The best waterproof speakers for 2024: the top outdoor speakers for any budget (2024)

You need one of the best waterproof speakers if you like listening to music outdoors because nobody wants your speaker to be ruined by a sudden storm or an accidental drop in a pool or puddle.

We've reviewed hundreds of speakers over the years, which means we know what to look for in the best Bluetooth speakers when it comes to audio quality, robust design and, of course, best-in-class waterproofing – and ideally dustproofing, too. We're looking for high IP ratings, which means a speaker has been certified as dunkproof. IPX4, for example, means it can repel water jets – so an accidental hosing will be okay. IPX7 means a speaker can be submerged in up to 1m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes without damage.

Each one of these outdoor speakers, like the options in our best Bluetooth speakers guide, has been thoroughly tested by the TechRadar team – including sound as well as whether they work after getting wet, plus comparing each model against class-leaders at the level.

The quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out which waterproof speakers are the absolute best? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices for different needs. You can also jump to a more detailed review of each product, and the best deals on them online.

Written by

Written by

Becky Scarrott

I've reviewed over 150 audio products since becoming a tech journalist, ranging from cheap Bluetooth speakers to high-end Hi-Res Audio music players. Before joining TechRadar, I spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing everything the world of audio had to offer; before that, I was a professional dancer. My love of listening to music everywhere ties it all together, and goes into the choices in this guide.

The best waterproof speakers of 2024

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best waterproof speakers in our list. We've tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.

The best waterproof speaker overall

Image

1

of

3

Ultimate Ears didn't make that many upgrades to the Wonderboom 3 compared to its predecessor but sometimes if it ain't broke, why fix it? The second-generation Ultimate Ears Wonderboomwas at the top of ourbest waterproof speakerlist long (long) after its 2019 debut but since it has been discontinued, we've since replaced it for this third-generation, which is just as rugged, loud and feature-rich.

Although the UE Wonderboom 3 looks nearly identical to its original mould (released in 2013) and the second-generation model, Ultimate Ears has added some small upgrades (albeit not many) to the Wonderboom 3, including increased battery life from 13 hours to 14 hours and an increased Bluetooth range from 100 to 131 feet.It can also still be paired with other UE Wonderboom speakers in either mono or stereo mode to amplify sound.

It's only a small update, but with the Wonderboom 2 now discontinued, naturally thisreplaces it as the best waterproof speaker to suit most peoples' needs. There are few small niggles, including a micro USB charging port instead of USB-C and a lack of 3.5mm aux-in, but putting those aside the Wonderboom 3 is still fantastic value for money if you're looking for tunes on the go.

Read our full Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 review

• ^ Back to the top

The best budget waterproof speaker

Image

1

of

3

See Also

How To Connect Multiple JBL Speakers Together (Step-By-Step)How To Connect Multiple JBL Speakers Together - SpeakersMagHow To Pair 2 JBL Speakers Together (Step-By-Step) – AudioviserHow to connect multiple JBL speakers together

Haven't heard of Tribit before? You're not alone. The Chinese audio specialist doesn't have the big-brand clout of heavy-hitters such as JBL, Sony and Bose in the best Bluetooth speaker realm. However, its latest speaker, the Stormbox Micro 2, is not only an improvement on the original Stormbox Micro, but is an extremely portable speaker that's excellent value for money at only $60 / £60 (around AU$86) with features you'd never expect at this price and a beefy, crisp sound that will bring even more fun to your picnic, hike or campfire.

The Micro 2 is about the size of a stack of drinks coasters, and it has a handy strap on the underside so you can attach it to a bag strap or your bike's handlebars. It weighs 315g and has anIP67 dust- and waterproof rating, making it perfect for taking to the beach, pool or anywhere else. It has 12 hours of battery life at moderate volume, which we found accurate during testing. This is great considering you'll only get five from similarly-sized options such as the JBL Go 3.

You can also pair two Stormbox Micro 2 speakers together to get either 'Party' (read: mono) sound or create a stereo pair. Although it's a little disappointing to see you must have two Micro 2s to pair them up at all, so you can't daisy-chain other original Stormbox Micros as you can with JBL's PartyBoost tech or theUE WonderBoom 2and original Wonderboom. But that's a relatively small gripe at this level.

Read our full Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review

• ^ Back to the top

The best mid-range waterproof speaker

Image

1

of

3

The JBL Flip 6 is a prime example of a Bluetooth speaker that sticks to the basics, and gets it right. This rugged portable speaker is super simple to use, sounds good, and can be paired with up to 100 other JBL speakers at once to create a huge wall of sound.

You won't find extra features like voice assistants or Wi-Fi connectivity, but the Flip 6 sounds so good that you won't miss them. We found that its warm, well-balanced audio performance is far more powerful than you might expect from a speaker of this size, and while we felt that trebles can sound a little harsh at higher volumes, you're getting plenty of clarity and detail.

A 12-hour battery life and IP67 water and dustproofing makes this an ideal speaker to take to the pool or beach, and it's available in an array of eye-catching colors. It's a shame it doesn't have a port to charge your phone, like larger JBL Charge speakers do, but that's not a big deal.

Like the JBL Flip 5 before it, the Flip 6 is an ideal speaker for anyone who wants to simply play their music, crank it up loud, sit back and enjoy – whether you're listening at home or on the go.

Read the full JBL Flip 6 review

• ^ Back to the top

The best waterproof speaker for multi-room connectivity

Image

1

of

3

The Sonos Roam is our pick for the best Bluetooth speaker on the planet, and with an IP67 dust and water resistance rating, it can handle the great outdoors with ease. Following in the footsteps of theSonos Move, the Sonos Roam comes with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, which means it can work as an outdoor speakeras well as part of your wider multi-room Sonos system. Plus, withGoogle Assistantand Alexa onboard, it doubles up asmart speakertoo.

During our tests, we found this mini Sonos speaker to deliver a powerful sound, and that alone makes it a sound investment, especially for the more discerning listeners. Add in its rugged design, excellent connectivity features, and smart home control, and you're getting the full package. A bass-heavy audio performance makes it ideal for use outdoors, while a clever Automatic Switching feature means it's easily used indoors, too – though audiophiles may take issue with the occasionally-overwhelming low frequencies.

Read our full Sonos Roam review

• ^ Back to the top

The best waterproof speaker for sound

Image

1

of

3

See Also

How To Connect Two JBL Speakers Together? (Linking JBL Speakers)

Almost identical to the original A1, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) is an appealing and highly portable Bluetooth speaker that comes with (admittedly flawed) Alexa support without the need for Wi-Fi.

The puck- or even burger-shaped speaker looks sophisticated, while its IP67 water and dust resistance rating means it's more robust than it looks, making it suitable for use outdoors and it can take a dunking.

We found that its crisp audio performance and 360-degree soundstage makes the A1 ideal for soundtracking small gatherings. The impeccable balance between bass, mid and treble means that compared to a lot of Bluetooth speakers, it's like we were enjoying our favorite songs as if we were listening to them for the first time. Music is exciting, punchy and energetic, yet it achieves this without overloading the bass, or pushing the treble so far that it loses realism. It's what you expect from B&O (and for a premium price), but still – this is the best smaller portable speaker for hardcore music lovers.

Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity means that the speaker is easy to pair with your smartphone, while built-in Alexa voice assistance means it can double up as a smart speaker. The A1 is the first speaker to offer Alexa support without needing to be connected to your home Wi-Fi network – and while this is impressive in itself, we did find that the voice assistant was sometimes quite slow to respond to our commands, since it's routing over Bluetooth to your phone, and your phone is then making the request over whatever internet connection it has… which won't always be great.

Read our full

• ^ Back to the top

The best waterproof speaker for charging and listening

Image

1

of

3

The JBL Charge 5 is still JBL's most recent Charge, having been released in April 2021. Thankfully, it inherited the Charge 4's winning formula, boasting the Charge series' balanced sound, high volume and long battery life. Back too are features that made it a winner, including a built-in power bank and the ability to connect with other compatible JBL speakers for a boost in volume and surround sound power.

At the same time, we found during our tests that this isn't just another iteration. It actually improves on just about every aspect of what makes these speakers great. That means fans of the line will be very happy to upgrade, even if it is a little pricier than its predecessor.

Naturally, it's dust and waterproof as well with a rating of IP67, aka total protection against dust and airborne particles as well as a high level of waterproofing – up to one meter of immersion, for up to 30 minutes – against freshwater and other liquids. If you want a great sounding waterproof speaker with nice features and high level of protection, this is worth the investment.

Read our full JBL Charge 5 review

• ^ Back to the top

The best waterproof speaker for battery life

Image

1

of

3

The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is an excellent go anywhere, do anything Bluetooth speaker. Designed like a tall cappuccino, it has a striking look and an even more striking sound that's both detailed and insightful.

While it's certainly not the cheapest option on the market when it comes to portable Bluetooth speakers, the Beosound Explore is Bang & Olufsen's most modestly-priced offering in the portability space.

It's also very outdoor friendly, with a long-lasting battery life of 27 hours, Bluetooth 5.2 and a durable quality design that has a scratch-resistant hard anodised shell – it even comes with a bundled carabiner to attach it to your backpack.

Read our full

• ^ Back to the top

The best waterproof speaker for parties

Image

1

of

3

The Tribit Stormbox Blast is an unusual speaker and there are a few things you need to know before you consider it: it's quite heavy and you can't turn those lights off completely –although you can make it so they only pop up when you're switching the volume levels.

Honestly, it's not the subtlest looking device we've tested. But that's where the criticism ends. The Stormbox Blast is the biggest and most powerful Bluetooth speaker in Tribit's ever-growing arsenal of portable speakers and it sounds every inch as detailed – even at higher volumes – as models from better-known audio specialists at three times the price.

Want a shy, retiring sound so as not to irritate your neighbors? Look elsewhere, and it's important to note that during our tests, we found the difference of two to three volume increments was enough to go from too quiet to too loud indoors, if you want quiet background playlists.

But Tribit has made no secret of wanting to bring the party to both your ears and your body, and it has emphatically delivered. This thing can go loud and still sound good when it does. If you're worried whether one speaker will be enough for the garden party, it will here – and for this money, it represents unbeatable sound-per-pound value.

Read our full Tribit Stombox Blast review

• ^ Back to the top

The best waterproof speaker for features

Image

1

of

6

This is a large, heavy and pricey Bluetooth speaker, but it's absolutely crammed with tech option, which are all genuinely useful. It has two different bass-boost settings, with one focused on power of the bass, and one focused on the depth, so you can pick your low-end flavor of choice. It has Sony's LDAC hi-res Bluetooth tech, it has a mic/guitar input for karaoke/jam sessions, it has aux-in, it has charging out, it automatically tweaks its sound in response to ambient noise so you can hear it better, it has multi-point pairing, it syncs with other Sony wireless speakers for even bigger sound… the list goes on.

And speaking of big sound, in our review we were impressed with how "despite this speaker focusing its efforts on heavy bass levels, it still delivers a balanced and pleasant listening experience across the board." The bass doesn't overwhelm things even with the boost modes on: "A good level of softness and detail are still detectable in vocals in ULT1 [deeper bass] mode – and even in the punchier ULT2 mode, voices still sound clear."

The battery life of 30 hours appeared to be about on target in our testing (we got slightly less than that, but we had all the bells and whistles turned on, which Sony says will reduce the life below 30 hours, so fair enough), and we love that it has not only an IP67 rating, but Sony says it's resistant to salt water too – that's not actually included in the standard IP ratings, so it's useful to know for beach fans. Our only design concerns are that its fabric and plastic outside won't be too easy to clean for dirt and sand… and it's a big, hefty beast. Well, and also, it looks a bit like a fancy ashtray when standing upright, but that's not a big deal.

Read our full Sony ULT Field 7 review

• ^ Back to the top

How to choose the best waterproof speaker

The first thing you need to know is that the best outdoor waterproof speakers can protect the internal circuitry and drivers nestling inside your speaker from splashes, rain and water-based wear such as being dropped in puddles or pools.

But not all waterproof ratings are equal, and it's vital that you get something that is at least IPX7 rated. Seen an IP67 speaker? Good, that means that in addition to waterproofing, the speaker has also been tested against sand and dust ingress —the 'X' in IPX7 just means the model hasn't been tested for this.Planning to hang out at the beach a lot? Look for IP67.

The '7' here signifies that the speaker can be submerged in a body of water up to 1m deep for up to half an hour, but you can now get IP68 speakers too, which can sink a little lower, to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to thirty minutes and still live to tell the tale.

As you'd expect, waterproof Bluetooth speakers such as these are also designed to be incredibly robust, rugged, and resistant to wear and tear, so you don't have to worry about them toppling off your camping table or sun lounger and into the drink.

We've tested more than our share of waterproof speakers and we know what makes one a better choice than another. To help you choose the best one for you, we've gathered together the best of the best based on the factors above as well as sound quality, price, design, connectivity, and feature set.

Behold! Our top picks of the best waterproof speakers, along with our price comparison tool for the best Bluetooth speaker deals.

If portability and waterproofing aren't your top priorities and you need excellent sound that never leaves your living room, take a look at our best party speakers guide or best wireless speakers roundup. Prefer a more intimate device to soundtrack your swims? Take a look at our best bone conduction headphones and our best waterproof headphones roundups. Otherwise, read on for our selection of the best waterproof speakers you can buy today.

• ^ Back to the top

How we test the best waterproof speakers

We test countless portable waterproof speakers every year at TechRadar, and that means we know exactly which features, IP ratings and specs to look out for.

It's important for us to compare the performance of these speakers against the specs claimed by their manufacturers, which is why we take the time to make sure the stamina, durability and connectivity claims are legit.We don't like doing it, but yes, we do submerge review samples in water when testing those waterproofing claims —because surviving a dunk in the pool is not the same as thriving, and you'll probably want to carry on using it directly after the mishap.

We make sure to test each waterproof speaker in a range of environments and against its chief competitors too, so you can be sure that the product will work just as well in the great outdoors as it does in your home. We live with these speakers in our homes to make sure that their performances are consistent, and we don't finalize our testing until we are certain of the sound quality.

In order to test the audio performance, we play a range of musical genres streamed from different sources – this helps us to get a sense of how the speakers handles hardcore bass, delicate treble and everything in between. We'll try it with different levels of streaming quality to see if that affects things, and we'll try spoken audio, such as podcasts.

After more years in this game than we'd care to admit, we are truly confident that our star-rated reviews are the best indication of the quality of the waterproof speakers in this list. There are no sales teams involved in our verdicts, which means if we don't like it for sound, design, usability and features, we simply won't recommend it here.

Latest updates to the best waterproof speakers

May 16, 2024
Swapped the Sony SRS-XG300 for the Sony ULT Field 7 as the best option for being packed with features, based on our review. The ULT 7 is bigger and more expensive, but comes with even more genuinely useful features.

February 13, 2024
Added in extra images from product reviews and an additional spec to each write-up that explains the waterproof rating of each speaker in this guide.

October 31, 2023
Updated lead image, added in quick menu navigation and swapped out the UE Wonderboom 2 for 3, the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 for the B&O Beosound Explore, the Cleer Audio Scene for the Sony SRS-XG300 and the JBL Boombox 2 for the Tribit Stormbox Blast.