After testing and reviewing dozens of the best Bluetooth speakers, our #1 pick is the Fugoo Sport Bluetooth Speaker. Why? For starters, it offers an unparalleled 40 hours of battery life on a single charge making it ideal for travel, especially when camping or commuting. Moreover, it’s sound stage is impressive for such a small speaker and all the while boasting an amazing sonic range that is often found in speakers more than twice its size. Lastly, it’s small, lightweight and portable despite all the aforementioned, making it easy to take it any where simply by tossing it into a bag or purse.
That all being said, here are some of the best bluetooth speakers for 2018 that you can find, and the latest features they offer. If these are too rich for your blood, check out our best portable bluetooth speakers under $100.
- Fugoo Sport Bluetooth Speaker – Best Outdoor Speaker
Sport Review | Battery Life: 40 hours | Weight: 1lbFunny name aside, the Fugoo Sport offers some incredible features. It is particularly light for a high-quality system at just over one pound, and is one of the best speakers for outdoor use. It has more ruggedized features than nearly any player its size, rated to be waterproof, mudproof, snowprooft, and shockproof, so you can take it just about anywhere without worrying.
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The battery is also impressive, with 40 hours offered on a single charge, plus there are a set of neodymium drivers which drive expectational sound quality in 360 degrees according to the manufacturer. You can even change its “jacket” if you don’t need its rugged capabilities, which in turn reduces its weight. You can buy this speaker for less than $200.
- Best Bluetooth Speaker: Logitech UE Boom 2 – Best Party Speaker
Read Full Review: Logitech UE Boom
Bluetooth Speaker Review | Battery Life: 15hrs | Weight: 1.2lbs
Bluetooth Speaker Review | Battery Life: 15hrs | Weight: 1.2lbsThe Logitech Ultimate Ears Boom speaker is another contender for the best Bluetooth speaker around. Featuring what it calls “360-degree” sound, this speaker has a 15 hour battery life and is designed to be toted just about anywhere, from backpacks to poolsides. NFC allows it to be paired to two Bluetooth devices at the same time. It’s both water and stain resistant, and comes in a number of color patterns. Definitely aimed at a younger, get-up-and-go generation, this speaker sells for $199.99.
Update: The Boom 2 is now waterproof, though the speaker to a large degree hasn’t changed.
- Bose SoundLink III Bluetooth Speaker – Best Full Room Sound
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Review | Battery Life: 14hrs | Weight: 3.03lbsYou really shouldn’t be surprised that a Bose system made its way to this list, with the brand’s reputation for high-quality sound. This is one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers around, featuring a more ruggedized design than Bose usually tries. The duel passive radiator speakers, however, are right up the Bose alley.
This speaker has a rechargeable battery that promises up to 14 hours of battery life. And while it’s not the most portable of speakers compared to our top 2, it does offer exceptional sound quality that is unparalleled by speakers in our list. That said, the biggest caveat maybe the price, which is $299 for top-quality sound.
- Logitech UE Roll – Best Travel Speaker
h speaker review | Battery Life: 8hrs | Weight: 11.7ozIt might be small, but the Logitech UE Roll Bluetooth speaker packs a punch. The battery life is solid, lasting well over 8 hours, and thanks to a built-in bungee cord you can mount it just about any where you see fit. Be it the shower or the handle bars of your bike. And yes, it’s waterproof, meaning it can take a dip in the pool. Unfortunately, it won’t float, so Logitech included a floatation device.
- Braven BRV-1 Bluetooth Speaker – Most Durable Wireless Speaker
speaker review | Battery Life: 12hrs | Weight: 1lbBraven specializes in feature-heavy speakers that produce a lot of sound for the size, without breaking any budgets. The BRV-1 is notable because it also adds a lot of ruggedized features for nature-oriented sound. Besides looking like something the army would use, this top bluetooth speaker is waterproof, offers 12 hours of playtime, and can even charge your phone with its extra battery energy. The price is afffordable at $99.99.
- Nyne Bass Bluetooth Speaker
has a sleeker, more elegant design than many of the best Bluetooth speakers on this list, with swooping legs and a curved style that still manages to offer quite a few unique features. It has a microphone so you can use it as a speakerphone for smartphone calls, as well as a handy carrying handle and easy charging via phone if you run out of power – which is especially handy since the battery only offers 10 hours of playtime. It’s ideal for tailgating, and you can get one for around $129.95.- IK Multimedia iLoud Bluetooth Speaker
Here’s a more specialized option for your Bluetooth plans: The IK Multimedia iLoud
is one of the best wireless speakers for more professional work, with its tiny woofers and tweeters that push out remarkably good sound (although only in one primary direction). Hook up your guitar or mic into the speaker and add some more personalized audio. You could use it for a minimalistic show, or when jamming with friends, especially if you use the accompanying iPad app. You can get it for $299.99 retail price.- Creative Sound Blaster Roar Bluetooth Speaker
This Bluetooth speaker is an all-around solid option – literally. The solid design, the solid feature performance, and the solid ROAR audio enhancement all make this speaker an excellent bet. It has a 5-drive system and supports aptX and AAC protocols, and also has NFC for pairing with your other mobile devices. A built-in MP3 player, voice recorder, speakerphone, and multiple listening modes are also included, make the Roar a very…solid package. You can find this speaker for as low as $129.99.
- JBL Clip Bluetooth Speaker
All right, say you don’t want to lug around a big speaker in your bag – suppose you just want something small and easily portable that will give you some personal tunes when you want them. The JBL Clip is the best Bluetooth speaker for you, with its small, circular design and the prominent carabiner begging to be used with belt or backpack straps. The small form factor comes with 5 hours of battery life, but you can plug it into other mobile devices, too. The price is nice too, at $44.95.
Here’s another great speaker that boasts speakerphone capabilities and some super high-quality sound. You also get an aux input, 15 hours of battery life, and consistent Jawbone software support. This speaker walks the line between a semi-professional device and a fun mobile speaker to use with your friends, making it ideal for a number of different situations. Like the Bose, the price is a little steep at $299.99 for retail cost.
Sony’s mini Bluetooth speaker is a good choice for the extra-portable class of speakers, a tiny unit that you can carry with no trouble but which still offers dual passive radiators and a wide stereo mode. The battery life, however, is a little disappointing at 7 hours, and the speaker won’t win any awards with its style. But sometimes the basics are exactly what you need, and you can find this speaker at a reasonable $124.99
Key Factors to a Top Bluetooth Speaker
When you’re shopping for a Bluetooth speaker there a four things to keep in mind: battery size, portability, ruggedness, and sound quality. Unfortunately, sound quality and size, while not entirely mutually exclusive, are closely tied to one other. However, our #1 pick, the Fugoo Sport, fulfills both of these criteria despite its size, or in this case portability. Which is to say it’s portable and provides ample power and sound quality. More, the Fugoo provides up to 40 hours of battery life, destroying our next highest rated pick by more than double. You could very well travel with the Fugoo for a full two weeks and never have to charge it.
That in mind, look for a Bluetooth speaker that is rugged. One that is able to survive falls and water as you’ll likely want to take it to the beach or by the pool – look for an IP Code. The Bose Soundlink III is the exception in this case but thanks to excellent sound quality you won’t need to have it as close to the water. Though there is no disputing that the lack of this feature does reduce the overall value proposition of a Bluetooth speaker.
Mistakes to Avoid
There are many cheap Bluetooth speakers on the market. And by cheap I mean both in price and build quality. Don’t get wrapped up in those knock off esque devices unless you can evaluate their quality from a third party. And don’t just mean sound quality. You’ll want a Bluetooth speaker that will last you the test of time, or last for a few years. And one that won’t fall apart by tossing it into a bag.
Also, make sure you get a Bluetooth speaker that can be charged by microUSB. At this point, miniUSB should have been phased out, but it’s worth taking note. All of our picks are microUSB, so you won’t have a problem there. And if you’re an Android user, you’ll be able to charge both your phone and these Bluetooth speakers from the same cord.
Which Bluetooth Speaker is Right for You?
I honestly believe that the Fugoo Sport is the best bluetooth speaker money can buy. As of March 2016 it sells for just $169.99, which is a bargain, as it usually goes for $30 more. And thanks to a set of neodymium speakers that are arranged in such a way it’s able to emit 360 degrees of sound, with bass no less – your ears won’t be sorry.
Of the list, the Bose Soundlink 3 is probably the standout of the pact, largely because it’s, well, larger in size than the bunch. However, it isn’t waterproof, though it provides the widest frequency range, hitting lows that aren’t achieved (some come close) by any other Bluetooth speaker on the list.
If you’re on a tight budget, you won’t be sorry with UE’s Roll. It’s inexpensive, very versatile thanks to the built-in bungie cord, and is 100% waterproof. Call it a value pick without much compromise.
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