The Best Speaker category is all about acknowledging the best-sounding at-home or on-the-go audio devices and it’s been a year full of some great ones. All the shortlisted nominees for this category were excellent, but there can only be one winner. With that in mind, which product took the crown for Best Speaker 2023?
Speaker of the year: Sonos Era 300
TheSonos Era 300takes the win for the Best Speaker 2023 at this year’s Pocket-lint Awards, and it scooped Product of the Year too. Some will love its unique design, others might not be so sure, but you can’t deny it’s different and we have grown very fond of it. It’s not just about what it looks like though - the Era 300 sounds incredible.
Sonos Era 300
It offers excellent performance, a range of great features and a design that really stands out. Sure, if you are an Apple user, the HomePod could be a better choice, but for those already invested inthe Sonos system, or looking to start one with a bang, the Era 300 is a truly fantastic choice.
Highly commended: JBL Charge 5 Wi-Fi
TheJBL Charge 5 Wi-Fimight not rip up trees with lots of new features, and the lack of a battery life upgrade is a bit of a bummer, but the fundamental fact is that it takes a very good speaker and makes it better, which is why it is highly deserving of the runner up for Best Speaker 2023 in this year’s Awards.
Having all the benefits of portability, along with those of Wi-Fi connectivity, for under $200 makes it a really solid option for those who want a new all-purpose speaker. It’s as at home on the kitchen counter or on a camping trip, which you can’t say is true of that many of its competitors.
The best of the rest
Apple HomePod (2nd Gen)
TheApple Homepod (2nd gen, 2023)is a superb-sounding speaker, justlike its predecessor was, and if it’s sound quality you’re after, the HomePod (2nd generation) will not let you down. It delivers a great balance with an impressive soundstage for a variety of tracks and genres.
It’s also much smarter than the 2018 model was (you at least get radio this time around), adding a range of features that make it significantly more useful as a smart speaker. Matter support helps to makeHomeKitmore relevant in the smart home market and in turn, HomePod. There are also a few nice-to-have features mixed in too, especially - and importantly - for those embedded in Apple’s ecosystem.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A5
Whether theBang & Olufsen Beosound A5is a sensible way of spending north of $1099/£899 will very much depend on what you determine “sensible” to be. For many it will be a stretch too far, especially when some of its best competition costs half the price.
However, this is one of the best battery-powered speaker we’ve heard and it looks undoubtedly lovely too, particularly in the finish we tested. It’s a real step above anything else in the category.
Marshall Middleton
TheMarshall Middletonis another absolutely rock-solid speaker from Marshall, one that actually weighs about as much as a rock, but sounds phenomenal to make up for it. Its weight means that it won’t be perfect for every scenario, but that’s fine - there are smaller speakers available. For those who do want its hefty, punchy sound, this is a great beefy speaker.
It manages to retain sonic balance even at high volumes and makes it really easy to adjust things on the fly, all while looking like a bit of classic sound equipment.
Sonos Era 100
TheSonos Era 100is a new era - pun entirely intended - forSonos speakers. It takes the company’s excellent entry-level speaker from 2017 and gives it a make-over, both internally and externally.
The Era 100’s new design gives the baby Sonos a new lease of life, whilst adding a number of new features that make it even more appealing - like Bluetooth capabilities, new controls and line-in functionality. Yes, it adds a few pounds or dollars to theOne’s price tag, and no it can’t be paired with its predecessor, but if you’re considering entering theSonos platform, the Era 100 is a perfect place to start.
How the Pocket-lint Awards judging works
The winner for the Best Speaker category is decided by the Pocket-lint team, along with a panel of expert judges from other publications across the industry. Following a vigorous scoring process, the Best Speaker winner for 2023 was announced at an in-person event on 15 June 2025, along with the winners from the other 20 categories.
A Product of the Year winner was also announced, chosen from the winners of the 21 categories and a winner of the New EE Award was revealed at the event too. You cancheck out all the winners in our main Pocket-lint Awards featureif you want the low down on the best tech to buy this year.
