The 7 Best Bluetooth Speakers - Winter 2021 Reviews

The best Bluetooth speaker that we've tested is the Sonos Move. This well-built speaker has built-in Alexa and Google Assistant capabilities, and it does an incredible job responding to your voice even if you aren't very close to the speaker. It's battery-operated, so you can bring it outdoors, and it has an IP56 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this.

Overall, it has a balanced, neutral sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. There are even bass and treble adjustments available in the Sonos S2 app to help you customize its sound. You can use the app to pair two Sonos speakers to create a stereo pair or to amplify your music across a large, crowded party. This speaker lasts over ten hours off of a single charge, which should be suitable for long listening sessions.

Unfortunately, while it can get pretty loud, there are a lot of compression artifacts present when you play it at max volume, which can be disappointing if you like to use your speaker at crowded parties. Also, it has to downmix stereo content to mono to play it, which doesn't sound as immersive. That said, it offers a versatile overall performance that can please lots of different listeners.

The best stereo Bluetooth speaker that we've tested is the Ultimate Ears HYPERBOOM. This portable Bluetooth speaker can get loud without a lot of compression, and it even has an IPX4 rating for water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. Thanks to its over 23-hour battery life, it's well-suited for multiple long listening sessions without a recharge, too.

This speaker comes with an Adaptive EQ feature that automatically analyzes the acoustic characteristics of your room to optimize audio reproduction. With this feature turned on, it reproduces a balanced, neutral sound profile that's suitable for listening to lots of different music genres, and you can even use the graphic EQ and presets in the Ultimate Ears app to adjust its sound to your liking. 

Unfortunately, like many smaller speakers, it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass out-of-the-box. Also, it's a bit bulky and heavy, so it's not as portable as some of the other speakers we've tested. That said, it has a built-in carrying strap, so you can still carry it with just one hand.

The best speaker with Bluetooth connectivity that you can bring on-the-go is the Bose SoundLink Revolve. This small, lightweight speaker is battery-operated, so you can bring it outdoors without having to worry about plugging it into an outlet. It also has an IPX4 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this.

It has a neutral, balanced sound profile that suits many different types of music genres, though the lack of low-bass can be disappointing for fans of bass-heavy genres like hip-hop. Also, it's a 360-degree system, so it has a large, open soundstage that can immerse you in your favorite music. With a battery life of over 12 hours, it's well-suited for long listening sessions in the park.

Unfortunately, like many small speakers, it struggles to get very loud, and there's also some compression present when you play it at max volume. Also, it doesn't offer any sound customization features to help adjust its sound to your liking. However, if you want a sturdy speaker that you can bring out on your patio or to a picnic with friends, it's a solid choice.

The best Bluetooth speaker in the budget category that we've tested is the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2. This small, well-built model has an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don't currently test for this. It lasts for over twelve hours off of a single charge, so it's well-suited for long listening sessions.

It has a pretty neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, though it lacks a lot of low-bass. However, its outdoor EQ mode can add a bit more bass to your audio, though we don't test for this. It can play stereo content, and it has an outstanding 360-degree soundstage, so you're really immersed in your favorite music.

Unfortunately, it doesn't have voice assistant support. Also, like many small speakers, it doesn't get very loud, so it may not be the best choice for use at parties or in large, crowded rooms. However, it still offers a very versatile overall performance for a more affordable price.