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Best Bluetooth speakers 2021

By Becky Scarrott, Joe Cox 5 days ago

The best Bluetooth speakers for sound and features

 

 

 

 

 

 Comments (3)

Best Bluetooth speakers Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s round-up of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy in 2021.

Finding the best Bluetooth speaker for your particular needs can be a tricky business – that is, if don't come to us first. Every online manufacturer from Apple to Ultimate Ears is vying for a bite of the Bluetooth cherry and by association, your hard-earned cash, but which model is most worthy of your precious coin? Fret not, we've rounded-up our pick of the best Bluetooth speakers across all shapes, sizes and prices to ensure you discover a product you'll be over the moon with.

The key thing is to avoid opting for the first Bluetooth speaker that takes your fancy. Yes, it might be a looker, but is it the best? Since the two of you will likely be together for quite some time, reading our independent review of the product – and maybe a few reviews of competing products in the price category – is time well spent. You might discover a few features you didn't know you could get for the money. 

A few points to consider: will your Bluetooth speaker be used purely at home? In that case you'll want something mains-powered. Do you want to be able to build a multi-room system around it? A smart Bluetooth speaker with with a voice assistant baked in might be something to consider. Want to be able to chuck it in a bag and know that it'll function without issue later on? A rugged, portable speaker with a built-in rechargeable battery could be your best shot at long-term compatibility and musical happiness. 

Whether you're on a tight budget or you have money to burn (congratulations on that), there's a model within this Buying Guide for you. Oh, and JBL's Charge 5 is finally with us. JBL features heavily in this list and the firm often triumphs in the category. Expect a full-fat, in depth review soon...



(Image credit: JBL)

1. JBL Flip 5

No frills and fantastic sound quality – this is the Best Bluetooth speaker for value.

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 7.4 x 18.1 x 6.9 | Power: 20W | Features: Bluetooth v4.2, PartyBoost for multiple connections to PartBoost enabled JBL speakers, IPX7 rated | Connections: USB-C charger

Reasons to Buy

Solid bass and timing

Great sense of acoustics

PartyBoost stereo pairing

Reasons to Avoid

No aux-in or microphone

Not Connect+ compatible

Basic app

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Prime

US$89.95

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Prime

ng mode | Connections: USB-C

Reasons to Buy

Expansive sound, weighty bass

Competent Alexa integration

Stunning build and finish

Reasons to Avoid

Nothing at this level

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US$225.72

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US$233.82

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Bang & Olufsen isn’t noted for following the herd. In the Danish electronics specialist’s catalogue you'll find a wheel-shaped wireless speaker, a TV that opens up like a butterfly, and an 8200-watt monolithic speaker comprising 18 drivers. Its output could reasonably be described as "premium" and "innovative" – and the B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) wireless speaker is no exception.

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It boasts similar dimensions to a large floury bap, but that's where any comparisons with baked goods end. The new A1 supports Qualcomm’s latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth 5.1 codec, and of course, Alexa is built-in. 

It works a treat, too, delivering a pleasingly comfortable yet authoritative performance that you'd be happy listening to all day. Throw in its classy, well made design, easy to use operation and the bonus of Alexa, and you're looking at a Bluetooth speaker sequel that has very much been worth the wait. 

Read the full review: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) 

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(Image credit: JBL)

4. JBL Go 3

JBL’s newest soap-sized speaker sounds good – but the finish and battery life won’t wash with today’s class leaders

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 8.8 x 7.5 x 4.1 | Power: 4W | Features: Water/dustproof IP67, Bluetooth 5.1 | Connections: USB-C

Reasons to Buy

Sensible treble

Fuller bass

More volume

Reasons to Avoid

Poor battery life

Not very durable finish

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US$39.95

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The diminutive soap on a rope-styled Go 3 features Bluetooth 5.1 instead of 4.1 plus a maximum power output of 4.2W, up from 3W in the Go 2 (listed below). The one specification that hasn’t changed, though, is the Go 3's stamina. It takes 2.5 hours to charge fully, and you can still only get five hours of playtime from it from a single charge. 

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If you can live with this, there's much to celebrate in the sound department for this money. The extra power and overhauled design have resulted in some solid sonic enhancements, and aesthetically it's perhaps even cuter than the original. We gave it five stars for sound. Will five hours get you through a day at the beach or a lazy picnic in the park though? Probably best to take a wireless charger.