BEST WIRELESS SPEAKERS: QUICK MENU
The best wireless speakers don’t rely on a physical connection to deliver incredible sound. Instead they stream music using your home’s broadband or Bluetooth. This means you can put a Bluetooth speaker anywhere you want, and you’ll get top-quality sound without the fuss of cables.
All of the top wireless speakers in our guide are also packed with features, including voice control (that means Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri) and support for the best music streaming services. These Bluetooth speakers also have a range of app settings, allowing you to fine-tune your experience.
We’ve spent time testing hundreds of speakers to find the very best wireless speakers for all kinds of music and preferences. We’ve tested all of the best wireless speakers, including simple but punchy Bluetooth portable speakers through to high-end options that have multi-room audio support and built-in Wi-Fi.
If you want the a portable speaker for music on the move, take a look at our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. If it’s a soundbar you’re looking for instead, you’ll find our top picks in our best soundbars guide. Otherwise, whether you’re looking for a simple party speaker or want to put build an impressive multi-room setup, we’ve got a wireless speaker for you.
Becky Scarrott
Becky is a senior TechRadar writer (which she has been assured refers to expertise rather than age) focusing on all things audio. Before joining the team in early 2022, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage.
The quick list
If you want to find out which best wireless speaker is for you in a hurry, you’ll find a roundup of our choices below. You can them jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.
Best wireless speaker for most people
The Era 100 is a big step-up from the Sonos One that claimed the top spot before it. It delivers the same high quality sound but with a wider soundstage in the same compact design.
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Best budget wireless speaker
Apple’s smaller, cheaper version of the HomePod is an impressively smart wireless speaker in an elegant spherical design with top audio performance.
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3. Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin
Best wireless speaker for sound
The Zeppelin lives up to its name with its iconic shape and great sound. It offers broad range and has a smart control app packed with loads of features, making it a perfect speaker.
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Best wireless speaker for multi-room connectivity
This doesn’t only have incredibly expansive sound but great features like access to Sonos’ class-leading multi-room platform with AirPlay 2, plus 3.5mm line in and stereo pairing.
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Best portable wireless speaker
This has been voted as the best Bluetooth speaker for the past two years and for good reasons. It’s a lightweight smart speaker with big sound – what more do you need?
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Best premium stereo wireless speaker
A true audiophile wireless speaker for those that are after luxury high-definition sound. We couldn’t fault this when we tested it and gave it a full five stars across the board.
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Best wireless speaker for design
This stunning crescent-shaped hi-fi system is a luxury Italian speaker that sounds as good as it looks. It has a smart wooden top panel that comes in walnut and graphite colorways.
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Best wireless speaker for spatial audio
The Era 300 completely raises the bar when it comes to spatial audio. Its array of drivers include up- and side-firing speakers that make it comes alive with Dolby Atmos.
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Best wireless speaker if money’s no object
There aren’t many speakers that look and sound as impeccable as the Beolab 8. The only downside? Its astronomical price tag. Regardless, this is in a league of its own.
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The best wireless speakers of 2024
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The best wireless speaker for most people
The Era 100 is the latest offering from the wireless multi-room speaker company and replaces the Sonos One, which we rated as the best wireless speaker option for most people since it came out in 2016.
It also comes with a higher price tag than its predecessor because of the extra premium upgrades that have been made to it. As a result, the Era 100 no longer sits at the mid-tier wireless speaker level but instead has been moved to the more premium end of the spectrum.
And for good reason too. In terms of new features, the Era 100 boasts Bluetooth 5.0, a USB-C port, Ethernet connectivity, two tweeters angled away from each other to create a larger soundstage and a 25% larger woofer that gives it additional bass extension.
It’s basically better than the Sonos One in every way so anyone looking for big, high-quality sound from a small speaker can expect it to remain at the top of this list for some time.
Read the full Sonos Era 100 review
The best budget wireless speaker
For anyone looking to enter the Apple smart ecosystem, or who has an Apple Music subscription, this is the wireless speaker to go for. It’s far cheaper than some might expect, packing mighty sounds and an elegant design for under $100 / £100 / AU$150.
However, if you don’t have an Apple Music subscription, you’re rather limited when it comes to music streaming. You can’t ask the HomePod mini to play anything through Spotify – that can only be enabled through AirPlay, and requires using your phone rather than the simpler method of asking Siri to play tunes with your voice. If there’s a single reason to buy the HomePod mini, it’s the sound quality, which delivered clear treble and smooth mids during our tests.
If you’re wondering about the original Apple HomePod, you can still buy it and Apple still supports it, but it has been discontinued. A new model is rumoured for a 2023 launch.
Read the full Apple HomePod mini review
The best wireless speaker for sound
The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin has had a few iterations, but this model that was released in 2021 is the best yet. The wireless speaker comes with aptX Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect built in – plus you get access to pretty much all the rest of the planet’s stock of music via its clean, tidy and responsive Music control app. There’s support for the Amazon Alexa voice-assistant, too. And the unit is just as good-looking, just as well-made, and just as big as it ever was.
Best of all, it sounds better than ever. On test, there’s no denying its sound separation and soundstage definition. While it isn’t a substitute for an actual pair of stereo speakers, the Zeppelin serves up a wide, well-defined and endlessly engaging sound, no matter the genre of music.
Read the full Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin (2021) review
The best wireless speaker for connectivity
The Sonos Five will look very familiar to anyone who knows their way around Sonos’ 2015 Play:5 Gen. 2, which you can find lower down in this buying guide (or even the 2009 inaugural Sonos Play:5, originally called the S5). Considering the brilliance of Sonos’ innovative, long-standing and highly popular multi-room speaker lineup, that’s no bad thing.
The newer Five is the biggest and most powerful wireless home speaker in Sonos’ range, and it sounds every inch as detailed and musically pleasing as we’ve come to expect from Sonos. This flagship iteration (released in June 2020) adds more memory, snappier processing and a new wireless radio feature. If that doesn’t sound like a huge upgrade, know that the last Play:5 was mightily good to start with – and the new all-white or all-black styling does look slightly sleeker.
The new processor puts to rest any doubts you might have about future compatibility and firmware updates (even though the older Play:5 was already compatible with the company’s S2 platform).
Ultimately, the Five’s powerful and regimented bass clout, undeniably classy audio performance and the Sonos multi-room platform will be all the reason many people need to click ‘buy’ – and we certainly won’t be stopping you.
Read the full Sonos Five review
The best wireless speaker for portability
The Sonos Roam is our favorite pick if you’re looking for a portable Bluetooth wireless speaker. It boasts a powerful sound, rugged design, excellent connectivity features, and smart home control. A bass-heavy audio performance makes it ideal for use outdoors, while a clever Automatic Switching feature means it’s easily used indoors, too – though audiophiles may dislike the overwhelming low frequencies and rhythmic handling.
Following in the footsteps of the Sonos Move, the Sonos Roam comes with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, which means it can work as a portable speaker as well as part of your wider multi-room Sonos system – and with Google Assistant and Alexa onboard, it doubles up as a smart speaker too.
In spite of its (relatively) low price you’re getting a lot for your money here. Its slick design means the Sonos Roam won’t look out of place in your home, while a rugged, waterproof and dustproof build and a decent battery life make it ideal for listening to music outdoors.
Since the launch of the Sonos Roam, the brand has launched the Sonos Roam SL. It lacks a microphone, but otherwise it’s identical to the original Roam in terms of specs and a little cheaper.
Read the full Sonos Roam review
The best premium wireless speaker
Available in a range of chic colors, the LS50 Wireless II speakers build upon the success of LS50 Wireless, which impressed with their detailed sound and connectivity options. And, what we’ve got is the best stereo speakers you can buy today at this price.
With support for Hi-Res Audio, an expansive soundstage, and excellent detail and dexterity, audio quality is nothing short of fantastic. That incredibly well-balanced, detailed, clarified sound may not appeal to bass-heads, but it will to audiophiles. And, it boasts great stereo separation and a wide enough soundstage to truly fill any room.
Add to this a vastly improved app, the ability to adjust the EQ settings, and blissfully easy setup, and you have yourself a pair of stereo speakers that can really do no wrong in our eyes. They’re a little pricey, but they’re well worth the money.
Read the full KEF LS50 Wireless II review
The best looking wireless speaker
Sonus Faber is well-known for its high-priced, luxury hi-fi equipment and its latest product, the Sonus Faber Omnia, is no exception. This is a sleek, sophisticated and fairly big all-in-one system that’s easy-to-use thanks to comprehensive wireless connectivity, with built-in support for the major streaming services, AirPlay, Chromecast, and Roon.
It sports a tactile lacquered wooden surface that lights up as you interact with it. We’ve seen for ourselves how these speakers are made, and we can tell you that plenty of care goes into selecting the wood and sanding it down by hand.
Sonically speaking, it’s exemplary, with a wide soundstage, excellent clarity, and a deep bass response. The Omnia may not sound as detailed as Sonus Faber’s larger speakers, but it will still convey the minutiae of your favorite tracks with aplomb.
If you’re the kind of audiophile who prefers not to mess around with cables, and would like all of your favorite streaming services available at the touch of the button, there are a few wireless speakers that sound as good as the Sonus Faber Omnia.
Read the full Sonus Faber Omnia review
The best wireless speaker for spatial audio
Sonos was generous enough to launch two new wireless speakers to its range in 2023. And out of the two, the Era 300 is the more premium version – we went as far to say in our review that it is on a whole new level when it comes to dispersing sound.
This comes down to the fact that it is the first speaker from Sonos with Dolby Atmos support. Thanks to up- and side-firing speakers, its spatial audio is next-generation. It’s the biggest differential factor out of the two Era offerings and the main reason why we would choose the 300 over the 100.
It’s a very flexible speaker and by far the best if you want to setup a Sonos surround system. You can also access the Sonos app to support AirPlay 2, Bluetooth 5.0, line-in, Hi-Res and (of course) Dolby Atmos. So, if you’re after a high-quality wireless speaker then look no further.
Read the full Sonos Era 300 review
The best wireless speaker if money is no object
The Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 looks just as elegant as it sounds. Its only real downside? The eye-wateringly high price tag that comes attached to it. While the Danish audio brand is known for making high-end audio gear, the Beolab 8 is certainly the epitome of its expensive reputation, costing $2,749 / £2,199 / AU$4,499 for a single speaker.
You do get a lot for what you pay for though. In terms of connectivity, there’s dual-band Wi-Fi alongside Bluetooth 5.3, including AirPlay, Chromecast as well as Spotify and Tidal Connect. It also packs a DAC that can support 24bit/192kHz for hi-res audio. Using B&O’s Mozart platform, you can pair several Beolab 8 speakers together and use the control app to calibrate them to your environment.
From the top all the way through the mids and low end of the frequency range, the Beolab 8 delivers an expansive, energetic and exciting sound quality. In our review, we said that “there’s an articulacy to the way the Bang & Olufsen handles the midrange that’s by no means a given in any speaker – even one as optimistically priced as this one”.
There are also plenty of ways to install the speaker into your stereo or home theater setup. No matter whether you’d prefer the table, wall bracket or floor stand, there’s a lot of flexibility on offer to show off this elegant looking speaker. Does this all justify its high price tag? That comes down to what you value most. If its the best possible build and sound quality then this hits the brief and some.
Read the full Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 review
How to choose the best wireless speaker
How to choose the best wireless speaker for you
It’s not easy when the market is awash with wireless, cubes, oblongs, teardrops cylinders and cushions all claiming to be the best, is it? If casting music from your phone or any other Bluetooth device is important to you, a Wi-Fi only connection (even if it uses Apple AirPlay 2) may not be sufficient.
But when it comes to picking a new wireless speaker for your home, room-filling sound is key, so look for models that feature 360-degree grilles and disperse audio at all angles. If it’s true audio fidelity you’re after, opt for trusted brands such as Sonos, Bowers & Wilkins and KEF – speakers from these companies are always likely to sound brilliant.
If you have an iPhone or an iPad, it might also be worth checking out the best AirPlay speakers, which allow you to stream music, podcasts or audiobooks directly from your devices to your speaker. That means room-filling sound from your phone without the need for a more complex entertainment set-up. With so many fantastic home wireless speakers on the market right now, we’ve selected and ranked only the best ones to include in this buying guide.
What are the best wireless speaker brands to look out for?
It really depends on what kind of speaker you’re after. If you want multi-room connectivity and excellent sound, look for home speakers from Sonos.
Need a smart speaker? Check out models in the Google Nest and Amazon Echo ranges (and if you’re a Siri user, Apple). Bear in mind though, you’re not stuck with these brands if you need a voice assistant, as many third-party speakers come with Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility.
If it’s pure audio fidelity you’re after, brands like KEF, Naim, and Devialet are worth looking into. And, for portability, check out the likes of JBL, Ultimate Ears, Bose, and Urbanista.
How we test the best wireless speakers
How we test wireless speakers
At TechRadar we get our hands on many wireless speakers throughout the year, which means we know which features and specs to look for – and we know that the best ones can sound just as good as a traditional stereo speaker system if you treat them right.
It’s important for us to compare the performance of these speakers against the specs claimed by their manufacturers, so we take the time to make sure the claims are legit.
We make sure to test a speaker against its chief competitors for sound and features, such as multi-room compatibility and app support, so you can be sure that the product is the best if we say it is. We live with these speakers in our homes to make sure that their performances are consistent, and we don’t finalize our testing until we are certain of the sound quality.
We test the audio performance using a range of musical genres and stream from various sources, to ensure that these speakers can handle everything from thumping dance tracks to softly-spoken podcasts.
After years testing all of the latest audio tech, we are truly confident that our star-rated reviews are the best indication of the quality of the wireless speakers in this list. There are no sales teams involved in our verdicts, which means if we don’t like it for sound, design, usability and features, we simply won’t recommend it here.
The latest updates to this best wireless speakers guide
February 13, 2024
Added the Bang & Olufsen Beolab 8 as the best money no object wireless speaker you can buy and reviewed current rankings against available models.
December 13, 2023
Checked rankings against recent reviews and made some small copy enhancements throughout the guide to make sure nothing was out of date.
September, 6 2023
While no new reviews are in yet, we decided to remove the Marshall Stanmore due to it being succeeded by second and third generation models.
July 18, 2023
Introduced a new quick list navigation, lead image and reordered list, adding in Sonos’ new Era 100 and Era 300 speakers.
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