5 Bluetooth speakers that sound great and look stylish
Music is pretty much everywhere these days. With the rise of streaming services, including Apple Music, iPhone and iPad users have millions of songs and album choices at their fingertips.
And while a nice set of headphones, or even the built-in speaker of your iOS device, might be good enough for many situations, there are times where a Bluetooth speaker comes in handy.
While there are wireless speakers in every price range, not everyone needs the biggest and most expensive option. With that in mind, we’re highlighting five options that cost less than $100, offer great sound, and are stylish as well.
A truly portable option
JBL Clip+, $49.99
We’ll start with an option that’s truly portable. JBL’s Clip+ is highlighted by a built-in carabiner, allowing music lovers to attach the speaker pretty much anywhere including to clothes, a backpack, purse, and more.
The rechargeable battery offers up to five hours of music playback on a single charge. And this little dynamo is even water resistant, so it can easily handle being splashed with water – just don’t submerge it. Along with an aux-in port that allows you to plug in other wired audio devices, the microphone takes and places handsfree calls with the iOS device. While this Clip+ certainly won’t deliver room-filling sound, it’s a great choice for someone needing a little more power than the iPhone’s tiny speaker can provide.
Available in a wide variety of colors – black, blue, gray, orange, red, green, yellow, and pink – the Clip+ can be purchased for $49.99.
Let it roll
UE Roll, $99.99
While one of our all-time favorite Bluetooth speakers here at AppAdvice – the UE Boom – will set you back nearly $200, Ultimate Ears has recently unveiled a more budget-friendly option with the unique UE Roll. Shaped like a small saucer, the aptly named Roll can send out sound in all directions with a 2-inch driver and two ¾-inch tweeters.
Like other speakers from the company, its waterproof shell can easily fend off the occasional splash or rainstorm. It’s also designed to resist stains and mud, which makes it a perfect outdoor companion. UE also includes a strap and bungee cord so the speaker can be clipped to a backpack or swimsuit.
With the companion UE Roll app, which is available to download now for free, you can use two speakers to create a stereo experience, adjust the customizable five-band equalizer, set an alarm, and more.
The speaker’s battery can last for up to nine hours, and it has up to a 65-foot wireless Bluetooth range – which is the best among any speaker in our list.
You can snag the Roll, available in a number of color options, for $99.99.
Say cheese
Divoom Bluetooth Bean, $23.99
Divoom has added something special to its Bluetooth Bean speaker that’s sure to make any selfie fan smile. The portable speaker offers a remote shutter on the side of its case. So when you’re ready to take that perfect selfie, just hit the speaker’s remote to capture the image. Divoom promises great sound thanks to a proprietary bass radiator.
The speaker can play music for up to six hours before needing to be recharged and also sports a built-in clip. You can even take calls with the built-in microphone.
A number of colors, including black, blue, pink, and white can be purchased for $23.99.
A kick to the bass
Soundfreaq Sound Kick 2, $99.99
Even though it sits on the top of our budget-minded price range, the Sound Kick 2 is a great option to consider. Building on the superb first-generation product, Soundfreaq has made the new speaker with a water-resistant housing. Unlike all of the other options on our list, the Sound Kick 2 even sports a built-in USB plug so you can charge other devices while listening to music. A passive radiator should really help pump out the jams.
The speaker can sit upright in narrow spaces, or you can extend the kickstand to help send music out and upward. The company’s UQ3 technology is also designed to create an immersive stereo experience.
Only available in black, it can be purchased now from the company’s site for $99.99.
A colorful way to experience music
iHome iBT73, $29.95
If you’re looking for a stylish and inexpensive Bluetooth speaker option, iHome definitely has you covered. One great choice, the iBT73, is highlighted by a translucent cabinet that can change colors with the touch of a button. You can select from a spectrum fade that cycles through a number of different hues or for the speaker to only display a favorite color. It can also be set to display no color.
You can also use the speaker with a number of wired devices thanks to the aux-in port. The battery is designed to last for up to five hours of music.
The speaker retails for $29.95 and can be purchased now.
Wrapup
So no matter what Bluetooth speaker you choose to purchase, rock on and enjoy the music. Would you recommend another stylish Bluetooth speaker under $100? Let us know which one.
