When you review as many portable speakers as I do, it can be a little hard to filter through the many samples you have access to, and to work out which you actually end up using the most. Except that's more how it should be in principle – in fact, I've found one speaker has stood out for me over the last year or so.
While I've tested fancier, better-sounding and more expensive speakers since it released, I can't stop using the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4, a diminutive speaker that wins out by simply being exactly what it says on the tin. I love it, as does my partner, and it gets used pretty much every day.
What makes the Wonderboom 4 so useful? Well, for one thing, it's a portable speaker that actually feels genuinely portable – rather than being technically portable but in fact quite heavy. The speaker weighs just 420g, and I find it just the right weight to be premium in feel, but still extremely easy to move around and stick in a bag.
It's also super durable and water-resistant (with an IP rating of IP67) – to the point where it'll actually float in water. Again, this means that I can stick it in the kitchen while cooking and not worry if it gets splashed, but also makes it a great fit for a day at the beach on holiday.
Since it's both packable and durable, it basically makes for the perfect small-scale party speaker, especially if you want nice background music rather than trying to create your own nightclub. While it doesn't dabble in Wi-Fi connectivity or AirPlay, or anything like that, its Bluetooth connection is always reliable, and its price only slips lower over time.
In fact, you can grab one right now for just over £70 on Amazon in the UK, which is genuinely a steal – I'm convinced this is the perfect speaker for almost anyone looking to get something that they can rely on. It threads the needle by being affordable, great-sounding, and super durable, so if I can shine a spotlight on it once again, I'm going to grab that opportunity.
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