5 Wireless Speakers To Steer Clear Of, According To Consumer Reports – BGR

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Bluetooth speakers are available in numerous shapes and sizes, and many of these wireless devices are built for portability. Having the ability to take audio wherever you go — be it indoors or outdoors — is definitely convenient, but not all wireless speakers are created equal. We’ve talked about some of the best Bluetooth speaker brands before, but today we’re going to shift the focus to wireless audio solutions you should steer clear of at all costs, according to Consumer Reports (CR).

Some of the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi speakers we’re going to discuss are made by recognizable companies like JBL. Then there are other brands you’ve probably never heard of that we suggest you continue to ignore. While we’re not in the business of raining negativity down on these CR selections, a lackluster wireless speaker is a disappointment that costs time and money — and those are precious commodities.

We’ve chosen five portable speakers from CR’s list of the worst wireless speakers of 2025. Not only do these products have a low overall score on CR’s site, but they also rank low in other important categories like sound quality, ease of use, and versatility.

IKEA may best be known for its sleek, minimalist furniture, but over the last decade or so, the Swedish brand has also been making speakers and other smart home devices. The Ikea Vappeby Portable Bluetooth Speaker is one of CR’s worst-rated portable speakers of 2025, earning a 24 out of 100 for its overall score, on top of a 2/5 for sound quality and a 2/5 for versatility.

We did some digging, and while the $16 price point is certainly alluring, the biggest reason to stay away from this Bluetooth speaker is its limited volume.. Over on Ikea’s site, one reviewer wrote, “[I]t just doesn’t get loud enough,” after knocking the product for not including a charging cord either. Another user complained that the on/off button stopped working.

The Vappeby is available in four colors (black, blue, pink, and white) and can be easily attached to belt loops and backpacks with its carabiner hook. It also has an IP67 rating, so even if you do buy one, you won’t have to worry about water sending it to an early grave.

While JBL usually is a revered brand in the wireless audio space (we even highlighted five of the top-rated JBL speakers on Amazon), the JBL Clip 4 was a big miss over at CR. Scoring a 38 out of 100 for its overall score, 2/5 for sound quality, and 2/5 for versatility, the Clip 4 is both lightweight and portable, and has several color options to choose from — a JBL staple.

That said, the speaker struggles when it comes time to dish out the decibels: Not only does it not get very loud, but the Clip 4 has to downmix stereo to mono. It also starts taking on quite a bit of compression as you approach higher volumes. Unfortunately, the Clip 4 is also cursed with subpar battery life — while it’s rated for up to 10 hours, it only delivered 5.5 hours of playback.

For $65, the JBL Clip 4 does carry an IP67 rating, making it a fair choice for poolside use, and it’s often on sale at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

The Edifier MP100 Plus earned a 34 out of 100 score from CR, along with a 2/5 for sound quality and 2/5 for versatility. Designed to last up to 9 hours on a full charge, this 50-watt Bluetooth speaker is wrapped in a dust-proof mesh fabric for physical protection, and the entire speaker is IPX7-rated for water resistance. We also appreciate the inclusion of a nylon carabiner hook.

But things start falling apart when it comes to highs, mids, and lows. A four-star Amazon review claims the speaker has “decent sound for its size,” but when the speaker was professionally reviewed by Tech Advisor, the writer said the M100 Plus failed to deliver adequate bass. It’s hard to get big sound out of a small speaker, and there isn’t a companion app for fine-tuning the M100’s EQ.

This Edifier speaker is $50 at full price, but we’re willing to bet you can find a cheaper Bluetooth speaker that gives you a little more thump in the bass range.

The folks at CR gave the Altec Lansing HydraBlast a 35 out of 100, with a 2/5 for sound quality and a 3/5 for versatility. Available in black and royal blue, this 6-watt speaker brings decent specs to the table, including a 100-foot detection range, up to 20 hours of battery life, and an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. There’s even a wireless Qi charger built into the top of the speaker, so you’ll be able to charge your phone while streaming tunes from it.

As for its drawbacks, one Amazon reviewer mentioned that you need to manually unpair your first connected device before pairing a new phone, tablet, laptop, etc. A couple of other users claim the HydraBlast doesn’t get all that loud, and that the actual battery life is nowhere near 20 hours (one reviewer reported four hours with the volume at 50%).

We’ve also read reports of the speaker completely dying after several months of use. Altec Lansing has been around for a minute, but history alone doesn’t translate to reliability. And for $80, you can do much better with an Anker or JBL speaker.

For those unaware, Onn is Walmart’s electronics house brand, which makes everything from power strips and universal remotes to streaming devices — and the focus of this entry, Wi-Fi speakers. Over at CR, the Onn Large Wi-Fi scored a 36 out of 100 for its overall score, along with a 2/5 for sound quality and a 3/5 for versatility.

Priced at around $100, the Onn Large actually has a pretty unique design. And thanks to Wi-Fi connectivity, you’ll be able to use Apple AirPlay to stream tunes from your phone or tablet to multiple Onn speakers throughout your home. That said, a number of Walmart customers have said that the Wi-Fi feature is intermittent at best and that the Onn Large will randomly shut off at times.

Other customers have had issues with getting the speaker to link up with Alexa and Google Home. It’s a shame the Onn Large Wi-Fi is so temperamental, because it’s the only speaker on this list that includes Bluetooth pairing, USB connectivity, and 3.5mm aux, in addition to Wi-Fi connectivity.

When it comes to breaking down the best and the worst of wireless speakers, it’s important to think about the features most folks expect from a functional audio product. Consumer Reports does a nice job at looking at individual criteria like overall score, sound quality, and versatility, but we also pay attention to factors like brand recognition and reliability, battery life, and durability.

When possible, we use our own hands-on reviews and product knowledge to discuss the pros and cons of specific audio products, but we also rely on reviews and user feedback from sites like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.