How we test soundbars

Which? tests many dozens of soundbars a year, from all the major brands – including Bose, Samsung and Sonos – and more. 

We test a range of models, from compact single-bar types to those that come with a separate bass-boosting subwoofer speaker. We select soundbars styled for different TV and room sizes, so whether you want it for a big screen TV or need something smaller, you'll find something to suit you. 

The best soundbars sound exceptional whether you're watching a rip-roaring action film, a quiet tense thriller or catching up on soaps. Dialogue will ring through the mix clearly, even during complex scenes, and the bass will be finely balanced with the mid-range and treble – you'll feel immersed in wide sound that fills the room.

Why our tests are different

Sound quality is rated by a panel of five audio industry experts listening to a set programme of audio content. This includes TV dramas, complex action sequences and quiet scenes where you should be able to hear a pin drop.

But this being a Which? test, we don't stop there. We listen to every model from different distances and angles. This checks for any issues that may arise if you’re not sitting directly in front of the soundbar, such as when watching a film with a group of friends, all sitting in different spots around the TV. This often comes up as a flaw in even some high-end models.

Plus, we put bold claims of big volume and impressive-sounding specs to the test by checking how loud you can push each soundbar before distortion kicks in. 

What are Which? Best Buys and Don't Buys?

The soundbars that excel the most in our tests are made Best Buys. They will sound the best, have the most well-implemented and useful features, and be simple to use.

A Don't Buy soundbar isn't worth buying, regardless of what they cost – these will have dreadful sound, be tricky to use and lack the features that usually help a soundbar to improve your TV speakers.

• All soundbars that score 70% or more are Best Buys.
• All soundbars that score 45% or less are Don't Buys.

What is a Great Value soundbar?

Some models are also Great Value picks. These soundbars have done well in our tests and scored at least 60%. 

They're at least 20% cheaper than the average cost of a soundbar in our tests, and our experts think they are great models to choose if you're looking for more bang for your buck. Some Great Value models also score well enough to be Best Buys.

How is the Which? score calculated?

Once we have all our test results in, we evaluate the data to determine the total test score for each soundbar. Our audio tests were updated in November 2022 and all scores on models reviewed on or after that date are made up of the following criteria:

• Sound quality – 65% 
• Ease of use – 20% 
• Features – 10%
• Power consumption – 5%

Soundbar sound quality

As you'd expect from a product that has 'sound' in its name, sound quality is paramount.

That's why we use a panel of industry experts, with decades of audio experience, to put each soundbar through its paces.

Subjective tests make up some of the assessments, as we ask our panel of professionals to give us their expert opinion on how the soundbar deals with an array of film and music genres. 

We also run lab assessments, to give us detailed data on acoustics, distortion and definition, so we've got all audio bases covered.

Sound quality accounts for 65% of the overall score.

Soundbar ease of use

The best soundbars will be all but ready to use once it's plugged in and connected to your TV, while others ask you to go through laborious setup processes.

Our team look at everything from setup and menus, to the remote and display, so we can recommend soundbars that are simple to use. We run each soundbar through numerous scenarios and rate how easy or arduous it is to get the result we want, whether that's switching inputs using the controls on the soundbar, or adjusting the sound mix.

Ease of use accounts for 20% of the overall score.

Soundbar features

Many soundbars come with a boatload of extras, whether it's connecting to other speakers to make a multi-room system, making use of Dolby Atmos sound processing to send audio over your head, or giving you an app to adjust equalisation and tweak the sound.

We don't take any claims about the quality of these features at face value, so if a soundbar manufacturer professes that its latest model does something flashy, we'll put it to the test, so you know if it's worth paying for.

Features accounts for 10% of the overall score.

Soundbar power consumption

We want to know how much a soundbar will cost you to run, so we use it in exactly the same way as you'd use it at home and we measure how much energy it uses.

If we find a soundbar that's using an excessive amount then we'll penalise it.

Power consumption accounts for 5% of the overall score.

Browse all our soundbar reviews to find your ideal model.