Sonos Era 100 Review: A Wireless Speaker That Hits All the Right Notes

The world of wireless speakers is a battlefield. Every brand is fighting for that perfect blend of sound quality, smart features, and seamless connectivity. And just when we thought Sonos had already reached the peak of its game with the Sonos One, the Era 100 arrives to shake things up. This isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a bold step forward, a statement that Sonos is still the king of smart home audio.

So, is the Era 100 the new must-have speaker for your home, or just another pretty gadget with a premium price tag? Let’s dive in.

Design: Sonos Goes Sleek and Smart

If you’ve ever owned a Sonos speaker, you know they don’t just sound good—they look good too. The Era 100 keeps that tradition alive with a sleek, minimalist cylindrical design that feels modern without screaming for attention. It’s slightly taller and rounder than its predecessor, the Sonos One, but it still maintains that compact, bookshelf-friendly footprint.

The touch controls on the top panel are a nice touch—literally. Sonos has introduced a new capacitive volume slider, making it effortless to fine-tune your music with just a swipe. No more frantic tapping to turn the volume up when your favorite song drops.

It’s available in two classic colors: matte black and white, ensuring it blends into any living space, whether you’re going for a high-tech look or something more understated.

Sound Quality: Big, Bold, and Beautiful

Let’s be honest—the real reason you’re here is to find out if the Sonos Era 100 actually sounds as good as Sonos claims. Spoiler alert: it absolutely does.

Inside, Sonos has completely re-engineered the audio architecture, and it shows. The speaker now packs two angled tweeters instead of one, providing a noticeably wider soundstage. This means vocals and instruments feel more spread out, creating a stereo-like experience from a single speaker.

The bass? Way punchier than expected for a speaker of this size. Sonos has upgraded the woofer to a larger, more powerful driver that delivers deep, rich low-end frequencies without distortion. Whether you’re playing bass-heavy hip-hop tracks or classical compositions, the Era 100 keeps everything clean and well-balanced.

When placed in an open space, the Era 100 fills the room with sound effortlessly. But if you really want to take things to another level, pairing two Era 100s in stereo mode creates an incredibly immersive experience. It’s the closest you’ll get to high-fidelity stereo sound without having to buy separate bookshelf speakers.

Connectivity: More Ways to Listen

One of the biggest changes with the Sonos Era 100 is how much more flexible it is when it comes to connectivity. Sonos has historically been all about Wi-Fi streaming, but with the Era 100, Bluetooth is finally here.

That’s right—you no longer need to rely solely on the Sonos app to play your music. If a friend comes over and wants to quickly stream something from their phone, they can just connect via Bluetooth in seconds. It’s a small but long-overdue addition that makes this speaker way more user-friendly.

But Sonos didn’t stop there. For the first time in a standard Sonos speaker, the Era 100 includes support for USB-C line-in, which means you can connect a turntable, CD player, or even an old iPod if you’re feeling nostalgic. You’ll need a separate adapter to make it work, but the fact that it’s possible at all is a huge win for people who still love wired audio sources.

Of course, the usual Sonos features are here as well. Wi-Fi streaming remains the best way to use the speaker, offering support for AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and nearly every major music streaming service on the planet. It also works as part of a Sonos multi-room system, allowing you to sync it with other Sonos speakers for whole-home audio.

Smart Features: Alexa, Sonos Voice, and Privacy Controls

The Era 100 is smarter than ever. It comes with built-in Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Control, meaning you can control your music, adjust volume, and ask for the weather without lifting a finger. Unlike previous Sonos models, there’s no Google Assistant support this time, which might be a dealbreaker for some, but Alexa and Sonos Voice Control work well enough for most people.

For those who are privacy-conscious, Sonos has added a physical kill switch for the microphone. Unlike software-based toggles that might still leave room for concern, this is a real hardware switch that physically disconnects the mic, ensuring that no one (not even Sonos) can listen in.

Real-World Use: How Does It Feel to Live with the Era 100?

Using the Era 100 in daily life is effortless—which is exactly what you want in a wireless speaker.

Setup takes less than five minutes. The Sonos app walks you through everything, from connecting to Wi-Fi to enabling Trueplay tuning, which automatically adjusts the sound based on the room’s acoustics.

The sound fills small to medium-sized rooms beautifully, making it ideal for bedrooms, kitchens, and home offices. If you’re looking for a larger speaker to power a living room or big open space, the Era 300 might be a better choice, but for everyday use, the Era 100 is more than enough.

Having Bluetooth as an option means you’re no longer stuck in the Sonos ecosystem if you just want to play something quickly. And the USB-C line-in option is a game-changer for people who want to connect older audio sources.

Pairing two Era 100s in stereo genuinely transforms the listening experience. It creates a soundstage that rivals dedicated bookshelf speakers but without the hassle of amps and cables. If you’re serious about sound quality and have the budget, going for the stereo pair is 100% worth it.

Battery Life? Nope—This is a Plugged-In Speaker

Unlike Sonos’ portable models like the Roam and Move, the Era 100 does not have a built-in battery. This means it needs to stay plugged in at all times, so if you’re looking for something to take outside or move around frequently, this isn’t the speaker for you.

That being said, it’s designed to be a set-it-and-forget-it speaker, perfect for people who want a reliable, always-connected audio system.

Final Verdict: Sonos Has Once Again Set the Standard

The Sonos Era 100 isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a statement. Sonos took everything great about the Sonos One, improved the sound, added long-requested features like Bluetooth and line-in support, and wrapped it all in a beautifully designed package.

For anyone already in the Sonos ecosystem, this is an easy buy. For newcomers, this might be the best entry point into the world of Sonos.

While it doesn’t have Google Assistant and it’s not portable, those are minor drawbacks compared to everything else it offers. If you want rich, room-filling sound in a compact speaker with the best smart features around, the Era 100 is a no-brainer.

Sonos has once again outdone itself—and the competition better start taking notes.