The best Bluetooth wireless speaker for 2021 – CNET [CNET]

June 16, 2021 Thomas Giboney technology

Maybe you need an outdoor speaker for summer gatherings. Maybe you want great sound that can be moved on a whim, or maybe you’re building surround sound with multiple speakers in your home theater. There are so many reasons to get a Bluetooth speaker. And regardless of your reason, there’s almost certainly a portable speaker with powerful sound to meet your needs.

In our quest to find the best Bluetooth speaker, we considered factors such as sound quality, battery life and more — below, we present our current contenders, including compact mini models, pocket-size micro versions and heftier models with powerful audio. Looking for more? We can also recommend the best smart speakers and the best Wi-Fi speakers and music systems.

Best under $100

Anker Soundcore Motion Plus

Read our Anker Soundcore Motion Plus review.

$100 at Amazon

Best value micro speaker

Tribit Stormbox Micro

$45 at Amazon

Best for clipping onto a backpack

JBL Clip 4

Read our review of JBL Clip 4.

$70 at Crutchfield

Best value mini boombox

Anker Soundcore Motion Boom

Xtreme 2 speaker, which currently sells for around $200 though its list price is higher. Equipped with a handle and weighing a little over 4 pounds, the speaker reminds me of one of those giant flashlights or “floating lanterns” that were in vogue about 30 years ago. For the record, the Motion Boom actually does float and is fully waterproof with an IPX7 rating.

Anker says the Motion Boom delivers “huge stereo sound” and yes, it plays pretty loud and has a decent amount of bass with reasonable clarity. (I kept the bass boost on at all times because the speaker sounds better with bass boost on.) It can’t compete against bigger and more expensive speakers like JBL’s Boombox 2 ($400) and Ultimate Ears’ Hyperboom ($400), but it packs a lot more volume and punch than more compact Bluetooth speakers like JBL’s Flip 5 that cost around the same. It also travels well, so it’s ideal for a beach excursion or a little tailgating.

Read our Anker Soundcore Motion Boom review.

$85 at Amazon