7 Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers
A portable Bluetooth speaker is a great way to enjoy your favorite music while on the go. With its compact size, it can easily fit into almost any bag or pocket, allowing you to bring it anywhere you go without sacrificing sound quality. The best portable Bluetooth speakers offer top-notch sound quality, long battery life, and advanced features like voice control, stereo pairing, and water resistance. Here are the seven best portable Bluetooth speakers that provide superior sound quality, portability, and features.
I think, that you, me, everyone upgrade their Bluetooth speaker game.We’re talking about Bluetooth speakers for all occasions. The options on this list are the best of the best in any category. From party speakers to teeny-tiny speakers to some smart speakers, and everything else in between.
What do you want when you’re kicking back on the couch? A speaker that lets you appreciate the full range of sound, probably. But if that’s a designer couch you’re reclining on, you’re going to want a sleek speaker that doesn’t ruin your decor. But if your speaker is powering a home workout or boozy house party, you’re going to be looking for something with a little more kick. Rest easy reader. These 7 Bluetooth speakers cover the full range of what you may need. And trust us, they’re all best in class.
1-Sonos Move
If you want to upgrade on the Roam, the Move is $250 more expensive, but offers a lot more quality. It’s less portable, and not as water resistant (IP56) as the Roam. But! The Move gives you substantially more in terms of sound. And that’s what we’re here for, no?
You get deeper base, along with clearer mids and highs. And it’s not an outrageously large speaker, so putting it in a backpack isn’t out of the realm of possibility. That said, it’s definitely one for your dinner party or outdoor get together.
| Dimensions | 9.44 x 6.29 x 4.96 Inches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 6.61 Pounds |
Pros:
- Voice assistant compatible
- Great sound
- Sleek design
Cons:
- Touchscreen interface is oddly weird to get used to on a speaker
2-Beats by Dre Pill+
Some of y’all are about to be real mad at me, but the Beats Pill will always be the GOAT. Apple and Beats by Dre are phasing it out, in favor of headphone and earbuds, but you can still buy the Pill+ at retailers for the time being. And you should, if only to have a piece of history!
It’s run of product placement in the early 2010s—pre Apple acquisition—was incredible. Juicy J playing one into a school intercom during the 23 video (peak Bad Miley). Someone being ball-gagged with one in Brittany Spear’s Work Bitch. And Azealia Banks just swallowing one as a pill in Yung Rapunxel!! Truly a great run of anything goes advertising.
After the Apple acquisition, the ads got more boring, but the speakers got better. Good volume that doesn’t get drowned out by bass, a sleek design, and lightning charging, everything you need. As Apple sunsets this little icon, let’s all buy one and pour out a lil Cîroc in memory.
| Dimensions | 2.7 x 8.3 x 2.5 Inches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2.92 Pounds |
Pros:
- Sleek design
- Beats app lets you pair with two speakers
Cons:
- Model is being phased out
3-JBL Clip 4
One of JBL’s smallest models, the Clip has been steadily improving over its four iterations. It’s an IP67 rated speaker, as good water and dustproofing as you’ll get. And though it struggles with deep bass—with it’s dynamic range bottoming out at 100Hz—it’s a competent little speaker.
It works well for hikes, or small group beach trips. And the color options make it a great gift for teens.
| Dimensions | 1.8 x 3.4 x 5.3 Inches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.5 Pounds |
Pros:
- Convenient carabiner clip
- Great selection of colors
Cons:
- Struggles on the low end
4-Ultimate Ears Hyperboom
The only reason this speaker had to split party duties with JBL’s Xtreme 3 is its waterproof rating and size. This party speaker from Ultimate Ears is only IPX4 rated, meaning it can handle drink spill, and it weighs 13 pounds.
But if you’re having a house party, rooftop party, barbecue, anything where the speaker is stationary, this is the perfect speaker. It’s capable of hitting more bass than anything on this list, but it doesn’t have that drowned out effect others do. Everything comes through pretty clearly; likely due to the speaker’s adaptive EQ. An internal mic determines the size of the space, and adapts your EQ accordingly. Though, you can adjust settings manually with the Ultimate Ears app.
| Dimensions | 7.5 x 7.5 x 14.33 Inches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 13 Pounds |
Pros:
- Great sound
- Can handle a party foul or two
Cons:
- Not the most portable
5-Bose SoundLink Flex
We really debated a Best Value or Best Budget award for this one, but honestly, you shouldn’t be buying budget speakers. No matter what the description says, you’re always going to be disappointed. JBL’s Clip 4 is a great buy at it’s $80 regular price, but if you want something more competent, Bose’s SoundLink Flex is a great, reasonably priced option.
This little speaker is IP67 rated, and it gives full, clear sound that can fill a room. It’s also got enough strength to be an outdoors speaker, and if you’re trekking it out somewhere, it’s got 12 hours of battery life. All-around, a great little speaker.
| Dimensions | 3.6 x 7.9 x 5.39 Inches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 1.3 Pounds |
Pros:
- IP67 rating
- Decent sound
Cons:
- There are better sounding options
6-Sonos Roam
If you want a bluetooth speaker that can pair up with your Alexa or Google Assistant, Sonos is the way to go. The Roam is portable enough to through in your bag and bring to the park, then sit on the counter and serve as a smart speaker when at home.
It’s got clear sound, decent from bass through mids and up to the highs, and it’s IP67 rated. It’s got reasonable battery time at 10 hours. The only true flaw is the button controls. They’re a bit hard to distinguish or feel. But, that’s cancelled out if you’re using a voice assistant, just tell Alexa to raise the volume.
| Dimensions | 6.61 x 2.44 x 2.36 Inches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.95 Pounds |
Pros:
- Good sound
- IP67 Rating
- Incredibly light
Cons:
- Button controls aren’t the best
7-JBL Xtreme 3
What every pool party and beach day is calling out for. It’s a portable, rowdy, and IP67 rated speaker. The Xtreme 3 hits your mids and highs well, and it’s got that JBL signature heavy bass—not much of an issue considering it’s a party speaker. But if you want to really dive deep into a track… this ain’t the speaker.
And when I say portable, I don’t mean this is a take around the city speaker. It’s almost a foot long, and nearly four and a half pounds. So when you’re using the shoulder strap, it’s about the size of a bulky purse. But what the strap is great for is getting it from one place to the next. Sling it over your shoulder, help carry a cooler, and throw it down wherever your crew may be.
| Dimensions | 13.4 x 5.4 x 5.24 Inches |
|---|---|
| Weight | 4.3 Pounds |
Pros:
- IP67 Rating
- Carry strap
- Loud sound
Cons:
- JBL bass has a tendency to drown out highs and mids