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Best Bluetooth speakers to buy right now
For most people a waterproof JBL Flip or Charge is the safe buy: loud, tough and long-lasting. Spend more on Bose or Sonos only for better sound at home; a pocket speaker is for the shower, not a party.
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Best for most people
1. JBL Flip 7
1 metre · 14 hrs + 2 hrs boost · IP68
The safe buy for most people, for the garden, the kitchen or the beach. The listing confirms IP68 water and dust proofing, a 1-metre drop rating, up to 14 hours of play plus 2 more with Playtime Boost, and Auracast for pairing more speakers. JBL itself says it is made for good times, not roughhousing, so the drop rating covers a fall off a table, not a hard knock.
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Best premium outdoor speaker
2. Bose SoundLink Plus
20 hrs · IP67 · About 5 hrs
For people who want a bigger, bassier sound and will pay for the Bose name. The listing confirms IP67 dust and water proofing, shock and rust resistance, a carrying loop and up to 20 hours of battery. A full charge takes about 5 hours, so it needs plugging in the night before a day out.
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Best for long days out
3. JBL Charge 6
24 hrs + 4 hrs boost · Yes · IP68 · 10 min for 150 min
For festivals, camping and long days away from a plug. It runs up to 24 hours plus 4 with Playtime Boost, gets 150 minutes from a 10-minute fast charge, and has a built-in powerbank and removable strap. Charging your phone from it eats into those 24 hours.
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Best small premium speaker
4. Sonos Roam 2
10 hrs · IP67
For people who want Sonos sound in something small enough for a bag. The listing confirms an ultra-compact, lightweight body and IP67 water and dust proofing. Battery life is up to 10 hours, well short of the JBL Flip 7 and Charge 6, so it suits the house and garden more than a weekend away.
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Best for clipping to a bag
5. Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
Utility loop · 12 hrs · IP67
For walkers and cyclists who want Bose sound hanging off a rucksack. It is hand-sized with a utility loop, IP67 rated and wrapped in silicone to take drops and shocks. Up to 12 hours of battery is less than the JBL Flip 7 gives in a similar size.
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Best budget for home listening
6. Anker Soundcore Motion+
aptX · 30W · 12 hrs · IPX7
The budget pick for a desk or kitchen, where sound matters more than toughness. It has 30W of output from two tweeters, two woofers and two passive radiators, aptX streaming, custom EQ and USB-C charging. It is IPX7 waterproof but has no dust rating, so keep it off the sand.
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Best pocket speaker
7. JBL Go 5
8 hrs + 2 hrs boost · 6.0 · IP68
The palm-sized speaker for the shower, the desk or a picnic. It is IP68 water and dust proof and drop-proof, uses Bluetooth 6.0 and Auracast, and has ambient edge lighting. Battery is up to 8 hours plus 2 with boost, and a speaker this small is not one for a party.
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How we rank
Ordered by how well each sells in its Amazon UK category, what the listing confirms it can do, and price. We have not handled these products: the write-ups rest on what each listing states. Prices and stock are checked daily.
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