The Sonos One review UK story is one of the smart audio market's most compelling: a compact speaker that held the top spot for years before Sonos replaced it with the Era 100. The Sonos One (Gen 2) has since been officially discontinued, yet it remains a genuinely excellent speaker — and with remaining stock available through third-party UK retailers, it is still worth understanding what you are getting before you spend your money. If you are already in the Amazon ecosystem, our Amazon Echo UK review covers how Alexa-powered speakers compare.
Design and Build Quality
The Sonos One measures just 16.2 cm tall with a 12 cm square footprint, making it easy to slot onto a bookshelf, kitchen worktop or bedside table. The matte plastic body comes in black or white and feels suitably premium. Capacitive touch controls on the top let you play, pause, skip tracks and adjust volume without reaching for your phone. A small LED indicator confirms mute status for the built-in microphone array.
Importantly for UK kitchens and bathrooms, the Sonos One carries an IP21 moisture-resistant rating — enough to handle steam and splashes, though it is not waterproof. The standard UK plug (Type G) is included in the box; there is no battery, so you will need a nearby socket.
Audio Performance
Inside the Sonos One, two Class-D digital amplifiers power a 3.5-inch aluminium cone mid-woofer and a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter. Sonos tuned those drivers specifically for the cabinet, and the result is a sound that punches well above the speaker's modest dimensions.
Midrange and Vocals
The midrange is where the Sonos One genuinely shines. Vocals sit forward in the mix and feel natural, whether you are streaming a podcast or listening to acoustic guitar. Individual instruments remain distinct even in busy arrangements — a trait that cheaper smart speakers often struggle to maintain at higher volumes.
Bass and Treble
Bass is present and well-controlled for a speaker this size, though it will not rattle the walls. If you want more low-end weight, pairing two Sonos Ones as a stereo pair (supported in the Sonos app) broadens the soundstage noticeably. Treble is crisp without becoming harsh at sensible listening volumes.
Trueplay Tuning
Trueplay is Sonos's automatic room-correction feature, available on iOS devices. It uses your iPhone or iPad's microphone to measure acoustic reflections in the room, then adjusts the equalisation accordingly. In practice, enabling Trueplay in a typically furnished UK living room produces a noticeably more open sound, particularly at mid-high frequencies.
Smart Features
The Sonos One Gen 2 includes a far-field six-microphone array with beamforming and echo cancellation, enabling hands-free control via both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant — a combination the replacement Era 100 does not offer, as Sonos dropped Google Assistant support from that model. You can ask either assistant to play music, set timers, check the weather and control compatible smart home devices.
Apple AirPlay 2 support means iPhone and iPad users can stream directly from any AirPlay-compatible app without opening the Sonos app at all. Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and a catalogue of over 100 compatible streaming services work natively through the Sonos app.
Multiroom Audio
Multiroom audio is where Sonos has always distinguished itself from rivals. Every Sonos speaker on the same Wi-Fi network can play synchronised audio with imperceptible delay. You can group rooms in the Sonos app, play different music in different spaces simultaneously, or pair two Sonos Ones for a true stereo setup in a single room.
If you are already building a Sonos ecosystem in your home, the One integrates seamlessly with newer products including the Era 100, Era 300 and Sonos soundbars. For a broader look at the best multiroom options on the UK market, see our guide to the best multiroom speakers UK.
Setup is straightforward: download the Sonos app (iOS or Android), plug in the speaker, and follow the prompts to connect it to your Wi-Fi network. The speaker supports 802.11a/b/g/n on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, plus a rear Ethernet port if you prefer a wired connection.
Sonos One vs Era 100: Should You Still Buy One?
The Sonos Era 100, launched at £249 in the UK in March 2023, is the official successor. It adds Bluetooth 5.0, a second tweeter for genuine stereo sound from a single cabinet, a 25 per cent larger woofer, Wi-Fi 6 support and a line-in adapter option for connecting a turntable. On raw specifications, it is meaningfully better.
However, the Sonos One (Gen 2) still supports both Alexa and Google Assistant, carries an Ethernet port, and — crucially — can often be found at reduced prices through third-party UK retailers now that Sonos has cleared its official stock. If you can find a Sonos One for significantly less than the Era 100's retail price, it remains a sound investment, particularly as a secondary room speaker in an existing Sonos system.
If you are running Home Assistant, both the Sonos One and Era 100 integrate via the official Sonos integration. See our Home Assistant UK setup guide for more on building a local-control smart home ecosystem.
Connectivity and Specifications
- Drivers: One 3.5-inch mid-woofer, one 0.75-inch tweeter
- Amplifiers: Two Class-D digital amplifiers
- Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
- Ethernet: Yes (rear port)
- Voice assistants: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
- AirPlay: AirPlay 2
- Dimensions: 162 mm × 120 mm × 120 mm
- Weight: 1.85 kg
- Moisture resistance: IP21
- Colours: Black, White
Verdict
The Sonos One remains one of the best-sounding compact smart speakers ever made. Its discontinuation does not diminish the quality of what is in the box: warm, detailed audio; reliable multiroom performance; dual voice-assistant support; and the full Sonos app ecosystem. UK buyers who find remaining stock at a discount below the Era 100's retail price are getting excellent value. Those starting fresh with a budget that stretches to the Era 100 will find a tangibly better speaker for everyday use — but the Sonos One is far from obsolete.
