Top 6 compared
The best Bluetooth speakers
Music from your phone in the kitchen, the garden or the beach, with no wires and no plug needed.
26 checked · 6 made the cut
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The top 6 at a glance
A portable Bluetooth speaker plays music, podcasts and radio apps from a phone or tablet without wires, on its own rechargeable battery, so it can go from room to room, out to the park or into a tent. Small ones clip to a bag or sit on a bedside shelf; bigger ones with bass radiators fill a garden but are heavier to carry.
Every speaker here shrugs off rain and splashes, and most are rated to survive a dunk: IPX6 covers spray, IPX7 going under, and IP67 or IP68 keep out sand and dust as well. Battery times are makers’ “up to” figures, usually at moderate volume, so expect fewer hours turned up loud. Some of the bigger ones double as a power bank for a phone.
What matters
- Output in watts, with more needed to fill a garden than a room.
- Linking to a second speaker, for stereo or a bigger space.
#1JBL Charge 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
£169.99 RRP
- Up to 24 hours’ play
- Charges your phone too
- IP68 dust and waterproof
It plays for as much as 24 hours a charge by JBL’s figures, four more with Playtime Boost, and can top up a phone too; it’s sealed to IP68. JBL was founded by James B. Lansing in 1946, and its speaker tech became the basis of the THX cinema standard.
What owners say: Sound that stays balanced as the volume goes up, a connection that pairs first time, and battery life they call exceptional, in a size that still fits a rucksack.
A closer look: Plug a flagging phone into the built-in power bank on a day out and the music keeps going while it charges. The speaker copes with a drop of up to a metre, a splash in the shower or a dusty campsite, and the handle strap unclips, so it can be swapped for another or used to hang keys from.
Best for: Longest battery life
- Water resistance
- Waterproof and dustproof (IP68)
- Battery life
- Up to 24 hrs (+4 with Playtime Boost)
- Output power
- 45W
- Power and charging
- Built-in battery, USB-C
- Links to a second speaker
- Stereo pairing
#2soundcore by Anker 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker
£20–£30
- Up to 24 hours’ play
- IPX7, survives a dunk
- Pairs with a second for stereo
Small enough for a coat pocket, loud enough for a kitchen disco, with BassUp to give the bass more punch. It’s waterproof too, so it’s just as happy in the bathroom as on the beach.
What owners say: Loud, punchy sound for its size, a compact shape, quick charging and a Bluetooth range that holds up well.
A closer look: Up to 24 hours of play from its 5,200mAh battery means days of bedroom listening between charges. Two drivers give a proper stereo spread, which suits a desk or bedside shelf. After a session in the shower or a soaking at the park, dry it off and let the charging port dry out before plugging it in.
Best for: Long play, small size
- Water resistance
- Waterproof (IPX7)
- Battery life
- Up to 24 hrs
- Output power
- 12W
- Power and charging
- Built-in battery, USB-C
- Links to a second speaker
- Stereo pair (same version)
#3Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Bluetooth Speaker (2nd Gen)
£149.95 RRP
- Connects two phones at once
- IP67 dust and waterproof
- Silicone body takes drops
Flat, wrapped in silicone and rated IP67, it takes drops, sand and a soaking, and the utility loop hangs it from a bag or a branch. PositionIQ senses whether it’s standing, lying back or hanging upside down and tunes the sound to suit, and multipoint keeps two phones connected at once.
What owners say: Powerful sound from a speaker that slips into a coat pocket, Bluetooth that connects without a hitch and around 12 hours of play on a charge.
A closer look: Charging is by USB-C and takes about four hours from flat, so top it up the night before a weekend away. Being flat, about 5cm deep, it slides into a rucksack pocket more easily than a round speaker.
Best for: Playing it in any position
- Water resistance
- Waterproof and dustproof (IP67)
- Battery life
- Up to 12 hrs
- Output power
- Not published by Bose
- Power and charging
- Built-in battery, USB-C
- Links to a second speaker
- Stereo or Party Mode
#4soundcore Boom 2 Outdoor Bluetooth Speaker
£119.99 RRP
- 80W with BassUp on
- Floats, IPX7 waterproof
- Up to 24 hours’ play
- Heavy at about 1.7kg
Built for gardens and campsites: 80W with BassUp switched on, colour-changing lights and up to 24 hours from a charge. It’s IPX7 and designed to float, so a dip in the pool won’t end the afternoon, and a USB port tops up a phone from the speaker’s own battery.
What owners say: Outstanding sound and impressive battery life, with easy pairing and lights that go down well.
A closer look: At about 1.7kg it’s one to carry to the end of the garden rather than up a hill. The 24-hour figure assumes moderate volume, so expect fewer hours with BassUp, the lights and phone charging all on. The customisable EQ in the soundcore app can turn the bass down for a quieter evening on the patio.
Best for: Most power
- Water resistance
- Waterproof, floats (IPX7)
- Battery life
- Up to 24 hrs
- Output power
- 80W (with BassUp)
- Power and charging
- Built-in battery, USB-C
- Links to a second speaker
- PartyCast 2.0, 100+ speakers
#5JBL Go 5 Ultra-Portable Bluetooth Speaker
£30–£50
- Light at about 230g
- IP68 dust and waterproof
- Drop-proof build
- Small 4.8W output
- Up to 8 hours per charge
- No USB cable in the box
About 230g and sized to sit in the palm, yet sealed to IP68, so sand, a dunk in the pool or a drop onto the patio won’t stop it. Tap two Go 5s together and they link as a stereo pair without an app, handy for a bigger room.
What owners say: Excellent sound, and easy to take along, especially on camping trips and to the beach. The volume, battery life and value get good marks too.
A closer look: There’s no USB cable in the box, so charge it from a phone’s USB-C lead and plug. Battery life depends partly on the light theme, so switching the edge lighting off helps on a long day out. It suits a bedside shelf, a bike bag or the shower; for filling a garden, a bigger speaker does better.
Best for: Lightest to carry
- Water resistance
- Waterproof and dustproof (IP68)
- Battery life
- Up to 8 hrs (+2 with Playtime Boost)
- Output power
- 4.8W
- Power and charging
- Built-in battery, USB-C
- Links to a second speaker
- Tap two for stereo
#6W-KING D8 Mini-1 60W Portable Bluetooth Speaker
£30–£50
- 30W output, 60W peak
- 24 hours at low volume
- Removable carry strap
- Heavy at 1.5kg
- Not for dunking, IPX6
A garden-party speaker: 60W of peak power and a bass radiator you feel as much as hear, in a boom-box shape with a removable strap. Indoor and outdoor EQ modes set the sound for a room or the open air.
What owners say: Deep bass, a sturdy build for outdoor use and a battery that keeps going; the gripe is a few units that stopped working without warning.
A closer look: Rain and splashes are fine, but its IPX6 protection covers spray rather than submersion, so keep it back from the edge of the paddling pool. The supplied 3.5mm cable plays from a laptop or anything else with a headphone socket, and a second matching speaker can be paired alongside for stereo across a bigger garden.
Best for: Wired playback
- Water resistance
- Splashproof, not for dunking (IPX6)
- Battery life
- Up to 24 hrs (at low volume)
- Output power
- 30W (60W peak)
- Power and charging
- Built-in battery, USB-C
- Links to a second speaker
- Stereo pair
Side by side
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 6.
| Feature | #1JBL Charge 6 | #2soundcore 2 | #3Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen | #4soundcore Boom 2 | #5JBL Go 5 | #6W-KING D8 Mini-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | |||||
| Picked Rating | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.1 |
| Price | £169.99 RRP | £20–£30 | £149.95 RRP | £119.99 RRP | £30–£50 | £30–£50 |
| Water resistance | Waterproof and dustproof (IP68) | Waterproof (IPX7) | Waterproof and dustproof (IP67) | Waterproof, floats (IPX7) | Waterproof and dustproof (IP68) | Splashproof, not for dunking (IPX6) |
| Battery life | Up to 24 hrs (+4 with Playtime Boost) | Up to 24 hrs | Up to 12 hrs | Up to 24 hrs | Up to 8 hrs (+2 with Playtime Boost) | Up to 24 hrs (at low volume) |
| Output power | 45W | 12W | Not published by Bose | 80W (with BassUp) | 4.8W | 30W (60W peak) |
| Power and charging | Built-in battery, USB-C | Built-in battery, USB-C | Built-in battery, USB-C | Built-in battery, USB-C | Built-in battery, USB-C | Built-in battery, USB-C |
| Links to a second speaker | Stereo pairing | Stereo pair (same version) | Stereo or Party Mode | PartyCast 2.0, 100+ speakers | Tap two for stereo | Stereo pair |
| Best for | Longest battery life | Long play, small size | Playing it in any position | Most power | Lightest to carry | Wired playback |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
How we checked these
How 26 became 6
We found 26 Bluetooth speaker listings. Four were the same speaker listed again or in another colour, and two had too few ratings to compete. That left 20, which we narrowed down step by step:
- Ratings, reviews and salesFor the 20, we then checked the ratings and reviews further, and how many people buy each one. Owners talked most about battery life and how reliable they are.
- Sold newOne was dropped because it couldn’t be bought when we checked. Its Amazon page showed no price and no seller.19 left
- Features weighed upThe 19 left were compared on water resistance, battery life, power, USB-C charging and whether they link to a second speaker. Once everything was weighed up together, we dropped 13 more. The #1 has every feature you’d expect from a Bluetooth speaker.6 made the cut
- Value for moneyEvery Bluetooth speaker here is worth what it costs. A dearer one is only here if it gives you more.
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