9 best Bluetooth speakers for every budget: Portable, wireless and waterproof

JBL is a brand which has seriously upped its game when it comes to speakers. The blurb states that this speaker’s racetrack-shaped woofer delivers fantastic sound when it comes to low and mid-range frequencies, while a tweeter (an additional speaker designed for frequencies in the “upper” range) provides brilliant crispness. And we’re happy to report that the blurb was correct.

This wraparound-style speaker offered up some serious bass, although it’s a great all-rounder, too. We loved the ultra-bright indicator lights and the partyboost mode, which allows multiple flip 6’s to be wirelessly connected. Even the packaging is sustainable – entirely recyclable, with instructions printed in a soy-based ink.

We’ve watched countless portable speakers topple into puddles or off the rocks on which we’ve carefully positioned them, so we loved how the combination of this speaker’s weightiness and shape (flat and long) ensured it stayed put. The sound quality is incredible, and we suspect this is largely thanks to the positionIQ technology, which optimises audio depending on the speaker’s position – whether it’s lying flat or you’re hanging it from a backpack using the loop provided. We also appreciated its ruggedness, which has an IP67 rating (drop it in water and it will be fine) and a powder coating which is resistant to rust and UV light, and won’t peel or flake.

Looking for a speaker which is a radio, too? Say hello to Roberts Radio’s rambler mini, which has DAB, FM and Bluetooth functionality and is fabulously easy to use (although we’d have appreciated lights to reassure us that it’s charging). That said, this is our only complaint about a device which delivers fantastic audio quality and has a gorgeous retro-inspired look, too. Although there’s only a front-facing speaker, its size allows for brilliant sound distribution while tactile controls make it a breeze to scroll between settings.

This is one seriously sustainable speaker – 30 per cent is reclaimed hemp, and there’s a heavy reliance on bamboo, too. There’s a pretty impressive 25-hour battery life, and we were able to pair it with our smartphone in a nano-second. Although it’s not the smallest portable speaker, the pay-off is the sound distribution – House of Marley claims this speaker delivers fantastic sound over a 30-metre range and our testing proved this estimate to be pretty accurate, with no discernible loss of audio quality.

Yep, that’s right: Polaroid has entered the world of Bluetooth speakers and we’re liking what we see. Not just in an aesthetic sense – although we’re admittedly slightly obsessed with the ultra-bright colour scheme, music-responsive LED display and ghetto-blaster-inspired styling. But in terms of audio, this speaker certainly delivered when we wanted to crank up the volume.

Controls are simple but cover the necessary bases, with play/power, back, forward and favourite buttons. The one (minor) gripe? There’s no IP rating so it’s probably not the best speaker for wild, wet weekends in the great outdoors. However, for house parties, barbecues and solo jam sessions, it’s hard to beat.

Love leopard print? You’ll love this speaker, inspired by the late Amy Winehouse’s quirky style. It’s both a radio and Bluetooth speaker, although it’s the only one in our selection which doesn’t have an internal battery (all the others can be charged using a USB-C cable). That means you’ll need to keep it plugged in or use six AA batteries, but that’s as complicated as it gets.

Despite the wide range of settings – including controls which can be used to scroll through streaming services such as Deezer and Spotify – everything about the Amy Edition is easy to use. From the Bluetooth connection process to the way the equaliser can be tweaked according to music genre, it’s a great option with great sound quality and a price tag to match.

Given its tiny size – it weighs just 209g and easily slipped into our back pocket – this speaker packs a serious punch. It has an IP67 certification, which means its dust-resistant and waterproof to a depth of one metre and offers various features which more expensive speakers don’t have. The controls are refreshingly simple to use with buttons to play, activate Bluetooth, crank up the volume and turn it on and off, and there’s a major focus on practicality when it comes to the design. The woven hanging loop makes it easy to hang the device from backpacks or tent struts, and the wraparound speaker provides surprisingly consistent audio distribution.

First things first, while this speaker delivered undeniably fantastic audio quality, and we absolutely loved the voice control functionality, it’s not the easiest to set up. We spent 20 minutes trying to do so, and could eventually only finish up when using the speaker’s app. In reality though, it’s a relatively minor downside, and this slightly painful process thankfully only needs to be done once.

After that, the speaker is refreshingly rugged. It has an IP67 rating which means it can be submerged in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes, and thanks partly to Trueplay tuning – which optimises sound depending on the genre of the music and the environment – it delivers incredible audio too.

When it comes to compact, rugged speakers we can dangle from backpacks or pull out for impromptu jam sessions at gatherings, this speaker, which has a 22-hour battery life, is hard to beat. Although its audio isn’t going to rival that of larger, more expensive speakers, it’s seriously impressive for a device of this size. Plus, it can be wirelessly connected to additional models for more wide-reaching audio. It’s another one which scores highly in the sustainability stakes too as its exterior is 100 per cent recycled.