Best Bluetooth Speakers 2025
1. JBL Charge 6
The JBL Charge 5 ended its run as one of the most enduringly impressive Bluetooth speakers we’ve ever tested, wowing us not only with the quality of its sound but also the longevity it continues to display.
JBL’s bottle-shaped speaker is still on the market, but now that it’s been succeeded by a sixth-generation model, it soon may ride off into the sunset as a bona fide legend.
As sad as that may be, the Charge 6 is ready to take up the mantle. It’s now even more waterproof, dustproof and drop-proof than before, with an IP68 rating (up from the Charge 5’s IP67) and beefier bumper guards at either end of the speaker
Internally, the Charge 6 features a 20m tweeter and a newly developed woofer that strives for deeper and more powerful bass than the old model. A new algorithm-led ‘AI Sound Boost’ analyses the speaker’s sound in real time to optimise its output and ensure that a more powerful and exciting but less distorted sound is produced at all times and in all places.
It’s paid off. To quote from our review: “The Charge 6 certainly sounds more powerful, but that muscle and authority are heard throughout the frequency range, not just in the lower end. The sound is clearer and more detailed than before, with vocals given extra solidity and textural depth; the highs soar with punch but clarity”
2. JBL Flip 7
The older generation model boasted a still-impressive IP67 water and dustproof rating, but JBL has decided to up the ante by bestowing a mighty IP68 certificate upon this newest iteration.
Ditching the built-in adjustable carry loop of its predecessor, the Flip 7 offers a choice of either a fabric finger loop or a carabiner hook for clipping the speakers onto the likes of bags or nearby branches.
Like the Charge 6 above, the Flip 7 goes big on features. The seventh-gen Flip offers Auracast functionality, the new sharing technology which lets you pair two Flip 7s together in stereo or hook up multiple units via the JBL Portable app.
The new Flip will grant you 14 hours on a single charge plus an extra two with Playtime Boost. The Flip 7 also features wired listening for the first time, supporting up to 24-bit/96kHz lossless audio playback via USB-C, meaning that it should sound its absolute best when using a physical tether.
3. Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
Sporting a utilitarian but not unattractive woven finish design, the Micro 2 pumps out genuinely enjoyable audio and a rather impressive battery life of around 12 hours during testing.
Better yet, its IP67 rating allowed one of our team to test it in the shower without causing any lasting damage. Again, the Stormbox Micro 2’s compact size and robust construction make it well-suited for venturing far beyond the confines of a bathroom or kitchen.
The audio is certainly a big plus point, too, going bigger, punchier and louder than you’d expect from such a diminutive unit, doing justice to most tracks in terms of tempo, rhythm and dynamics. The Stormbox’s Midrange is particularly pleasing, and we’d even go so far as to say that it’s as good as anything else we’ve seen at this price.
4. Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)
The Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) definitely the Bluetooth speaker for those among us who don’t like to follow the herd. You can have your JBLs and your Tribits, as the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is for anyone who prioritises luxury, style and a bit of personality from their electronics.
This is the speaker for those people who could choose an Audi, VW or BMW, but go for an Alfa Romeo instead.
Admittedly, saying that the A1 sports similar dimensions to a medium-sized hamburger doesn’t sound that luxurious, but rest assured: it’s a beautiful, very well-made speaker only bested in the looks department by the rather stunning Dali Katch G2 in our also consider section.
The Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) supports Qualcomm’s latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth 5.1 codec and features Alexa built-in, as long as you’re connected to the wi-fi when you want to speak to her. That’s a smart feature that most of the rivals on this list don’t have, by the way.
5. JBL Xtreme 4
The Xtreme 4 is, in simple terms, the Xtreme 3 but better. The design is roughly the same as the outgoing model, albeit with some minor distinguishing tweaks.
The button layout is now a block of six rather than a strip, while a new base with two strips of silicon feet gives the speaker more stability and grip. Apart from that, it’s the same rugged, robust, IP67-rated build as the Xtreme 3, and that’s no bad thing; it’s a design that has served JBL extremely well in the past.
The driver configuration for the Xtreme 4 is the same as the previous model, with two 70mm woofers and two 20mm tweeters behind the grille and then those pulsating radiators at either end.
Sonically, though, things have been taken to the next level, offering up the best audio performance we’ve heard at this level for one of the best-sounding Bluetooth speakers of the past few years.