Best Bluetooth speakers (UK)
The JBL Flip 7 is the speaker most people should buy, at around £129. If you want something pocketable for much less, the JBL Go 5 is the pick at around £39.
Published 23 Oct 2026 · Last updated 14 Nov 2026
Quick picks
- JBL Flip 7 EDIT'S PICK · Most people who want one tough, good-sounding speaker for the garden, the beach and the kitchen · around £129
- JBL Go 5 BEST VALUE · Travel, bike bars and anyone who wants a decent speaker for the price of a takeaway · around £39
- Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 · Pool, bath and beach use, where a speaker that floats is worth having · around £90
- Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) · People who want a clean, balanced sound rather than heavy bass, in a speaker they can clip to a bag · around £150
- Marshall Emberton III · Long weekends away, and anyone who wants a speaker that looks like a tiny guitar amp · around £149
- JBL Charge 6 · Garden parties and campsites, where you want more volume and a battery that can top up your phone · around £129
- Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (3rd Gen) BEST PREMIUM · People who want a speaker that looks as good on a shelf as it does in a bag, and Android users with aptX Adaptive · around £299
No. 1 · EDIT'S PICK
JBL Flip 7
around £129 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
JBL's mid-size cylinder speaker, updated in 2025 with IP68 water and dust protection, a drop-proof design, Auracast for linking other recent JBL speakers, and wired lossless playback over USB-C.
Why we picked it
What Hi-Fi? gave it a 2026 Award and calls it the most well-rounded Flip yet, with weightier bass and better clarity than before. Expert Reviews names it the best Bluetooth speaker overall, praising how much power it gets from its size. Both note there's no USB-C cable in the box, and What Hi-Fi? says it can be unforgiving of poor-quality recordings.
Best for: Most people who want one tough, good-sounding speaker for the garden, the beach and the kitchen
Skip it if: You already own a Flip 6 and want to pair the two, because the Flip 7 can't link with older JBL models.
| Battery | Up to 14 hours (16 with Playtime Boost) |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP68 |
| Weight | 560 g |
| Pairing | Stereo pair of two, or more via Auracast |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 2 · BEST VALUE
JBL Go 5
around £39 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
JBL's smallest speaker, new for 2026, a palm-sized block with IP68 protection, a loop for hanging it up, and tap-to-pair stereo with a second Go 5.
Why we picked it
What Hi-Fi? gave it five stars for sound, build and features, calling it a clear step up from the Go 4 with fuller, more musical sound than its size suggests. It names it the best budget Bluetooth speaker. The reviewer notes that Playtime Boost extends the battery by cutting much of the bass, and that there's no USB-C cable in the box.
Best for: Travel, bike bars and anyone who wants a decent speaker for the price of a takeaway
Skip it if: You want enough bass to fill a garden; a speaker this small can't move much air.
| Battery | Up to 8 hours (10 with Playtime Boost) |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP68 |
| Weight | 230 g |
| Pairing | Tap-to-pair stereo, plus Auracast |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 3
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
around £90 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A small, rubber-clad 360-degree speaker that's IP67 rated and floats, with USB-C charging and an outdoor mode that boosts volume.
Why we picked it
TechRadar calls it surprisingly punchy for a budget speaker and says it routinely beat its 14-hour battery rating. T3 gave it a Platinum Award for its durability and sound at normal volumes. Both say it's only a small update on the Wonderboom 3, and T3 notes some strain at high volume.
Best for: Pool, bath and beach use, where a speaker that floats is worth having
Skip it if: You like adjusting the sound from your phone; there's no app and no EQ.
| Battery | Up to 14 hours |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP67, floats |
| Weight | 420 g |
| Pairing | Stereo pair with a Wonderboom 3 or 4 |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 4
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
around £150 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
Bose's flat, mid-size portable speaker, IP67 rated and able to float, with a strap loop, multipoint pairing and a shortcut button for linking other recent SoundLink speakers.
Why we picked it
T3 says the sound is clean, balanced and bigger than the size suggests, and rates it rugged enough for outdoor use. Its main criticism is the battery, at about 12 hours, and it says the changes from the first-generation Flex are small.
Best for: People who want a clean, balanced sound rather than heavy bass, in a speaker they can clip to a bag
Skip it if: Battery life matters most; it lasts about half as long as the Charge 6, and about a third as long as the Emberton III.
| Battery | About 12 hours |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP67, floats |
| Weight | 590 g |
| Pairing | Stereo pair with another 2nd-gen SoundLink |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 5
Marshall Emberton III
around £149 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
Marshall's compact speaker in its familiar amp styling, IP67 rated, with a battery rated at more than 32 hours and Bluetooth multipoint.
Why we picked it
TechRadar calls it a good all-rounder with great battery life, and says it sounds impressive for its size, especially at low volume. T3 says the bass is noticeably stronger than the Emberton II. TechRadar found the sound turns harsh at high volume, the EQ has only three presets, and T3 points out there's no 3.5 mm input.
Best for: Long weekends away, and anyone who wants a speaker that looks like a tiny guitar amp
Skip it if: You play music loud most of the time, or want to fine-tune the EQ.
| Battery | 32+ hours |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP67 |
| Weight | 670 g |
| Multipoint | Yes |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 6
JBL Charge 6
around £129 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
The bigger brother of the Flip 7, with a carry handle, IP68 protection, Auracast linking, wired lossless playback over USB-C and a power bank function.
Why we picked it
What Hi-Fi? gave it a 2026 Award and named it the best Bluetooth speaker overall, praising clearer, more detailed and more powerful sound than the Charge 5. TechRadar calls it excellent value. It weighs nearly 1 kg, and there's no USB-C cable in the box. Richer Sounds currently lists it at the same price as the Flip 7, well below its £169.99 launch price.
Best for: Garden parties and campsites, where you want more volume and a battery that can top up your phone
Skip it if: You mostly listen quietly in the background; reviewers say it loses its spark at low volume.
| Battery | Up to 24 hours (28 with Playtime Boost) |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP68 |
| Weight | 960 g |
| Pairing | Stereo pair of two, or more via Auracast |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 7 · BEST PREMIUM
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (3rd Gen)
around £299 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A round, aluminium-topped speaker with a leather strap, IP67 rated, with a battery rated at about 24 hours and aptX Adaptive. It can stereo pair with another A1 (3rd or 2nd Gen).
Why we picked it
What Hi-Fi? scores its build five out of five and praises its clear, cohesive mid-range. Expert Reviews calls the sound refined and detailed. Both say rivals give more for less. Expert Reviews says it lacks bass depth next to the Flip 7, and both note the third generation drops Alexa and doesn't support Auracast.
Best for: People who want a speaker that looks as good on a shelf as it does in a bag, and Android users with aptX Adaptive
Skip it if: You want the most bass and volume for your money; JBL's Flip 7 and Charge 6 offer more for less.
| Battery | About 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Water and dust | IP67 |
| Weight | 576 g |
| Pairing | Stereo pair with another A1 (3rd or 2nd Gen) |
Retailer links coming soon.
How we chose
We started with the portable speakers that What Hi-Fi? and Expert Reviews rate most highly in 2026, then added well-reviewed models from TechRadar and T3 to cover the £30 to £300 range. We dropped anything that needs mains power, anything over about £300, and models we couldn’t find on sale new at a UK retailer.
For a speaker you’ll carry around, we weighed sound quality first, then toughness and waterproofing, then battery life. Stereo pairing and multi-speaker features came next, because they decide whether you can add a second speaker later.
JBL takes three places because reviewers rate its 2025 and 2026 range so highly, at very different sizes and prices. We picked the Flip 7 overall because it balances sound, size and toughness best for the money; the Charge 6 is the one to choose if you want more volume and battery.
This guide is based on manufacturer specs and on the reviews listed below. We haven’t tested these speakers ourselves. Prices were checked on the date shown beside each pick, and they move a lot in the run-up to Black Friday.
Sources
- What Hi-Fi?: Best Bluetooth speakers 2026
- Expert Reviews: Best Bluetooth speaker 2026
- What Hi-Fi?: JBL Flip 7 review
- JBL newsroom: JBL unleashes next generation Flip 7 and Charge 6
- Richer Sounds: JBL Flip 7
- John Lewis: JBL Flip 7
- What Hi-Fi?: JBL Go 5 review
- Richer Sounds: JBL Go 5
- Smart Home Sounds: JBL Go 5
- TechRadar: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 review
- T3: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 review
- Ultimate Ears UK: Wonderboom 4
- T3: Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) review
- John Lewis: Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
- TechRadar: Marshall Emberton III review
- T3: Marshall Emberton III review
- Marshall UK: Emberton III
- Smart Home Sounds: Marshall Emberton III
- What Hi-Fi?: JBL Charge 6 review
- TechRadar: JBL Charge 6 review
- Richer Sounds: JBL Charge 6
- What Hi-Fi?: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (3rd Generation) review
- Expert Reviews: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 3rd Gen review
- John Lewis: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (3rd Generation)
FAQs
What does IP67 or IP68 mean for a speaker?
Both mean the speaker is dust-tight and can survive being dunked. Marshall, for example, rates the IP67 Emberton III for up to 30 minutes in 1 m of water. IP68 is a step up, covering longer or deeper immersion as specified by the maker. Every speaker here is fine in the rain or by the pool.
Can I pair two speakers for stereo?
Most can, but usually only with the same or a closely related model. Two Flip 7s or two Charge 6s can play in stereo via JBL's app, two Go 5s pair by tapping them together, and the Wonderboom 4 pairs with a Wonderboom 3 or 4. The Flip 7 and Charge 6 can't link with older JBL speakers such as the Flip 6 or Charge 5.
How much battery life do I really need?
For a day out, 12 hours is plenty. If you're camping or forget to charge, the Marshall Emberton III (rated at more than 32 hours) and JBL Charge 6 (up to 24 hours) are the ones to choose. Battery ratings are usually measured at moderate volume, so expect less if you play loud.
Should I buy now or wait for Black Friday?
Several of these are already well below launch price. The Wonderboom 4 is £49.99 on Ultimate Ears' UK store against a usual £89.99, and John Lewis has the Flip 7 at £99.99. If one of those is the speaker you want, there's little reason to wait.
Last updated 14 Nov 2026.