The New York Times - The sounds of summer

Hello, I’m Brent Butterworth, a senior staff writer for Wirecutter. I test hundreds of audio products every year, including audiophile-grade speakers and state-of-the-art soundbars. But when I listen for fun, I usually grab a portable Bluetooth speaker.

Some portable Bluetooth speakers are big and loud enough to power an entire backyard party. But in our years of testing, our favorites are the ones small and rugged enough to accompany you anywhere—like the UE Wonderboom 3, which has been our top pick for six years.

I like to set it right down in the middle of the action during my latest summer home improvement project. It soothes my soul with my favorite jazz albums while I’m wrestling with hammers, nails, and 2-by-4s. And I don’t have to worry too much about damaging it—this speaker can stand being dropped 5 feet onto a backyard deck and then onto concrete. (We know, because we’ve tried.)

Any adventure too challenging for the Wonderboom 3 is probably one I’d be wise to skip.

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More Bluetooth speakers I recommend→

Thanks for reading.

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