Essentials

100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts: The Sonos Roam Bluetooth speaker is the perfect Christmas gift for music lovers

By Lily Rose

November 4, 2022 / 2:50 PM EDT / Essentials

CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

cbsn-essentials-holiday-100-2022-sonos-speaker-option1.jpg — CBS Essentials; Sonos via Amazon

A top-rated Bluetooth speaker makes a great Christmas or Hanukkah gift. Whether you're gifting one to holiday hosts or to your friends and family, the sounds of the season sound even better coming from an impressive audio player. One of the most-wanted holiday gifts of 2022 is the Sonos Roam, a speaker that's voice assistant-compatible and features excellent sound quality.

Keep reading to see why the Sonos Roam is our most-wanted Bluetooth speaker this holiday season.

Top products in this article:

Sonos Roam, $179

$179 at Amazon

$180 at Best Buy

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation), $250 (regularly $279)

$250 at Amazon

Bose SoundLink Flex, $150

$150 at Best Buy

Why the Sonos Roam is a most-wanted holiday gift

The friends who always ask you for the aux cord will love this most-wanted holiday gift.

The Sonos Roam can stream music and more via Wi-Fi. This top-rated speaker is lightweight and waterproof. It's made to be durable with shock-absorbing materials. The audio device boasts up to 10 hours of continuous play time. Don't have a ton of space for a speaker? Don't worry. The Sonos Roam is small enough to slip into a purse or large pocket and makes a great companion for indoor and outdoor fun.

This portable speaker is a CBS Essentials bestseller. It's also a winner at Amazon: Amazon users have given the Sonos Roam a 4.2-star rating.

Raves one Amazon reviewer: "For the size, it can really belt out some music and not get muddy base as others have. The Wi-Fi connection works great ... It was easy to turn off Wi-Fi and just pair it to Bluetooth to run music selections the way I am familiar with. Even the unboxing of speaker -- you can tell that a lot of thought was put into how a customer will enjoy it."

For these reasons and more, the Sonos Roam is our pick for the best portable speaker and why we named it one of CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts.

Sonos Roam

The feature-rich Sonos Roam ticks many boxes, making it a great value for your money -- even though it does sit at a higher price range. A standalone Bluetooth speaker that supports Sonos's multi-room ecosystem, it boasts Qi charging (although you have to buy the charger separately), Google Assistant and Alexa support for voice control and Sonos Trueplay, which allows you to retune the speaker based on your surroundings. Bass lovers will also appreciate its controlled, bass-heavy sound.

Its "well-balanced sound" and "surprising bass for the size" are among the many things Best Buy reviewers appreciate about Sonos Roam. One reviewer concludes that "if you are in the market for a small, portable speaker and value balance sound over excessive bass or gimmicky features, the Sonos Roam is worth a look."

Sonos Roam, $179

$179 at Amazon

$180 at Best Buy

Sonos Roam alternatives to consider this holiday season

While the Sonos Roam is a most-wanted holiday gift, it might not be exactly what you're looking for. Below, we've listed some top-rated bluetooth speaker alternatives.

An excellent premium option: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd generation)

While the B&O Beosound A1 (2nd generation)'s elegant design suggests it shouldn't go anywhere near water or sand, it proves to be an excellent shower, pool or beach-day companion, thanks to its IP67 certification. That means that it has total protection against sand and dust and can be submerged underwater for 30 minutes, at a depth of up to one meter. It also has a long battery life of up to 18 hours, plus Amazon Alexa built in and app support so you can personalize its sound profile.

"I've been using Bose products for over a decade and recently I tried a pair of B&O headphones and immediately noticed the difference," wrote an Amazon reviewer. "This is my first B&O Bluetooth speaker and it certainly delivered."

Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Generation), $250 (regularly $279)

$250 at Amazon

A physically versatile Bluetooth speaker: Bose SoundLink Flex

The Bose SoundLink Flex boasts that crisp, clear sound that Bose users have come to expect from the brand. Of course, it also comes with its own features that set it apart from other Bose speakers. Those include its versatile form factor, which allows you to stand it upright, hang it from a backpack and lay it flat. Its sound positioning is just as versatile, thanks to Bose's PositionIQ technology, which automatically detects its orientation and adjusts the sound imaging accordingly. Other great features are its IP67 rating, up to 12 hours of battery life and its ability to pair with another Bose Bluetooth speaker.

According to a Best Buy reviewer, "...this bluetooth speaker does not disappoint. The huge sound fills a room with little effort and it is incredible to think that the sound is coming from such a small/medium sized portable speaker."

Bose SoundLink Flex, $150

$150 at Best Buy

A wallet-friendly Bluetooth speaker: JBL Clip 4

This waterproof speaker is small enough to fit in your palm, so it may not an ideal option to fill an entire pool area with sound. But if you're seeking a versatile, budget-friendly speaker that can fit into any active adventure, consider the JBL Clip 4. It's currently reduced from $80 to $50 and has a built-in clip, so you can attach it to a tree, your pool bag and more. The Clip 4 comes in six hues and offers 10 hours of playtime on a single charge.

"It's not going to rattle any windows, but the bass coming out of this thing is a lot better than I expected," wrote an Amazon customer. "I was expecting it to be tinny like most small speakers."

JBL Clip 4, $50 (reduced from $80)

$50 at Amazon

To save $5, consider the well-reviewed JBL Clip 3, which is available in an even wider variety of colors but has only 3.3 watts compared to the JBL Clip 4's five watts.

JBL Clip 3, $45

$45 at Amazon

More Bluetooth speakers to consider

Shop even more top-rated Bluetooth speakers from Bose, JBL, Anker and more.

Bose SoundLink Color II

Many budget-minded consumers are under the impression that Bose products are expensive. However, you can get one without breaking the bank if you know where to look. The Bose SoundLink Color II is an older-generation model, but it can still keep up with the newer ones, thanks to its Bose SimpleSync technology support connecting to other Bose speakers, up to 8 hours of battery life, and IPX7 waterproof rating.

"This Bose Soundlink Color II portable speaker is designed around smart compromises," wrote a Best Buy customer who purchased the device. "It focuses on clarity of sound over powerful volume and packs that sound into a portable size with an impressive battery life."

Bose SoundLink Color II, $91 (reduced from $129)

$91 at Best Buy

Anker Soundcore Motion+

Soundcore Motion+ Bluetooth Speaker — Anker via Amazon

If you're all about the sound quality, check out the Anker Soundcore Motion+. Reviewers praise its high-res audio, intense bass and faithful music reproduction. This speaker is available in three colors, has a 12-hour playtime and has USB-C connectivity. It has an IPX7 rating, meaning it can be temporarily submerged in water. Plus, you can pair two of these speakers together for even more volume or a huge stereo sound. This speaker is thoughtfully positioned upward to fill an entire space with sound.

"I've been collecting portable Bluetooth speakers for over eight years, and the Motion+ is one of the best speakers I've heard in this price range," said an Amazon reviewer. "Many others have tried to hit the perfect balance of audio accuracy, with portability and affordability. The Motion+ is truly the first portable speaker that checks all the boxes."

Anker Soundcore Motion+, $87 with coupon (regularly $107)

$87 at Amazon

Comiso waterproof Bluetooth speaker

If you're looking for the most affordable option with the longest playtime here, the Comiso waterproof Bluetooth speaker is for you. It plays for 24 hours at full volume or up to 36 hours at two-thirds volume on a single charge. Plus, it comes in seven cheerful colors, from yellow to rose gold. You can pair two of these speakers for an enhanced stereo-sound experience via a single device.

This speaker is also IPX5 waterproof, which means it can resist a gentle splash but cannot be partially or fully submerged.

Comiso waterproof Bluetooth speaker, $39

$39 at Amazon

JBL Flip 5

Pair two of these speakers together for stereo sound, or pair multiple JBL PartyBoost-compatible speakers for music that fills your whole yard. But even alone, this speaker offers 20 watts of sound, which is not too shabby. It has 12 hours of playtime, is IPX7 waterproof up to three-feet deep, and offers USB-C quick charge. Choose from nine colors.

"This speaker is stupid loud -- and crisp at that," commented an Amazon customer. "I work in an automotive shop and I keep my volume at 25% in my station. Phenomenal sound, phenomenal quality, could not be happier."

JBL Flip 5, $100 (reduced from $130)

$100 at Amazon

100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts: The best gifts to give this Christmas

It may seem early to start shopping for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts, but trust us, it's not. Last year's holiday season was riddled with supply-chain issues, and CBS News is anticipating more of the same in 2022. Plus, there's inflation -- unfortunately, prices may rise even more before December comes.

So it's time to shop for holiday gifts now. Pick out a great hiding spot and check out CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts of 2022. We've based our top 100 gift picks on our own bestsellers, owner reviews and our own extensive research into the most-buzzed-about gifts of 2022, such as this I am Groot Lego set, a guinea pig toy that gives birth and this pooping purple turtle.

Stay tuned to the CBS Essentials 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts Series for our picks of the hottest gifts to give in 2022. Our list includes some of Apple's newest products, the top toys of 2022, game-changing kitchen appliances (such as this air fryer) and so much more.

Lily Rose

Lily Rose is a senior writer for CBS Essentials and the site's expert in home appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators and ranges. When she's not writing about how you can upgrade your laundry room, she's writing about home and kitchen essentials that will transform your space. Her favorite appliance is her air fryer. She firmly believes that it can make the crispiest sweet potato fries.