The best JBL speaker picks

There are a lot of different types of speakers out there. Wired or wireless. Powerful inside or portable outside. Maybe you’re after a soundbar. Whatever your speaker needs, JBL is a popular first stop on your speaker-buying journey. The audio brand has made a name for itself with speakers, headphones and microphones across a range of types and budgets.

If you want something affordable, there are JBL Bluetooth speakers for under $100 with the cheapest scraping in below $50. Equally, if you want to invest, there are JBL Bluetooth, home audio and soundbar speakers for hundreds of dollars or up to $2,000.

Whether you’re a fan of JBL already or are keen to join the crowd, scroll on for our picks of the best JBL speaker options for inside and outside your home.

JBL has dozens of speakers to choose from. So our best overall pick is a mix of powerful, practical and portable. The JBL Charge 5 has up to 20 hours of battery life and plenty of audio power thanks to 40-Watt output. You may not want to use all of that juice for playback, though: the Charge 5 also doubles as a power bank for charging devices. It’ll happily pump out tunes inside, but it’s built for the outdoors. With an IP67 rating, the Charge 5 is protected from the elements when you have a hankering for some outdoor audio. Just connect a compatible Bluetooth device to get playing.

Alternatively, consider any of the category winners below alongside the cheaper JBL Charge Essential 2 or the pricier but versatile JBL PartyBox Encore Essential.

There’s a lot to like about the JBL Go 3 outside of its cheap $59.95 asking price. For starters, there’s a choice of seven colours to personalise its look. Then there’s the inside/outside dual functionality. With an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating, the Go 3 is as happy in the bathroom for shower karaoke as it is for your next trip to the beach. While it could be bigger, the integrated carry loop makes it easy to carry around, not to mention the compact design and manageable 209-gram weight. You should still expect good audio for this pocket rocket, plus up to five hours of playback.

For cheap alternatives, consider the cheaper JBL Go Essential or the pricier JBL Clip 4.

If you’re looking for a long-term speaker investment, consider the JBL Authentics 300. Sure, it’s not the cheapest option from JBL. But the attractive retro design is home to some great contemporary features. Get your tunes playing via low-latency Bluetooth 5.3 or WiFi 6. And with 100 Watts of power, the Authentics 300 can fill a room with well-balanced audio. That carry handle on top isn’t just for show, either. The Authentics 300 is built to shift to where you need it in the home, plus there are eight hours of playback for all-work-day audio. After initial setup, you can also use the Authentics 300 hands-free thanks to Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration.

For Bluetooth alternatives, consider the cheaper JBL Flip 6 or the pricier JBL Authentics 500.

Sure, soundbars aren’t as versatile as IP76-rated portable Bluetooth speakers. But they’re a great low-profile option in the home. Case in point, the JBL BAR 300. It’s built to go under a tele. But you’ve got more connectivity options thanks to Bluetooth and WiFi. With 260 Watts of output power, expect the BAR 300 to fill whatever room it’s in. We also like that the 5.0-channel soundbar offers crisp dialogue care of some clever inbuilt technology. Despite its comparatively cheaper price, this JBL soundbar has high-end features like Dolby Vision pass-through as well as Dolby Atmos and MultiBeam surround sound.

If you’re missing the subwoofer, consider the pricier JBL BAR 800 or JBL BAR 1000.

JBL refreshed its party speakers since we first wrote this round-up, which is why we’re recommending the JBL PartyBox Club 120 over its older, pricier PartyBox 310 sibling. It doesn’t have quite the same power or battery life, but you still get a respectable 160 Watts of well-balanced audio playback with around 13 hours of longevity via removable battery. Put some of that battery life towards charging devices via the inbuilt USB port or evolve beyond music playback to include a couple of microphones for ad-hoc karaoke or a mic and guitar for a singalong. The Club 120 has a robust build with dust and splash protection, plus there’s a foldable carry handle to help lug it around.

For party-audio alternatives, consider the cheaper older-model JBL PartyBox 110 and JBL PartyBox Encore, or the pricier JBL PartyBox 310, JBL PartyBox 710 and JBL PartyBox Ultimate.

We recommend thinking about what you want to use a JBL speaker for before purchasing. If you only want something for inside, browse JBL’s home audio, radio or soundbar range. Soundbars are more built for TVs but can also connect to audio sources.

For audio versatility, have a gander at the JBL Bluetooth or party range. Party speakers are bulkier but have more powerful output. Conversely, JBL’s Bluetooth speakers tend to be more compact and able to be moved inside or outside the home. For an outdoor speaker, keep an eye out for battery life appropriate to your intended use case, plus handy inclusions like waterproofing and/or dustproofing.

In terms of wattage, JBL advises under 10 Watts for smaller rooms, between 10 and 20 for medium-sized rooms and 20 to 30 Watts for larger spaces. That’s only for portable speakers, though, so increase the wattage based on the space size or how much audio power you want from your JBL speaker purchase.