there are speakers that are truly built to move with you. The JBL Clip 4 isn't just small and easy to carry around, but also easy to clip on just about anything, from a backpack to a belt loop. So, if you're looking for the absolute best blend of portability, affordability, and sound, this is a smart bet.

We do want to note this isn't the latest in JBL's Clip line — the Clip 5 came out in June 2024. The newer speaker is in our testing pipeline, but in the meantime, the Clip 4 is our recommendation. It's also the more affordable option (barring any great sale prices on the Clip 5).

Why we picked this:

This is the ultimate portable speaker — it's compact and thin enough to slip into basically any bag, some pockets, and it gives you a backup plan with the built-in carabiner.

Even though you're getting maximum portability, the speaker doesn't sacrifice basic functionality: You're still getting 10 hours of battery life and an IP67-rated water- and dust-proof speaker that can be taken along on most adventures. That means it can function as well on a hike as it would as a shower speaker (plus, the carabiner might give you more options on where to place it in your bathroom versus a more traditional Bluetooth speaker).

When we tested this speaker, we found that it reached an impressive volume, but in comparison to a speaker like the Wonderboom 3, which is only about $20 more, the sound does get muddled at higher volumes. In other words, if sound is more of a priority, we'd say spring for the Wonderboom. If you want something something small and built for going basically anywhere, save a bit of cash and get the JBL Clip 4.

Check out our full review of the Sony ULT Field 1.

Who it's for:

Sony's entire ULT line was created for anyone who considers impressive bass a crucial part of their listening experience, and the Sony ULT Field 1 is no exception. For good bass that keeps things relatively affordable, we recommend the Field 1.

Why we chose this:

We're generally fans of the audio quality Sony delivers and we're always fans of saving money, so when we saw the brand released a speaker that's more on the affordable side, we needed to try it out. Deputy Shopping and Reviews Editor Miller Kern took up the task and found that this speaker delivers on bringing the bass.

This speaker already brings the bass on its default settings, but its two "ULT" settings — which can be controlled directly from a button on the speaker — allow you to amplify the bass even more. Kern wrote that in her testing, "regardless of volume or bass setting, it never sounded blown out or fuzzy." She also noted that this speaker gets loud, which makes it a great contender for anyone looking for an outdoor option, along with the fact that it's waterproof, dustproof, rustproof, and shockproof.

The more intense audiophiles among us will likely appreciate the customizable equalizer on this speaker's companion app, which isn't always a given at this price point. You might notice the shortcomings of this speaker most on its battery life, which caps out at 12 hours.

Who it's for:

If you don't need the most customized, crystal-clear sound and simply want a speaker that works and won't break the bank, the JBL Go 4 is an excellent option under $50.

Why we picked this:

We previously recommended the JBL Go 2 speaker as our budget pick, and have been looking for an adequate replacement since it was discontinued. JBL just released the Go 4 in June, and after testing it out, we're happy to recommend it as our new budget option.

For starters, the Go 4 is just as lightweight and compact as its predecessor, with just a bit more silicone padding around the edges that adds minimum bulk, but gives the speaker a feeling of increased durability (also helped by its IP67 rating). Though it may be tiny, it's definitely mighty when it comes to how loud it can get: you probably won't feel the need to use the highest volume unless you're outdoors and in a noisy area. JBL improved on the bass clarity over the Go 2, as it came through noticeably more prominent on the Go 4 during our testing, without sounding overblown.

However, you are likely to notice the sound gets a little muddier at higher volumes, and especially so with more dynamic pieces — the Final Fantasy VII Remake soundtrack suffered a bit during our testing (the JBL Flip 5 we tested against the Go 4 handled the climatic moments in the soundtrack much better). Still, the Go 4 is only $50, so it's hard to complain too much, especially as during our testing, this speaker lasted a good two and half hours beyond its promised seven hours of battery life when played constantly at a low volume.