NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF/CONSUMER REPORTS) — Who doesn’t love listening to some good tunes while relaxing at the beach or the pool? The best sound starts with the right portable speaker — and that speaker needs to stand up to the occasional splash of water.
That’s where Consumer Reports comes in with some great suggestions for Bluetooth speakers you can take just about anywhere — without breaking the bank.
No matter what you're listening to, Consumer Reports has you covered with speakers you can take wherever you go.
"These speakers were selected because they were small, relatively small, fun and can survive exposure to some of the elements," said Elias Arias with Consumer Reports.
Many of them have rugged exteriors that can hold up to being tossed in a beach bag — like the Bose SoundLink Color II. Consumer Reports' experts say it shines in all the right places.
"It’s good for sound. It’s very easy to use and it’s got decent versatility," Arias said.
Several recommended models share a cylindrical shape that can fit easily in your backpack, including in its side water bottle pouch. Like the Sony SRS-XB23 and the JBL Flip 5. They’re both Consumer Reports' Best Buys that sound good and are really easy to use.
For a little more, there’s also the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. It gets solid scores across the board and Consumer Reports says it’s loud enough to fill a medium to a large room.
If you’re looking for something smaller, more portable, and less expensive, look no further than the JBL Clip 4. Although it’s not an official Consumer Reports-recommended model because its sound quality is lacking, testers say it’s good enough for podcasts or other casual listening.
"It has its own carabiner that allows you to hook it on to just about anything that has a loop or a latch or any place that you wanna hook it on," Arias said.
A reminder about most Bluetooth speakers: you have to keep the music source, your smartphone for example, within about 30 feet of the speaker otherwise the Bluetooth signal fades.
