Best Wireless Speakers for $100 and Under

One of the benefits of the wireless speaker revolution has been the appearance of a spate of fine and fun speakers that are downright cheap. For less than you might spend on a trip to Trader Joe's, you can now buy a versatile speaker with decent sound. 

The wireless speakers listed here cost about $100 or less, but otherwise they are a diverse group, from a WiFi-only model designed to work in a multiroom system in your home to a tiny speaker that can easily attach to your backpack for a ramble through the park.

What these models share, in addition to their price, is enjoyable sound quality combined with ease of use and versatility. 

With Sonos's easy-to-use smartphone app, it’s simple to add the Symfonisk into a Sonos-based whole-house system, allowing you to listen to the "Dolly Parton's America" podcast in the kitchen while the kids blast Ariana Grande in the basement.

Keep in mind that, like Sonos’ other home speakers, the Symfonisk lacks Bluetooth capability, so it needs WiFi to function. And there's no rechargeable battery, so it needs juice from an outlet. 

If you're interested in the Onyx 4, some savvy shopping is in order. The original retail price of this speaker was a heady $450, although its street price soon settled to a level well under $200. Now it seems that the Onyx 4 is being phased out, which has lowered the price even further at some outlets, bringing the wireless speaker close to the $100 mark. This price drop makes this stylish, room-shaking speaker something of a bargain.

Don't be fooled by the JBL's low price—the Flip 4 is a lot of speaker for the money and is a smart choice if you want a model that's both rugged and portable.

Its classic cylindrical design takes up relatively little space in a beach bag or on a picnic table. And the Flip 4 comes in a variety of fun colors—just in case you want to coordinate with your favorite beach towel. 

The company claims a battery life of up to 12 hours, and the Flip 4's claimed IPX7 waterproofness rating means that it can survive being fully submerged, which makes it perfect for the beach, the pool, or anywhere that a sudden shower—or a spilled drink—is a distinct possibility. 

Compared with the best-sounding portable speakers we've tested, the Flip 4 has a few sonic shortcomings. Its bass is a bit boomy while its trebles are somewhat subdued. But when played outdoors and in other casual environments where a speaker like this is likely to do its work, the Flip 4's sound encourages you to just hit shuffle and let the tunes keep right on coming.

Our testers found the Edifier easy to pair. Though its controls are large and prominent, they're not quite as intuitive as on some other speakers. The Edifier also features a handy 3.5mm jack that allows you to plug in a music source that's not Bluetooth compatible. 

The MP features robust construction topped off by a subtly retro aluminum grill that will look good just about anywhere. The Edifier's elegant metal handle can also double as a stand to angle the speaker upward and is a reminder that the MP700 is also easily portable. 

The Soundlink Micro falls somewhat short of larger and more expensive models in our sound-quality testing, but it is enjoyable to listen to. Our testers report that the midrange is smooth but not super-detailed. The bass doesn't go particularly deep, but that's a trade-off you have to expect given the Soundlink Micro's petite size.

The speaker wears a silicone cover in red, blue, or black, and according to Bose, it's been designed to meet IPX7 water-resistance standards, which means that it should survive a not-so-deep tumble into the kiddie pool.