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Tech & Electronics

Bluetooth Speakers for Home, Garden and Away

The gap between a £20 Bluetooth speaker and a £150 one is real, but it is not as wide as the price makes it look. Most people are genuinely well served by something in the £20 to £30 range, and Anker's Soundcore range has more or less owned that bracket for years, with well over a hundred thousand ratings to show for it. Spend more and you are paying for bigger sound, proper waterproofing and design, which is where a Marshall Emberton earns its keep. Think about where it will live: a shower and a beach ask different things of a speaker than a kitchen windowsill.

Common questions

Are budget Bluetooth speakers loud enough?

For a kitchen, bathroom or desk, easily. A £20-£25 speaker like the Soundcore 2 fills a room fine. For a garden party or the beach you will want more power and battery, which is where the pricier models pull ahead.

What does the waterproof rating mean?

IPX ratings tell you how much water it survives. IPX5 shrugs off splashes and rain, IPX7 handles a brief dunk. If it is going near a pool or shower, check for at least IPX5.

How long do they last on a charge?

Most sit between 10 and 24 hours. Real-world battery drops if you play loud, so treat the headline number as a best case rather than a promise.