7 of the best weatherproof and wireless outdoor speakers

Picture yourself relaxing somewhere nice, with the sun shining and a cold drink in your hand. The only thing that could make this vision even more perfect would be having a great speaker sat next to you, pumping out your favourite playlist.

When you’re selecting a speaker for this scene, there are a few features you’re going to want to prioritise. Choosing a wireless speaker — one where you don’t need to tangle with power cords and can easily connect to your phone via WiFi or Bluetooth — can definitely make things easier, which is why you should only consider a wireless speaker for listening outside.

Wireless technology isn’t the only feature that you need for an outdoor speaker. There are a few other things to consider, and we’re going to guide you through everything you need to know.

Why should you consider a wireless outdoor speaker?

First and foremost, you want your outdoor speakers to be as wireless as they possibly can be. With today’s WiFi capabilities and Bluetooth technology, there’s no reason you should have to fumble with complicated installations and worry about safely burying wires outside in all the wet and windy elements. That’s why you’re better off with a Bluetooth speaker that can connect easily to your devices — smartphone, tablet, laptop, whatever — and seamlessly stream your favourite tunes to liven up all of your outdoor spaces. 

Another benefit of wireless outdoor speakers is that you can often link several of them together via Bluetooth to provide complete audio coverage across your outdoor space. You can also use that tech to sync the audio playing indoors and outdoors to keep your party’s vibe consistent.

The only downside, of course, of wireless speakers is that they will need to be charged periodically. So you also want to make sure that the outdoor speaker you choose has a decent battery life if you plan to use it often and don’t want to think about recharging too much.

What should you look for when buying an outdoor speaker?

Before you make any sort of purchase, you should come up with a list of priorities, and match potential purchases against what matters to you. If that sounds like far too much work, don’t worry, because we’ve done most of the hard work for you.

We have checked out a wide range of wireless outdoor speakers, and come up with a shortlist of things you should care about. These are the most important things to consider: 

Sound quality: Just like with any speaker purchase, you’re going to want to prioritise sound quality. What’s the point if your speaker doesn’t play your tunes any better than your phone? So make sure you pick something with bass, clear audio, and good volume. Fortunately, you have plenty of options when it comes to speakers that deliver powerful and accurate sound.

Durability: This might seem obvious, but you need your speaker of choice to be durable. If it’s not, then it’s not going to last for long outdoors. Chances are, any outdoor speaker is going to take a few bumps and it might even get dropped. So the last thing you need is something that easily breaks. 

With this in mind, durability should always be right at the top of your list of priorities, and certainly above things like how cool it looks. We know we’re being very sensible here, but a snazzy speaker is not going to be much good to you if it’s totally smashed.

Weather-resistance: Newsflash: If you’re using a speaker in the great outdoors, you’re going to want something that’s weather-resistant. Of course, nothing is indestructible in the elements, but you will need something that can hold up at least for a little while in whatever weather conditions are common near you. This is where a speaker that’s water or heat resistant can come in handy.

If an outdoor speaker isn’t either of these things, we recommend looking elsewhere. It’s as simple as that.

Waterproofing: We have just mentioned how important water resistance is, but you should also look for the next step in protection. If you’re planning to use your speaker near a pool, lake, or sea, you should get one that can be submerged in water. Accidents happen, and it’s best to play it safe with a waterproof speaker.

Style: The way a speaker looks is not as important as sound quality, durability, or anything else really, but we’re not going to pretend that it doesn’t matter at all. Most of the best speakers come with colour options, so you should always be able to find something that works for you. If you don’t have the option to switch things up, then you should carefully consider how a speaker is going to look when you picture it sat next to you in that sunny scene we mentioned earlier.

Unfortunately, finding a speaker that has all of these elements can sometimes drive the price up — but if you think you’re going to use the speaker often, it’s worth the cost. 

Do wireless outdoor speakers work with voice assistants?

Another reason to go for a wireless outdoor speaker is that some are compatible with the voice assistants you already own, like Google Home or Amazon’s line of Alexa-enabled Echo devices. Imagine just commanding your speakers to play your favourite song with the sound of your voice. That’s not just wireless, but touchless too, so you can man the BBQ at the family get-together, splash around during your pool party, or simply keep lounging in the sun without lifting a finger or getting your phone all messy.

What is the best wireless outdoor speaker?

Once you’ve made sense of what matters most to you, and what you should be looking for in an outdoor speaker, you can actually decide on your preferred device. This isn’t the most simple task, because there are a lot of options out there that tick a lot of boxes. 

To make things easier for you, we have lined up a selection of the best wireless outdoor speakers, including popular models from top brands like JBL and Ultimate Ears. We have searched high and low to bring you this list, and we’re confident that there is something for everyone and every budget. 

These are the best wireless outdoor speakers in 2021.