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10 best wireless speakers

Get the party started with these stylish and powerful cord-free gadgets for your home

David Phelan

Monday 01 September 2014 16:59 BST

How do you play your music? A CD in the hi-fi? Nothing wrong with that. But if you’re in the garden or in a room away from the music system, you can play tracks stored on your PC, your mobile or even from streaming services like Spotify. In which case, a wireless speaker is the best way to listen. The below are all battery-powered, apart from the Jongo and Sonos, which need to be plugged in to the mains. Most use Bluetooth, apart from the Sonos which needs wi-fi to grab your music, and a couple have NFC capabilities, too.

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10 best wireless speakers

Show all 9

1/910 best wireless speakers

10 best wireless speakers

Jawbone Big Jambox

Jawbone makes Bluetooth speakers which are supremely simple to set up and work sublimely. This is the largest in Jawbone’s range and sounds fantastic. It has a microphone built in so you can use it as a big and powerful speakerphone.£179.99, amazon.co.uk

10 best wireless speakers

Ted Baker Fastnet

Fashion and accessories brand Ted Baker’s first range of audio products unsurprisingly look good, but happily they sound great, too. The Bluetooth speaker is hidden behind a solid cover which folds back to form the stand. Made of high-quality materials like leather and aluminium, this is a highly tactile and pleasingly retro-looking gadget.£199.95, johnlewis.com

10 best wireless speakers

Beats Pill XL

Beats makes several Bluetooth speakers, though this model is only available in black. As well as Bluetooth, there’s NFC included for quicker connectivity. It has an integrated handle to make it especially portable. A visual indicator shows you how much battery life is left.£269.95, store.apple.com

10 best wireless speakers

Damson Vulcan

Along with two drivers on the front, the Vulcan has one speaker at each end as well, plus a passive sub-woofer on the back. The sound is wide enough to fill a room easily. It’s a Bluetooth speaker with NFC for easier connection to compatible phones.£99.99, damsonaudio.com

10 best wireless speakers

NudeAudio Move M

The Move M sounds way better than you’d expect for this price. It’s portable and the rope loop means you can hang it up anywhere (it’s splashproof, but don’t take it into the shower, please!).£39.95, currys.co.uk

10 best wireless speakers

Sonos Play:1

This mono speaker needs a power cable, but it plays your music wirelessly. A “bridge” unit connects to your Wi-Fi network to pick up the tracks from your PC, smartphone or an app like Spotify, and sends it to the Sonos. Because the Play:1 is mono, it’s better to have a pair and you can add more to the Sonos network as you need them. Simple to set up and sounds spectacular.£169, johnlewis.com

10 best wireless speakers

Cambridge Audio Go

The Go runs for 18 hours between charges, so you can really party with this Bluetooth speaker. It recharges fast too. It has NFC built in so you can just tap an NFC-enabled phone on the go to connect them. Solid and effective.£119.95, store-uk.cambridgeaudio.com

10 best wireless speakers

Denon Envaya

This chic, portable music system sounds great and looks sleek. It uses a Bluetooth connection to wirelessly play music from your smartphone or tablet. There are different-coloured grilles to choose from and the battery lasts for up to 10 hours. NFC is on board, too.£169, amazon.co.uk

10 best wireless speakers

Spaced360

The Spaced360 looks different because it has three speakers, each pointing in a different direction. The result is audio that sounds good wherever you are in the room. The rechargeable battery lasts for up to 12 hours and the speaker is NFC-enabled.£250, johnlewis.com

Verdict:

The range is pretty wide, so you should be able to find your particular needs. The very best sound quality comes from the Sonos Play:1, but you’ll need a pair to make the most of them. And if you want to take the music outside, the Big Jambox has power, clarity and style. The Damson Vulcan and Cambridge Audio Go offer best value for lower budgets, though if looks are key, the Ted Baker Fastnet is hard to beat.

Buy now

1.Jawbone Big Jambox, £179.99

2. Ted Baker Fastnet, £199.95

3. Beats Pill XL, £269.95

4. Damson Vulcan, £99.99

5. NudeMove M Portable Wireless Speaker, £39.99

6. Bose Soundlink Mini, £169.95

7. Sonos Play:1, £169

8. Cambridge Audio Go, £119.95

9. Denon Envaya, £169

10. Spaced360, £250

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