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Bluetooth speakers deliver quality sound while being portable and compact. However, some of these speakers can get pretty pricey. So you should learn more before deciding where to spend your hard-earned money. We’ve reviewed the best Bluetooth speakers on the market with consideration of product features, pricing, pros, cons, and more so you can compare to know which is the best fit for you to keep the party going.
Article Overview
- Best Bluetooth Speakers
- Unranked Speaker Reviews
- What I Should Expect From A Bluetooth Speaker
- Smart Speakers & Surround Sound
What Are The Best Bluetooth Speakers?
All the brands we recommend are recognized for making high-quality speakers and headphones. We should also note that all come in a variety of models (and colors), so you have quite the variety from which to choose.
JBL Charge Review
Customers are pleased with the lower price point and the performance of the JBL Charge speakers. This device is true to its battery life and will play for up to 20 hours with its 7500mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery. Other devices sometimes say they play for a certain amount of time, but really only play for half the time. These are among the many reasons we’ve rated the JBL Charge 3 as our #1 pick for best Bluetooth speakers.
Pros | Cons |
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Price & Tech Specs: JBL Charge 2 vs JBL Charge 2+ vs JBL Charge 3 vs JBL Charge 4
These speakers have auxiliary and micro USB ports and come with 1-year warranties.
| JBL Charge 2 | JBL Charge 2+ | JBL Charge 3 | JBL Charge 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price |  Out of stock |  Check on Amazon |  $99.00 |  $119.75 |
| Color Options | Black, Purple, Red, White | Black, Blue, Grey, Orange, Pink, Red, Teal, Yellow | Black, Blue, Gray, Red, Teal | Black, Blue, Forest Green, Grey, Mustard Yellow, Pink, Red, Sand, Teal, White |
| Length | 7.24 in | 7.29 in | 9 in | 8.66 in |
| Height | 3.1 in | 3.11 in | 3.5 in | 3.74 in |
| Weight | 1.7 lbs | 1.32 lbs | 1.76 lbs | 3.2 lbs |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours | Up to 12 hours | Up to 20 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Charge Time | 4 hours | 4 hours | 4.5 hours | 5.5 hours |
| Waterproof | Splashproof |  | | |
| Voice Assistant Integration | | |||
| Speakerphone | | | |
Learn more about the JBL Charge 3 by watching this short video.
Beats Pill+ Review
Beats by Dre is part of the Apple family of products and offers the Beats Pill+ Bluetooth speaker. It has exceptional sound quality, but not great for taking on your outdoor adventures since it’s not waterproof. However, if that isn’t a problem, then the Pill is the way to go for superior sound, making it our #2 pick.
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Price & Tech Specs
The speaker has a 1-year limited warranty, audio in and out ports and a USB charging output.
| Beats Pill + | |
|---|---|
| Price |  $109.90 |
| Color Options | Black, White, Red |
| Length | 12 in |
| Height | 8.2 in |
| Weight | 1.28 lbs |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours |
| Charge Time | 3.5 hours |
Bose Soundlink II Review
The Bose Soundlink II has the power and volume controls on the speaker itself, so you don’t have to depend solely on your smartphone or other paired device. It plays loud and has the excellent bass making it suitable for sharing music with others. It is also water resistant, making it good for the outdoors. This speaker is pretty expensive, and pairing can be tricky. But, once it’s connected, it performs great, making it our #3 pick.
Pros | Cons |
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Price & Tech Specs
Bose SoundLink II speakers have a limited warranty, auxiliary input and micro USB port.
| SoundLink Color II | |
|---|---|
| Price |  $129.00 |
| Color Options | Black, White, Blue, Red |
| Length | 5 in |
| Height | 5.25 in |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs |
| Battery Life | Up to 8 hours |
| Charge Time | 3 hours |
Jawbone Jambox Review
Jawbone Jambox offers three Bluetooth speakers: Mini Jambox, Jambox and Big Jambox. Jambox has many features that make it appealing to include in our review. Similar to the Pill, Jambox’s multiplay feature connects two Jambox speakers together to give you more sound. And, like the Soundlink, you can play, pause, change the volume level and pair the device all from the buttons located on the speaker.
The LiveAudio feature delivers sound in a three-dimensional optimized style to bring the audio to life. There’s a built-in microphone that allows you to answer calls and hear voices more crisply. The Jawbone app lets you update your Jambox, so you have the most up-to-date technology. While this speaker has many of the same features as our top picks, its lower quality knocked it out of our top three.
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Price & Tech Specs: Mini Jambox vs Jambox vs Big Jambox
All three Jambox speakers have a 1-year limited warranty, auxiliary input and micro USB port.
| Mini Jambox | Jambox | Big Jambox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price |  Out of stock |  Out of stock |  Out of stock |
| Color Options | 9 | 100+ | 100+ |
| Length | 6.06 in | 5.94 in | 10 in |
| Height | 2.28 in | 2.24 in | 3.6 in |
| Weight | .57 lb | .5 lb | 2.7 lbs |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours | Up to 10 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Charge Time | 2 hours | 2 hours | 2.5 hours |
What Should I Expect From My Bluetooth Speaker?
Make sure you know what to look for while shopping around and how to get the best bang for your buck from your Bluetooth speaker.
Is My Speaker Sand & Water-Resistant?
Most of these devices can be used around sand and water. However, this does not make them all sand and water-resistant. So be careful and don’t go kayaking or topping your sandcastle with your new Bluetooth speaker.
Will The Speaker Distort?
With speakers this small, the technology isn’t quite there yet for crystal clear sound quality. So when you crank the volume up all the way along with the bass level, it probably won’t sound as good as a “normal” speaker because sound distortion may occur.
What Is The Bluetooth Range?
The typical Bluetooth range for these devices is about 30 feet. That means your Bluetooth-enabled device (iPhone, Android, iPod, etc.) can be up to 30 feet from your speaker and the sound will still work. However, there are times when walls, shelves and other objects may interfere with the connection. So the distance may vary depending on your surroundings. You can also use an auxiliary cord to plug your device into an electrical outlet but then it’s not truly wireless.
Other Speakers For Your Enjoyment
There are many other Bluetooth speakers on the market today including the Play from Sonos which you can read about in our Wireless Surround Sound System review.
You can also deck your home out with smart speakers. Ask the speaker what the weather is like in the morning before you leave for work, play music as you get ready and even control your other smart gadgets with one of the best smart speakers.
What speaker are you considering and for what purpose?
