7 days ago
I've tested 10 Bluetooth speakers in 2025, here are the 3 I'd buy
As befetting the biggest audio nerd at Tom's Guide (if it was a competition, I'm not sure that actually be all that many of my colleagues who'd want to partake), I've been able to average out at around 1.2 Bluetooth speakers per month in 2025. That's not bad at all — and it's given me a great picture of which you should be spending your hard earned dollars on.
Perhaps you're looking something that'll shake the room with it's room filling bass and innovative built-in subwoofer, or maybe you want a retro throwback that's anything but a pastiche.
From a low-end hero to a design project from a Scandinavian powerhouse, these three Bluetooth speakers are my favorite portable noise makers of 2025 — and I'm going to tell you why you should add them to your backpack.
Bang & Olufsen makes premium devices — although one of it's cheapest pieces of equipment the brand produces is also one of its best. The brand new A1 3rd gen is still expensive, but at $399 it's more affordable than anything else you'll find in the B&O range. It's also really, really good.
From its aluminum shell that comes in some wicked colors and lends an extra element of luxury to the fun carrying and hanging strap that make it easy to use anywhere and everywhere, the A1 3rd gen has been extremely well considered.
The sound is detailed and expressive, and it makes the speaker sound much larger than it actually is. Battery life is good at 24 hours, and the IP67 ruggedization means you can take your luxury speaker anywhere.
My favorite bit are the replaceable parts. Should anything in the speaker break, be that a battery that runs out too fast or a driver that doesn't drive anymore, you can send the speaker to a B&O repair center, where your speaker will be brought back to life.
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Considering loads of Bluetooth speakers end up as e-waste when something goes wrong, this is a big plus for the A1 3rd gen.
The palm-sized aluminum wonder from B&O takes a classic Bluetooth speaker design and reinvents the insides for 2025. It's fully renewable, sounds amazing, and feels wonderful in the hand thanks to its wonderful metal construction. It's not cheap, but it's a stunning piece of premium Bluetooth speaker design.
If you like bass, the bass, and nothing but the bass, then the Brane X is the Bluetooth speaker for you. Thanks to some impressive audio engineering, which apparently (and I'm using air quotes here) 'breaks the laws of physics,' there's an entire subwoofer inside the speaker that can pump out seriously impressive low end.
Place the speaker on a table and get some dance music playing and you'll not only have the room up and throwing shapes, but also everything that isn't nailed down. Your TV will wobble, your coffee table will shake, and your sofa will get groovy. Considering how big the speaker is, it's pretty incredible to feel the amount of bass that the speaker can pump out.
The Wi-Fi connection seals the deal on top of the already pretty stellar sound quality, and the Brane X becomes one of my favorite speakers of the last few years, let alone 2025.
It's not cheap, but it'll fill a much larger room than you expect — and do it with the jaw-breaking force of a bass-focussed subwoofer. Get two for even more sonic fun, if you can stomach the price..
The bassiest thing that ever did bass, the Brane X is the Bluetooth speaker for those that want all of the low-end. It sounds great beyond its subwoofer, of course, and the extra Wi-Fi connection makes it more flexible than other options out there. You can even connect loads together — if you're a millionaire. This speaker isn't exactly cheap.
Marshall constructs some of my favorite-looking devices in the audio world. I love the way that the speakers and headphones that brand makes look, thanks to their brass accents and retro amplifier-like designs. The Kilburn III is the latest in a long list of perfectly styled Bluetooth speakers, but it ups the ante with some extra features and a very solid sound profile indeed.
50 hours of battery life to supercede just about everything out there? Check. Useful physical controls to change the sound without pulling your phone from your pocket? Also check. Big, bassy sound with plenty of detail and presence? Check again for the full Bluetooth hero trifecta.
I love the Kilburn III, so much so that it became my favorite Bluetooth speaker of the year. It's going to top our list of the best Bluetooth speakers, and it won the category in the Tom's Guide audio awards. If there's any more evidence you need that the Kilburn III is epic, just give one a go for yourself. You'll likely fall in love just as quickly as I did.
The epic-looking Kilburn III is more than just a pretty face — it also sounds amazing too. The battery life is extremely impressive, and the on-device tone controls make keeping the music going easier than anything else. It also, you know, looks really cool.
