Smart speakers · Ranked #4 of 9 · Best compact multiroom speaker

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker

84
Well liked
Average of 6 professional reviews
5 of 6 recommend it · broad agreement
Where the 6 reviews landedRange 75–90

Exact average 83.8 · all scores printed by the outlets

Bose Lifestyle Ultra SpeakerImage: Bose

6 professional reviewers tested the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, and 5 recommend it. Most praised: sound quality and ease of use. Most common complaint: price.

Reviewed by Trusted Reviews, TechRadar, TweakTown and 3 more

The catch: It costs more than the Sonos Era 100 and has no room tuning.

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What 6 critics said

Highest score first · all converted to 0–100
  1. 90
    Trusted ReviewsHands-on review · 2026

    A consistent all-round performer with clear, detailed sound and open multiroom support, though it costs more than some rivals and can distort on demanding tracks.

    Read Trusted Reviews review
  2. 90
    TechRadarHands-on review · 2026

    A strong Wi-Fi speaker with good looks, open multiroom support and pleasing height in its sound; it is held back by weak Bluetooth codecs and no auto calibration.

    Read TechRadar review
  3. 85
    TweakTownHands-on review

    A compact, well-built speaker that fills a room with detailed sound and pairs easily into a stereo set.

    Read TweakTown review
  4. 83
    CNETHands-on review · 2026

    A top compact smart speaker with refined sound, open multiroom support and attractive design; best as a stereo pair and a little dearer than the Sonos Era 100.

    Read CNET review
  5. 80
    Tom's GuideHands-on review · 2026

    A capable, easy-to-set-up smart speaker with superb audio and Alexa+, but rivals at the same price add spatial audio, sensors and room tuning.

    Read Tom's Guide review
  6. 75
    EngadgetHands-on review · 2026

    Well designed and clear on vocals with easy setup, but bass is underwhelming and stereo pairing was glitchy; better as part of a Bose home theatre than as a standalone pick.

    Read Engadget review

"Est." means the outlet printed no score, so we estimated one from its verdict and checked our estimates against ratings outlets print. How we check estimates

What critics praise most

Sound quality5 of 6
Ease of use3 of 6
Design3 of 6

What critics dislike most

Price2 of 6

Other smart speakers critics rate highly

Sonos Era 100Image: Sonos
Top pick, narrowlySonos Era 10012 reviews · broad agreement89
WiiM SoundImage: WiiM
WiiM Sound4 reviews · broad agreement88
Sonos Era 300Image: Sonos
Best for Dolby AtmosSonos Era 30021 reviews · critics split86
Meridian EllipseImage: Meridian
Best for compact audio engineeringMeridian Ellipse4 reviews · broad agreement81

Also reviewed, not yet scored

Common questions

Is the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker worth it?

Most critics think so: 5 of 6 recommend it. It costs more than the Sonos Era 100 and has no room tuning.

Do critics agree about the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker?

Broad agreement: scores range from 75 (Engadget) to 90 (Trusted Reviews), a spread of 15 points across 6 reviews. Most reviewers land fairly close together.

What do critics dislike about the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker?

Price (2 of 6 reviews).

What is the best alternative to the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker?

The Sonos Era 100 (critic score 89), top pick, narrowly.