The Black Friday shopping season is here, and Bluetooth speakers are at some of their best prices of the year.
Though it may not be the best time of year to take a Bluetooth speaker poolside, it's always great to think ahead and save some money. Plus, having a quality speaker is never a bad idea if you're planning on hosting any holiday parties.
So far, we're seeing the most deals at Amazon, bringing deals on speakers from Ultimate Ears, JBL, Beats, and Sony. Thanks to the proximity to Black Friday, we're also seeing brands that don't typically go on sale, like Sonos, finally get some price cuts.
It's a pretty solid roundup (all of our favorite speakers are represented), but as Black Friday proper — Nov. 29 — draws nearer, we'll be updating this list with any new deals that crop up.
The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is the best speaker we've tested under $100: it doesn't take up much space, has 14 hours of battery life, gets as loud as a larger speaker without losing much clarity, and can be taken on the go to pretty much any situation thanks to its IP67 rating. While it drops to $79.99 throughout the year, this is still a fantastic deal for a speaker that we think is well worth it at full price, and at the time of writing, each of the four colorways is available on sale. (At $78.96, you can get it for ever-so-slightly cheaper, but this price is only available on the black colorway).
If you're in the market for a new Bluetooth speaker, one of the only reasons we'd say to pass on this one is if you already own the Wonderboom 3 (it's incredibly similar) and want to pair up with another Wonderboom speaker to use stereo mode (none of the UE speakers are backwards compatible for stereo mode).
Check out our full review of the Sonos Move 2.
Sonos speakers are expensive, and they really only go on sale during Black Friday. Even during both Prime Days this year, we didn't see price cuts on Sonos products, and especially not our favorite pick for smart homes, the Sonos Move 2. This speaker is big enough that it might be a hassle to move it around regularly, but it's not so big that you'll dread moving it if you're hosting a backyard barbecue.
The trade-off is that you get a speaker with 24-hour battery life and sound quality that shines across all genres of music. Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder wrote in his review, "It's capable of producing one of those effects where you play a song you know well (in my case, 'Roxanne' by The Police), and you hear details you never knew were there, like the (accidental?) touching of the drumsticks at the end of the song's intro." Plus, it has compatibility with Alexa and Sonos Voice Control.
The JBL Go 4 is tiny and inexpensive, but it packs a punch. This speaker sounds surprisingly clear, and can get louder than you think (though you do start to sacrifice some of that clarity at higher volumes). During our testing, we found it got anywhere from seven to up to nine-and-a-half hours of playtime, making it an excellent option for taking on the go to the beach (where it's IP67 water and dust-proof rating will keep it safe), or for taking up minimal space in your home while still providing plenty of sound. $39.95 is the lowest price we've ever seen it at, beating its Prime Day price by about $5.
Anker Soundcore 2 — $27.99 $39.99 (save $12)
JBL Go 3 — $29.95 $39.95 (save $10)
Sony XB13 — $38 $59.99 (save $21.99)
JBL Clip 5 — $49.95 $79.95 (save $30)
Ultimate Ears MINIROLL— $49.99 $79.99 (save $30)
Anker Soundcore Motion 300 — $55.99 $79.99 (save $24)
Sony ULT Field 1 — $98 $129.99 (save $31.99)
JBL Flip 6 — $79.95 $129.95 (save $50)
Beats Pill — $99.95 $149.95 (save $50)
Ultimate Ears Boom 4 — $99.99 $149.99 (save $50)
Marshall Emberton II — $99.99 $169.99 (save $70)
Bose SoundLink Flex — $119 $149 (save $30)
Sonos Roam 2 — $139 $179 (save $40)
JBL Charge 5 — $139.95 $179.95 (save $40)
Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 4 — $149.99 $199.99 (save $50)
Sony XG300 — $149.99 $349.99 (save $200)
Marshall Kilburn II — $179.99 $299.99 (save $120)
Sonos Era 100 — $199 $249 (save $50)
Marshall Acton III — $199.99 $279.99 (save $80)
Ultimate Ears Epicboom — $249.99 $349.99 (save $100)
Bose SoundLink Max — $299 $399 (save $100)
JBL Xtreme 4 — $299.95 $379.95 (save $80)
JBL Boombox 2 — $299.95 $399.95 (save $100)
Sony XV500 — $299.99 $399.99 (save $100)
