Brand · 7 products · Audio & Headphones
Bose
Is Bose worth buying?
Bose earned a buy verdict on 2 of the 7 Bose products we compared (29%), well below the 50% average across every brand on the site. 1 of them won its comparison outright: Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen). 3 are an "it depends": right for a specific buyer, not for everyone. We would skip 2: Bose TV Speaker and Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen).
Verdicts synthesize independent testing and long-term owner reports; we do not run a lab and never take review units. Each product below links to the comparison it was judged in. How we review.
Buy it 2 products
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The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers: 4 Compared, 1 We'd Skip · Audio & Headphones
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)Won the comparison
The best sound-per-ounce of the group, and rugged enough that you won't baby it.
Best for: Most people who want the best everyday grab-and-go speaker and care more about sound quality than sheer volume.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Premium Noise-Cancelling Headphones: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Audio & Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)Runner-up
The comfort-and-quiet champion, with noise cancelling that reviewers consistently place among the very best.
Best for: Anyone who prioritizes maximum silence and long-wear comfort over granular tuning.
$$$ · premium
It depends 3 products
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The Best Premium Wireless Earbuds: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Audio & Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen)
Bose's quietest in-ear noise cancelling and the most adjustable fit, held back by the shortest battery here.
Best for: Commuters and frequent flyers who rank silence and a locked-in fit above battery life.
$$$ · premium
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The Best Rugged Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Audio & Headphones
Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen)
The best-sounding compact of the bunch, but you pay for the refinement and give up the endurance features.
Best for: Sound-quality-first buyers who value tuning and portability over battery life and extra features.
$$ · mid-range
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The Best Sports Earbuds: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) · Audio & Headphones
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
A clip-on open-ear design that leaves your ear canal free so you can hear traffic and your surroundings.
Best for: Outdoor runners and cyclists who prioritize hearing their surroundings over isolation and bass.
$$$$ · flagship
Skip it 2 products
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Best Budget Soundbars: Real-World Picks for Bigger Sound Without the Splurge · Audio & Headphones
Bose TV Speaker
A premium single bar tuned for dialogue clarity, but with no subwoofer and little cinematic weight.
Why we skip it: No subwoofer in the box (Bose sells an optional bass module), so it can't match the bass or scale of the 2.1 and 3.1 systems
$$$ · premium
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The Best Portable Bluetooth Speakers: 4 Compared, 1 We'd Skip · Audio & Headphones
Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen)
Adorable, tough, and the one speaker here we'd tell you to pass on.
Why we skip it: Thin, bass-light sound that its mid-range price badly overpays for
$$ · mid-range
Bose in our categories: Audio & Headphones (7)