There are plenty of homeware items you can afford to save on, but a high-quality speaker isn't one of them. The heart of any great gathering, and an essential investment for my daily living, my space is not complete without one. If you're similarly inclined, the Marie Claire UK team have put countless sound systems to the test, and these are by far the best speakers to invest in for every occasion.
Whether you're a fan of dopamine decor or like to keep things classic with neutral tones, you can find a speaker to suit your interior personality. To me, finding a good speaker system is just as essential as narrowing down the best pillows—it has the power to make or break the atmosphere in your home.
But it's not all about looks. Sound quality is the most important factor, followed by functionality, ease of use, and how it fits into your space. From TV soundbars that bring movie nights to life to tiny, compact models that can be shoved in your carry-on or given as a thoughtful housewarming gift, we've covered your every need with our expert-approved selection.
Best speakers at a glance
- Best compact speaker: £19.98 at Amazon
- Best entertainment speaker: £449 at Sonos
- Most stylish speaker: £109 at Amazon
- Best smart speaker: £54.99 at Amazon
How we tested these speakers
We have a whole page dedicated to our thorough testing process. The speakers in this guide have been tested in real home environments for several weeks and are products our team genuinely endorses (and ones they would spend their money on). We assessed factors like sound quality, ease of use, design, and price tag to decide which music tech is the best of the best. Keep reading to find out our thoughts on each model and what makes it worth the price tag.
1. Best entertainment speaker
"I have been testing the Sonos Beam Bar for the last three months and it has been the perfect addition to my home. I love how sleek, stylish and relatively compact the soundbar is—it fits seamlessly on my TV stand.
The Beam creates a virtual surround sound experience with Dolby Atmos so you can really get stuck into whatever you are watching. It was really easy to set up, you can either set up directly to your TV or through the Sonos 2 app so you can connect it to other Sonos speakers if you have them. This will give you even better sound control, but it is still great without connecting to other speakers.
My living room is quite small, so if you had a bigger space then it might be worth upgrading to the Arc soundbar for full surround sound. It also includes smart assistant & AirPlay support so you can control it remotely." - Sophie Cookson, eCommerce Analyst
2. Best fashion-forward speaker
"This speaker might be on the compact side, but the sound really packs a punch. I’ve had endless compliments on the sleek design, and it suits my minimalistic decor perfectly. It comes in a range of neutral and statement colours to suit any style (my personal favourite is the champagne shade). Style-conscious shoppers, this one's for you." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor
3. Best speaker for house parties
"This speaker, created in collaboration with Kylian Mbappé, is an absolute beast. If you’re after a home speaker that will fill multiple rooms with clear sound and an impressive bass, this is the perfect choice for you. It’s my go-to speaker for house parties and larger gatherings - just be sure you check with your neighbours before turning this on full blast. The impressive sound quality and reach doesn’t affect its sleek design: it’s on the larger side, but still looks really stylish." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor
4. Best bedroom speaker
"Honestly, I didn't expect much from this mini radio, but it's now one of my most prized possessions. Not only does it look so stylish thanks to the pink hue and vintage design, but it offers so many different features. It has bluetooth to connect your devices, but it also comes with radio presets if that's what you like to listen to. Not to mention, the sound quality is brilliant on either setting.
It offers a headphone socket, a built-in alarm feature, and 20 hours of playtime before it needs recharging too. It is the perfect size to have on my bedside table (handy for the alarm feature) and it's more than loud enough for my personal use or when in the company of a small group of people." - Amelia Yeomans, Junior Shopping Editor
5. Best smart speaker
"I have had my Echo Dot for years and it's easily my most used speaker. It's so easy to connect to Spotify on my phone, and I love that it connects just to the app and not my whole phone - meaning I can watch videos whilst music is playing without the sound coming out of the speaker. The sound quality is great and it gets extremely loud, easily powerful enough for a party.
As it's a smart speaker it has so many features, most of which I don't even use, but it's still extremely affordable. I really only make use of the alarm feature (which I've set to wake me up with the radio) and the speaker, and it's easily worth the investment just for those alone compared to the price of other speakers on the market. However, it has to be plugged in to work, which isn't the most convenient feature if you're between rooms." - Amelia Yeomans, Junior Shopping Editor
6. Best compact speaker
"I’ve had this speaker for years and it never fails me. It’s so compact it fits in the palm of my hand, making it ideal for travelling and staycations. Though it might not be the loudest speaker on the market, the sound quality is impressive - especially considering its mini size. I love to use this for ambient music when I have guests round for dinner." - Valeza Bakolli, Junior Shopping Editor
Do expensive speakers really sound better?
As we've learnt from testing each of these models (and more), you can find some seriously high quality speakers at affordable price points. You don't have to spend a fortune for good sound quality, particularly if you're only shopping for your personal use.
However, with tech, you do get what you pay for. Pricier speakers do tend to be higher quality, but the main selling point is that they are likely to last a lot longer than cheaper investments.
