Hey folks! Today we’re going to take a look at what you need to know in order to find the perfect Bluetooth speaker. Whether you’re looking for a super portable or rugged unit to take with you everywhere, a bigger model with premium features or something in between, we’ve got you covered. As well as making five recommendations for our favourite Bluetooth speakers, we’ll also give you some more general advice that’ll help you find the right model!
General buying advice
Trusted brands are a good place to start. Companies like Jawbone, Olixar and Logitech have been making speakers for years, and ensure their products reach a certain level of quality. If you can’t find many reviews of a specific model, try looking for reviews of other speakers from the same company to get a more general idea of their capabilities.
Size scales with loudness and price. Producing sound is quite straightforward; the larger the enclosure is used, the louder the sound produced. Bigger Bluetooth speakers will be able to fill larger areas, and also offer a place to fit larger batteries. Bigger speakers will therefore tend to be more expensive than their smaller peers.
Don’t pay for features you won’t need. It’s certainly possible to get an all-singing, all-dancing Bluetooth speaker with a rugged body, long battery life and amazing sound… but don’t spend money on features that you don’t actually need. If you only intend to take your Bluetooth speaker out of the house a couple of times a year, you probably don’t need a rugged model. If you’re not using it by the pool or in the shower, then waterproofing probably isn’t essential. If you’re keeping it in your living room, then you don’t need super long battery life. By cutting out features that you don’t need, you should be able to find a cheaper Bluetooth speaker that still fits your needs.
Key terms to look out for
Bluetooth is a wireless communication standard supported by all modern smartphones and tablets, and many laptops and desktop PCs as well. Bluetooth is very energy-efficient, especially since version 4.0. All versions of Bluetooth support Bluetooth speakers, so don’t worry too much about the specifics.
Battery size (given in capacity – mAh – and longevity – hours). The bigger your battery, generally the longer your Bluetooth speaker will last.
IP rating (e.g. IP67). This rating corresponds to ingress protection, with the first number relating to dust resistance and the second to water resistance. 6 is the highest rating for dust, and 8 is the highest rating for water.
Line-in port (aka aux). This port allows you to connect a 3.5mm audio cable between the speaker and your device. This is a little more restrictive than Bluetooth, but requires no power or special setup. This is a great way to connect older devices that don’t have Bluetooth to your Bluetooth speaker, but not all Bluetooth speakers will include a line-in port.
Output power (given in wattage). The higher the output power, generally the louder your speaker will go.
Our top 5 recommendations
We’ve broken down our top Bluetooth speakers into five categories: waterproof, portable, cheap, premium and tough. For each category, we’ve recommended one Bluetooth speaker that represents the best option available. Take a look!
Waterproof: Olixar Aquafonik
The Aquafonik is one of our most popular speakers. Its waterproof design makes it ideal for use in the shower or near the sink, with big buttons that are easy to press even when wet. A suction cup ensures that you can place the Aquafonik wherever is most convenient. Six hours of music playback should more than cover a week’s worth of in-shower use, and recharging is fast with the included micro USB cable. Of course, the Aquafonik works great out of the water too!
Portable: Gum Rock Suction Speaker
If you’re looking for portability, there are few better Bluetooth speakers than the Veho M3 Soundblaster. The unique design is light and small, making it easy to fit into your bag or pocket. The speaker also produces 360-degree sound, so it’s best used in the middle of a group of friends or family. The rechargeable battery inside is good for seven to eight hours of music playback, whether over Bluetooth or 3.5mm cable. Nice!
Best Value: Kitsound Cadet
Simply put, the Kitsound Cadet is the most speaker you can get for ten quid. The speaker provides killer sound quality in a small body, and the rugged design ensures you can take it anywhere. There are a ton of extra features too, including a MicroSD card slot and a USB port that make it easy to listen to music without even needing a phone connected via Bluetooth. With six hours of battery life, the Cadet should be long enough for most parties too.
Premium: Otis & Eleanor Bongo Bamboo
If you’re willing to spend a little more, you can get a seriously impressive Bluetooth speaker that looks the part too. One of the best options is the Otis & Eleanor Bongo Bamboo, which comes with a stylish natural bamboo design, expertly crafted for superior sound. Inside, there are two 1.5-inch drivers that produce crisp highs, with two 1.75-inch bass radiators that provide booming lows. You get twelve hours of playback on a single charge, and your music sounds great thanks to the high-quality aptX Bluetooth connection. Awesome!
Tough: Kitsound Hive
Our final Bluetooth speaker is also one of the most unique. The Hive is a ruggedised speaker, designed for constant use indoors and out. The honeycomb design will allow it to withstand knocks and drops better than other Bluetooth speakers, while the secondary 3.5mm input allows it be used with non-Bluetooth devices as well. Of course, all of this means nothing if the Hive doesn’t sound great, but thankfully it more than delivers. You can expect good sound reproduction and noticeable bass, thanks to the integrated passive radiator on the bottom of the unit. All in all, a super solid speaker.
Conclusion
Thanks for checking out our article, and I hope it answered your question! You can reach us via the comments below with your queries and feedback; you can also talk to us on Twitter @mobilefun!