If you’re looking to fill your life with more sound, there’s nothing like a good speaker. After extensive testing, we have a reliable list of the best speakers you can buy in 2024. Our list includes everything from $60 portable speakers to $450 living room speakers. It also covers a variety of use cases, from music production to easy listening in the shower.
Gizmodo’s editorial team independently tests and reviews every product found in our buying guides. If you purchase something using our affiliate links, G/O Media may earn a commission. Affiliate links do not influence our editorial content.
Best Portable Speakers — Sonos roaming
If you’re new to Sonos and not sure about committing to this expensive speaker ecosystem, I’d say the Roam is the best option to see if all things Sonos is your vibe. THE $169 roaming This may be the cheapest Sonos speaker. Not only is it relatively affordable, but even if smart features aren’t your issue, at least you have a great portable Bluetooth speaker.
Measuring 6.6 inches long and 2.4 inches wide, the Roam is small enough to easily fit in your hand. Its triangular shape and matte finish also look natural when you carry it. It weighs just under a pound, which feels substantial enough in your grip, but it’s not so heavy that you’re tempted to leave it at home. When you are not As you move around, you can stack it either vertically to save space or horizontally for added stability.
In terms of durability, the Roam is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance. I put it in a bowl of water for 30 minutes, and even though it spilled water all over my kitchen counter, it still worked afterward. You’ll be fine if you get caught in a downpour or accidentally knock it over in a swimming pool. Don’t hang around when you pick it up. Learn more — Victoria Song
Best Budget Speakers – Sony SRS-XB13
The criteria for portable Bluetooth speakers are not complicated. They should be easy to transport, sound decent, and not get destroyed if you have butter fingers or get caught in the rain. THE Sony SRS-XB13 ticks all those boxes. It’s not without its flaws and you’ll have to make compromises. But considering it only costs $60? It’s easy to forgive your faults.
The XB13 is In fact portable. He’s a stocky little guy, measuring 3.43 by 3.43 by 4.41 inches. In person, the speaker is much smaller than I thought when Sony initially sent the official images. It also only weighs 11.7 ounces, which is significantly lighter than the Sonos Roam (15 ounces). It also has a removable strap so you can easily hang it on a bag or a tree branch, it doesn’t matter, I’m not judging. Plus, it fits in a cup holder for car trips!
It has an IP67 rating and didn’t die when I deliberately dropped it in a swimming pool. So this is it. Long story short, this speaker is ideal if you’re on a budget, spend a lot of time outside, or are particularly clumsy. Learn more — Victoria Song
Best smart living room speakers – JBL Authentics 300
Considering this is the first-ever speaker to feature both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, it’s probably the smartest speaker you can get your hands on. Not only does it feature both assistants, it does it incredibly well. It’s impressive how smoothly the Authentics 300 manages to juggle both, while some speakers struggle to operate even one assistant.
This speaker is magnificent and justifies its Price of $450. You get a body covered in premium leather with subtle gold accents on the front. There is also a useful handle for easy portability. However, weighing around 11 pounds, it is best suited as a living room speaker living in one location. However, it lasts around 8 hours on a full charge, so if you ever need to move it briefly for an event, you can do so without a nasty cable sticking out.
This speaker really means it when it claims it will fill your space with music. Its sound is immense and is still more than adequate for my two bedroom apartment. It never sounds muddy, even at higher volumes, and maintains that strength no matter how much pressure you put on it.
I saved the best for last. You can (discreetly) DJ on it, tweaking your music in real time. Thanks to a pair of huge bass and treble dials located on the top of this speaker, you can customize exactly how much bass and treble you want and on which track. My friends and I sometimes like to constantly play along during songs for a fun and hands-on listening experience. I can promise you that the dials work and are not just a marketing gimmick. In fact, maximizing the bass will make your entire floor vibrate.
Best studio speakers — Pioneer DJ VM-80
These speakers scream that they are studio monitors. They feature a standard 8-inch woofer and tweeter installed inside an unusual oval cone that shapes the sound. The bass response is excellent and the resulting stereo projection from having two close to your mixer or computer is incredible. They measure 15.5 inches tall and 13 inches deep and weigh 21.38 pounds.
I tested it using a number of song genres, from techno to jazz. Play these songs through the VM-80 it was like running a DJ booth in my attic office. I had excellent reproduction at most volume levels, and even at maximum volume the sound wasn’t cloudy or muddled. Learn more —John Biggs
Best Speaker for Apple Homes – Sonos Era 300
THE Sonos Era 300 is an impressive speaker, even at its exorbitant price. But don’t think about it unless you’re in a predominantly Apple household.
It features a forward-facing tweeter routed through what the company calls a “custom waveguide” and an upward-firing tweeter so sound bounces off the ceiling. There are also two side tweeters, one on each side, as well as two woofers underneath. I was impressed with the speaker’s ability to transmit deep bass while listening to techno at high volume.
I compared the Sonos Era 300 to the discontinued Google Home Max. I also listened to it against the second-generation Apple HomePod, which isn’t as loud as the Era 300, although it has similar specs (five tweeters and one woofer versus four tweeters and two woofers). In almost all cases, I preferred the sound of the Era 300 to the aging Home Max and second-generation HomePod.
But without Google Cast integration, this speaker doesn’t make much sense in a Google-run household. I’d have to rebuild my entire smart ecosystem to accommodate the Sonos Era 300. And even then, it would only work with the few AirPlay-enabled devices rather than the mass of Google Cast devices I have all over my house. Learn more —Florence Ion
Best Shower Speakers — Kohler Moxie Shower Head + Wireless Speaker
Let’s say you’re willing to splurge just a little or can split the cost with roommates/significant other. In this case, the Kohler Moxie is actually a convenient way to get a nicer shower head And a good quality shower speaker in an easy to install package.
At first I was nervous about the installation, but it was so simple that even a disaster-prone clumsy person could do it. All you have to do is unscrew your current shower head and screw this one in. That’s it!
The sound quality of the speaker was also quite good, which in retrospect shouldn’t have been very surprising since it was the result of a partnership with Harman Kardon. Once I enabled Amazon Alexa, asking Alexa to play a certain artist or playlist was very simple. Sometimes it struggled with less common names, but for the most part, Alexa got the job done. It was also nice to be able to ask what events were on my calendar or opt for a quick news update.
However, if it scares you that an Amazon stooge is listening to you in the shower, know that you can use this speaker without ever activating Alexa. Learn more — Victoria Song
This list is updated regularly with new product recommendations and forecasts.
Want to learn more about Gizmodo’s latest consumer electronics picks? Check out our guides on best laptops, best televisionsAnd best headphones. If you want to learn more about the next big thing, check out our guide to everything we know about the iPhone 16.
