The best Bluetooth speakers still have a place close to our hearts, though we have seen better (and more portable) smart speakers sneak into the universe.
It’s fun and easy to ask an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker to play your favorite song or tell you the weather, but smart speakers have a few crutches – first and foremost stable Wi-Fi. By (mostly) giving up voice assistants and Wi-Fi radios, Bluetooth speakers achieve portability, with the ability to venture outside your house and withstand harsh conditions like the sandy beach or the steamy Airbnb jacuzzi. They also work with any smartphone and they sound just as good as their smart speakers.
We have tested hundreds of models in the last few years and we can happily say that they are still some of the best small devices you can listen to. Here are our favorites right now.
Be sure to check out all of our buying instructions, including the best soundbars, the best wireless earphones, and the best smart speakers.
Updated June 2022: We have added the Positive Grid Spark Mini and information about the upcoming KEF LSX II Wireless.
Special offers for Gear readers: Get one 1 year subscription to THE CABLE for $ 5 ($ 25 discount). This includes unlimited access to THE CABLE.dk and our printed magazine (if you like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something by using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps to support our journalism. Learn more. Please consider as well subscribes to WIRED