Whether you’re off on an adventure to meet a mysterious wizard, just chilling by the pool, or only after a speaker for hanging on the beach with your friends… we’ve got you covered. We’re taking dive into our favourite five portable Bluetooth speakers with the best sound and build for durability.

Finding the best Bluetooth speakers can often be expensive. Brands such as JBL do have options for both affordable and expensive speakers, both of which pack a hot sound. And sometimes, size matters too. So, without further ado…

JBL Flip 5 $119.88 (£89)

Dimensions HxWxD (cm): 7.4 x 18.1 x 6.9

Power: 20W, up to 12 hours of battery life

Features: Bluetooth v4.2, Connect multiple JBL speakers with PartyBoost, IPX7 rated

Connections: USB-C

The JBL Flip 5 is our favourite by far because of the quality of sound it brings for such an affordable price tag. JBL brings a speaker that sounds great for less than £100, and one that looks and sounds perfect for a day by the pool.

It’s an incredibly versatile wireless speaker that you can take anywhere at all due to its easy to carry functionality – or you could just use it at home. Either way, the sound is nothing short of impressive for less than £100. The Flip 5 provides a clean reproduction of all audio it receives – the Flip 5 tretas both bass and high frequencies like royalty.

It’s IPX7 rating it’s watertight for up to 30 minutes under 1 meter of water (but we don’t recommend you go swimming with it).

JBL Xtreme 3 $348.87 (£259)

Dimensions HxWxD (cm): 13.9 x 29.8 x 13.4cm

Power: 100W, up to 15 hours of battery life

Features: Bluetooth v5.1, Connect multiple JBL speakers with PartyBoost, IP67 rated

Connections: 3.5mm aux, USB-C, USB-A out

But here’s the bigger and better JBL model. It’s on the more expensive end of our list, but here’s why.

80W of additional power brings a much more powerful sound with strong bass and better flexibility, and it’s designed for the outdoor adventurer. Whether hiking, harbour jumping, or any crazy activity for that matter – the JBL Xtreme 3 is your best friend when it comes to sound.

Its IP67 rating means it’s both water and dust-tight, compared to just watertight, so you could even take it mountain biking if you were so inclined. Just clip it onto your bag and you’re away! Or you could strap it o your wrist for your hike.

As with the JBL Flip 5, PartyBoost allows you to pair with another PartyBoost enabled JBL speaker to create tha beloved stereo pair if mono doesn’t hit the spot for you.

Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 $227.59 (£169)

Dimensions HxWxD (cm): 8.9cm x 8.9 x 22.5 cm

Features: Wireless charging, 20 hours of battery life IP67 rating  

Another brand with a fantastic rep is Ultimate Ears. The Megaboom 3 brings a fantastic balance of frequencies and powerful sound reproduction for £169.

Not only does its 360 degrees sound amazing, but also doesn’t it look awesome too?! You can place this bad boy in the middle of the room or outside and it’ll sound amazing in both situations no matter where you are relative to the speaker.

It has a fabric coating that keeps the speaker both water and dustproof (as per the IP67 rating). Also, what if we told you it could float?

It brings 20 hours of battery life so you’re almost guaranteed to have tunes no matter where you’re off to. The accompanying app also allows you to pair a second speaker for that stereo setup we’ve been banging on about. The app allows you to quickly load up your fave playlist for instant and easy playback.

Sonos Roam $241.06 (£179)

Dimensions (hwd): 16.8 x 6.2 x 6cm

Connectivity: Bluetooth, wi-fi, AirPlay 2

Power: Up to 10 hours of battery life

Connections: USB-C

Weight: 430g

Sonos have become a much-loved brand for home speakers for our homes. But have you tried a Sonos speaker that you can take anywhere?

And what’s more is it can be a standalone Bluetooth speaker, but also assimilate into a family of Sonos speakers at home too!

The Roam supports AirPlay 2, as well as voice controls and Sonos’ Trueplay tech (built-in mic to tune bass and treble to accommodate for your surroundings).

Packed with an IP67 rating, the Roam is both water and dust-tight – so you can take this baby down to the pool or just about anywhere that’s outdoors. Not as versatile as the Xtreme 3, but still a fantastic portable speaker.

The sound is near or as bold as the Xtreme 3 for a lower price. So, if you’re not a rugged adventurer then this speaker may be the one for you.

Tribit Stormbox Micro $57.91 (£43)

Dimensions: HxWxD (cm): 9.8 x 9.8 x 3.5cm

Power: 9W

Features: Bluetooth 5.0, stereo-pairing mode, IP67 rating

Connections: 3.5 mm stereo

The Tribit Stirmbox is also a renowned speaker. You’ve probably seen one of these awesome pieces of audio tech strapped to someone’s bag before, we can guarantee it.

It’s small and very compact – but the sound it delivers is that of a speaker twice the size. The Stormbox also has an IP67 rating, so you don’t need to worry about water or dust. Its rubber strap allows you to strap it to yourself or your bag easily, and it also supports a stereo feature. If your friend has one, which I’m sure one does, then get the two connected and get a beach party started!

The bass response is surprisingly amazing, despite its size. It does have limitations, but it delivers a clean sound for the size it is.

For such as affordable price, we think this is a real winner.

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