Those looking for the best portable Bluetooth speakers right now should consider the JBL Flip 6 and the Bose SoundLink Flex, rival speakers with around the same battery life, the same waterproof rating and similar weights. Both are terrific options, although the sound on the JBL Flip 6 is a bit more customisable, while the Bose works as a speakerphone and with voice assistants, something the JBL lacks. Both are only around 600g, so they won’t weigh you down.
If you’re after more of a budget model, we’d pick up the Soundcore 3 for around £50 or the Soundcore Motion 300 as the best option under £100. And if these options seem too weighty, our current favourite compact options are the mini but mighty JBL Go 4 and the JBL Clip 5.
There are a few premium options to consider too, like the wifienabled Sonos Roam 2, the anodised aluminium Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore and the fullbodied sound from the larger Soundcore Motion X500.
We also recommend the revamped Beats Pill for its seamless Apple connectivity, and the Ultimate Ears Everboom is our allaround top pick for outdoor use, although it is still a little pricey.
Of course, there are many more Bluetooth speakers on the market, but the picks on our list are all affordable and weigh under 4kg.
Bluetooth is the quickest and easiest way to connect your smartphone, laptop or tablet to a speaker – you’re probably used to using Bluetooth if you’ve connected wireless mice, keyboards, headphones or true wireless earbuds. It doesn’t require much power so the portable speaker can use a rechargeable battery rather than a wired connection.
Both devices have to be within range of one another though (usually anywhere from 10m up to 45m) and the music won’t continue playing if your smartphone receives a call or if you switch to a different app. Bluetooth speakers will also play notification sounds from your device if it’s not muted.
If a speaker has wifi, you can control the music from anywhere (as long as both devices are connected to the same network), whether that’s within the same room or not. It also means you can take calls or use your phone without the music being interrupted. Wifi speakers are typically mainspowered, and many of the top models appear on our list of the best multiroom speaker systems, although some now include a rechargeable battery too, like the Sonos Roam.
Several portable speakers are now designed to withstand almost all the conditions you encounter outdoors, including a sudden downpour. This is a feature we’d prioritise and we’ve made sure every model featured on this list is waterproof.
When shopping around, we recommend you look for the IP (ingress protection) rating of any device. This is an international standard and the most straightforward way to understand how protected any gadget is from potential dangers like dust and water.
The rating will always have the two letters “IP” followed by two numbers, such as IP67. The first number (ranging from 0 to 6) tells you how much protection there is from solids like dust or dirt. The higher the number, the better it is at keeping these things out. The second number (which goes from 0 to 9) is all about how protected the product is from liquids. The same logic applies – the higher it is, the higher the level of protection.
A common IP rating you’ll see here is IP67, for example, and this means a product will be capable of keeping out both dust and water – it indicates full solids protection and waterproofing that suggests it can be submerged for up to 30 minutes at one metre. If you see something with IP45, then, it is still protected but just a little less impressive at keeping out both dust and water.
You may also see a rating like IPX7. In this case, the X tells you there isn’t specific testing information against solids (as the X is in place of the first number). However, the lack of testing doesn’t necessarily mean less protection. When looking for the best performers, we’d look for ratings like IP68 (this is completely dusttight and able to be submerged in water beyond one metre), IP67, IP57 and IPX7.
There are loads of speakers available when you browse the digital store shelves, and we know the amount of selection can be overwhelming. Here’s what to consider before buying:
Battery life
Portable Bluetooth speakers can last anywhere between five to 24 hours from one charge. The louder they’re cranked up, the quicker the battery will drain.
Size and weight
You’ll appreciate a smaller, lighter device if you’re using your Bluetooth speaker on the go — also look out for a handle or strap. Bigger, heavier speakers will have a much more powerful sound and are better suited to home use. For this guide, we’ve focused on lightweight speakers that weigh under 4kg — if we’re taking a speaker with us in a bag we’ll try to pick up one that’s under a kilogram, while we might be okay with a slightly heavier weight when it has a good handle.
Connectivity and companion apps
We would look for at least Bluetooth 5.0 when you’re looking at a new portable speaker. While we wouldn’t want you to get lost in different Bluetooth specifications, it’s worth knowing that the numbers represent advancements in the Bluetooth standard.
Over time, the features, range, speed and connectivity of Bluetooth see significant improvements. Bluetooth 5.4 might be the latest version available, but it’s not in that many products yet — anything from Bluetooth 5.0 and onwards should be great for connectivity. You might also find the ability to connect other wired devices with an auxiliary cable, and onboard wifi can make for a better connection for music playback, but it isn’t available in most portable speakers.
The ability to connect your speaker to a companion app is something we’d keep an eye out for too. Through this app on your phone or tablet, you’ll be able to update the speaker’s firmware, customise its equaliser to get the music sounding just how you want it to, and may also be able to enable voice assistant functions and link speakers together for a multiroom audio experience.
Voice assistants
Some Bluetooth speakers come with builtin Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa, so you can use your voice to control the music, ask for the weather and find information on the web. We see this as more of an added extra than a musthave feature in portable models, but if it’s something you’d use, look out for this on the specification sheet.
Waterproofing
There are a lot of waterproof Bluetooth speakers (some even float), making them good for the temperamental British weather or to use by the pool.
