April 2021
Bluetooth Speaker Rankings Report
This report contains an aggregate consensus of Bluetooth Speaker rankings posted by key online experts, as of April 2021.
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Portable Bluetooth Speakers.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Portable Bluetooth Speakers, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for April 2021 ranking
CNET
SoundGuys
PCMag
What Hi-Fi
TechHive
Tom's Guide
TechRadar
Digital Trends
WIRED
Rtings.com
We ranked Sonos Move #1 in April 2021 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked Sonos Move as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best high-end Bluetooth speaker for outdoors
|
Pros
Superb audio quality
Built-in Automatic TruePlay technology
Easy WiFi-to-Bluetooth connection conversion
|
Cons
Pricey
No smart features in Bluetooth mode
|
TechRadar
The best Bluetooth speaker in the world
|
Pros
Integrates with a home Sonos speaker network
On-the-go tunes
|
Cons
Not as feature-rich when using Bluetooth
Cant be used as rear cinema speakers
|
SoundGuys
Best Smart Speaker
|
Pros
Sound quality
Works with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Charging cradle
Alexa and Google Assistant
IP56 rating
mics work well
|
Cons
Price
Not very portable
Distorts at high volumes
|
We ranked Ultimate Ears Hyperboom #2 in April 2021 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best Bluetooth speaker for parties
|
Pros
Big and balanced sound
Gets very loud
Good battery life
|
Cons
Pricey
Really, really big and heavy
|
TechRadar
Powerful sound for parties both big and small
|
Pros
Excellent sound
Smart dual connection function
Stylish design
|
Cons
Fairly heavy
|
SoundGuys
Best for Parties
|
Pros
IPX4
Two Bluetooth inputs
Adaptive EQ
Good sound with big bass for parties
24 hour battery life
Optical input
|
Cons
Price
Not entirely waterproof, so don't submerge it
No high-quality Bluetooth codec support
|
PCMag
The Ultimate Party Machine / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Powerful audio performance with intense bass depth
Adaptive EQ
Water-resistant build
|
Cons
Pricey
No audio cables included
No track backward navigation button
|
We ranked JBL Flip 5 #3 in April 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked JBL Flip 5 as #1.
TechRadar
A fun,no frills portable speaker
|
Pros
Engaging, entertaining sound
Easy to use
|
Cons
No 3.5mm input
No mic for hands-free calls
|
SoundGuys
Best Design
|
Pros
IPX7 rating
Lightweight, portable
Loud for size
USB-C charging
Price
Battery life
|
Cons
No Bluetooth 5 or high quality codecs
Sound quality
|
What Hi-Fi
No frills and fantastic sound quality – this is the Best Bluetooth speaker for value.
|
Pros
Solid bass and timing
Great sense of acoustics
PartyBoost stereo pairing
|
Cons
No aux-in or microphone
Not Connect+ compatible
Basic app
|
We ranked UE Wonderboom 2 #4 in April 2021 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best portable Bluetooth speaker below $100
|
Pros
Full bass for a small speaker
Waterproof and dustproof
|
Cons
No app
No visual battery life indicator
|
TechRadar
The best outdoor speaker gets a refresh
|
Pros
Great sound for its size
IP67 dustproof/waterproof rating
30% better battery life
|
Cons
Restrictive soundstage
|
What Hi-Fi
An affordable Bluetooth speaker with a weighty sound and good battery life.
|
Pros
Punchy, entertaining sound
Hefty bass
Decent battery life
|
Cons
No wi-fi or smart assistant built-in
No mic for hands-free calls
|
We ranked Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd gen) #5 in April 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
TechRadar
A Bluetooth speaker with Alexa
|
Pros
Crisp sound quality
Lightweight design
|
Cons
Flawed Alexa support
Buttons are tricky to find
|
What Hi-Fi
The weightiest and most refined little speaker we’ve heard in a while
|
Pros
Expansive sound, weighty bass
Competent Alexa integration
Stunning build and finish
|
Cons
Nothing at this level
|
PCMag
Best Design / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Powerful, rich, well-defined audio
Handsome design
Waterproof build
Supports Amazon Alexa
|
Cons
Expensive for the size
Mono
|
We ranked JBL Charge 4 #6 in April 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked JBL Charge 4 as #1.
TechRadar
The best mid-range speaker
|
Pros
Balanced, powerful sound
Can charge your phone
Long battery life
|
Cons
No 360-degree sound
|
SoundGuys
Best All-around
|
Pros
IPX7 build
Long battery life
USB-C charging
|
Cons
Slightly larger than previous charge 3
Mids can sometimes be masked by bass
No built-in microphone
|
What Hi-Fi
A fun and bubbly Bluetooth speaker that's serious when it comes to sound.
|
Pros
Rugged and water resistant
USB port for charging
Great sound quality
|
Cons
Perhaps too subtle for some
|
PCMag
Best for Portable Outdoor Audio / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
Powerful audio performance with rich bass and crisp, clear highs
Gets quite loud for its size
Waterproof
|
Cons
No Speakerphone function
Mono audio output
|
We ranked Tribit StormBox Micro #7 in April 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best waterproof Bluetooth speaker
|
Pros
Small and lightweight
Good bass for a small speaker
Water-resistant
|
Cons
No app
Limited battery life
|
What Hi-Fi
A fun and bubbly Bluetooth speaker that's serious when it comes to sound
|
Pros
Mature, musical sound
Surprisingly weighty bass
USB-C charger
|
Cons
Short battery life
|
We ranked JBL Clip 4 #8 in April 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
We ranked UE Boom 3 #9 in April 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked UE Boom 3 as #1.
TechRadar
The former best Bluetooth speaker is still great for travelling with
|
Pros
IP67 waterproof/dust-proof
Powerful sound
Rugged design
|
Cons
Audio could be clearer
|
We ranked Bose Portable Smart Speaker #10 in April 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
TechRadar
A great Sonos Move alternative
|
Pros
Great design
Well-balanced sound
|
Cons
Expensive
Lacking in bass
|
We ranked Amazon Echo (4rd Gen) #11 in April 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Amazon Echo (4rd Gen) as #1.
Tom's Guide
The best Bluetooth speaker with Alexa
|
Pros
Sleek spherical design
Good audio for price
Great smart home skills
Audio in/out port
|
Cons
Audio not as good as Sonos One
|
PCMag
Best for Best for most Alexa users / Editors' Choice
|
Pros
As powerful as the Echo Plus
Strong bass for the size
Built-in smart home hub
|
Cons
High frequencies don't get quite as much finesse as they could
Alexa can still be awkward to talk to
|
We ranked Marshall Emberton #12 in April 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Marshall Emberton as #1.
PCMag
Big Sound in a Small Package
|
Pros
Powerful audio performance for the size
Cool, compact design
Waterproof
|
Cons
No speakerphone functionality
No aux input
|
We ranked Anker Soundcore Motion Plus #13 in April 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Anker Soundcore Motion Plus as #1.
We ranked Sonos Roam #14 in April 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
Tom's Guide
The best Bluetooth speaker with Wi-Fi smarts
|
Pros
Lightweight
Extensive connectivity
Auto TruePlay sound tuning
|
Cons
No Bluetooth multipoint
Middling battery life
|
What Hi-Fi
A neat Bluetooth speaker with a punch of well-controlled bass.
|
Pros
Full-bodied sound
Lots of features
Portable
|
Cons
Clarity not exceptional
Average timing and dynamics
|
We ranked Tribit StormBox #15 in April 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
We ranked Soundcore Flare #16 in April 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Portable Bluetooth Speakers” rankings.
TechRadar
The best budget Bluetooth speaker
|
Pros
Impressive sound for the size
Excellent mobile app
Waterproof
|
Cons
Harsh at max volume
|