It's easy to pull up YouTube or Spotify on your TV to set the mood when your friends and family come over, but if you really want your music to impress, you're going to need a party speaker that matches the occasion. The biggest and best party speakers will offer a blend of portability -- or at least maneuverability -- and wall-busting sound, with extras like waterproofing and microphone support often thrown in, too.

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We've selected options for this list that should stand out from our other favorite smart speakers or outdoor speakers, primarily because they're bigger. Party speakers' larger size means they can hit much higher volumes and reach even more people than the average Bluetooth speaker ever could. Ultimately, what party speaker makes the most sense for you is going to depend on what kind of event you have planned and where you're putting your speaker, but we think the JBL Partbox 310 should be a good starting place for just about anyone thanks to its long battery life and powerful bass. If you've got something else in mind, read through the list below to see what fits you.

Best party speaker: Our top picks

A rectangular party speaker with glowing lights on the front, wheels on the bottom, and a retractable handle.
JBL PartyBox 310
1. Best overall party speaker overall

Loud, with 18 hours of battery life

The JBL Partybox 310 is a battery-powered party speaker that's loud, portable (thanks to wheels), and glowing lights at the front.

Pros
  • Big, bassy sound
  • Lights synced with the beat of the music
  • IPX4 splashproof
Cons
  • Sound may not be loud enough for outside use

JBL's middle child in its party speaker lineup probably delivers the best balance of performance and cost for most. While it might not achieve the level of bass as the 710 further down this list, you're unlikely to find yourself wanting, with plenty of low-end wallop for hip-hop and dance music. It'll get decently loud too, with a 240W output, plus you get the option to use battery power here, with 18 hours of playback from a single charge. If big outside parties are your thing (and you have understanding neighbors) the more powerful 710 may suit you better, but the 310 is IPX4 rated for protection against the elements all the same.

Like the Sony, you have the flexibility to plug in karaoke mics or a guitar, plus there are customizable RGB lights built in here as well. These lights can be controlled via the JBL PartyBox app, which will also give you access to certain EQ controls, as well as the ability to pair this speaker with another one for even more powerful sound.

A large black and gray party speaker with glowing lights at the top.
Sony SRS-XV900
2. Best premium party speaker

Extra big and loud for outdoor events

Sony's powerful SRS-XV900 party speaker is a fantastic all-rounder with a superb feature set. It's not the cheapest, but it does almost everything you'd want it to at its price.

Pros
  • Powerful sound
  • Easily repositioned
  • LED lighting
Cons
  • No waterproofing
  • Pricey

The SRS-XV900 is a seriously big, seriously powerful speaker and Sony's loudest party speaker yet, with over 100W of power output. You can use it wherever the party is, with a handle and wheels for moving it around and 25 hours of battery life -- plus there's a 10-minute quick charge function that will give you an extra three hours of playback.

This is an omnidirectional speaker, so no matter where you are standing, you should enjoy the same great performance. This is thanks to the six tweeters that are angled around 360 degrees at the top of the speaker, with Sony's Jet Bass Booster port around the back to ensure a rich, deep low end. Need a bit more? A press of the Mega Bass button will give it some extra welly. Some nice features include the USB charging port and the ability to plug in up to two mics for karaoke, or use it as a guitar amp. Of course, you can expect LED party lights, that'll sync up with the music that's playing, or you can even use it with your television, thanks to the TV Sound Booster feature.

A silver, plated party speaker a with a handle and all-terrain wheels.
Monster Rockin' Roller 270
3. Best budget party speaker

Small(ish) but powerful

Monster's Rockin' Roller 270 is an affordable party speaker on wheels that offers 200W of power and a long battery life.

Pros
  • Up to 100 hours of battery life
  • All-terrain wheels
Cons
  • Style may not be to all tastes

The Rockin' Roller is a party speaker that looks like it means business, with a rugged exterior and plenty of easily-accessible controls. Its style might not be to all tastes, but it is backed up by specs that count, with 200W of power and a staggering 100-hour battery life. That's the best on our list by some stretch.

This thing has boatloads of features too, far too many to list here, but highlights include a built-in Qi charger, TWS speaker pairing, IPX4 weatherproofing and all-terrain wheels for taking your party on the road. In particular, the sound is delivered through 270 degrees, so you can pop it in the middle of the room and leave it to deliver the party to wherever anyone is standing.

A party speaker with a gray mesh front, glowing lights at the top and the bottom, and "Sony" printed at the top.
Sony SRS-XV800
4. Best party speaker for smaller spaces

Compact and splash-resistant

Sony's new SRS-XV800 brings a compelling alternative to the company's successful party range, for those who want big sound but perhaps don't have the space for a much bigger speaker.

Pros
  • Promising sound offering
  • Up to 25 hours of battery life
  • IPX4 splash-resistant
Cons
  • Small wheels make it harder to move

Sony's SRS-XV800 provides a fantastic alternative option for those who don't want something as big -- or as pricey -- as the larger XV900 on the higher end of Sony's line. You'll still get the powerful omnidirectional sound and ambient lighting that its bigger brother offers, alongside the option to boost your TV sound when it's connected over an optical input. You'll even match the XV900's 25 hours of battery life too, as well as the option to add a karaoke mic or guitar.

There are five tweeters -- rather than six in the XV900 -- and dual X-Balanced speaker units for a sound that should offer deep, punchy bass, but with good vocal clarity too. You will lose some power by comparison. The XV800 is capable of around 77W of output compared to the XV900's 100W, but this is smaller (12.5" x 28.375" x 14.88"), so it will be a little easier to accommodate. Perhaps the biggest feather in the SRS-XV800 compared to its older sibling is that it's now IPX4 rated and should be able to withstand a rainy garden party, making it much more flexible in use.

A black rectangular party speaker with large buttons on the top.
UE Hyperboom
5. Best party speaker for house parties

Adaptive EQ and physical inputs

Ultimate Ears Hyperboom might be more suited to house parties than raves, but it's a solid choice that offers all-day battery life while still being portable.

Pros
  • Great UE sound
  • Portable with carry handle
  • Up to 24 hours of battery life
Cons
  • No smart assistant
  • No AirPlay 2

Ultimate Ears speakers are no strangers to our speaker roundups, and you'll find a couple of its smaller options in our Bluetooth and wireless speaker buying guides. The Hyperboom, though, is a great choice for a party speaker that isn't going to require wheels to get it around. It's still suitably large enough that it needs a carry handle, but it's not going to take up as much space as most of the other options on this list or be quite as heavy.

It's a good looking speaker with some of UE's bold design touches on the control panel up top. It offers a 24-hour battery life, is IPX4 rated and can be paired with any of UE's other speakers to bolster its sound further. There's no smart functionality here, nor any inputs for mics or guitars, but there is an optical in, for boosting TV sound, and a 3.5mm aux in, should you have a device that can still make use of that. There's a USB out too, for charging your device. You can expect UE's signature sound, too: The Hyperboom is perfectly rumbly at the low end when needs be, but overall has a clear, confident and energetic performance that works with all types of music.

A tube-shaped, rainbow-colored Bluetooth speaker with JBL printed on the side.
JBL Pulse 5
6. Best combination of party speaker and ambiance light

Loud, bassy, and colorful

The JBL Pulse 5 is a loud Bluetooth speaker that can easily make do for a party in a pinch because of its powerful audio and customizable Lightshow feature.

Pros
  • IP67 dustproof and waterproof
  • Highly customizable light
  • Gets loud without distortion
Cons
  • No volume controls
  • Pretty heavy

The JBL Pulse 5 is a Bluetooth speaker and technically not in the same weight-class, so to speak, of our other party speaker picks. But JBL's Lightshow feature is so fun to play with and customize in the speaker's companion app, and so good at instantly setting a mood, that it felt like it had to at least be mentioned on this list.

Even if it's smaller, you'll still be satisfied with how it sounds, too. In our tests, the Pulse 5 was able to get extremely loud with very little distortion, making it a good option for a house party where sound will be contained anyway. Despite only having one small tweeter and woofer, it sounds great out of the box too. Bass in particular was a highlight on the Pulse 5. It definitely has enough muscle to shake a table, and it's only a speaker the size of a large water bottle.

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JBL PartyBox 710
7. Best outdoor party speaker

Big enough to reach a crowd

The larger JBL Partybox 710 improves on its smaller siblings features by being bigger and louder than ever.

Pros
  • Powerful and bassy
  • Eye-catching light show
  • IPX4 slpashproof
Cons
  • No battery, mains power only

If you really want to get the party started, the wildly powerful JBL PartyBox 710 is the right tool for the job. With 2.75-inch tweeters and 8-inch woofers, the PartyBox 710 provides a massive 800W of detailed sound and bass that you can feel. The sound is accompanied by a dazzling light show that's customizable in JBL's app, bringing some nightclub-style ambiance to your next shindig.

The only thing to keep in mind is that there's no battery on this model, so you'll need to party somewhere with an outlet. There are wheels and a handle to help you get there, as well as IPX4 rating for protection from splashes.

The bottom line: What is the best speaker for a party?

Delivering big, bassy sound and lively lights, the JBL PartyBox 310 is a great portable party companion that boosts both sound and mood. If you're looking for something more affordable, the Monster Rockin' Roller 270 could be a good fit, and for the ultimate in sound (and price) the Sony SRS-XV900 is in a league of its own.

A rectangular party speaker with glowing lights on the front, wheels on the bottom, and a retractable handle.
JBL PartyBox 310
Editor's Choice

The JBL 310 is the best overall party speaker in terms of audio performance and portability.

How did I choose the best party speakers?

We spent a lot of time looking at the party speaker market, and understanding which brands were the main players to consider. Pocket-lint hasn't reviewed all of these speakers, but we have covered a wide range of audio products, so we have a working knowledge of multiple brands and what features and audio quality they offer.

With that knowledge in mind, we created a list, and then narrowed it down by reading up on hundreds of users' reviews, and considering the key points a good party speaker needs, like sound quality, design and portability, features like waterproofing, and battery life. We also tried to consider different use cases and budgets, so everyone could find a party speaker to suit their needs.

When do I need a party speaker?

If you're in need of something that can provide an extra gear of sound above a regular household speaker -- a speaker that can fill a room of 50 people with sound, say -- then a party speaker is what we'd go with. However, I'd advise you to consider whether you can actually get by with a high-end, powerful Bluetooth or smart speaker before diving in completely, as there's a strong chance this will be more useful to you when you're not wheeling it out for karaoke sessions with friends.

Do party speakers need to be portable?

Party speakers can sit in the same corner forever, or be lugged in and out of cars and parties every weekend. Either way, we'd consider the level of portability you need from a party speaker, and opt for something easy to move, because party speakers can be quite a chore to move around -- even with their wheel and telescopic handle. They're also fairly delicate, so be sure to wrap them up if it is going on adventures regularly, and check for waterproofing if playing music outside is important to you.