The bazooka-sized boomboxes of yesteryear are no more, and haven't been for a while now. They have made way for portable, wireless speakers that are more capable, and sometimes, are as small as a soda can.
But the path to glory for the Bluetooth speaker hasn't always been strong. In fact, it's been downright shaky at times, as innovation in design flew past the actual execution of reliably streaming music wirelessly in its early years.
Most of the bugs have been shook loose, and the Bluetooth speakers arriving on store shelves today are better and more affordable than ever. What with long-lasting battery life, stunning audio reproduction and other useful features, these speakers can turn any trip away from home into a tune-filled party.
We've done the digging to present to you our top reviewed picks for best Bluetooth speakers.
Harman Infinity One
For a heavy-hitting option, look no further than the Harman Infinity One. After all, Linkin Park helped develop it, so you know it has got to be good. (*wink)
In all seriousness though, this Bluetooth speaker can fill the room with rich sound from top to bottom. A slouch, the Harman Infinity One is not. You'll find all of the important features here, like speakerphone and NFC capabilities, as well as a solid battery life.
At $300, it's quite a steep investment for most just looking to pipe sound wire-free. But if you're looking for a stellar-looking option that boasts enough good qualities to justify its price, your search ends here.
Get this if your entertainment center is longing for a bold-looking and powerful companion.
JBL Charge 2
Coming in at $150 (£129, about AU$170) is the JBL Charge 2. It's about the size of a large can of energy drink, but we promise that it has more functionality than one.
With great sound quality that booms through the cylindrical chamber, the deal is only made sweeter with its fantastic battery life, which can charge your power-hungry devices if you're away from an electrical source. Sure, it's not as flashy looking as the LED-decorated JBL Pulse, but its capabilities blow it out of the water for your money.
Get this if you want a durable speaker, but don't care too much how it looks, so long as it performs well.
- Read our JBL Charge 2 review
Dell AD211
A good Bluetooth speaker is something we all deserve, but it's also something we can't all afford. Thankfully, Dell stuck this stellar option in the budget Bluetooth speaker category.
The Dell AD211 won't win awards for design, though some may dig its simple style. Whatever bad we had to say about (not much) it, can be mostly ignored once you hear that it retails for a staggeringly cheap $59 (£68.39, AU$79).
Taking value into consideration, you'll have a hard time finding an affordable speaker with good battery life, NFC compatibility and a built-in microphone. But the AD211 has it all, and for a bargain.
Get this if you're ballin' on a budget and you need the most feature-packed speaker for your money.
- Read our Dell AD211 review
Harman/Kardon Esquire Mini
While this chic Bluetooth speaker is marketed to the on the go business professional, always catching flights to go catch more flights, the Harmon Kardon Esquire Mini is an easy recommendation.
It's hard not to be partial to such a good-looking speaker, but thankfully, its performance ranks just as high in our book. Albeit a tad expensive for its size ($150, £129.99), it makes up for the financial burden with great battery life and fantastic style.
If size is of utmost importance, you'll be pleased with the Esquire Mini, as it's about the thickness of two smartphones. Of course, you wouldn't guess that the voluminous sound would be coming out of such a small device.
Get this if want a pocket-friendly Bluetooth speaker that's fashion-savvy.
- Read our Harman Kardon Esquire Mini review
Creative Sound Blaster Roar SR20
Just like people do, some Bluetooth speakers try to do everything. And just like people, some Bluetooth speakers can do this gracefully and some cannot. The Creative Sound Blaster Roar SR20 succeeds at being a multi-functional speaker that rings it at the pleasing tune of $129 (about £104, AU$155).
Compared to other speakers on this list so far, its design stands out, for starters. It's about the size of a hard-cover book and can compliment a bookshelf, if you please, or just a table top.
This speaker houses a bunch of cool features, even some you may not use. The 'aux in' port allows it to amplify beyond what your computer is capable of. Its internal microphone can even record audio to a microSD card.
Get this if a cool, novel-sized Bluetooth speaker packed with premium sound and fun features (recording audio, "Roar' volume boost) appeals to you.
We'll update this page as we review better speakers, so stay tuned. Let us know if you have had a good experience with these picks or any others, for that matter.
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