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Bluetooth speakers deliver quality sound while being portable and compact. However, some of these speakers can get pretty pricey. So it would help if you learn more before deciding where to spend your hard-earned money. We’ve reviewed the best Bluetooth speakers on the market with consideration of product features, pricing, pros, cons, and more so you can compare to know which is the best fit for you to keep the party going.
Article Overview
- Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers
- What Happened To Jambox?
- What Should I Expect From A Bluetooth Speaker
- Smart Speakers & Surround Sound
What Are The Best Bluetooth Speakers That Sound Good Outside?
All the brands we recommend make high-quality speakers and headphones. We should also note that all come in various models (and colors), so you have quite the variety from which to choose.
JBL Charge Review
#1
Customers are pleased with the lower price point and the performance of the JBL Charge speakers. This device is true to its battery life and will play for up to 20 hours with its 7500mAh Li-ion rechargeable battery. Other devices sometimes say they play for a certain amount of time but only play for half the time. These are among the many reasons we’ve rated the JBL Charge 3 as our #1 pick for the best Bluetooth speakers.
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Price & Tech Specs: JBL Charge 2 vs JBL Charge 2+ vs JBL Charge 3 vs JBL Charge 4
These speakers have auxiliary and micro USB ports and come with 1-year warranties.
| JBL Charge 2+ | JBL Charge 3 | JBL Charge 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Check Amazon for availability | $89.00 | |
| Color Options | Black, Blue, Grey, Orange, Pink, Red, Teal, Yellow | Black, Blue, Gray, Red, Teal | Black, Blue, Forest Green, Grey, Mustard Yellow, Pink, Red, Sand, Teal, White |
| Length | 7.29 in | 9 in | 8.66 in |
| Height | 3.11 in | 3.5 in | 3.74 in |
| Weight | 1.32 lbs | 1.76 lbs | 3.2 lbs |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours | Up to 20 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Charge Time | 4 hours | 4.5 hours | 5.5 hours |
| Waterproof | Splashproof |  | |
| Voice Assistant Integration | | ||
| Speakerphone | | |
Beats Pill+ Review
#2
Beats by Dre is part of the Apple family of products and offers the Beats Pill+ Bluetooth speaker. It has exceptional sound quality and is fine for outdoor use but maybe not ideal for camping since it’s not waterproof. However, if that isn’t a problem, then the Pill is the way to go for superior sound indoors and outdoors, making it our #2 pick.
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Price & Tech Specs
The speaker has a 1-year limited warranty, audio in and out ports, and a USB charging output.
| Beats Pill + | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | Check Amazon for availability |
| Color Options | Black, Red and White |
| Length | 8.3 in |
| Height | 2.5 in |
| Weight | 1.6 lb |
| Battery Life | Up to 12 hours |
Bose Soundlink II Review
#3
The Bose Soundlink II has the power and volume controls on the speaker itself, so you don’t have to depend solely on your smartphone or other paired device. It plays loud and has excellent bass making it suitable for sharing music with others. It is also water-resistant, making it suitable for the outdoors. This speaker is pretty expensive, and pairing can be tricky. But, once it’s connected, it performs great, making it our #3 pick.
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Price & Tech Specs
Bose SoundLink II speakers have a limited warranty, auxiliary input, and a micro USB port.
Jawbone Jambox Review
Editor’s Note: Jawbone went out of business and liquidated all assets in 2017. Jawbone products are still available for sale. That is why the company remains in our reviews.
Jawbone Jambox offers two Bluetooth speakers: Jambox and Big Jambox. Jambox has many features that make it appealing to include in our review. Similar to the Pill, Jambox’s multiplay feature connects two Jambox speakers to give you more sound. Like the Soundlink, you can play, pause, change the volume level, and pair the device all from the speaker’s buttons.
The LiveAudio feature delivers sound in a three-dimensional optimized style to bring the audio to life. There’s a built-in microphone that allows you to answer calls and hear voices more crisply. The Jawbone app lets you update your Jambox, so you have the most up-to-date technology. While this speaker has many of the same features as our top picks, its lower quality knocked it out of our top three.
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Price & Tech Specs: Mini Jambox vs Jambox vs Big Jambox
All three Jambox speakers have a 1-year limited warranty, auxiliary input, and micro USB port.
| Mini Jambox | Big Jambox | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Check Amazon for availability | |
| Color Options | 9 | 100+ |
| Length | 6.06 in | 10 in |
| Height | 2.28 in | 3.6 in |
| Weight | .57 lb | 2.7 lbs |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours | Up to 15 hours |
| Charge Time | 2 hours | 2.5 hours |
What Should I Expect From My Bluetooth Speaker?
Make sure you know what to look for while shopping for Bluetooth speakers, so you get the best bang for your buck.
Is My Speaker Sand & Water-Resistant?
Most of these devices are usable around sand and water. However, this does not make them all sand and water-resistant. So be careful and don’t go kayaking or topping your sandcastle with your new Bluetooth speaker.
Will The Speaker Distort?
With speakers this small, the technology isn’t quite there yet for crystal clear sound quality. So when you crank the volume up along with the bass level, it probably won’t sound as good as a “normal” speaker because sound distortion may occur.
What Is The Bluetooth Range?
The typical Bluetooth range for these devices is about 30 feet. That means your Bluetooth-enabled device (iPhone, Android, iPod, etc.) can be up to 30 feet from your speaker, and the sound will still work. However, there are times when walls, shelves, and other objects may interfere with the connection. So the distance may vary depending on your surroundings. You can also use an auxiliary cord to plug your device into an electrical outlet, but then it’s not truly wireless.
Is It Possible To Get Wireless Surround Sound?
It is, and the audio quality has arrived as well. You’ve probably heard of Sonos, but there are several other companies, including Heos, Bose, and others, that have brought Bluetooth surround sound systems to the market. Read our experts’ wireless surround sound system review to learn more and find our top picks.
What speaker are you considering, and for what purpose?
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What about the iBox XC? 200 watts RMS, 6.5 inch drivers aptX HD bluetooth, solid hard woods and a 51 hour lasting rechargeable battery for those outdoor parties best choice imho.
The iBox XC is a high-end outdoor bluetooth speaker and we’ve got it queued to add to this review. Stay tuned!
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio is portable/rechargeable, big, heavy and loud with plenty of bass. Strictly Bluetooth input and around $150. We love ours because now we can take the “good sound” to any room or out in the yard or garage.