Bluetooth speakers, ranked by critic score

10 ranked by critic score · 13 more not yet ranked · 118 professional reviews

Portable speakers, judged on sound, toughness and battery.

JBL Flip 7Image: JBL
The critics' pick

JBL Flip 7

86
Highly rated
Average of 12 professional reviews
10 of 12 recommend it · broad agreement
Where the 12 reviews landedRange 72–95
Score printed by the outlet Estimated from the verdict

Critics like the Flip 7 for its clear, punchy sound and a tougher IP68 body that survives drops and dunks. 10 of 12 reviewers recommend it outright; others call it a modest update and point out that it charges slowly.

The catch: Slow to charge, no cable in the box.

Tied on 86 with the Marshall Kilburn III, Bose SoundLink Max; ranked first on our tie-break (critic agreement, then number of reviews).

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Read all 12 reviews →
  1. 1
    JBL Flip 7Image: JBL
    JBL Flip 7Top pick, narrowly12 reviews86
  2. 2
    Marshall Kilburn IIIImage: Marshall
    Marshall Kilburn IIIBest for battery and big sound5 reviews86
  3. 3
    Bose SoundLink MaxImage: Bose
    Bose SoundLink MaxBest big portable sound8 reviews86
  4. 4
    Bose SoundLink PlusImage: Bose
    Bose SoundLink PlusBest rugged midsize speaker6 reviews84
  5. 5
    JBL Charge 6Image: JBL
    JBL Charge 6Longest battery9 reviews83
  6. 6
    Tribit StormBox Blast 2Image: Tribit
    Tribit StormBox Blast 2Best loud bass party speaker4 reviews · early score83
  7. 7
    Sonos Roam 2Image: Sonos
    Sonos Roam 2Best For Sonos homes17 reviews81
  8. 8
    Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4Image: Ultimate Ears
    Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4Toughest8 reviews80
  9. 9
    Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)Image: Bose
    Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)Most balanced sound7 reviews79
  10. 10
    JBL Go 4Image: JBL
    JBL Go 4Best tiny rugged speaker4 reviews · early score79
The short answer

Three Bluetooth speakers tie for the highest critic score. On our tie-break (critic agreement, then number of reviews), the top pick is the JBL Flip 7: critic score 86 out of 100 from 12 reviews, 10 of them positive. Most praised: sound quality and build quality. Most common complaint: battery life.

Early reads · 13 not yet ranked

Not ranked, listed A to Z. We publish a critic score once at least 4 professional reviews of the exact model exist; with 2 or 3 we show a provisional average.

How we score →Only professional reviews, never shop or customer reviewsEvery score links to its sourceCommissions never change a score

Common questions

What is the best Bluetooth speaker?

Narrowly, the JBL Flip 7, with a critic score of 86 from 12 professional reviews. Most praised: sound quality and build quality. Most common complaint: battery life.

JBL Flip 7 vs Marshall Kilburn III: which is better?

Critics score the JBL Flip 7 86 and the Marshall Kilburn III 86. We list the Marshall Kilburn III under “Best for battery and big sound”. Its main drawback: it has no Wi-Fi, and it is large and cannot pair as a stereo set.

Which Bluetooth speakers do critics disagree on?

The Bose SoundLink Max (scores from 70 to 100); The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 (scores from 60 to 95); The JBL Go 4 (scores from 62 to 95).