Music makes the world a better place – so what better way to brighten up someone's world than by giving them that gift in the form of a portable Bluetooth speaker?
There are a lot of brands fighting for attention in this space, however, and the price points vary from 'sensible' to 'insane'. I've tested dozens of these products, though, and am here to cut through the noise to highlight the top three right now.
My selection picks an affordable and truly portable option; a larger and more varied option with the addition of Wi-Fi; and a luxury portable that elevates not only its build quality, but its audio quality too.
T3's Top Picks
Bang & Olufsen is a high-end brand that uses high-end materials – and it's this robust milled aluminium shell that gives the Beoplay A1 (V3) its luxurious finish (even more pronounced in its various colourway options). The latest model's small size shouldn't be reason to assume it's weak when it comes to output, though, as the sheer power and degree of bass that emanates from this little speaker is mighty impressive.
Sonos is well-regarded for its soundbars as much as it's known for multi-room speakers. The Move 2 isn't as typically 'portable' as some, but it's ideal for moving around the house as you see fit – and it can even connect via Wi-Fi for other advantages to sound quality, plus multi-room connectivity to other Sonos speakers you may have. It's a bit pricier, given its additional features and scale, but it's well worth it.
The go-to for smaller budgets is Ultimate Ears' excellent grenade-like-shaped mini-speaker, the Wonderboom 4. Ideal for sitting on a shelf or taking to a picnic in the park, it might be small, but its sound is anything but. There's future upgradeability, too, as you can buy a second Wonderboom and pair them for a true stereo. But if you can only budget for one, it's a brilliant low-cost entry point.
Pricing
Bang & Olufsen
This is the third-generation of B&O's portable, so the price is a little higher than previous versions – but if you can find the second-gen model then it's also worth considering.
It may seem like a lot to pay a couple of hundred for a portable speaker so small, but this design will last – it's even IP67 ingress protected, so you can dunk it in water and it's no bother.
Sonos
Inevitably the priciest of the trio in this gift guide, but the Sonos just does that much more. Its full RRP is rarely asked these days, thanks to Christmas sales, but it'll still set you back a few hundred.
Adding Wi-Fi to it is part of the reason for that cost, delivering more features for at-home use. But it's also the largest and biggest sounding of the three recommendations, so you'll never need to rely on another home speaker again.
Ultimate Ears
While its RRP is close to the three-figure mark, Ultimate Ears products are often on sale – so you can buy it for much less. That applies to whichever colourway you may choose – and there are certainly lots of hot neon options!
While the material-covered finish might not look all that tough, the Wonderboom 4 is also IP67 rated (just like the B&O), so water, sand and dust is no bother to this little speaker – wherever you happen to take it.
Which wins?
As ever with gifting, budget is a major factor. If you're buying for youngsters then the Wonderboom 4 is a great entry point that they'll appreciate.
If you're looking for greater sophistication, however, then it's the Bang & Olufsen's uprated bass output and classy design that make it the best-of-the-best in Bluetooth portables.
If it's a more home-focused product that you're after – which you can drag into the garden for BBQs and suchlike – then the Sonos is the more sensible option. It's also the priciest, however, so it's more of an invested consideration.
Other options?
If you look at the full list of the best Bluetooth speakers then you'll see the myriad options available – some more fitting for certain purposes than others.
Of them all, it's JBL's tube-shaped Charge 6 speaker that I use frequently (in my garage for Zwift sessions most commonly). It's rugged, it's bassy, and it's very keenly priced too.
