What’s the best Bluetooth speaker? That’s a tricky question to answer, because Bluetooth speakers aren’t really one category. There are several, ranging from battery-powered, water-resistant go-anywhere speakers…to “smart speakers” that provide access to a smart assistant…to speakers designed for use with home audio systems. Bottom Line Personal asked consumer-technology expert Marc Saltzman to identify some of the top options today…
Go-Anywhere Bluetooth Speakers
The portable Bluetooth speaker category includes both small, lightweight speakers and bulkier units capable of providing fuller sound and/or greater volume.
Beats Pill ($150 list, but often available for less than $130) is a strong contender in the lightweight division—this water-resistant speaker weighs just one-and-a-half pounds, yet it delivers clear sound and reasonable volume. Its battery life is impressive, too—up to 24 hours of use per charge at 50% volume. It’s made by Apple but is compatible with both Apple and Android devices.
Beats Pill
JBL Flip 7 ($150, occasionally as low as $110) hits many of the same notes as the Beats Pill, offering a winning combination of strong sound quality, portability, water resistance and affordability. At 1.2 pounds it’s even lighter than the Pill. Its 16 hours of battery life per charge is very respectable, though less than the Pill.
JBL Flip 7
House of Marley Get Together 2 XL ($400) sounds great, delivering impressive volume and clarity for a portable speaker—it replaces House of Marley’s now discontinued Bag of Riddim 2 speaker in the company’s lineup. Thanks to a bamboo faceplate, it has a distinctive, attractive appearance, too. It isn’t as easy to carry around as the speakers above, however—it is 7.5 inches x 17.7 inches x 7.1 inches and weighs more than 10 pounds. Battery life is 20 hours per charge, and it can be used as a power bank to charge other devices.
House of Marley Get Together 2 XL
Smart speakers
If you want a Bluetooth speaker that provides answers as well as audio, there are three leading options—Google Nest, Apple HomePod and Amazon Echo. All three offer access to a virtual assistant capable of responding to a range of spoken questions and can be used to control compatible smart-home devices. All three also are available in different versions that sell at different price points. When you buy can dramatically affect that price—some smart speakers tend to be heavily discounted on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.
Google Nest Mini ($49, occasionally discounted to less than $30) and Amazon Echo Dot ($50, sometimes below $25) are effective, affordable, unobtrusive options if your priority is virtual assistant access at a very affordable price.
Google Nest Mini
Their sound quality won’t satisfy audiophiles, but they’re clearer, richer and capable of greater volume than might be expected from such inexpensive and undersized speakers. The Mini is a two-inch tall, four-inch-wide disc…the Dot is spherical and less than four inches across. Apple’s entry-level option is the HomePod Mini, which costs $99.
Amazon Echo Dot
Apple HomePod ($299) is a great choice if you want both a virtual assistant and excellent audio quality. An Apple iPhone or iPad is needed for initial setup and to access certain features.
Apple HomePod
Google Nest Audio ($100, though frequently available for $70) is best if you’re not an Apple user or are looking for something a bit less expensive. It provides impressive sound quality for a fraction of the price. In fact, for less than the cost of one HomePod you could buy two Nest Audios and pair them together for stereo sound.
Google Nest Audio
Home Sound System Speakers
In decades past, music fans typically owned stereo systems that featured two or more speakers connected by wires. These days, some people skip the stereo system and stream music from digital devices…and many skip the speaker wires, too, selecting speakers that connect via Bluetooth. Companies that make excellent Bluetooth speakers for indoor sound systems include Sonos ($199 to $549 per speaker) and high-end audiophile brands Bowers & Wilkins ($559 to $999) and Bang & Olufsen ($1,500 and up).
Sonos Era 300
