Portable speakers

How to choose a portable speaker

A Bluetooth speaker is the easiest way to take music along — from the beach to a sauna evening. What separates cheap from good is not the logo but power, battery, waterproofing and how well it plays with others.

• Power and sound. A 5 W pocket speaker does for camping and the bathroom, 20–40 W fills a room or terrace, 60–100 W is an outdoor party. For bass, look for a passive radiator or a separate woofer — watts alone do not tell all.
• Battery. Typical playtime is 10–24 hours at medium volume; at full power with bass boost expect half. A power-bank function over USB-C charges your phone.
• Waterproofing. IPX4 handles splashes and rain, IP67 means dustproof and 30 minutes at one metre under water — fine for the poolside and a boat. Some even float.
• Stereo pair and multi-speaker. Two speakers of the same model can be linked as a stereo pair; bigger systems link dozens of speakers through an app — it only works within one brand.
• Party speakers. 150–800 W boxes on wheels, LED lights pulsing to the beat, a microphone input for karaoke and a 10–15 hour battery. The left-hand filter picks out models with a microphone and FM radio.
• Connections. Bluetooth 5.0 or newer gives a stable link over 10–30 m, an AUX input takes an old player, DAB+ and FM radio work without a phone, a USB port plays from a memory stick.

Portable speakers in our range

Pocket speakers at 5 W: Xiaomi Sound Pocket and Bluetooth Speaker Essential, Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go. Waterproof outdoor speakers of 15–80 W: Sony ULT Field 1 (IP67, 12 hours), ULT Field 3 and ULT Field 5, Anker Soundcore Boom Go 3i, Boom 3i and Boom 2, Xiaomi Sound Outdoor (30 W, IP67) and Sound Play, Marley Jammin, Muse M-790 BT. Party speakers with lights and a mic input: Muse Party Box at 150–800 W, Sony ULT900, Sharp XParty Street Beat and SUMOBOX Pro, Anker Soundcore Rave 3S, Trust Azura, Xiaomi Sound Party and the Muse M-530 karaoke speaker. Jobsite radio speakers Muse M-928 and M-968 shrug off dust and rain, DAB+ radios Sharp DR-450 and DR-P420 Tokyo also play over Bluetooth. For desk and shelf: active Bluetooth speakers from Edifier and Genesis Arsen.

Brands

Sony's ULT series is known for deep bass, IP67 and a solid battery. Anker Soundcore offers the best power for the money; the Boom series stays waterproof at 80 W. Xiaomi is affordable and compact, with IP67 on the Sound Outdoor. Muse is a French brand whose Party Box and jobsite radios are the most numerous here. Sharp makes DAB+ radios and big party speakers, Marley uses bamboo and recycled materials, Edifier is known for active speakers with proper sound; Genesis and Trust are budget picks with RGB lighting.

Related products

For listening alone, see headphones; beside the TV, soundbars; on the desk, computer speakers. For the kitchen and summer house see music systems and radios, and for a long day take a power bank — the full range is in TV and audio. A speaker reaches a parcel locker in 1–2 working days.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between IPX7 and IP67? The first digit is dust, the second water. With IPX7 dust was not tested; for sand and the beach, choose IP67.

How long does the battery really last? The maker's figure applies at 50% volume. At full party volume count on half: 10–12 hours instead of 24.

Can two speakers be paired in stereo? Yes, if they are the same brand and the model supports a stereo pair (Sony, Anker Soundcore, Xiaomi); different brands will not link.

Does the speaker work without a phone? Models with DAB+ or FM radio play on their own; some party speakers read music from a USB stick or memory card.

Does a party speaker need mains power? Most have a 10–15 hour battery, but a long party at full power is best run from the socket.