10 Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers for Showers, Pool Parties, and Beach Days

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You're headed to the beach, throwing an apartment party, or attending some event that requires a tough-as-nails speaker. You can't pack up that massive outdoor speaker system , and your shower speaker is better for a party of one. You're in between sizes, so what do you?

Get a waterproof Bluetooth speaker . One that can get fully submerged, or just occasionally splashed. Lucky for you, we've tested a ton of waterproof Bluetooth speakers. We've tried the ones that'll be part of your smart home ecosystem . We've tried the ones that sound as high-quality as your headphones or home theater soundbar . We've tried them all, and these are the 10 best waterproof Bluetooth speakers we'd put our money behind.

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Roam 2

If you're a long-time Esquire reader, or you've already scrolled to the bottom of this article, you'll know how much we've been loving the Sonos Move speaker these past couple years. It's an extremely good, smart speaker that has two big flaws. One, it's a tad too big to be a bring-everywhere speaker. Two, and more importantly, it's not waterproof. When the Sonos Roam 2 released earlier this summer, it aimed to solve these issues. Now, it's our waterproof speaker of choice.

It's more portable than the Move, with all the same features and app compatibility as your other Sonos devices. It's made from waterproof and shock absorbing materials. Most importantly, the Sonos Roam produces truly amazing, balanced sound. At long last, I can listen to podcasts over the sound of the ocean.

Middleton

For as much as JBL dominates in the sound department, we'll never be able to deny the looks of Marshall's bluetooth speakers. We love the aesthetics of the Emberton , and the Middleton is it's slightly larger sibling. Don't tell little bro, but Middleton is actually dad's favorite.

It's hard for us to find much to complain about when using the Middleton. The sound is great, it's IP67 rated, and it looks infinitely better than anything else on the market. When it's not outside by the pool, we love to set it on display, like a real piece of luxury decor . Bonus points for the carry strap that makes it just as easy to lug around as the smaller Emberton.

Clip 4

We wrote a whole endorsement on how why we love the JBL Clip 4 , but if you haven't read that here's the skinny. This is one of the best portable speakers, a great value, and just as dust resistant and waterproof as some of our multi-hundred dollar top picks. We predicted it would be the speaker of the summer, and it turns out we were right.

We love how much of a little guy this speaker is. The clip adds to the cuteness, but also makes it perfect for activity days. Whether you're a hiker, biker, or shower singer, this mini speaker can travel anywhere, and it's got enough lungs to fill the room. We'd expect nothing less from JBL, to be honest.

Xtreme 3

For a party's worth of sound in a portable package, the JBL Xtreme 3 has got to be our pick. Due to the attached carry strap, you can take this relatively large speaker to every pool party you attend this summer. As with any JBL speaker, it gets loud, a lot louder than its size would have you believe.

Even though JBL speakers tend to be a bit bass-heavy, balance was never an issue with the Xtreme 3. It can get rocking without the lows drowning out the highs. No matter what we were listening to, it sounded With an IP67 rating, this is the perfect speaker for a beach, barbecue, or apartment event.

Go 3

You don't need a $300 sound system with a subwoofer for your morning shower. Or, if you do, you're showering differently than the rest of us. Or your showering outdoors. Which makes us jealous.

Regardless of the size of your bathroom, this little three-inch speaker from JBL will fill your it with sound without hogging counter or shelf space. It shows up a smartphone because you can change songs and adjust the volume mid-rinse. No more trying to avoid drenching your expensive tech as you nakedly flail for the skip button. And it's safe to completely submerge, should it fall into the bath.

Soundcore 2

Anker gives you a lot of power for not a lot of money. The speaker itself is waterproof, so you can cart it anywhere messy. It has an outstanding battery life of up to 24 hours, which makes sense, considering Anker is best known for its wireless charging devices . It's impressive given the thing's price weight that it is as bursting with tech as it is.

But what really makes it stand out is its BassUp technology. Unlike a lot of budget Bluetooth speakers, Anker doesn't cheap out on the low end, producing rich, thumping bass. For us, all these factors have made it one of our go-to shower speakers.

SoundLink Micro

Bose is one of the best consumer-level speaker brands in terms of sound quality. Unfortunately, you have to pay for that audio expertise. Case in point: the SoundLike Micro, which is built to be carted around but at a price point that'll make you consider taking out insurance on it. For a mini-speaker built for showers (and not pool parties or the beach), $100 is a lot to ask. Trust us, though, it's worth it.

The audio we've heard from the SoundLink Micro is phenomenal, fairly close to on par with Bose's other, larger, SoundLink speakers. Considering the diminutive size of the thing, this is most impressive. The only real trade-off is its pitiful battery life.

EcoTrek GDI-EXTRK210

Don't you just want to push every single one of those buttons? In a world of minimalist Bluetooth speakers, this one's got that '80s boombox complexity that us elder millennials seek.

So, what do the buttons do? Save AM/FM stations. Skip lame songs. Accept phone calls. Adjust levels. Connect to Siri or Google Assistant. Connect to a mic (regular or karaoke). And beyond. This aggressively armored speaker also has two cup holders and a USB charger for other devices. It is not just a good waterproof speaker, it is the new home entertainment system of the entire campsite. Get ready to make some new friends.

Beosound A1

Gorgeous, isn't it? Bang & Olufsen's products just scream good taste. When we're having guests, we put away the Bose and the Sonos and pull out the B&O.

Our love isn't all for the vanity of the device. It's also just a damn good speaker. This waterproof speaker offers big, 360-degree sound for a perfectly portable size, along with superior mics for making calls, Alexa (or other smart assistant) support, and 18 hours of battery life when music is played at normal levels (that extends to 43 hours at lower volumes). Each colorway it comes in is a stunner.

Move

Sonos' Move speaker is big and beautifully designed. It's not just a good waterproof speaker, it's a speaker we love that just happens to also be waterproof. Everything about it is done correctly: the smart assistant integration, the audio depth, the controls. And though you can't see it here, it has a handle carved into the back so you can grab and, see what they did here, move it.

Use it inside, in every room. Use it outside, wherever you wander. It's sturdily built and has a dust-and-waterproof rating of IP56, so splashes of water and clods of dirt won't do harm. We think of this as the Sonos speaker that can live on your covered patio.

What to Know Before Buying a Waterproof Speaker?

Understanding IP Ratings

Most Bluetooth speakers come with a rating system formatted like "IPXX" to indicate just how strong that speaker is against the elements. It's simple enough to translate. The first X will be a number between zero and six that rates the speaker's ability to protect against solids, like dust and dirt. The closer to six, the better the protection. The second X will be a number between zero and eight that rates the speaker's ability to protect against liquids , like, you guessed it, water. The closer to eight, the better.

Take the rating IP67: To you, that means the speaker has the best protection against dust (six) and the near-best protection against water (seven). If you come across a rating that held onto one of its X's, it means its manufacturer didn't have it tested and rated in that category; you'll just have to trust what the manufacturer says. For instance, the rating IPX4 means the speaker is water-resistant—a.k.a. you can't drop it in the pool, but a few splashes won't kill it—but has not been tested and rated for dust protection .

All but two of the speakers on this list have a waterproof rating of seven (or higher), which means you can submerge them in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. Since a lot of waterproof speakers are built to float, it likely won't come to a half-hour dunking, but you can't beat the peace of mind.

Wattage

Every speaker has a wattage that measures its rate of energy transfer. Measured in watts, this number essentially refers to how powerful a speaker is. Typically, the larger the speaker the more watts it will have.

Don't get it twisted, though. A speaker with a higher wattage isn't necessarily louder nor does it necessarily have better sound quality than a speaker with a lower wattage. There may be a difference in the physical size of the device, but not a change to the sound itself. We love the 10 watt speakers on this list just as much as we love the 100 watt speakers.

Other Speaker Features to Consider

In terms of audio quality, Bluetooth speakers will give you more decibels than the speaker on your smartphone, and most will sound significantly better. But it's safe to say that the more you're willing to pay for a speaker, the more impressive the audio. You know how it goes.

Then there are additional features to keep in mind, like smart assistant integration, charging ports, portability accessories, durability, and, on a fun note, looks . You'll want to take note of size as well, since the speaker you bring to the campsite or set up on the back patio will assuredly be a different size than the one you keep in the shower or haul to the tailgate .

How We Test Waterproof Speakers

Our testing process is fairly simplified around here, but that doesn't mean it's not thorough. Our goal in trying out devices and gadgets like waterproof speakers is to find the best in tech for our readers. We try to use these devices as we imagine you would use them, which often just means incorporating them into our daily—or seasonal—routines.

When it comes to speakers, we don't care as much about wattage or what's on the inside. How does it make music sound? Does it look at home in my apartment? Is it reasonably portable? These are the questions we ask when testing products. In this case "can it withstand a dousing?" was one of the key questions we had to answer.

Why Trust Esquire?

Here at Esquire, we've been poking, prodding, and stress-testing products for a long time, allowing us to recommend the best tech for your hard-earned money. With combined decades of expertise in testing home electronics, we know what our readers are really looking for: products they will want to use for years and years to come. From cheap headphones to pricier essentials like portable air conditioners , we always compile our guides only after doing heavy research and testing. The products we highlight on Esquire are the ones we genuinely like using the most.

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