The Bose SoundLink Plus at £199 offers the best overall value—excellent audio clarity, waterproof design, and 24-hour battery life make it the smart choice for most people. If you want to spend less, the Altec Lansing Hydramicro (£16.99) is genuinely functional for the price. For premium sound, the Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 (£725) is the only speaker worth the luxury price tag.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Bose SoundLink Plus — £199
Best for serious listeners who want reliability and waterproof durability. The SoundLink Plus delivers balanced, room-filling audio with a 360-degree sound profile. It’s waterproof to IPX7 standard, lasts 24 hours per charge, and pairs instantly with any Bluetooth device. At £199, it’s the sweet spot between performance and price. The larger frame also means better bass response than budget competitors.
Best Premium Option: Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 — £725
Best for those willing to invest in design and exceptional sound quality. This Danish-engineered speaker combines luxury materials (anodised aluminium, genuine leather handle) with a three-part speaker system that delivers genuinely superior audio. If sound fidelity matters more than price, this is the only portable speaker justified at this level. Overkill for casual listening, but unbeatable for audiophiles.
Best Budget Pick: Altec Lansing Hydramicro — £16.99
Best for travel and casual use when budget is paramount. At under £17, this is a genuinely functional speaker with waterproof “Everything Proof” design, Bluetooth compatibility, and enough volume for personal listening or small rooms. Don’t expect studio-quality audio, but it won’t disappoint for the price.
Best Mid-Range Alternative: Megaboom 3 — £169.99
Best for outdoor events and louder output. The Megaboom 3 prioritises volume over audio refinement—it’s 20% louder than most competitors in this price range and waterproof. Battery lasts 24 hours. Ideal if you need to fill a patio or garden, though audio clarity doesn’t match the SoundLink Plus.
Best Premium Mid-Range: Bose SoundLink Max — £279
Best for those wanting more power and longer range than the Plus. The SoundLink Max adds a larger driver, 20-hour battery, and 360-degree sound in a more robust frame. The extra £80 buys meaningful durability improvements and louder output—worth it if you’ll use the speaker heavily or outdoors regularly.
Best Value Under £65: Klipsch Austin — £57.99
Best for listeners who want recognisable audio brand quality without premium pricing. Klipsch’s heritage in speaker design shows here—cleaner midrange and better definition than generic competitors at this price. Not waterproof, but sonically competitive.
Best Compact Budget Option: Apple Beats Pill — £129.95
Best for Apple ecosystem users wanting a lightweight, pocketable speaker. The Pill fits in a jacket pocket while delivering unexpectedly clear audio. Design-conscious and functional, though less rugged than Bose options at similar prices.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Price | Best For | Standout Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bose SoundLink Plus | £199 | Balanced quality + durability | IPX7 waterproof, 24-hour battery |
| Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 | £725 | Premium audio and design | Three-part speaker system, luxury materials |
| Altec Lansing Hydramicro | £16.99 | Extreme budget conscious | Waterproof at ridiculous price |
| Megaboom 3 | £169.99 | Outdoor volume | 20% louder output than competitors |
| Klipsch Austin | £57.99 | Brand credibility on budget | Audio clarity at sub-£60 price |
How We Chose
- Sound quality standards: Prioritised speakers with balanced frequency response and actual bass reproduction (not just marketing claims). Budget speakers assessed separately, as £20 speakers aren’t expected to rival £200 models.
- Real-world durability: Only recommended waterproof or water-resistant models (IPX5 or better) unless explicitly budget-focused. Waterproofing adds £20-50 to cost but determines whether a speaker survives actual outdoor use.
- Battery longevity: Eliminated any speaker with less than 12-hour battery life for portability claims to be credible. Megaboom 3, SoundLink Plus, and SoundLink Max all hit 24-hour minimums.
- Price-to-performance ratio: Separated budget tier (under £50), mid-range (£50-200), and premium (£200+) to give genuinely comparable recommendations within realistic budgets.
The Bottom Line
The Bose SoundLink Plus at £199 is the best all-rounder—solid audio, genuine waterproofing, and proven reliability justify the price for most buyers. If you absolutely must spend less, the Altec Lansing Hydramicro (£16.99) works; if money is no object, the Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 (£725) is the only premium speaker worth the investment. Choose based on your budget tier, not hype.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best portable speakers under £50?
The Altec Lansing Hydramicro (£16.99) and Jlab Pop Party (£24.99) are both genuinely functional under £50. The Hydramicro’s waterproof design makes it the better value for outdoor use. Don’t expect audiophile-quality sound, but both handle basic music playback, podcasts, and casual listening without issue. For £57.99, the Klipsch Austin jumps the quality ceiling significantly with better audio clarity.
Is the Bose SoundLink Plus worth £199?
Yes—the SoundLink Plus justifies £199 through genuine waterproofing (IPX7), 24-hour battery life, and balanced audio reproduction that won’t disappoint. It outperforms speakers at similar prices from unknown brands. However, if budget is tight, the Megaboom 3 (£169.99) offers comparable durability and longer outdoor appeal through louder output, trading some audio refinement for volume.
What’s the difference between the Bose SoundLink Plus and SoundLink Max?
The SoundLink Max (£279) adds a larger driver for louder maximum volume, slightly deeper bass, and improved 360-degree sound dispersion compared to the SoundLink Plus (£199). Both are waterproof and hit 24-hour batteries. The Max is worth the extra £80 if you’ll use it in larger outdoor spaces or need noticeably louder output; the Plus suffices for rooms, patios, and regular portable use.
Why is the Bang & Olufsen Beolit 20 so expensive?
The Beolit 20 (£725) costs more because it combines genuine audio engineering (three-part speaker system, class D amplification) with luxury materials (anodised aluminium, hand-stitched leather handle) and Danish industrial design. The audio quality is measurably better than £200 speakers, but whether that justifies the premium depends entirely on whether you value sound fidelity as much as portability. It’s not the most portable option—it’s a premium statement piece that happens to be wireless.
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