(Image credit: Future)

Few gadgets offer as much fun as the humble Bluetooth speaker – these portable gadgets let you take your music (or podcasts or audiobooks) anywhere you like, whether you're chilling in the bedroom, dancing on the patio, or having a picnic on the beach.

We all know the criteria for the best Bluetooth speakers as well. These speakers need to be able to pump out top-quality sound at respectable volumes, while also being well engineered enough that audio playback doesn't completely destroy battery life.

Aesthetics that are easy on the eye always help, of course, and all those considerations have fed into these picks for the best Bluetooth speaker that money can buy. If you're looking to invest, one of these options should suit you nicely.

Best durability

JBL Xtreme 4

The whole point of a portable Bluetooth speaker is that you can take it on your travels with you, so you don't want to be worried about splashing one of these gadgets or putting it down on a table that you might not be able to eat your dinner off. With a rugged design and an IP67 rating, the JBL Xtreme 4 will survive sandy beaches and sudden downpours.

As our JBL Xtreme 4 review explains, there's much more to it than its durability and waterproofing, though. This is a speaker that pumps out a serious level of sound, and can be relied upon to deliver a top-notch audio experience – "loud enough for bustling parties, yet refined enough for solo listening" as per our review.

With 24 hours of battery life, support for the Auracast standard (so you can combine it with other speakers too), and even a bottle opener on the strap, this is a versatile and capable Bluetooth speaker that we're happy to recommend. It is a little on the hefty side, but that also means more oomph for your audio (and it does come with a shoulder strap).

Best for most people

Bose SoundLink Flex

This gets our vote as the best Bluetooth speaker for most people – if you want a device that ticks all the boxes and does everything well – and our Bose SoundLink Flex review gives you some idea why. In that review, we described it as "undeniably more refined" than its immediate predecessor, offering "clean" and "balanced" sound on demand.

We, of course, know that Bose has a long and storied history when it comes to audio products, and the second-generation SoundLink Flex does nothing to harm that reputation. It can connect to multiple devices simultaneously, and via the companion app you can easily tweak the audio output as needed.

This is a speaker that's really well designed, too, while also being durable, and it's nice and compact at the same time. The Bose SoundLink Flex will particularly appeal to those who don't want to spend too much on their Bluetooth speaker – it's hardly bargain basement territory, but it's competitively priced compared to its rivals.

Best sound quality

Bang & Olufsen A1

The Bang & Olufsen A1 scores highly in a variety of different categories, but we're particularly impressed with its overall sound quality. In our Bang & Olufsen A1 review, we described the Bluetooth speaker as offering "major sound" that's "a level beyond its scale", so you really won't be disappointed when you hit the play button.

There's lots more to talk about besides the sound quality: just look at the design of this little speaker, for example. It's a gorgeous gadget, and one that you're not going to be embarrassed to pull out at parties and picnics. It's not as rugged as some other options, though, so you'll need to treat it with a bit more care.

Add in superb battery life, and it's a really difficult Bluetooth speaker to beat – even in a market as crowded as this one. At the size of a CD (only significantly thicker), it can pretty much go anywhere too, and there's a neat carry handle as well, if you want to tie it to something (like the outside of a rucksack).

Verdict

There's something for everyone in the selection above, even though there are only three speakers in the list: whether you want something durable, compact, or relatively cheap, there's a gadget that's going to match. If you just want one speaker that will do everything well, then the Bose SoundLink Flex is a perfect pick.

However, the other two options are brilliant as well. Go for the JBL Xtreme 4 if you want a speaker you can take anywhere – really anywhere – without worrying, and don't mind a bit of extra bulk. Alternatively, pick the Bang & Olufsen A1 if you need something significantly smaller and appreciate a speaker with style.