There is a playlist, podcast, or audiobook being broadcast somewhere in our house at almost every waking hour, daily. As we all have our own tastes, likes/dislikes, and interests; often times, each room has something different going on. We own several bluetooth speakers, but there are two we absolutely love, highly recommend, and would like to share with you. Read on to see which bluetooth speakers we love.
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A little background on us…
We are a family of four – two adults, a middle grader and an upper elementary school child. We are active people and sometimes, not very gentle on our things! We camp, hike, snowboard, four-wheel and dirt bike ride, and generally roughhouse.
Features we look for
Over the years, we have purchased several bluetooth speakers, at various price points and for various uses. We have found two overall that are the best for us and seem to fit all uses.
- Durability – can withstand a drop or two, bumping around, etc.
- Waterproof
- Quality sound
- Easily portable – indoor and outdoor adventures
- Long battery life
- Affordable! – under $100
JBL Clip 4
Thomas and Damaris are both music fiends! They listen in the shower, while doing homework, getting ready for school in the morning, while just chillin’ after school, and most other times of the day. For Christmas this year, we bought them each a JBL Clip 4 speaker.
These are amazing! The sound is crisp and clear, they are waterproof and dustproof, have a built in carabiner-style clip, and come in a variety of colors. One charge will last you around 10 hours of playtime!
The clip!
Love the clip feature! They clip on to backpacks, jackets, waistbands, tree branches, swingsets, shower curtain clips…just about anywhere you can think of!
We are very active outdoor enthusiasts. In the few short months we’ve had them, the speakers have survived snowboard season, several hikes, showers, playing outside, being dropped from the treehouse, and regular daily use.
(*disclaimer…we don’t hang them in the shower where they would get a direct stream of water, but we do hang them on the shower curtain hooks where they are exposed to moisture, steam and maybe some splashes.)
Overall
They seem durable and I highly recommend for both kids and adults alike. I would say that these are more for personal use than for group use. They are loud enough, but not the best for say, watching a movie in the backyard or playing music for all to hear while working.
Overall, the JBL Clip 4 is perfect for our kids to have their own bluetooth speaker that they can take anywhere with them.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
We have owned the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 Bluetooth speaker for several years now, purchased in 2020. This one is by far our favorite! This has been used almost daily for 4 years now, indoors and out, has been dropped, rained on, traveled half way across the United States and more, and still works perfectly!
Outdoor boost
It has a feature where you can push a button and adjust the sound based on the environment you are listening in. This is especially good for outdoor settings. The volume and clarity are amazing on this speaker. If you have multiples, you can sync them to play together for surround sound.
Overall
We use this speaker for our outdoor movie nights, camping, music while doing yard work, audiobooks during housework (if no one else is home, I can turn it up loud enough to hear it anywhere in the house!), shower tunes/podcasts, riding around in the side-by-side, and more!
Highly recommend the Wonder boom 2!
Wonderboom 3
P.S. There is now an updated Wonderboom 3 speaker, so you may want to check that out for the newest version. We don’t own this one, but after a quick review, it seems like it has a bit further range and longer battery life (14 hours per the listing, but one review said over 22 hours!).
Let us know if you have a favorite bluetooth speaker that you would recommend. Please share in the comments below.
Happy listening!
– Ree
