Esquire Editor's 4 Favorite Bluetooth Speakers

• Distinct black and brass Marshall look
• Strap makes it easy to attach to backpacks and bikes
• Built-in mic in case you get a phone call

• Bass can still be lacking

If you want a compact Bluetooth speaker that still packs a wallop, the Willen II is our first recommendation. It not only has that gorgeous Marshall black and brass look (like a tiny amp), but also sports a built-in microphone. This way if you get a phone call in the middle of your jam session, you don't actually have to know where your phone is to answer. Pretty useful, actually.

On an audio level, this speaker punches above its weight class. The sound is fully-rounded, leaning towards preferring the highs and mids of rock music to bass-y rap lows. To put it another way, it will get loud enough for a shower, but isn't the right pick for a pool party.

• Wi-Fi and Alexa compatible
• Sounds good laid on its side or upright
• Can connect with other Sonos speakers for more oomph

• Not the greatest battery life

When it comes to smart speakers, Sonos is our go-to brand. Its speakers have a full, vibrant sound, can be controlled with your voice via Alexa or other smart assistants, and can hook up with its Sonos brothers and sisters to expand your soundscape. All compelling stuff that Sonos makes easy to set up. If you just want basic Bluetooth connection, it's easy to get away with that. But for more in depth features, the Sonos app is required. Of all the required download audio apps we've tried, it's thankfully been one of the better ones.

While it's technically built for outdoor listening in both its water and dust resistance and volume, the Roam 2 is more of an indoor speaker in our book. Not only are your sacrificing some of its coolest features by going off Wi-Fi, compared to the others in this list the battery life on this speaker is the weakest.

• Fully rounded sound, both on the highs and lows
• Amazing battery life
• Detachable handle strap
• Can charge your phone or any small USB-C device

• No USB-C cable in the box

I've gone on the record loving JBL products, and the brand new Charge 6 Bluetooth speaker is an exercise in continued excellence. Something we know a thing or two about here at Esquire. Music is thumping and podcasts are clear when I listen with this speaker. It comes with a small, and easy to attach, carrying strap, perfect for portability. And with a dust and water resistance rating of IP68, it's the most waterproof speaker on this list, making it the best for enjoying summer's bounty.

Battery wise, this speaker is our clear winner. Which makes sense, because the Charge speakers can also be used as a power source for your USB-C compatible phone (or other device of a similar voltage). It's a great emergency option if you need a little extra juice before Google Maps-ing your way home from the beach.

That being said, JBL commits a grade-A packaging sin. The Charge 6 (the speaker that charges) doesn't come with a charging cable. Do I already have a million USB-Cs? Sure, but this is going to be someone's first USB-C speaker.

• True subwoofer bass
• Loud enough to be used indoors and out
• Supports Airplay, Spotify Connect, and more direct streaming

• Bulky charging cable and brick
• Expensive and only connects to other Brane X speakers

If you ever get the privilege of attending an Esquire happy hour—an especially rowdy one—you'll know how fucking loud this group of editors can get. The Brane X is the speaker that's been able to cut through our incessant clinking and chatting. This is mostly due to its built-in subwoofer. While not quite as booming as a standalone subwoofer, the internal sub's unique design allows it to sound (and feel) louder than any other non-party speaker I've tried.

It can also operate stationary, plugged into a power source. Good for when you want to keep the party going all night, just make sure you are connected to a secure power source. The brick and power cable are quite large and this sucker requires a good deal of juice to stay charged.

With Bluetooth speakers, linking devices is becoming a major trend. Buyers want to be able to connect their devices together and build a smart speaker collection. The Brane X offers this functionality, but thus far this is the only product Brane Audio makes. So, if you want to sync it up with another speaker, you'll have to drop another 500 bucks.

Our testing didn't end there. For this post, we tried a handful of other Bluetooth speakers, but that doesn't even touch on the total number of ones we've used. Of that number (in the dozens), here are the three we loved.

• A great value
• The clip winds up being very useful
• Good water resistance

• We kinda prefer the clip on the 4

Last year we endorsed the Clip 5 as our go-to shower speaker. Truth be told it still is. Not only is it one of the best values (if you are strapped and just want something cheap, easy, and still very good sounding, here ya go), but that clip comes in handy more often than you might think. Even just around the house, clipping my JBL to chairs and towel racks makes it so I won't ever knock the thing over. As far as mini speakers go, this is up there with the Willen II.

• Hit the Ult button for an immediate bass boost
• Quick, one button connect with any other Sony speaker supporting Party Connect
• Shoulder strap for easy carry

• Ult mode can be a killer on that (otherwise excellent) battery life

This is an alternative to the JBL Charge 6 that I honestly like just as much. It has everything the Charge 6 does (a strap, the ability to charge other devices) plus it actually comes with a charging cable. What this speaker does that JBL doesn't offer is a single button press to go from chill hang mode to full on party time. The signature Ult button on the Ult Field 3 (and its larger cousin the Ult Field 5) boosts the bass and volume and is the ideal listening mode. Only downside is it cuts into the battery life in a big way.

• Rich, deep sound
• Options for wired connections
• Easy to sync two for the perfect bookshelf speaker pair

• Needs to be plugged into power
• No water resistance

If you love the smart features of the Sonos Roam, the Era 100 has all that, and it's a better speaker. It's got real heft to the bass this time and can just get much louder than the Roam 2 without the sound quality suffering. Esquire Commerce Editor and Sonos expert Luke Guillory says for most people, the ideal modern bookshelf speaker pair is a set of Era 100s.

At Esquire, we compile our guides by performing heavy research and testing, and the gadgets we choose to award are what we'd spend our own money on. It's the only way to operate, as far as we're concerned. When it comes to these Bluetooth speakers selections, each has been put through hours of indoor and outdoor testing by either myself or my fellow editor Luke Guillory.