Bluetooth speakers, like Bluetooth headphones, have become a staple for every household. Whether people are going on a trip or just hanging out in the backyard with some friends and listening to music, these small and powerful speakers make it easy to get that home stereo sound on the go.

The Best Bluetooth Speakers in 2024

The Anker Soundcore Motion 300 is the jack of all trades when it comes to Bluetooth speakers. It is compact yet powerful and is ready for any adventure with its IPX7 rating. Plus, at $80, it is not ridiculously expensive like some options that produce a similar sound quality. The Motion 300 is perfect for anyone looking for a great all-around Bluetooth speaker that won't cost them an arm and a leg.

Despite its relatively small form factor, weighing just 1.7 pounds, this speaker produces quite a powerful sound with 30 watts of maximum output. To put that in perspective, the JBL Clip 4, which is just a bit smaller but in the same price range, only produces five watts. Not only is it powerful, but the drivers producing that power also sound amazing for their size. Because it has two drivers, this speaker is technically a stereo setup, but there won't be much separation since the drivers are so close. Luckily, this speaker can be paired with another one to create a true stereo listening experience if users want to.

Because of its size and power, Game ZXC expected the Motion 300 to have lackluster battery life. However, thanks to Soundcore's excellent battery management, which has also been implemented on their other devices, like the Space One, this speaker delivers an outstanding 13 hours of battery life. That should allow most users to get through parties and adventures with some time left over.

The Sony SRS-XB100 is an excellent example of a speaker that delivers a premium experience for a budget-friendly price. If people are looking for a speaker under $60 but don't want to compromise on sound quality or durability, the SRS-XB100 is the way to go.

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Using a single 2-watt speaker, the SRS-XB100 will not be nearly as loud as the Motion 300, but it still delivers an excellent listening experience. People will need to be a bit closer to the speaker for the best results. This speaker won't deliver earth-shattering bass like the UE Hyperboom, but it does produce surprisingly powerful bass for its size, and thanks to the digital signaling processing, there is minimal distortion. However, on some surfaces, the speaker can shake itself a bit, creating distortion-like sounds, but this can easily be fixed by hanging it up with its included strap.

For a long time, most Bluetooth speakers looked the same, so it's nice to see speakers like the SRS-XB100 and JBL Clip 4 break the mold and have a unique look. The SRS-XB100's cylindrical shape makes it incredibly easy to throw in a backpack or even put into a car cupholder for people whose cars don't support Bluetooth connectivity.

The JBL Clip series has been a fan favorite for quite some time. The latest iteration, the JBL Clip 4, continues that trend and makes some improvements to its overall durability and louder output. The Clip 4 is perfect for anyone looking for a speaker for their next adventure and likes the ease of portability thanks to its integrated carabiner clip.

The whole Clip lineup has had a very distinct look, and the Clip 4 carries some of those looks forward but is making some updates that make it its own. This speaker is gorgeous no matter the colorway, and most people will feel comfortable carrying it outside their backpacks as JBL intends. Thanks to the IP67 rating, users can feel confident carrying this speaker on the outside of their backpack or bike handlebars, knowing that rain, dust, or dirt won't harm the speaker at all.

Using a standalone dynamic driver like the Sony SRS-XB100, the Clip 4 isn't the most powerful speaker, but it produces incredible sound quality for its size. Its reasonably accurate frequency response works well for most music genres. However, the lack of bass emphasis might leave bass fans wanting more power. Compared to the last generation Clip speaker, the Clip 4 makes a considerable jump up in volume with five watts of max output instead of the measly 1.7. That alone might make it worth the upgrade for users with the Clip 3.

The UE Hyperboom is a big jump in price compared to the other speakers in this guide and a considerable jump in power. While this speaker might seem too big for some people to be considered portable, thanks to its beefy battery that is rated for up to 24 hours of playback time, it is perfect for anyone's next trip to the beach or as a wireless party speaker.

The Hyperboom takes advantage of its larger size by having multiple tweeters and multiple woofers to deliver a powerful sound that smaller speakers like Motion 300 can not even dream of producing. With a max output of 229 watts, this speaker is sure to get any party bumping in no time. While the size might limit the number of outings this speaker has, it more than makes up for it with its power, and for those who tailgate or car camp, the extra size is no big deal.

Many Bluetooth speakers in this category fall into the similar trap of overemphasizing the bass, making any song sound muddy and rumbly, no matter the setting. While the Hyperboom is certainly bassy and thumpy, the Adaptive EQ uses a tiny microphone on the speaker to change the settings depending on the environment it is in for the best results. This automatic EQ setting might not be to everyone's liking, but whether the speaker is inside in the corner or out in the park, it delivers a nice balance between the lows, mids, and highs, creating an enjoyable listening experience.

Harman Kardon is known for its premium audio equipment, so it makes sense that its Bluetooth speakers follow suit. The Harman Kardon Luna is an excellent Bluetooth speaker, perfect for anyone who wants fantastic sound quality, as long as they are willing to give up some of the portability offered on other speakers like the JBL Clip 4.

With Harman Kardon being the parent company to JBL, the Luna and Clip 4 actually produce a very similar frequency response. However, thanks to Luna having a tweeter and woofer, there is a bit more separation between the bass and mids/highs. This is much more evident in bass-heavy music, but even in higher-pitched music, the Luna produces a clearer and cleaner sound across the volume range. This speaker will not deliver high-fidelity sound like a complete stereo system, but for a fraction of the cost and size, the Luna does an excellent job of allowing users to enjoy their music entirely.

This speaker is designed to still be portable, but with a slightly larger form factor, it will probably be best as a home speaker that can also go on a trip if needed. Plus, the sleek and classy looks of this speaker feel much more natural for a backyard listening session than on the trail like the Clip 4.

If users want to take the home sound setup to a new level but still retain the ease of use that a Bluetooth speaker brings, the Sonos Era 100 is a perfect choice. As a follow-up to the incredibly well-received Sonos One, the Era 100 has some pretty big shoes to fill, but thanks to the new stereo sound and Bluetooth streaming, it is a worthy successor.

The Era 100 has an incredibly clean and minimalist design that can easily fit in anyone's decor without sticking out like a sore thumb, like some home audio setups. The relatively small footprint makes finding a spot for this speaker easy. However, it has no battery power, so it must be plugged in. This can ruin some of the minimalist, wireless aesthetic, but with some clever cable management, it is not a dealbreaker.

The Sonos One was renowned for its crisp and spacious sound that is incredibly detailed, but the Era 100 makes it even better. Even though the Era 100 and One have similar dimensions, the Era 100 produces a much wider sound covering a much larger space. Thanks to the two angled tweeters and bigger subwoofer, this speaker delivers a much more powerful and even better sound than the One. If people live in an apartment, one Era 100 speaker can effectively cover the whole space, making it great for those cleaning days or just jamming out to some music.

How to Choose the Best Bluetooth Speakers

There are several key factors to consider before buying a Bluetooth speaker, including form factor, sound quality, and special features.

  • Form Factor: Bluetooth speakers come in two main categories of form factors. They are relatively small and easily portable, or they are bigger and harder to cart around. Both have advantages and disadvantages, but choosing which would work best will cut down the pages of results reasonably quickly.
  • Sound Quality: Bluetooth speakers don't always have the best reputation for sounding amazing, but that doesn't mean they all sound bad. Finding speakers with good clarity and power are the two main contributors to good sound quality. Smaller speakers with one or two drivers will have a harder time producing a sound similar to a larger speaker, but this difference has become less noticeable thanks to advances in speaker technology.
  • Special Features: These can range from waterproof ratings to multi-speaker pairing and even carrying clips. These are the kinds of things that make speakers qualify for the best of the best, and although at times they feel gimmicky, they can improve the overall user experience.
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FAQ

Q: What are the best Bluetooth speaker brands?

Narrowing it down to one brand for the best Bluetooth speakers is nearly impossible, but some notable mentions are JBL, Sonos, and Anker Soundcore. These three brands produce excellent and reliable speakers for various use cases and price points.

Q: What is a powerful Bluetooth speaker?

There are a couple of speakers competing in terms of raw power, but the UE Hyberboom does one of the best jobs of balancing ridiculous power and excellent sound quality.