5 Of The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers In 2023
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Whether you're hanging out on the beach, camping in the woods, or simply lounging in your backyard, a portable Bluetooth speaker is an essential companion. From compact models that fit snugly into a backpack to rugged speakers built to withstand the elements, there's a range of options out there to suit various needs and budgets.
But with so many manufacturers and models in the marketplace, finding the perfect portable Bluetooth speaker for you can be difficult. Key differentiators include design, weight, ease of use, battery life, and — of course — sound quality. All of the speakers in this roundup offer some degree of resistance to the elements, but if you need one that can survive being accidentally dropped in a lake, look out for models with a high Ingress Protection (IP) Rating.
In this article, we've handpicked a selection of five of the best portable Bluetooth speakers you can buy in 2023, from tiny but mighty models to larger, more rugged options. Whether you're a casual listener looking for a beach party companion or an audiophile who wants to level up the sound quality in your home office, there's a speaker on our list that will satisfy your needs.
Sonos Move
The Sonos Move is the first portable Bluetooth speaker from renowned audio experts Sonos, and it's one of the best models you can buy. Featuring Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and up to 11 hours of continuous playback from a single charge, the Sonos Move is a classy-looking and very powerful speaker. It's also the most expensive model in this selection and one of the two largest.
Standing around 10 inches tall and weighing in at 6.4 lbs, you probably won't be taking the Sonos Move to the beach, but it's perfect for backyard gatherings, and for use in a home office or studio. And despite its bulk, the ergonomic handle makes it easy to pick up and move around if you want to change location. Speaking of changing location, the Move includes Sonos Trueplay, which automatically fine-tunes audio performance based on the environment that it's in.
The sound quality offered by the Sonos Move is excellent. Deep bass and well-differentiated mid and treble tones make music really pop, even outdoors, where its relatively modest IP56 rating means it should survive moderate exposure to dust and moisture. Indoors, despite its relatively small form factor, the Move is capable of room-filling sound. Other great-to-have features that set this speaker apart include built-in support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and compatibility with Apple AirPlay and Spotify Connect. The Sonos Move is available on Amazon for $390.
Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3
The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is a genuinely portable Bluetooth speaker with relatively few bells and whistles (there's no support for voice assistants, for example), but its great sound quality, robust build, and plenty of customization options should keep many music fans happy.
This colorful cylinder-shaped speaker is small and lightweight and features a built-in carrying hook, so you can easily clip it to a backpack for hiking and trips to the beach. Designed for outdoor use, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 offers an exceptional battery life of up to 20 hours on a single charge. Fans of forest raves will be pleased to note that the Megaboom 3 can be paired with up to 150 additional Boom or Megaboom speakers via the Ultimate Ears mobile app. As you would expect from a speaker intended to be taken out and about, the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is tough, too. It's rated for dust and moisture resistance at the IP67 standard, meaning it should survive immersion in water for up to 30 minutes. Fortunately, it also floats.
As far as sound quality is concerned, don't expect the same kind of robust bass response that you might enjoy from a larger speaker, but overall, the Megaboom 3 packs a punch. Powerful 360-degree sound makes this speaker a great choice for listening from any angle, and it also offers a graphic EQ and presets to fine-tune the sound depending on the kind of audio that you're playing. The Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 is available on Amazon for $199
Anker Soundcore Motion+
The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is another great value and very rugged portable Bluetooth speaker which offers day-long battery life and excellent sound quality. Anker has been making portable Bluetooth speakers for a long time, and that experience shows in the Soundcore Motion+, which punches substantially above its weight in terms of sound quality and features for less than $100.
While the Anker Soundcore Motion+ doesn't feel as premium as some other, more expensive speakers in this roundup, its IPX7 rating means that just like the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3, it can be considered waterproof. Anker rates the Soundcore Motion+ for up to 12 hours of playback on a single charge, which means that it should last through an entire day of outdoor adventuring before you'll need to find a USB-C power source to top it up.
As far as sound quality is concerned, the Anker Soundcore Motion+ delivers excellent performance considering its size. Like most very small speakers, it struggles to deliver really deep bass, but the midrange is very well-balanced, which means that vocals are nice and clear. It can get pretty loud, too, although some distortion does creep in at the highest volume settings. A graphic EQ is available via the Anker companion app, and a BassUp feature enhances low frequencies for those times when you need a little more "oomph." Worth noting is that while technically the Anker Souncore Motion+ supports voice assistants, it can only act as a relay for the assistant on your smartphone — the feature isn't built-in. The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is available on Amazon for $99.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 sits at the budget end of Ultimate Ears' portable Bluetooth speaker range but offers excellent value for money. The Wonderboom 3 shares quite a few features with the Megaboom 3, including IP67 water and dust resistance, a handy hook for clipping to a bag, and the ability to float in water.
The model is a small, attractively designed portable Bluetooth speaker, with Ultimate Ears' trademark oversized volume control buttons dominating the front of the device. Made from recycled plastic, the Wonderboom 3 is aimed at a younger, outdoorsy audience and comes in four colors: Active Black, Hyper Pink, Joyous Bright, and Performance Blue. With a battery life rated at more than 20 hours of continuous playback, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is a perfect companion for extended outdoor activities, and may even last through a weekend camping trip before needing to be recharged (via micro USB).
When it comes to sound quality, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 holds its own, but unsurprisingly, it can't compete with larger, more expensive speakers in this roundup. It lacks deep bass, and can't get really loud, making it more suitable for more intimate environments like a campfire or inside a small room or tent. In the right environment, though, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 delivers very pleasing sound, with a balanced midrange and very little compression at high volume settings. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 is available on Amazon for $99.
JBL Boombox 3
If you need a premium Bluetooth speaker that can really deliver a punch in the bass range while still being (just about) portable, the JBL Boombox 3 is for you. Just note that at 14.7 lbs, you won't want to carry the JBL Boombox 3 around for long. It's also among the costliest of speakers in its class, so unlike the smaller models in this roundup, the JBL Boombox 3 is probably more of a backyard BBQ or car-camping accessory.
The JBL Boombox 3 has much to offer, including 24+ hour battery life and IP67-rated dust and moisture resistance, making it safe to use outdoors in moderately bad weather. It can also float, although this should be considered a safety feature only, since it will settle with the heavy speakers facing down into the water. If sound quality is your priority, the JBL Boombox 3 should satisfy even the most demanding audiophile, with a very balanced midrange and powerful bass. The bass is the biggest reason to buy this speaker, though, and if you find yourself needing even more, the JBL Portable app offers a three-band graphic EQ, making it easy to push things up (or rather down) a notch.
The JBL Boombox 3 gets very loud, and the sound quality doesn't suffer much at high volumes, making this a great speaker for large outdoor events. The JBL Boombox 3 also features PartyBoost, which means it can connect to other PartyBoost-compatible JBL speakers that your guests might happen to bring along. Disappointingly though, given its cost, there's no built-in support for voice assistants. The JBL Boombox 3 is available on Amazon for $499.