THE BEST WATERPROOF SPEAKERS FOR BLASTING TUNES AT A POOL PARTY
Today's waterproof speakers have become smarter, more durable, and more entertaining than ever.
The top offerings will not only play your favorite tunes, but also charge your mobile devices, and even deliver access to your favorite virtual assistant, among many other things. Best of all, you can find a great option no matter your budget.
Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers
Best Overall: Ultimate Ears MEGABOOM 3
Runner-Up: JBL Charge 4
Best Budget: Soundcore Flare 2
Best for Parties: JBL Pulse 4
Most Compact Design: Bose SoundLink Micro
The Smartest Pick: Bose Portable Home Speaker
Cutest Design: Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 2
Most Affordable Party Speaker: Sony SRS-XB32
Best Hi-Res Audio: Soundcore Motion+
Biggest Bass in the Smallest Body: Sony SRS-XB12 Mini
The design of a waterproof Bluetooth speaker is important, because you’re likely going to use it on the go, as well as share its sound with family and friends. The product simply has to look cool!
When reviewing sound quality, a good waterproof speaker should be able to blast an entertaining sound outdoors, come rain or shine.
Battery endurance is unsurprisingly paramount. Each of our product picks claim they'll make it through a day of use on a single charge, so we spent time seeing if these claims were true.
Some products have additional cool features, like built-in lights and the ability to charge your phone or other gadgets. The app-enabled functionality typically includes the ability to pair multiple wireless speakers for a more immersive sound experience and the option to set up your favorite virtual assistant. You can also update the firmware of your speaker and potentially expand its capabilities.
BEST OVERALL
The MEGABOOM 3 by Ultimate Ears ticks all the boxes of what you'd want from a waterproof speaker.
It has an eye-catching design, a tough build, an excellent rating for water resistance, fantastic audio quality, top-notch battery life (up to 20 hours between charges), a sweet 2-year warranty, and a host of additional features you can access via a smartphone app.
The speaker is fully waterproof with an IP67 rating, which means you can fully submerge it underwater. We also like that Ultimate Ears designed the MEGABOOM 3 to float in water, making it perfect for pool parties.
Thanks to a handy feature that can be easily set up in the mobile app, you can play your favorite Apple Music and Spotify playlists with a single touch. You can also connect well over 100 MEGABOOM speakers for a bigger sound experience.
There are four colors to pick from: black, blue, red, and an Amazon-exclusive dusk option. In case you find the MEGABOOM 3 too big, consider the smaller and more affordable BOOM 3 speaker instead. It has a similar design and sound with a less powerful low range.
RUNNER-UP
The JBL Charge 4 is an excellent waterproof Bluetooth speaker with a cool and durable design, a powerful sound, intuitive controls, excellent battery life, and the handy ability to charge your gadgets if necessary.
It packs a proprietary JBL audio driver, flanked by a duo of bass radiators for enhanced low range. The memorable sonic experience is headlined by a thunderous bass, which is perfect for outdoor entertainment.
The Charge 4 has a futureproof USB-C connector for replenishing its battery. Combined with the portable battery pack functionality, the feature sets the product apart from its competitors.
The speaker has IPX7 rating for water resistance, which means that it can be fully submerged under water. Its fabric finish is available in a multitude of colors, ranging from badass camouflage patterns, all the way to attention-commanding yellow and pink finishes.
BEST BUDGET
The fabric-covered Soundcore Flare 2 speaker by Anker belies its price tag. It has a great design, intuitive controls, IPX7 rating for water resistance (it can survive a submersion under water), and excellent audio quality. It is our favorite option for budget-conscious buyers.
With a pair of high-quality audio drivers and a duo of passive bass radiators on board, the Flare 2 sounds a lot better than its price tag suggests.
We love how interactive this speaker is, thanks to customizable LED lights. Users can tweak the device’s sound and lighting effects via a mobile app. There’s also the option to connect more than 100 speakers for a bigger sound.
The Soundcore Flare 2 can last up to 12 hours between battery charges. You should be mindful of the device’s volume and lighting effects if you want to achieve this claim.
BEST FOR PARTIES
The JBL Pulse 4 is hands-down the most entertaining speaker on this list. In addition to being capable of blasting the brand’s signature sound, it can also deliver a 360-degree LED light show. It makes the speaker look unlike any other rival in its price range and beyond.
According to JBL, the Pulse 4 can deliver up to 12 hours of wireless tunes between charges. Like the Charge 4 above, the speaker packs a futureproof USB-C connector for charging.
The speaker has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, which means that it can be fully submerged under water. You can order it with a black or white finish.
MOST COMPACT DESIGN
Bose SoundLink Micro Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
The SoundLink Micro waterproof speaker by Bose is the best ultra-compact option worth your attention. The palm-sized gadget has a cool and versatile design, headlined by a handy strap that will allow you to attach it to a bag, a backpack, or a bicycle, among many other things.
The SoundLink Micro can deliver up to 6 hours of wireless audio between battery charges. There are three colors to pick from: black, blue, and orange.
THE SMARTEST PICK
Bose Portable Home Speaker
The Bose Portable Home Speaker is the smartest entry on this list. It has Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as compatibility with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant, and Apple AirPlay 2 wireless playback. Bose offers the product in silver or black.
It’s important to note that the product’s IPX4 rating for water resistance is not on par with its competitors. It can with withstand splashes and sprays, but not a complete submersion under water.
The speaker’s 12-hour battery life is solid for a product this feature-packed. It has a futureproof USB-C connector for charging, as well as an optional charging dock that’s well worth its $29 price tag.
CUTEST DESIGN
Waterproof Bluetooth speakers don’t get any more adorable than the compact WONDERBOOM 2 by Ultimate Ears. It looks just like its predecessor, but it delivers a vastly improved 360-degree sound, as well as longer battery life (up to 13 hours).
The WONDERBOOM 2 delivers an entertaining sound with a surprisingly powerful bass. It has a dedicated button for outdoor listening, which increases its loudness. You can pair a duo of speakers together in case you're looking for even more decibels.
The speaker is fully waterproof with an IP67 rating, meaning it can withstand full submersion in water. We also like that Ultimate Ears designed the WONDERBOOM 2 to float, just like its BOOM and MEGABOOM speakers.
There are a few captivating colors to pick from: black, blue, gray, pink, and red.
MOST AFFORDABLE PARTY SPEAKER
Sony SRS-XB32 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
The Sony SRS-XB32 is one of the most captivating waterproof speakers in its price range. In addition to delivering seriously fun, bass-heavy sound, the gadget will also entertain you with built-in lights that are customizable via an app. They include a multicolor line light and speaker lights, as well as a flashing strobe.
With a duo of 48-millimeter audio drivers on board, the SRS-XB32 delivers an impressive sonic experience for its size. Ramsey found it to be ideal for use outdoors. “The volume is impressively loud and the bass is powerful,” she remarked.
You can choose between an Extra Bass mode or a Live Sound audio profile. There's an option to pair multiple speakers for a bigger audio output, too
The speaker can be fully submerged in water, has up to 24 hours of battery life, NFC for one-touch pairing with a smartphone, and even the ability to charge your gadgets via a built-in USB port. You can order it in black, blue, or gray.
BEST HI-RES AUDIO
The Soundcore Motion+ by Anker is a waterproof Bluetooth speaker that's more affordable than it should be. It offers sound and features worthy of a much higher price tag. The gadget has five built-in audio drivers and is capable of playing Hi-Res Audio content — a commendable feat for a sub-$100 speaker.
The Motion+ can last up to 12 hours between battery charges. The device has IPX7 rating for water resistance, meaning it can survive a complete submersion. You can order the product in black, blue, or red.
BIGGEST BASS IN THE SMALLEST BODY
Sony's impressively tiny XB12 Bluetooth speaker will surprise you with a thumping bass delivery and up to 16 hours of battery life. Combined, they make the gadget one of our favorite options in its price range.
The speaker has an IP67 rating for water resistance, meaning it can survive rain, splashes, and direct exposure to running water, as well as full submersion.
In case you need more decibels in your life, there's also the option to pair two XB12 speakers for even more immersive stereo sound. There are multiple colors to pick from.
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