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Holiday Gift Guide 2023: Best Bluetooth, Portable Speakers

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Christmas is around the corner, and what better gift to give a loved one than an amazing Bluetooth speaker? Why not blast Mariah Carey’s “All I Need For Christmas Is You” while opening up your presents? That’s what Christmas is all about! And providing a list of the best gifts to buy is what Android Headlines is all about. Here’s a list of some of the best Bluetooth speakers you can buy for this holiday season.

This list is categorized to focus on speakers with certain standout qualities. They represent some of the best for these qualities, and we’re sure that you’re going to agree. What are you looking for high-quality audio, affordability, or a balance in between, this list should keep you covered. So, let’s Dive In!

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Best affordable Bluetooth speaker: Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker

Anker Soundcore Bluetooth

The price is low with this speaker, but the quality is high!

So, you want a nice portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn’t break the bank. However, you also want an affordable Bluetooth speaker that sounds good. Well, Anker might have the right speaker for you. The Anker SoundCore Bluetooth speaker is a pretty decent-quality device that covers the basics. First and foremost, it has a nice and full sound that you can use both indoors and Outdoors. The sound is loud and Punchy with some nice bass to help augment your listening experience.

The Anker SoundCore Bluetooth speaker comes with a set of very loud drivers so that you can fill an entire room with sound in case you have a get-together or you just want some casual listening. No matter what genre of music you listen to, the audio will sound great. Anker tuned these drivers to sound great in just about any scenario.

If longevity is one of your worries, don’t worry. This speaker is ready to last up to 24 hours on a single charge. That’s more than enough for any party, get-together, or work session you’ll be involved in. If you’re a casual listener, then you won’t have to worry about recharging this speaker for several days.

Not only is the sound powerful, but the speaker itself is sturdy. This is a resilient speaker that was built to survive the elements. It has an IPX5 water resistance rating. This means that it will survive if caught in a rainstorm. You’ll just want to be sure not to take it around seawater or pool water. Also, you do not want to completely submerge the speaker.

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If you’re a person just looking for a device without having to spend all of your Christmas money, then this speaker is the way to go.

Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker - Amazon

Honorary Mention: OontZ Solo Bluetooth Speaker

OontZ Solo Bluetooth

The speaker is small, the price is small, the sound is BIG

This is the speaker to get if you are planning on carrying it around with you. It costs just as much as other affordable speakers, but it has nice audio quality for its price. There’s a lot of power packed in that small body, and you’ll be able to use it for different scenarios. It has a strap on it that you can wrap around your wrist or tie to your bag. This is the kind of speaker to get if you’re going to be taking it out with you everywhere you go.

As portable as the OontZ Solo is, you should expect some punchy and juicy audio from it. While the body is small, it’s packed to the brim with some powerful drivers that are perfect for both indoor and outdoor listening. The sound radiates at an angle, so you’ll be able to hear the audio clearly no matter where it’s placed. You can even place a speaker on the ground, and you’ll hear it perfectly clearly. This efficient design only adds to the audio experience.

All of the control buttons are conveniently placed on the side of the speaker. You have your volume up, volume down, play/pause, and Bluetooth pairing button all on the side. This makes controlling your music extremely easy in case you need to skip a track or adjust the volume.

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If you’re planning on having an extended listening experience, you should have no worries about battery power. This speaker has an impressive 10 hours of battery life on a single charge. So, you can expect to turn on this speaker and have it last through your entire listening session. It’s a great device to have if you want an affordable speaker with some great features.

OontZ Solo Bluetooth Speaker - Amazon

Most portable speaker: Edifier MP100 Plus

Edifier MP100 Plus 8

You won’t be sacrificing power for portability with this speaker

Edifier is a company that knows its way around a speaker, and the MP100 Plus is an example of that. I reviewed this device myself, and I experienced how great it is. If you’re looking for a powerful yet portable speaker, then this is definitely one to look at.

The Edifier MP100 Plus comes with a sturdy body that can help it survive the elements. We’re talking about getting caught in the rain, drops, or any other mishaps. The entire speaker is made from high-quality and sturdy materials, and there’s a thick flap over the charging port. When you pick up this speaker, you will instantly be able to tell that it’s crafted with high-quality materials. This means that it will last you a long time.

At only $59.99, the speaker is an incredible deal. Not only because of the portability but because of its sound as well. There’s a surprising amount of depth and bass with this speaker. You can listen to pretty much any genre of music from classical to modern pop and have an incredible listening experience. The audio is so well-balanced that everything just sounds amazing.

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The sound is not only well-balanced, but it is also very punchy. There’s a ton of power hidden within this speaker, and it means that it’ll be able to completely fill a room with sound. It might not be as good for get-togethers as larger speakers, but it will serve you just fine. Also, it’s a great speaker to take with you if you are going out. There’s a loop on the top of the MP100 to latch onto your bag. This is a great all-around Speaker that will definitely surprise you with how amazing it is.

Edifier MP100 Plus - Amazon

  Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker

Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker

Combining premium sound and portability

You want a portable Bluetooth speaker that you can take anywhere and has amazing sound quality. Those two traits rarely ever meet up, but it happens. The Bose SoundLink Micro is a speaker that represents both portability and premium sound. It’s a high-quality device that can be taken anywhere with you and has the quality audio that you will want to hear on your hiking trip.

What makes the speaker so great it’s just how portable it is. Obviously, it’s small enough for you to carry in your hand, but you can also attach it to your backpack or to your bike handlebars. It’s that lightweight but it won’t disrupt whatever it’s attached to. So, if you are on your hiking trip, all you have to do is clip it to your bag and have both of your hands free. It only weighs .64 lb, and it’s 3.9in by 3.9in. You’ll have no issue carrying this around with you wherever you go.

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It’s portable, but that’s not the only reason why you want to take it outside. The Bose SoundLink Micro is also very resilient. Starting off, it has an IP67 water and dust resistance rating. This means that is protected from most solids that will come in contact with it and it could be submerged in 3ft of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. So, if you happen to get it wet, you won’t have to worry.

Also, it’s made from tough materials including a rubberized silicone exterior. It was this drops dents cracks and scratches. This makes it perfect for taking outside on your hiking trips. It’s a premium device, but it’s also sturdy enough to be taken where premium devices don’t belong.

Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker - Amazon

Best light-up speaker: TG Portable Bluetooth Speaker with LED

TG Portable Bluetooth Speaker with LED

A great speaker to listen to and look at

There are people who want to have their listening experience also be a visual one. This is why most companies hook their speakers up with flashing LED lights. These flash and pulsate along with the music and they add more life to your listening experience. A great speaker to consider is the T&G Lightning. This is a speaker that promises a great audio experience with a fantastic viewing experience to boot.

Starting off with the speaker itself, it’s a moderately sized device, so you’ll be able to comfortably fit it on your desk, table, or backpack. It’s lightweight enough to be carried around without weighing you down. It’s the kind of speaker that can be taken with you out on your hiking trip or to the beach party with you.

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You’re going to have a fantastic listing experience with this speaker. It comes with Hi-Fi audio that sounds amazing to the listener. You’re getting a well-balanced sound that sounds great with several different genres of music. The speaker is small, but it can still produce a big and powerful sound.

Along with the great sound, the T&G Lightning can also withstand the elements. It has an IP water and dust resistance rating, which means that it can survive a rain storm or take a dip in freshwater.

The main feature of the speaker is the collection of LED lights that can be customized via the companion app. You can control how the lights interact with the sound,  the colors, brightness, Etc. It gives you a truly customizable experience to tweak exactly how you want the colors to interact.  this is probably one of the prettiest speakers you’ll be able to find on the market, and the price makes it worth it.

TG Portable Bluetooth Speaker with LED - Amazon

Honorary Mention: MEGUO Bluetooth Speaker

MEGUO Bluetooth Speaker

Combining a sleek design and pretty lights

If you’re looking for a speaker with lights, but you want them to be a bit more subtle, then you may want to look into the Meguo Bluetooth speaker. Rather than completely lighting up, there’s actually an LED strip around the trim of the speaker Grill. This lights up, giving the speaker a nice colored accent. Overall, this is a very portable and pretty sleek speaker, and the subtle Elite strip only accents the overall aesthetic.  So, the speaker is for people who only want a subtle pop of color.

This speaker, while it can remain on your desk, is meant to be taken with you wherever you go. It’s a travel speaker, so it can survive the elements if you decide to go out into nature. If you get caught in a rain storm, its IP water and dust resistance rating will ensure that it’s safe. Also, the highly rugged body is well suited to survive drops and being thrown into bags. So, don’t be afraid to take it with you  On your next trip.

As for the audio experience, this speaker has a set of very powerful drivers that will give you an immensely powerful and bass-heavy sound. It’s the kind of speaker that’s meant for parties and get-togethers. You don’t want to set up a complicated speaker system; just take this baby out of your backpack, and crank up the volume. Along with the drivers, there is an embedded passive radiator to help distribute the base.

The LED strip will light up around the trim, giving the speaker a nice look to it. The Meguo Bluetooth speaker comes in four colors: Black, Beige, Teal Green, and Lightblack (which is just a very dark gray). Along with that, this is a very affordable speaker that comes in at only $19.99.

MEGUO Bluetooth Speaker - Amazon

Best water-resistance speaker: NOTABRICK Bluetooth Speaker

NOTABRICK Bluetooth Speaker 

Here’s a speaker that you don’t have to worry about getting wet.

Accidents happen, and sometimes, your devices are what pay the price. Having water spill on a device is never fun, and it can be horrible if it’s a Christmas present. However, several companies give their speakers water resistance. This means that if they get sprayed with water, they will continue to operate perfectly fine. This is the case with the NOTABRICK Bluetooth speaker. This is a small yet powerful speaker that has an IPX6 water resistance rating.

It’s a very pocketable Bluetooth speaker that can be used all around the house and outside of it. It can produce a powerful 15W signal, which means that you’ll be able to hear it clearly in most conditions. It can project a full 360° sound because of its design, so you’ll be able to listen to it no matter what angle it’s pointing at. The sound it produces is crisp, clean, and full of bass.

If you want to use this speaker while you’re in the shower or out in the rain, you can do so. The IPX6 water resistance rating means that it can be sprayed with different jets of water and rained on without any water ingress whatsoever. So, if you’re having a get-together with your friends, and it starts to rain, your speaker will be safe. You just can’t submerge it in water completely.

This is an easy-to-use speaker with all of the buttons clearly marked on the top. You have your power button in the middle with the volume up, volume down, play/pause, and Bluetooth pairing buttons up top. So, this is a very powerful, versatile, and easy-to-use speaker that covers the basics and provides you with a great audio experience. What more could you ask for?

NOTABRICK Bluetooth Speaker - Amazon

Honorary Mention: XLeader Shower Speaker

XLeader Shower Speaker jpg copy

Why not jam out to tunes in the shower?

When you’re in the shower, sometimes, you don’t want to hear the monotonous drone of the water sprinkling down on you. Sometimes, you want to hear some music or maybe a podcast. However, speakers don’t typically allow you to bring them close to your shower for fear of damaging them. This is where the XLeader Upgraded shower Speaker comes in. This is a speaker that’s specifically designed to be put in your shower.

What makes this speaker unique is the suction cup on the bottom. You’re meant to place it directly in your Shower on one of the tiles. You’ll place the speaker on the wall, and all of the buttons and controls are facing you. So, you can easily access them when you need to change your track or adjust the volume. The speaker is meant to protect sound directly towards you, so it doesn’t get drowned out by the sound of your shower.

The sound itself is tuned to be able to overpower your shower, so you’ll be able to hear everything even with the water rushing over your head. So, you won’t have to worry about not being able to hear your music.

This speaker has IPX7 water resistance, and that makes it perfect for use in your shower. It’s more than capable of surviving water being sprayed on it from your shower head. Also, in the case that it accidentally falls into your shower, it still will not get damaged. It’s actually able to be submerged in up to 3 ft of freshwater for 30 minutes. So, a brief fall in the shower will not affect that at all. Once you start using this speaker, it will eliminate the need for you to start singing in your shower just to pass the time.

XLeader Shower Speaker - Amazon

Most stylish: Konex audio Vintage Bluetooth Speaker

Konex audio Vintage Bluetooth Speaker

The perfect gift for your nostalgic loved ones

You either miss the good old days, or you just love the aesthetic. There are certain speakers for people who like the vintage look of older speakers. We’re talking about speakers from the 1960s and 1970s. These all had a unique look to them, and certain companies replicated this look for modern audiences. This is exactly what Konex did with its vintage leather portable speaker. This is a speaker that’s modeled after speakers from decades ago.

It’s evident what style this speaker is going for, and it nailed it. This is a rather large speaker, but it is still very portable. It has the blocky design reminiscent of the time speakers like these came out and with knobs on the top to control your music. The knobs on the top are modeled after the kind of knobs you would find on old radios like these. So, Konex was really focused on the details, and the company delivered.

The speaker delivers a powerful 40W output, so this is the speaker that will more than be able to fill a room with sound. You can easily use it as your main speaker for a friendly house party or a casual hangout session. The sound is not only powerful, but it’s also very deep and rich. The large drivers were tuned specifically to give a nice, warm, and supported sound. So, you’ll also want to use this as your personal speaker just sitting by your bedside.

Along with the design pictured above, there’s also a boxy wooden design that is also reminiscent of older speakers. So, if you are more in love with a wood aesthetic, then you should consider getting that one. It’s the same price as the one pictured above. These aren’t only speakers, they’re pieces of decoration.

Konex audio Vintage Bluetooth Speaker - Amazon

Honorary Mention: AIWA Exos 5 Wireless Speaker

AIWA Exos 5 Wireless Speaker

A nice and futuristic-looking Bluetooth speaker

This is one of the most aesthetically pleasing speakers on the list because of its sleek and futuristic look. Not only that, but this speaker is also a Bluetooth media hub with all the controls you would need to have a great listening experience. It’s a fully featured speaker and it’s definitely the gift to give a loved one if they really love listening to music and having ultimate control.

The AIWA Exos 5 Wireless Speaker has a significant size, and that means large drivers deliver a powerful and full sound throughout the room. This is definitely the speaker to buy if you are having people over for a party or a friendly get-together. On top of the speaker, you have all of your main controls. You have the power skip track, tuning, menu, back, radio settings, and Bluetooth settings buttons.

So, you have access to all of your controls on the speaker itself, however, it comes with an included remote control.  That’s neat if you want to be able to control this speaker from a distance. It has all the buttons that you will find at the top plus a few more.

The AIWA Exos 5 Wireless Speaker has a nice and futuristic look to it. It’s a knob on the top that has a little blue ring that lights up. Also, there’s a small LCD display on the front of the device. This is all encased in a black and sleek-looking chassis that’s both smooth and angular. It’s a speaker that looks great sitting on your shelf or desk.

AIWA Exos 5 Wireless Speaker - Amazon