The best smart speakers for 2025

While many people will be happy with a few speakers strategically placed in their home, you may want something that can be used outdoors as well as indoors. Fortunately, you can find speakers that pair voice controls and powerful music playback performance with portable, timeless form factors. For my money, it’s hard to beat Sonos Roam for total versatility, not to mention audio quality.

When used indoors, the Roam works like any other Sonos speaker. It fits into an existing multi-room Sonos setup, or you can get a pair for stereo playback. Like most other Sonos speakers, it works with the Sonos Voice Assistant or Amazon Alexa, and it supports every major music service available. It sounds great for its small size; it’s quieter and less clear than the Sonos One or the Era 100, but it still packs a surprising bass thump and distinct highs.

Because it was designed with on-the-go use in mind, Roam has a battery and Bluetooth so you can take it anywhere and use it away from your Wi-Fi network. And its small size makes it easy to carry anywhere, around the house and out and about. It’s also the first Sonos speaker to be completely waterproof, as well as dust and waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about taking it to the pool or the beach.

Roam gets about 10 hours of battery life, whether you’re on Wi-FI or Bluetooth. There are other portable speakers that last longer, so if you’re pushing the battery you might be better served with another option.

Another wireless portable speaker option is $449 Sonos Move 2. It’s bigger and more powerful than the Roam, which is no surprise given how expensive it is. It’s a nice upgrade over the previous Motion, with two tweeters for a more detailed sound, a battery that lasts more than a day and a redesigned touch control on the top. It also has a line-in jack via USB-C, so you can hook up a turntable if you’re using it indoors. If you’re willing to sacrifice speed for power and better sound quality (and can afford it), the Move 2 is more satisfying than the Roam.

A better option than the Move, unless you already have other Sonos products, is the $399 Bose Portable Smart speaker. It supports Alexa and Google Assistant commands, and since it can connect to WiFi, you can ask your favorite assistant to play music from Spotify, Amazon Music and other services. On top of that, it produces good round sound, features an IPX4 design with a convenient carrying handle and lasts up to 12 hours on a single charge.

Bose also has a good Roam alternative. The $149 SoundLink Flex supports Siri and Google Assistant commands, and it has an IP67 design that is roughly the size of a small clutch bag. It produces bright, dynamic sound and can be paired with other speakers for stereo sound, too – it’s very good and cheaper than the Roam.

While this guide is about smart speakers, we wouldn’t be remiss if we didn’t mention all the solid portable speakers out there with limited or no smart features. We have whole guide of the best portable Bluetooth speakers, so if you’re concerned with portability and less about an ecosystem of connected speakers, there are plenty of options worth investigating.

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