Best Bluetooth Speakers Buying Guide: Welcome to TechRadar India's round-up of the best Bluetooth speakers in 2020.
Bluetooth speakers have fast become a much sought-after accessory in the past few years. And understandably so, they bring portability along with the sound quality that smartphones can’t offer. And along with the tether free wireless design, it becomes the go-to audio solution for buyers looking for tangle-free products.
Technology has also progressed along nicely with current smart speakers offering not only portability but also a powerful audio experience and reliable Bluetooth connectivity. But that’s not all, today’s speakers come with many bells and whistles. Some have integrated Google Assistant and Alexa, so you can actually do more than just listen to songs now.
Furthermore, demand has followed supply and with it, there’s now a big swath of Bluetooth speakers in the consumer market. This makes it very hard for the occasional buyer to make a purchase decision. Fear not though, we’ve made a good list that covers all the important price brackets and noteworthy products.
If you are on the lookout for a good Bluetooth speaker, here's our shortlist of some of good options. Some are rugged, some are stylish, some are weatherproof and some aren't fit for the outdoors – read through and take your pick.
UE Boom 3
Want something that fulfils all your needs – be it a house party or you simply like your music loud? The UE Boom 3 might be just what you need. It offers thumping and loud audio without distortion at high volumes; is light enough to carry on a camping trip but remains durable enough to tumble in a bag unprotected.
There are certainly more detailed speakers out there (see: Bowers and Wilkins Zeppelin down below), but at a price that's relatively affordable to all, the UE Boom 3 hits all the right notes for the third year in a row.
Read the full review: UE Boom 3
Buy UE Boom 3 from Amazon
JBL is a very well-known name when it comes to audio accessories, and the company maintains its reputation with the Charge 3. As a package, the JBL Charge 3 offers a compelling set of features and excellent sound quality to boot. It punches well above its weight, playing it loud and distortion-free.
The Charge line of speakers have been on our shortlist of recommendations for a long time and the latest iteration maintains JBL’s dominance in the portable Bluetooth speaker market.
Read the full review: JBL Charge 3
Buy JBL Charge 3 from Amazon l Flipkart
The Bose SoundLink Mini II is more than four years old now, making it ancient by modern standards of consumer electronics. However, writing off the SoundLink Mini II because of this would be a mistake, given the fact that it still is one of the best sounding wireless speakers.
The SoundLink Mini II punches way above what its size would suggest, offering deep bass, fizzy highs and a lush midrange. It proves that small speakers don’t always have to compromise on sound quality.
Read the full review: Bose SoundLink Mini II
Buy Bose Soundlink Mini ll from Amazon
Another entry from UE in our list, the UE Wonderboom is a great option if you are looking for a quality Bluetooth speaker that you can carry outdoors. UE has taken the Roll 2 and fixed most of the flaws that you could notice.
In our eyes, the UE Wonderboom bests the Roll 2 in just about every way. If you’re looking for one of the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers on the market today, it’s hard to do better than the UE Wonderboom.
Read the full review: UE Wonderboom
Buy UE Wonderboom from Amazon
The SoundLink Color II is slightly easier to carry around when you’re out and about. Combine this with Bose’ excellent audio mastery, you have a great, easy to carry Bluetooth speaker on your hands.
If you’re looking for something from Bose to take with you on your next hike, the SoundLink Color II is the company’s only splash-proof speaker that can stand up to the elements with an IPX4 rating.
Read the full review: Bose SoundLink Color II
Buy Bose Soundlink Color ll from Amazon l Flipkart
One of the important aspects that most buyers tend to focus on while buying a Bluetooth speaker is its portability and durability. Skip the Kilburn if you cannot compromise on these two aspects – the Kilburn is heavy and doesn’t offer any sort of water resistance.
However, if your primary concern is sound quality, you cannot go wrong with the Kilburn. It might seem a bit pricey, but the audio performance and the retro looks are worth it.
Read the full review: Marshall Kilburn ll
Buy Marshall Kilburn ll from Amazon l Flipkart
As the name suggests, the JBL Flip 4 is an outdoor-friendly, rough-and-tough speaker that lets you focus on enjoying your moments without worrying about the speaker.
While it's easy to carry the Flip 4 around without worrying too much, its sound quality isn’t really up to scratch, all things considered. It's one of the more iconic speakers thanks to its price.
Read the full review: JBL Flip 4
Buy JBL Flip 4 from Amazon l Flipkart
BoAt is another well-known name when it comes to accessories. Its 14-watt stereo speaker and 8-hour battery life means you don’t have to worry about performance. Its rugged design and water resistance mean you can be carefree and live in the moment without having to worry about its safety.
Buy BoAt Stone 1000 from Amazon l Flipkart
The Sony Extra Bass SRS-XB10 is another tumbler design entry in this list. It looks minimalist and gets out of your way, with extra bass and punchy sound. You also get NFC connectivity in addition to Bluetooth.
Sony claims that these speakers can last for up to 16 hours, so you can go on a day-long listening spree without reaching for the charger.
Buy Sony Extra Bass SRS-XB10 from Amazon l Flipkart
The Google Nest Mini is slightly different when compared to other options in this list. It is a smart speaker that offers more than what a regular Bluetooth speaker does – you can connect it to the internet, use your voice to control it and have other smart home devices hooked up to it wirelessly.
Google has made some audio and feature improvements over the original Mini – the company claims that the Nest Mini offers bass that is up to two times stronger than the original Mini.
Buy Google Nest Mini from Flipkart
The Echo Dot 3rd gen is easily one of the best, and most affordable smart speakers in the Echo line-up. It may not have fancy features that other expensive Echo speakers have, but it does two things well – the sound and the smarts, courtesy Alexa.
The Echo Dot 3rd gen is also more affordable than the Google Nest Mini which has been launched in India. Plus you also get 3.5mm audio out and Bluetooth support, which allows you to extend the power of the Echo Dot to a more powerful source if you would like to.
Buy Amazon Echo Dot 3rd gen from Amazon
This compilation had a lot of familiar products that are quite popular in the Indian market. Music and entertainment are becoming an increasingly important part of our lives, and a great medium for that is often a worthy purchase.
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