Take Your Music On The Go With The Best Portable Speakers

Weight: 0.9 pounds | Battery life: Up to 20 hours | Durability: IP67 | Bluetooth: 5.1 | Wi-Fi: Available in specific models | Voice Assistant: No | Aux-in: No | Charging: USB-C | AirPlay: No

Best for: A portable party at an excellent price.

Pros:

• IP67 dust and water resistance
• Great sound quality
• USB-A port for charging other devices

Cons:

• Bulky, unattractive design
• No microphone
• No 3.5mm audio jack

While every speaker at this price point makes trade-offs, the JBL Charge 5’s trade-offs don’t detract from the excellent all-around experience. It has a loud, clear sound while also remaining lightweight and portable at less than a pound so you can carry it on the go. The battery life is stellar for an all-day party, coming in at around 20 hours, and it can also charge your other devices using the USB-A port.

The bulky design won’t be for everyone, and there’s no 3.5mm headphone jack if you prefer a wired connection, but these are small trade-offs for an otherwise excellent speaker. If you want a reliable speaker that is suitable for most use cases and won’t break the bank, look no further than the JBL Charge 5.

What our editors say: Consumer tech editor Rebecca Isaacs says, “The JBL Charge 5 is a small yet powerful speaker. Rimsky-Korsakov’s classical masterpieces sound great, and it can be set up vertically or horizontally and still have the same audio. I also really like it has the USB-A port if I need to charge my phone in a pinch.”

Weight: 0.7 pounds | Battery life: Up to 15 hours | Volume: 82 dB | Waterproof rating: IP67

Best for: Quality sound on a tight budget.

Pros:

• Small and very rugged design
• Built-in rubber strap
• Generates up to 82 dB audio

Cons:

• No stereo sound

Thanks to the Marshall Willen’s 2-inch, 10-watt, full range driver and two passive radiators, it does a pretty great job playing music. However, it does a superb job playing audiobooks and podcasts, and it can double as a way to take calls since it also comes with a built-in microphone. However, keep in mind that it can’t produce 360-degree audio thanks to its design. But for the price, it’s a great budget-friendly choice.

The Willen is waterproof and rugged, so you can take it just about anywhere. The rubber strap on the back makes it easy to attach to a belt or backpack strap, too. It also works as a speakerphone when paired with a smartphone. Out of all the tiny Bluetooth speakers we tested, this one offers the most impressive sound quality combined with Marshall’s signature design and durability.

What our writers say: In his full review, former contributor Jason R. Rich says, “Three things immediately stood out when I first began evaluating the Marshall Willen Bluetooth speaker. It’s extremely compact, so it fits comfortably in my back pocket. The Marshall Willen also has a high-quality, sturdy design, with a unique joystick button on the front that controls the speaker. Most importantly, my testing revealed that this $120 speaker sounds far better than what I expected from something this size.”

Weight: 0.9 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours | Durability: IP67 | Bluetooth: 5.0 | Wi-Fi: Yes | Voice Assistant: Amazon Alexa / Sonos / Google Assistant | Aux-in: No | Charging: USB-C | AirPlay: Yes 

Best for: Getting a combination of great audio and built-in smart voice assistants.

Pros:

• Audio automatically adapts to the speaker’s surroundings
• Pairs with other Sonos speakers
• Waterproof and rugged design

Cons:

• No Dolby Atmos, stereo, or spatial audio support
• Not loud enough to fill larger rooms or outdoor spaces

Sonos has just launched the new Sonos Roam 2, but the jury is still out, and the original Sonos Roam is still our favorite portable smart speaker. It’s more than just another lightweight and portable Bluetooth speaker. It works seamlessly with other Sonos audio equipment in your home. Using its TruePlay tuning feature, it analyzes its environment and its positioning and automatically adjusts the audio output accordingly. The result is rich, well-balanced audio that sounds terrific. The unit has an adjustable equalizer (EQ) you can control via the Sonos app.

The Roam’s sleek design makes it easy to transport outside, although it also looks great sitting on your desk or bookcase, too. The speaker has an IP67 rating for resistance to dust and water, emphasizing its place as a good outdoor companion.  It supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, so when it’s connected to the internet, the speaker has direct voice support with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant thanks to its built-in microphone.

What our writers say: Audio expert Christian de Looper says, “The fact that this speaker can be taken on the road, but then used at home with Sonos’ full feature-set, makes it much more versatile than the average Bluetooth speaker.”

Weight: 1.4 pounds | Battery life: Up to 27 hours | Volume: 91 dB | Waterproof rating: IP67

Best for: Robust sound in up to a 300-square-foot space.

Pros:

• Outputs 360-degree audio
• Long battery life
• Rugged and waterproof

Cons:

• Audio may lack warmth

The Beosound Explore can go anywhere, anytime. It’s durable and waterproof, with a robust IP67 dustproof and water resistance rating. It produces 360-degree sound that resonates clearly whether you are indoors or outdoors.

This speaker can fill a 50- to 300-square-foot room with booming audio, although it isn’t as loud as some speakers. Use the mobile app to customize how your audio sounds. This is the perfect Bluetooth speaker for camping, boating or taking on any outdoor adventure.

Weight: 0.8 pounds | Battery life: Up to 12 hours | Volume: 90 dB | Waterproof rating: IP67

Best for: Taking your speaker anywhere—the shower, pool or beach.

Pros:

• Ultra-small size and lightweight
• Large buttons to control the volume
• Pair two StormBox Micro 2 speakers to listen in stereo

Cons:

• Not as powerful as larger and more expensive speakers
• No stereo sound

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 may be small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, but it produces size-defying sound. Due to that small design, it’s also highly portable, with a rubber strap so you can attach the speaker securely to a belt, backpack or bike handle. The internal battery can recharge your phone while you’re on the go, but this decreases how long you can play the speaker on battery.

If you’re looking for a durable and low-cost Bluetooth speaker option, both your wallet and your ears should fall in love with the StormBox Micro 2. The entire unit measures 3.9 x 3.9 x 1.7 inches. And its IP67 rating means you can safely take it into the shower with no worries of water ruining your listening session.

Weight: 0.5 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours | Durability: IP67 | Bluetooth: 5.1 | Wi-Fi: No | Voice Assistant: No | Aux-in: No | Charging: USB-C | AirPlay: No 

Best for: Listening to your audio hands-free while traveling or hiking.

Pros:

• IP67 dust and water resistance
• Portable design
• USB-C charging 

Cons:

• Doesn’t get very loud
• Lacks fast charging
• No auxiliary input and microphone

Forget putting a speaker in your backpack; why not clip it to your backpack? The JBL Clip 4 offers impressive sound with an integrated carabiner that can easily be clipped to your backpack or bike. You also get Bluetooth 5.1 and a 10-meter wireless range, ensuring it stays connected to your phone without issues. However, there is no aux input or microphone, which may disappoint some. The battery lasts 10 hours, and USB-C charging means it’s easy to top it up (although it does lack fast charging), especially since the best phones now support reverse charging via USB-C. This speaker is as portable as they come, and it’s perfect if you want sound while you’re traveling instead of just when you get to your destination.

Weight: 1.4 pounds | Battery life: Up to 4 hours (32 hours total with included charging case) | Durability: IPX4 | Bluetooth: 5.3 | Wi-Fi: Yes | Voice Assistant: Meta AI | Aux-in: No | Charging: Charging Case | AirPlay: No 

Best for: Speakers you can wear that no one else can hear.

Pros:

• A multi-functional device that can do it all
• Excellent point-of-view camera
• Great call quality and personal speakers

Cons:

• Style isn’t for everyone
• Not designed for multi-person listening
• Battery life could be better

Hear us out: Imagine a portable speaker you don’t need to carry, but it follows you everywhere and plays sound only you can hear. This is exactly what the Ray-Ban Meta smart sunglasses offer. These second-generation smart glasses combine great audio with a fantastic camera and AI smarts that work wherever you are.

Available in two styles and a range of finishes, the Ray-Ban Meta is available as regular glasses and sunglasses and supports prescription lenses, including transitions. The two open-ear custom speakers offer excellent audio playback, while the five-mic array offers excellent audio recording and is great for phone calls. The battery lasts up to four hours of continuous use, while the included carry case offers up to eight full charges. The Ray-Ban Meta is perfect if you want a personal party that is easy to carry, only you can hear and a wearable that is more than just a speaker. Plus, the camera captures Full HD video or 12MP photos from your perspective, as well as live stream directly to Instagram and Facebook.

What our editors say: Consumer tech editor Rebecca Isaacs says, “By far, these are my favorite smart sunglasses tested to date. The audio on them is remarkably strong and can be heard loud and clear in the noise New York City streets.”