Which Sonos Speaker Should You Buy?

The Era 100 is a medium-sized smart speaker that replaces the popular Sonos One, but the $249 model adds Bluetooth and single-box stereo capability. The Era 300 is a larger and more expensive smart speaker with a horizontal orientation. With its array of upward and outward firing tweeters, the $449 Era 300 supports Dolby Atmos spatial audio on some music tracks from Amazon Music Unlimited and Apple Music.

Sonos has also revamped the manufacturing of both speakers, with screws replacing glue so that the speakers can be repaired more easily, and by using post-consumer plastics.

We requested prelaunch samples of both speakers from Sonos for an early evaluation, and we then purchased speakers at retail to test in our labs. The Era 300 and Era 100 performed very well, and details of our test results can be found in the model write-ups below.

These new speakers supplement an already sizable Sonos lineup, which includes some Sonos-compatible models from Ikea. Below is a broad selection of models we’ve already tested, from most to least expensive, with guidance on how you can find the best Sonos model for your needs. (Soundbars, like the new Sonos Ray, are handled separately in CR’s ratings.) All these speakers were purchased at retail and tested in controlled conditions in our specially built sound labs by our team of trained technicians, who evaluate each model for ease of use, versatility, and, most of all, sound quality.

Please note that the rating system for wireless speakers and smart speakers is slightly different, so you can’t directly compare the scores between the two categories.