Key Takeaways
- Amazon Echo and Google Nest speakers work over Bluetooth for audio playback.
- Sonos speakers are great options for those who want both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth audio support. Bose also has some options.
- Non-smart speakers like Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II can act smart when paired to a smartphone over Bluetooth, enabling voice commands.
You might be used to using Spotify or Apple Music to listen to music on your smart speaker. But, did you know most smart speakers also support Bluetooth? Here are several that do, and also a few more “dumb” speakers that act smart.
Amazon Echo
The entire Amazon Echo lineup supports Bluetooth speaker functionality. There are two ways to go about this. You can either say “Alexa, pairing mode” and the Echo itself will go into discovery mode, so you can pair a smartphone or something with it. Or, if you’re trying to pair another device, like a turntable or similar, then you can go to the settings of the Alexa app and that’ll let you pair devices to it.
Google Nest
Google’s Nest lineup of speakers functions quite similar to the Echo line. Simply say, “Hey Google, pairing mode” and the speaker will become discoverable so you can pair a smartphone, laptop, or other device to it. Similarly to the Echo, you can access the settings of the speaker through the Assistant app and pair additional devices to it where those devices become discoverable themselves, like a turntable.
Sonos
Sonos is known for having multi-function speakers, and the company’s home-based and portable offerings are no exception. The lineup of speakers doesn’t just work over Wi-Fi, but you’ll find that each speaker also supports playback over Bluetooth. Connect your Amazon account to something like the Era 100 and use it to shop, interact with Alexa skills, and more.
On the back of most modern Sonos speakers, you’ll find a button that’ll put the speaker into Bluetooth pairing mode. This is how you’ll connect your smartphone, computer, or other device to a Sonos speaker.
Bose Portable Smart Speaker
The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is exactly what the name implies, a portable smart speaker. It has Alexa built-in and can be taken with you anywhere. However, if you go somewhere that doesn’t have Wi-Fi, it still works just the same over Bluetooth, allowing you to enjoy tunes without a network connection.
Some Non-Smart Speakers Can Use Bluetooth to Act Smart
So far, I’ve only talked about speakers that are smart first, Bluetooth second. But, what about speakers that don’t have Wi-Fi but still can act smart? Those exist too!
For example, the Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II is a Bluetooth speaker with no Wi-Fi connectivity option at all. There’s no “smarts” built-in here, it’s just a Bluetooth speaker. However, when paired to your iPhone or Android, there’s a button on the top that you can hold which will trigger your voice assistant of choice. This allows you to, effectively, use the SoundLink Revolve+ II Bluetooth speaker as a smart speaker, with a little manual input.
Another few options in this category are the Beats Pill and most of the OontZ lineup of Bluetooth speakers. While none of them have Wi-Fi built-in, you’ll find that these traditional Bluetooth speakers can deliver some smart functionality by simply holding a button on the speaker and accessing your voice assistant.
Unconventional Ways to Use Bluetooth on Your Smart Speaker
Now that you know several smart speakers that support Bluetooth output, you might be wondering why that’s a big deal? Well, for starters, you’ll be able to use your smartphone, tablet, or computer to play back audio that’s not available on streaming platforms. This could be from a home video you’ve recorded, a voice memo, or anything else. This is what most people think of when using a Bluetooth speaker.
However, did you know that you can pair some turntables over Bluetooth to a speaker? Yep! So, if you want to kick it old school but with some modern flair, then pair your record player to a smart speaker over Bluetooth and spin wax without worrying about cables.
Another way you could use a smart speaker over Bluetooth is to watch a movie on your computer or even a projector while using the speaker for audio. Most small projectors don’t have great speakers, and hooking up an external system can be cumbersome. Instead, pair the projector (or computer) to your smart speaker over Bluetooth and stream the audio that way!
In some cases you might run into a slight lag or delay between the video and audio, but with more modern Bluetooth versions this isn’t as big of an issue.
If you have an Echo Dot in a room and want to watch YouTube on your phone, but have a more powerful speaker play the audio, that’s another area that Bluetooth comes in handy. Similar to the projector scenario above, simply pair your phone to the Echo Dot over Bluetooth and you’ll be able to use it to play YouTube, which otherwise wouldn’t be supported on a screen-less smart speaker.
Not sure where to put a smart speaker in your home? Here’s the best rooms to put a smart speaker in.
