Portable speakers come in many different shapes and sizes. They also come with a variety of features. Before you go out and purchase a portable speaker, it is important to know what type of features to look for. I summarize below the top 5 things that you need to consider before you make your next purchase. At the end, I also give you my recommended list of portable speakers in each category. Read on.

Portability

You need to be clear of what you are mainly using this speaker for. This will help you decide the size of the speaker to look for. As the name implies, portable speakers should not be a hassle to carry around and must be lightweight. They should fit seamlessly inside any standard sized bags – actually, some can even fit in pockets. This is the reason why it is important to focus more on the speaker’s shape, size, and weight rather than its design or appearance.

Price

Obviously, it would be advisable to go for the ones that are not too expensive and not too cheap. With the increased popularity of portable speakers, many high-end companies are putting out models priced at $100 per speaker or more. While some of these are considered high-end, price wise, few justify their cost by sacrificing sound for design and brand loyalty. At the other end of the spectrum are portable speakers priced so low that all they offer is novelty and sacrifice design and audio quality. The great thing about their popularity is that there are companies producing well designed products with great audio quality at an affordable price.

Sound

This is dependent on what type of music that you are listening to. With that in mind, look for the speaker which fit what you need. For example, if you are mainly listening to heavy metal music, look for speaker which are good at playing bass. Compact or ergonomically designed speakers should still be able to produce quality sound, especially when used outdoors or in a noisy environment. This is the reason why it is always a great tip when buying a portable speaker to look at its specifications. In fact, some speakers with good specifications can fill an entire room with their sound.

Features

This is important as it will be important depending on where you will be using this speaker. Using it at a beach or home has different requirements on your speaker.

Battery life

This is self-explanatory. This will determine how long you can use the speaker before charging it.

With so many different requirements, I have compiled below what is the best portable speakers:

• OontZ Angle 3 (3rd Gen) – Best portable speaker overall
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• Anker SoundCore – Best portable speaker with long battery life.
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• JBL Xtreme – Best portable speaker with extra bass

OontZ Angle 3 (3rd Gen) – Bluetooth Portable Speaker, Louder Volume, Crystal Clear Stereo Sound, Rich Bass, 100 Foot Wireless Range, Microphone, IPX5, Bluetooth Speakers by Cambridge Sound Works

This is the best portable speaker in this category.  It’s cheap, water resistant, and sounds great.

Pros:

There are more than 25,000 5-star reviews on Amazon for this. This is enough proof that this is a great speaker to get.

It gets high marks from reviewers on just about everything: water-resistance, high-quality sound, a durable exterior, and reliable Bluetooth pairing.

It can get shockingly loud for such a little speaker.

Low price for all the features that it provide.

Cons:

It takes a long time to be fully charge, and the battery drains to low after about 3 hours of constant heavy use at high volume.

Verdict:

If you need a cheap, water-resistant portable speaker for your bathroom or beach trip, this is the one to beat. Buy this today by clicking on the picture below.

Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker with Loud Stereo Sound, Rich Bass, 24-Hour Playtime, 66 ft Bluetooth Range, Built-in Mic. Perfect Portable Wireless Speaker for iPhone, Samsung and More

This is what one of the verified buyer says about this speaker … “The battery life is RIDICULOUS. I gave it a full charge and got over a week play time while playing via bluetooth at around 5 presses below max volume for about 10 hours a day.”

Pros:

Incredible battery life.  Tested and confirmed by more than 25,000 reviewers.

Connects with Alexa-enabled devices.

Small enough to be put into a bag.

Cons:

Sound quality is normal and below the quality in the earlier model above.

Verdict:

If you need a speaker that can last you while you are out (eg. on camping trips, beach), this is the one for you.

JBL Xtreme Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

The bass on this small speaker is unbelievable.

Pros:

It blew me away with the small form factor and the quality and quantity of sound it delivers.

Splashproof means no more worrying about rain or spills; you can even clean it with running tap water. Just don’t submerge it.

Cons:

The battery will drain fast at high volume.

Verdict:

This is from another satisfied buyer – “I have listened to every spectrum of music on my Spotify account and it all sounds superb. You won’t be disappointed, whether you’re listening to Boyz to Men, or Audio Slave, or Santana, Miles Davis, or whatever your genre is. This is the speaker for you if you want more bass.”

With so many different requirements, I have compiled below what is the best portable speakers:

• OontZ Angle 3 (3rd Gen) – Best portable speaker overall
  .
• Anker SoundCore – Best portable speaker with long battery life.
  .
• JBL Xtreme – Best portable speaker with extra bass