Summer is the time of year when everyone wants to be outdoors, and that’s the time when wireless speakers shine.
Whether sitting on the deck enjoying a frosty beverage, playing frisbee in the park, soaking up the sun on the beach or grilling in the back yard, music makes a good thing better.
The days of suitcase-sized portable radios that require a dozen D-Cell batteries are long gone (thank goodness). Today’s best wireless speakers stream music from your smartphone, run for hours on a single charge of their built-in battery and offer excellent audio performance in an impressively compact package.
Here are my picks for five wireless speakers that deserve a place pumping out the jams at your next summer bash.
Don’t forget the other editions in our summer gadget guide, including the best portable grills.
Best Wireless Speakers: Beats Pill 2.0
Apple (AAPL) got more out of its Beats Electronics purchase than the foundation for Apple Music and a line of popular headphones.
It also got Beats wireless speakers, and the Beats Pill 2.0 is a pretty decent option as far as portable speakers go, especially if you’re willing to fork out an extra $200 for a second one.
The Beats Pill 2.0 is a 7.5 inch pill shape with four drivers and a premium-looking metal grill, available in a range of colors. Connectivity is via Bluetooth or AUX input, battery life is rated at seven hours, and you can use its USB charge port to recharge your smartphone (although that obviously cuts the playback time).
Sound isn’t quite on par with other wireless speakers in the $200 range, but the Beats Pill 2.0 has a nifty trick: tap two of these together and they pair, with one becoming the left channel and the other the right. That makes for a degree of stereo separation few others can match, although the price tag is then pushed to $400.
If you buy into the Beats name and rock the Beats headphones, you probably wouldn’t consider any other portable speakers, anyway.
Best Wireless Speakers: House of Marley Roots Rock
I have a soft spot for House of Marley gear.
The distinctive bamboo and cloth look makes this company’s products stand out visually in a crown of shiny black plastic rectangles. The emphasis on environmental sustainability also resonates, and the stuff just plain sounds good.
I reviewed the House of Marley Roots Rock a few years back, and I still think this is one of the best wireless speakers in the $200 range.
For $220, you get dual 4-inch speakers, dual 1-inch tweeters (the speaker mix has changed since that review unit, and the move to 4-inch drivers should offer more serious bass), Bluetooth streaming, 5-6 hours on a charge (at high volume), and a cool bamboo-trimmed cloth case with built-in carrying strap, smartphone pocket and stand.
Best Wireless Speakers: UE BOOM
The UE BOOM from Ultimate Ears is a repeated mention when discussing the best wireless speakers, and with good reason.
Like the Beats Pill 2.0, you can pair two UE BOOM portable speakers to double the sound and gain a better stereo effect. And, while the UE BOOM is in a somewhat similar shape to the Beats Pill and is a similar size (at 7.1-inches long), the resemblance stops there.
The UE BOOM packs four speakers (two 1.5-inch drivers and two 2-inch passive radiators) inside its cylindrical enclosure, but stand the UE BOOM on-end and the sound is dispersed in 360 degrees.
Battery life is an amazing 15 hours and the UE BOOM is also IPX7-rated waterproof, making it perfect for streaming tunes on the beach.
Best Wireless Speakers: JBL Pulse
Currently owned by Harman International (HAR), JBL has been designing high-quality audio gear since 1946.
In the pre-wireless days, JBL portable speakers were my go-to for camping and back yard get-togethers. Those sounded great, but they have nothing on the JBL Pulse, a $200 Bluetooth speaker that will be a no-brainer for EDM fans and nighttime entertaining.
Power isn’t going to match something like the Marley Roots Rock, but there are a pair of high-performance 6-Watt drivers with a bass port to keep the music pumping, and 10-hour battery life to make sure it doesn’t stop.
But, what really sets the JBL Pulse apart from other wireless speakers are the 64 built-in LEDs, with customized light patterns. You don’t just hear the music with the Pulse, you see it, too.
Best Wireless Speakers: Monster SuperStar Bluetooth Speaker
The other wireless speakers in this series have been in the $200 range, which is the sweet spot for these things.
You could spend a lot more, but then you’d be worried about beer slopping on your speaker, or someone setting a hamburger on it, and who needs that?
The options below this price range tend to have trouble being heard above a crowd (especially outdoors), or suffer from tinny sound.
But, if you’re on a budget, the SuperStar portable speaker from Monster Audio is a good option.
It may not quite live up to its billing as providing “audiophile” quality sound, but it’s pretty good — much better than most speakers in its class and many that are more expensive. It has two drivers and dual bass radiators that really work hard. The rechargeable battery only goes for five hours or so, but the SuperStar is small enough to slip in a pocket. The rubberized case doesn’t just look good, it’s also water-resistant.
Best of all, the Monster SuperStar retails for just $100, and you can pick one up on Amazon (AMZN) for 75 bucks.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
