Moving Bass: 10 Portable Bluetooth Speakers Worth Spending Your Money On

If you’ve ever tried to play music via the built-in speaker on your smartphone in hopes of fueling a party, then you know firsthand how big of a failure that can turn into. You’re just not going to get the high-quality sound needed to throw a rager from a phone—not even close. This is where portable speakers come in.

With a Bluetooth-enabled speaker that can link up with your music source with a simple touch of a button, you can literally turn up the volume on your favorite beats at any time. Better yet, given their portable nature, you can take your music with you virtually anywhere you’d like. All that’s missing is the soundtrack to your life.

The endless options littering the market make it really tough to narrow down which Bluetooth speaker suits you best—we know this. So we’ve done the heavy lifting for you by comparing some of the more popular speakers to see which ones live up to the hype and which ones fall flat.

Battery life: 8 hours

Key feature(s): Voice prompts for easy connectivity

The SoundLink Color delivers the same quality sound you’d expect to hear from a Bose product, except it comes in a spectrum of color options to set it apart from the rest of the brand’s portable speaker offerings. It’s easy to pair via Bluetooth and has an eight-hour play life that can be extended with a micro USB cable. The clear, full-range sound that the SoundLink offers is more than a bargain at this price point.

Buy it now: $129

Battery life: 7 hours

Key feature(s): Built-in speakerphone; ability to charge devices; can be paired with a second Pill

If you’re one of those people who pledge unwavering brand loyalty to Beats by Dre and won’t even consider another option other than the Pill, the least you can do is skip the diet Pill and go with the XL version instead. While the 2.0 earns high marks for its small size, the Pill XL is by far the better option in terms of audio. Not only does it put out louder, more powerful sound, but the bass is much more substantial with the XL. It’s too big to stick in your pocket, but just the right size for tossing in your daypack and hitting the road. The speaker has a built-in speakerphone and can by synched with another Pill device for twice the sound.

Buy it now: $270

Battery life: 8 hours

Key feature(s): Built-in dual microphone; noise cancellation technology; USB access to for recharging devices

You don’t buy the Esquire Mini for it’s amplified sound and throbbing bass—those aren’t really the strong suits of this particular Bluetooth speaker. Instead, what it has going for itself is a slim, refined design (the real leather backing and scratch-resistant aluminum finish are a nice touch) that slides right into your pocket for unparalleled portability. The Mini even has a convenient kickstand in the back so you can post up with your beats virtually anywhere, and it’s extremely easy to pair with your smart device.

Buy it now: $150

Battery life: 5 hours

Key features: Integrated carabiner; built-in microphone

The JBL Clip takes portability to new heights with an ingenious built-in carabiner that snaps on clothing or a bag so you never leave your music behind. It won’t churn out the loudest audio, but given its modest size, the Clip packs a pretty respectable punch. The versatile design, well, it speaks for itself.

Buy it now: $40

Battery life: 15 hours

Key feature(s): Plasma coating for stain and water resistance; can connect wirelessly to a second Boom unit

At the end of the day, I would take any one of these speakers. In fact, I personally already own half. But to keep it real for a minute, the Boom is easily my favorite of the bunch. It’s best-in-class in wireless range (50 feet), tops in battery life (15 hours), and arguably has the best design aesthetic as well. The cylindrical shape pumps crisp, 360-degree sound for a fully immersive listening experience. The Boom, as UE puts it, is “life-resistant,” which essentially means that it’s durable enough to take a substantial beating. It’s got a removable cover for added protection and is both stain and water-resistant. Beach, anyone?

Buy it now: $185

Battery life: 7 hours

Key feature(s): Dual passive radiators for deep bass; hands-free calling

Sony tends to fall somewhat under the radar in the portable speaker category, given the various other options to choose from, but the SRS-X3 is a prime example of what we already sort of knew—that Sony knows a thing or two about audio. This particular Bluetooth speaker is the ideal size for both indoor and outdoor use and has a favorable bass-to-size ratio. You can even make conference calls via the built-in speakerphone. The bottom line is that the X3 delivers a satisfying listening experience without breaking the bank.

Buy it now: $128

Battery life: 10 hours

Key feature(s): USB port for recharging smart devices; ceramic-coated aluminum chassis for water-resistant durability

In a world of portable speakers where small is the norm, the Infinity One is a heavy-hitting exception. It utilizes four full-range drivers to pump out deep, rich bass that will have you feeling lit. (You might even be inspired to spit something #2bars.) In addition to top-notch audio quality, the One has the ability to recharge devices via its USB plug, capable of bring a dead phone back to full health in a little over an hour. Is the speaker on the bigger end? Yes. Will it stretch your pockets a bit more? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.

Buy it now: $300

Battery life: 10 hours

Key feature(s): Integrated, customizable LED lights that jam with the beat; built-in bass port for room-filling sound

Ok, so here’s the thing: If your sole concern is sound quality, you’ll want to opt for the Charge 2. However, if you want something that sounds good AND is visually pleasing, the Pulse is the one. While it doesn’t quite have the same round audio, particularly in the bass dept., as the Charge 2, the Pulse is no slouch when it comes to putting out powerful sound. Besides, this one offers a feature that is seldom seen in the rest of the bunch: a custom LED light show that continuously changes with the beat—it will definitely earn you some style points.

Buy it now: $159

Battery life: 10 hours

Key feature(s): Fits in your pocket; built-in speakerphone; ability to sync with other Mini Jambox devices

Yes, you can get louder sound for about the same price, but the Mini Jambox features one of the more stylish designs, making it easy to use and convenient to take with you. Where some portable Bluetooth speakers tend to be overly bulky, the Jambox combines small size with large sound for a speaker that simply gets the job done. One of the biggest selling points for this unit is the battery life, which tends to be even longer than the suggested 10-hour playback listed in the product description.

Buy it now: $89

Battery life: 8 hours

Key feature(s): Dust and water resistant; integrated microphone for hands-free calling

The whole point of a portable speaker is that it can be taken with you, whether you’re moving from room to room in your apartment or are hitting the outdoors, without having to worry about ruining it. It’s paramount that the speaker be able to withstand the wrath of inevitable errors of both the human and Mother Nature variety. Case in point, the TDK Trek Max, which is both splash and water resistant, and is rugged enough to withstand harsh conditions, whether you’re chillin’ on a beach somewhere or lounging in the backyard. The sound that it puts out, powered by two full-range drivers and a subwoofer, isn’t too shabby either.

Buy it now: $130