JBL Clip 5 - Ultra-Portable, Waterproof & Dustproof Bluetooth Speaker, Big JBL Pro Sound with Punchy bass, Integrated Carabiner, Up to 12 Hours of Play, Made in Part with Recycled Materials (Black)

Why it's worth it

The JBL Clip 5 hangs off a bag by its built-in carabiner and plays for up to 12 hours. It's IP67 waterproof and dustproof, so a poolside speaker that gets knocked in isn't a disaster.

The carabiner is why teens like this one. It's fully integrated with a wide opening, so it clips to a backpack strap, a belt loop, or a beach bag and stays there. That's the difference between a speaker she uses and a speaker that lives on a shelf. It weighs under a pound, so she genuinely won't notice it hanging off her bag.

It sounds better than it has any right to. RTINGS.com measured the Clip 5 at 80dB average output with under 0.5% THD at moderate volumes, putting it among the cleanest small portable speakers in its class. Owners are repeatedly surprised by how much volume and bass come out of something this size — enough to fill a bedroom or a bathroom while she gets ready.

From our review of 8 gifts for teen girls

What we like

• +The carabiner is why teens like this one
• +It sounds better than it has any right to
• +The IP67 rating means water and dust are non-issues
• +It also comes in a lot of colors, which matters more here than the spec sheet suggests

What to know

• –It's a small speaker, and physics applies
• –There's no microphone for calls, so it plays music and nothing else
• –It's also a low-drama gift