The Best Smart Speakers of 2025: Which One Should You Buy?

The Bose SoundLink Max impressed us with punchy, bass-heavy sound and a long 20-hour battery that makes it a great road or party speaker, and we appreciated the USB‑C charging and phone‑charging features during testing. Despite that, our experience shows it falls short as a smart device: no Wi‑Fi, no voice assistant, and no microphones for calls reduce its versatility, and at $299 it’s pricier than many Bluetooth rivals. If you prioritize on-the-go battery life and robust audio without smart-home bells, this is a solid choice.

During our review the Echo Studio scored 7.5/10 by offering very good sound and wide music-service support, which made streaming and setup straightforward across many apps. We found the Studio delivers deep bass that benefits modern tracks, but in our testing that low end can be slightly boomy and the midrange a bit hazy while treble smears at loud volumes. If Alexa integration and Dolby-capable playback are priorities, the Studio is a strong, affordable choice—just temper expectations for perfectly tight bass.

The Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar earned a 7.5/10 in our testing and looks as premium as it sounds, thanks to a sleek glass finish that suits modern living rooms. We found AI Dialogue Mode really helps make speech intelligible on TV and movies, while Dolby Atmos support delivers a wide, detailed soundstage. During our review the bar’s low end lacked punch without a subwoofer and Atmos height sensation was limited, so at $699 plan to add a sub if you want true bass impact.

The Sonos Era 300 earned an 8.5/10 in our review thanks to immersive Dolby Atmos imaging and a wide, detailed soundstage that really transforms music and movies. We found the dual Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth connectivity handy for switching between home streaming and phone playback, and its sleek design blends into most rooms. Our experience shows Sonos’ requirement to use the Sonos app for Atmos content can be unintuitive, and the limited voice assistant support (no Google Assistant) plus a higher price may steer budget buyers elsewhere.

In our testing the HomePod mini earned a solid 7/10 by delivering impressive audio for its compact size and seamless Apple HomeKit integration, which makes it a natural fit for iPhone households. We found multi-room audio and stereo pairing worked smoothly and sounded better than you'd expect from a small driver array. That said, during our review Siri lagged behind rival assistants and third-party music support is limited, and there’s no physical microphone mute control—a practical downside for privacy-conscious users.

The Echo Dot (5th Gen) with a smart bulb is our top-rated budget smart speaker, scoring 9/10 for delivering surprising audio improvements along with deep Alexa integration at an unbeatable $31.99 price. In our testing the device offered clearer vocals, deeper bass, and handy built‑in motion and temperature sensors that make automations feel smarter, though we found it lacks Matter and Thread support and has no display. For anyone building an Alexa-centric smart home, our experience shows this Dot is the best value-to-performance pick.

We like the Sonos One SL for rooms where Sonos multi-room audio and sound quality matter more than voice assistants, and in our testing it delivered impressive clarity and balanced treble and bass for its size. Our experience shows it integrates smoothly into existing Sonos systems and it’s humidity-resistant for kitchens or bathrooms, but the 6.5/10 score reflects limitations: no Bluetooth, no built-in voice assistant, and it requires Wi‑Fi to operate. If you’re already invested in Sonos and don’t need voice control, the One SL is a dependable option.

We found the Google Nest Mini (2nd Gen) to be a great budget option, earning a 7/10 thanks to improved audio and noticeably better voice recognition that made hands-free control more reliable in our testing. The compact, stylish design with a built-in wall mount is genuinely useful for kitchens and small rooms, but during our review the subdued bass left bass-heavy tracks feeling thin. It also leans on the Google ecosystem for best results and lacks a 3.5mm jack for wired connections.

The Echo Pop scored 6.5/10 in our testing as an ultra‑budget, compact Alexa speaker that works well in small rooms for just $21.99. We found its size and clarity make it a handy kitchen or bedside device, and it supports Alexa, multi‑room audio and formats like FLAC and AAC. During our review it became clear the Pop lacks the warmth and bass of the Echo Dot (5th Gen) and omits an Alexa Action button, so don’t expect deep low end.

If you want cinema-grade sound for music and movies, the Sonos Arc is hard to beat — in our testing it delivered dynamic, powerful audio with superb clarity and bass that fills a living room. During our review we found the Arc integrates seamlessly with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and plays nicely in multi-room Sonos setups, but it earned an 8.5/10 despite some tradeoffs. The lack of Bluetooth and the iOS-only Trueplay tuning are real drawbacks for Android users, and at $999 it’s a premium buy, so weigh the sound gains against the cost.

If clear dialogue and simple setup are your priorities, the Bose Smart Soundbar 300 makes a convincing, compact entry beneath most TVs and scored 7.5/10 in our evaluation. During testing we appreciated how intelligible voices are and the straightforward HDMI ARC setup via the Bose Music app, but our experience shows it struggles for bass unless you add a subwoofer and the included remote doesn’t offer deep tuning options. It’s a great space‑saving upgrade for TV audio, just plan on a sub if you want thump.

During our review the Denon Home 350 stood out for delivering a big, spacious soundstage with impressive bass that suits large rooms and earned an 8/10 for audio performance. We found the HEOS app makes multi-room setups effortless, but our experience shows the unit’s size can be imposing in smaller spaces and it lacks Chromecast support, which restricts some streaming workflows. Also be mindful of placement — bass can become overpowering if the speaker sits too close to walls or corners.

During our review the Sonos Five earned an 8/10 by delivering exceptional sound with powerful bass and crystal-clear highs that fill a mid-to-large room with authority. We found its tonal balance and clarity excellent for focused listening, but our experience shows the Five’s lack of Bluetooth and no built-in voice assistant reduce streaming flexibility and hands-free convenience—you’ll need additional gear for those features. If pure audio performance within a Sonos ecosystem matters most, the Five remains a compelling, no-compromise choice.

During our review the Beosound Level felt stylish and musically pleasant, earning just a 6/10 because its high price and real-world performance trade-offs limit its appeal. We found the speaker’s colorful, lively timbre ideal for relaxed home listening and appreciated its exhaustive connectivity—Bluetooth, Wi‑Fi, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast—but performance became unreliable at higher volumes and the upright position can be unstable on soft surfaces. If you prioritize design and connectivity over loud-room dependability, the Level delivers character with caveats.

The Bose SoundLink Home Speaker scored 7/10 in our testing by delivering deep, room‑filling bass and a clean, modern design that fits well in living spaces. We found its low end impressive for music, but our experience shows the lack of Wi‑Fi and limited app support restrict streaming flexibility — you’ll be stuck to Bluetooth or local files. During our review battery life hovered around nine hours and the absence of multi‑room capabilities makes it less versatile than rivals despite solid voice control.

The Denon Home 150 surprised us with impressive bass and clarity for such a compact speaker, and in our testing it handled high-volume playback with minimal distortion — a notable reason it scored 7.5/10. Our experience shows audiophiles will like the support for high-resolution formats including FLAC, WAV, ALAC and even DSD, though the HEOS app feels basic and Bluetooth playback can suffer lag, making it a poor choice for video. If you want small-footprint sound with serious depth and plan to use Wi‑Fi streaming, it’s a smart buy.

In our testing the Echo Multi-room Music Bundle proved to be a strong value pick, giving you two Echo Plus speakers that fill medium to large rooms with decent volume and clear separation, which helped it earn a 6.5/10. We found clarity and staging better than expected at this price, making it handy for parties or family spaces. The trade-off is a lack of low‑bass impact—if you want deep thump for electronic or hip‑hop music, this bundle falls short despite solid Alexa and multi-room capabilities.

In our testing the Move 2 by Sonos earned an 8.5/10 for delivering excellent stereo sound and a wide soundstage that impresses both indoors and outdoors. We found the 24-hour battery life and the ability to use Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth simultaneously especially convenient for switching between home streaming and phone playback. However, during our review the high $449 price and hefty 3 kg weight made it less ideal for backpack travel, and our experience shows it doesn’t offer Google Assistant voice control.

In our testing the Sonos Roam earned a 7.5/10 as a versatile portable that supports both Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth, integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant, and slots into Sonos multi-room setups. We found its IP67 rating reassuring for outdoor use and liked the balanced mids and clear vocals for everyday listening, but the roughly 10-hour battery life and requirement for a minimum 10W charger were disappointments during long trips. Our experience shows automatic switching between Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth can be inconsistent, so expect occasional manual fixes.

We found the Bose SoundLink Flex to be a capable, rugged portable speaker that punches above its $99 price with clear vocals and a bass-forward signature suited for outdoor use. In our hands-on testing the water- and dustproof body and pocketable design made it a reliable day-to-day companion, but the 7/10 score reflects limits: it’s monaural, lacks user-adjustable EQ, and the bass can flirt with distortion at high volumes. If you want simplicity and durability rather than audiophile tweaking, this is a solid pick.

The Sonos Era 100 punches above its compact size with twin tweeters and a larger woofer that gave us richer bass and surprisingly full sound during our review, earning an 8/10 for its overall value. We found the flexibility of both Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth useful for switching between home streaming and on-the-go playback, but setup can be finicky and it lacks Google Assistant support, which limits voice options. For bookshelf or kitchen placement the Era 100 is a versatile little speaker, though pairing two units is recommended for true stereo imaging.

We were impressed by the Google Audio Bluetooth Speaker’s rich, immersive sound and the convenience of built‑in Google Assistant for hands-free control, which makes it a compelling budget pick at $74. In our testing the speaker delivered clear highs and deep bass, but setup quirks and intrusive LED behavior — including bright red lights when the mic is off and awkward language defaults — lowered the overall experience. If you can tolerate the LED annoyance and work through setup, it’s a strong-sounding, voice-enabled compact speaker.

During our review the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) stood out for practical utility, earning a 7.5/10 thanks to its 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen that follows you and makes video calls and content much more usable. We found the camera and Alexa integration useful for home monitoring, but the motion tracking can be slow and imperfect, and the rotating screen may bother users who prefer a stationary display. Audio is good for medium rooms but tends to strain at higher volumes, so placement matters.

During our review the Google Nest Hub Max scored 7/10 by combining a large 10-inch HD touchscreen with good near-field audio, which makes it a capable hub for kitchens and living areas. We found the display excellent for video calls and smart-home control, but the built-in camera lacks night vision and doesn’t have a physical shutter—issues that raised privacy and low-light security concerns in our testing. If a screen-forward Google Assistant device fits your setup, it’s useful, though camera trade-offs merit consideration.