It's a versatile speaker, one that stands solidly alongside the built-for-home Sonos speakers that the company made its name on. With two quality drivers, a solid app that unlocks playback from hundreds of wireless sources, multi-room capabilities and smart audio-tuning tech which tweaks the output based on the speaker's immediate surroundings, the Sonos Move is engineered well beyond your average Bluetooth speaker. Here’s the thing about the Sonos Move – it’s so good, you might want to consider it not only as your on-the-go party station, but also as your main in-the-home wireless speaker too. Not as feature-rich when using Bluetooth -Cant be used as rear cinema speakers

Its slick design means the Sonos Roam won’t look out of place in your home, while a rugged, waterproof and dustproof build and a decent battery life make it ideal for listening to music outdoors. In spite of its (relatively) low price you’re getting a lot for your money here. A bass-heavy audio performance makes it ideal for use outdoors, while a clever Automatic Switching feature means it's easily used indoors, too – though audiophiles may dislike the overwhelming low frequencies and rhythmic handling.įollowing in the footsteps of the Sonos Move, the Sonos Roam comes with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, which means it can work as a portable speaker as well as part of your wider multi-room Sonos system – and with Google Assistant and Alexa onboard, it doubles up a smart speaker too. The Sonos Roam is our pick for the best Bluetooth speaker on the planet, with a powerful sound, rugged design, excellent connectivity features, and smart home control. In fact, our latest addition to this list and our new pick for the very best portable speaker you can buy in 2021 is the Sonos Roam, which can seamlessly switch from Wi-Fi to Bluetooth, integrate into a Sonos system, and comes with both Alexa and Google Assistant onboard. In this sense, your wireless speakers can double as a smart speaker which can be used to control your smart home devices, or ask it to play your music using voice commands. Assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant and more often come built into Bluetooth speakers nowadays, enhancing the value they might otherwise have. Many of the best portable speakers available today are multi-functional in that they may also feature voice assistant integration alongside audio playback.

Oh, and if you're planning on paying a visit to the beach, you may want to check out our guide to the best waterproof speakers, too. So why buy one in the first place? Bluetooth speakers are a fantastic purchase if you want high quality audio at home, or if you're an extrovert who frequents social events.

Surround sound audio test