The 7 Best Bluetooth Speakers - Summer 2021 Reviews

The best speaker with Bluetooth compatibility that we've tested is the Sonos Move. This well-built model 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 it. It's battery-operated, meaning 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 many 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 amplify your music across a large, crowded party. It lasts over 10 hours off a single charge, which should be suitable for long listening sessions.

Unfortunately, while it can get pretty loud, compression artifacts are 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 speaker comes with a built-in carrying strap you can use to easily take it with you when you're on the go. It's decently built with an IPX4 rating for water resistance, though we don't test for this. It also lasts over 23 hours from a single charge, though this can vary depending on your usage.

It has an Adaptive EQ feature that adjusts the speaker's sound to the acoustics of your room. With this feature enabled, it has a well-balanced sound profile, suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. Its well-balanced mid-range ensures voices and lead instruments sound clear and present in the mix. You can also customize its sound to better suit your preferences, thanks to the graphic EQ featured on its companion app. Also, it can get pretty loud with very few compression artifacts at max volume, so your audio sounds clean during louder listening sessions.

Unfortunately, it doesn't support voice assistants, and it struggles to produce the deep thump and rumble in low-bass, which may disappoint some fans of bass-heavy music, like hip-hop and EDM. However, if you're looking for a good stereo Bluetooth speaker, it's still a solid choice.

The best portable speaker that we've tested is the Bose Portable Smart Speaker. Its built-in carrying handle and light weight make this small speaker easy to carry around with you when you're on the go. It also offers fantastic voice assistant support with Google Assistant and Alexa built-in and has no trouble understanding your commands from far away and in noisier settings. There's also a mute microphone button you can use when you no longer want your assistant to hear you.

Out-of-the-box, this speaker has a slightly boomy sound profile with a well-balanced mid-range overall, so vocals and lead instruments are clearly and accurately reproduced in the mix. That said, it struggles to reproduce low-bass, so you can't feel the thump and rumble in bass-heavy music like hip-hop or EDM. Thankfully it there are bass and treble adjustments featured on its companion app that you can use to customize its sound. This speaker also has fantastic directivity, resulting in a wide and open-sounding soundstage.

Unfortunately, it doesn't get very loud, and there are compression artifacts at max volume that can affect the clarity of your audio at louder volume settings. It can also only be paired to one device at once, which can be inconvenient if you quickly need to switch between audio sources frequently. That said, if you're looking for a good portable Bluetooth speaker you can take with you on the go, it's still a great choice.

The best Bluetooth speaker we've tested in the budget category is the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2. This outstandingly built model is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, and the manufacturer even advertises it can be submerged in water, though we don't test for this. It's incredibly portable, and it comes with a built-in carrying handle you can use to attach it to your backpack or suspend it from a hook.

It has a relatively neutral sound profile, making it suitable for listening to a wide variety of audio content. Though it struggles to reproduce low-bass, it comes with an 'Outdoor Mode' preset you can enable to bump up the bass in your mix, though we didn't test this. Thanks to its 360-degree design, it also has a fantastic soundstage that you'll perceive as wide and spacious-sounding.

Unfortunately, it can't get very loud and doesn't come with a graphic EQ you can use to tweak its sound to your liking. It also doesn't have any voice assistant support, which may disappoint users who rely on them. Even so, if you're looking for a Bluetooth speaker on a budget, it's still a good choice.