On-the-go audio: The best portable speakers of 2024

The Sonos Move 2 builds on the already impressive original Move with a suite of upgrades, including an extended 24-hour battery life and stereo sound, thanks to an additional tweeter. Weighing 3kg, it's a substantial yet practical portable speaker that delivers home-quality sound wherever you go. It is perfect for outdoor use and features a durable IP56 design that can withstand splashes, sand, and more. With Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 compatibility, the Move 2 ensures smooth connectivity, while its wireless charging base makes powering up hassle-free.

This was tried and tested by Harvey Isitt, who has this to say about his experience with the previous iteration: "I had the opportunity to test the original Move, and its versatility immediately stood out. The size and weight were initially surprising, but over time, it became clear that this speaker wasn't meant to compete with smaller portable options like the Sonos Roam. The sound quality was exceptional for outdoor gatherings, and features like Auto TruePlay ensured the audio was adjusted seamlessly between different environments. While I haven't tested the Move 2, the extended battery life and stereo sound make it an enticing upgrade for those wanting more longevity and depth from their speaker."

For more, check out his full review here.

Anker already has a fantastic reputation amongst gadget fans for their solidly built audio gear, but the Soundcore Mini really does knock it out of the park when it comes to features. This really is a mini powerhouse. The design has all the finesse normally reserved for much larger products with a premium feel to the weight and quality of materials. Pair this with your phone and you'll have 15 hours of playtime, plus a noise-cancelling mic for hands-free calls. Bass is better than expected, and if your phone runs out of juice you can plug something else into the included 3.5mm auxiliary input.

A feature we rarely see on portable speakers, particularly this small, is the inclusion of a Micro SD card slot. So, if you're worried about being reliant on your phone for your tunes, you could load up an SD card with more music than you'll ever need and keep it in the Soundcore Mini as a backup plan. We would have liked to have seen some IPX resistance to the elements, but at this size and spec it's a well-suited partner to your phone - treat it with the same amount of care and you'll have an audio companion for life.

The Loewe We. HEAR pro is a stylish, high-performance portable speaker designed for indoor and outdoor use. Offering a 100W output, IPX6 water resistance, and a rugged yet sleek design, this speaker is perfect for music lovers on the go. Its capacitive touch controls for bass and treble adjustment, paired with a robust battery life of up to 24 hours, make it a versatile choice for any occasion. Competing with top brands like JBL, the We. HEAR pro stands out for its customisable sound, premium materials, and eye-catching design options like the Neon variant.

This was tried and tested by Harvey Isitt, who has this to say about his experience: "I was impressed by the We. HEAR pro's sound quality, which exceeded my expectations for a portable speaker and then some. The punchy bass, clear mids, and adjustable treble create a balanced listening experience, whether indoors or outdoors. I particularly liked the intuitive touch sliders, allowing me to tweak the EQ settings without needing my smartphone – a rarity among speakers, least of all in this price range. I found the battery life exceptional, lasting nearly a full week of casual use."

"The design is as practical as it is stylish. It's a little heavier than some competitors, but the included shoulder strap makes it easy to carry. I did find the placement of the charging port on the bottom slightly inconvenient, especially when using the speaker horizontally. However, these minor issues are outweighed by its impressive sound, durability, and sleek aesthetics."

You can find his full review here.

The JBL Flip 6 is a rugged, portable Bluetooth speaker that punches well above its weight and price tag regarding sound and durability. Compact enough to fit in a backpack but powerful enough to fill a room with sound, it's perfect for everything from beach days to camping trips. It has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance so is well-equipped for outdoor adventures. The dual passive radiators and racetrack-shaped woofer deliver impressive bass, making it an ideal choice for music lovers who need portability without compromising on sound quality.

This was tried and tested by Olivia Sheed, who has this to say about her experience: "I was immediately impressed by how easy it was to set up – my Samsung S21+ paired in under a minute. As for sound, I tested it against my old Bose SoundLink Mini, and honestly, the Flip 6 held its own. Whether I was using it in the shower or outdoors, the bass was deep, and the highs were crisp. Even at lower volumes, the sound was full and satisfying."

"I pushed the bass with some tough tracks, and there was no distortion, just pure sound. I even blasted it at a distance outdoors, and performed admirably. JBL nailed it with this speaker, offering durability, portability, and impressive audio quality in one perfectly-priced package."

For more, head to her full review here.

For those in search of a truly portable audio companion, the Anker Soundcore Mini delivers big sound in a compact form. Its small size makes it ideal for popping in a bag, whether you're headed on a weekend getaway or to the office. With a 5W speaker and enhanced bass output, it offers surprisingly robust sound for its size. The battery life is another strong point, giving up to 15 hours of playtime on a single charge – perfect for long trips or extended listening sessions.

This was tried and tested by Ryan Gilmore, who has this to say about his experience: "I found the Anker Soundcore Mini to be surprisingly versatile for its size. Despite its small footprint, the sound quality was solid, especially for quieter, more intimate settings. However, at higher volumes, it did struggle slightly with distortion, which is to be expected from a speaker of this size. It’s certainly not meant to fill a large room with sound, but for personal use or in smaller spaces, it does the job admirably."

"One downside, though, was the lack of water resistance, which meant it was less suited for outdoor activities compared to other portable speakers in this category. Overall, it’s a great choice if you're after portability, but it’s not the most rugged option out there."

You can read his full review here.

A party can be the riskiest thing your audio tech can live through. Whatever you use to play your party playlists through, it'll need to have big sound and be sturdy enough to survive the odd knock or splash. JBL have answered all of these needs, and a few more, with the PartyBox 100.

That said, if it's lightweight portability and full waterproofing you're after, this isn't it. This isn't the sort of speaker you'd take into a shower. It is portable, but it's not the sort of thing you'd want to carry very far for very long. But for a party it's ideal. The PartyBox110 packs a serious punch. The very solid 12 hours battery life is made more impressive considering it has a built-in LED light show to really set the mood. Power is where the PartyBox truly shines, with very deep bass and excellent volume and range. Get this portable speaker and you're in for an absolute banger of a party.

House of Marley - named after the inspiration for the brand, Bob Marley - make audio products with the same ethos as Marley himself: to respect the planet as much as the music. To that end, its range of audio tech, including the Get Together 2 XL, is built from as many natural materials as possible. So you'll find natural bamboo, premium Rewind fabric, Regrind silicone & aluminium. It's also 100% plastic-free and comes in recyclable packaging.

Brand values aside, is it any good? Well, we think the design is outstanding and quite original in the world of portable speakers. It is only dust and water-resistant, so if you take this anywhere you'll need to treat it reasonably well, but who would want to spoil those refined looks with rain or sand anyway? Playtime is a very healthy 20 hours, and if you really want to surround yourself with the House of Marley sound, it can be paired with another one for a super-wide sound field.

If you're totally addicted to bass, Ultimate Ears have named this portable speaker the HYPERBOOM for good reason. This rather unassuming-looking tower of sound houses some huge precision woofers with passive radiators, all balanced out by the soft dome tweeters for all-encompassing audio. Given that bass is going to shake the room, it's also good to know that this has enough of an IPX rating to resist spills and dust falling from the rafters.

But there's not much point in having a box with this much power if it's a blunt instrument. The built-in adaptive equaliser will analyse the room's acoustics and adjust the sound on the fly. Play time is incredible at 24 hours, and if your mobile phone runs dry the HYPERBOOM even has a charge-out port. One of the best portable speaker features here though is the support for up to four device connections at once, so your family and friends can beam their playlists to this bass-filled monster with ease.

If you're looking for best-in-class sound and unconventional design, the Beolit 20 from Bang & Olufsen is the portable speaker option for you. It features wireless charging and touch controls on the top. Of course, you're not going to buy any speakers from the brand without expecting that signature sound. Bang & Olufsen engineers have gone to work on this one, with True360 sound that lives up to the name. It's driven by two Class D amplifiers, so there's plenty of punch and range there too.

Design-wise, it's typical B&O. Unconventional, interesting, eye-catching. Some may not go for the picnic basket aesthetic, but this really does make for a device that doesn't follow the herd and arguably is as much of a lifestyle product as a portable audio solution. It's splashproof too, so taking this out and placing it next to a real picnic hamper on a sunny day will be music to your ears.