The best waterproof Bluetooth speakers: JBL, Bose, Ultimate Ears, and more

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2 is pretty small, yet mighty where it counts. It looks very cute, and it’s available in a bunch of different bright colors.
Besides being pretty loud at all times, the clarity of sound is high-end for the price and the overall sound quality is remarkable. Mid-basses thump with power that belies its size. 
To make it even more appealing, it actually floats on water. That’s thanks to its inflatable ring that works as its own personal lifesaver. Toss it in the pool and enjoy the sound. If it happens to sink, it’ll be good in up to one meter of water for 30 minutes. You can pair it with two devices simultaneously too, which is great if you want to have two DJs controlling the music at your party. You can pair two Wonderbooms together, too.
It’s also pretty rugged, so if you happen to drop it or drunkenly throw it across the yard, it’s going to survive a little roughhousing.

It’s convenient to have a speaker that looks just at home indoors as it does outside next to the pool. That’s the thinking behind JBL Charge 3. It has a great battery life, it’s completely waterproof, and it’ll still look good resting on a table in your living room. 
It’s a fairly chunky designm so don’t expect it to be the most lightweight of speakers to carry around. However, weighing under 2 pounds, it’s still good to take most distances. The weight is worth it, thanks to it packing in a battery that’ll last about 20 hours, and a powerful speaker to boot.
Like the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom, it’ll survive being submerged in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes but, obviously, it’s going to sink pretty fast. 
You can hook up multiple JBL Connect based speakers to augment the sound with stereo playback supported through two speakers. It sounds great too, with music really being projected across the room or yard in a clear and powerful fashion. Expect the deepest bass you’ve heard in a while. 
While JBL has released a newer Charge 4 model (as well as the Flip 5), the internet consensus seems to be that the upgrade isn’t justified by the price hike — so you can feel comfortable going with the cheaper model. 
Amazon customer Genao writes: 

“JBL is in it, to win it. I own the JBL Xtreme, the Charge 2+ and now the Charge 3. If I had to pick one it would be the Charge 3. I love the sound of the Charge 2+ but the volume is not loud enough. If you are going to listen to the speaker right next to you, the Charge 2+ is very good as the treble and bass are boosted like a smiley face eq setting. The Xtreme is pretty much the same, treble and bass are boosted and the volume goes pretty loud, however it is not very portable as it is a medium to larger size speaker. The JBL Charge 3, on the other hand, is a lot smaller than the Xtreme and slightly larger than the Charge 2+. The sound is very well balanced with an emphasis on midrange and vocals. The treble and bass are not boosted like the other two yet the volume can go twice as loud as the Charge 2+ and almost as loud as the Xtreme with less treble and bass but with better midrange.”

The only issue here is that certain sounds like violins and other more subtle and higher frequencies aren’t as clear as one would like. If you’re after a meaty bass sound though, it’s tough to fault the JBL Charge 3. 
At $149, it’s a great price for a speaker that works so well in multiple different scenarios.

Having hands-free control via Amazon Alexa is a great part of modern living. Who wants to touch buttons when you can just talk to your tech? Relatively few smart speakers are also waterproof, but the Ultimate Ears Blast is a notable exception. 
With its 150-foot Bluetooth wireless range and 330-foot Wi-Fi range, you can use it to not only play whatever music you feel like, but also control everything that works through your Alexa unit. It’s kind of a game-changer for when you’re sitting at the pool and you suddenly realize you need to do something important. Besides that, it’s simply a great Bluetooth speaker. 
Its build quality means it can survive a few knocks, thanks to its tough rubber coating around the speaker. Plus, there’s a metal D-ring for hanging it up from a hook or branch. 
You can pair it up to eight different Bluetooth devices, and its Alexa services means you can easily access Amazon Music, Tune-In, Deezer, and (recently added) Spotify. Although, there’s no support for Alexa Calling and Messaging right now, and some users have reported it’s not as accurate as a conventional Echo. 
However, reassuringly, sound quality is exactly what you would expect from Ultimate Ears. Bass is strong but not overwhelming, and mids and lows are easy to spot without any distortion, even at maximum volume. 360-degree audio helps a ton too. 
Amazon Reviewer K said: 

“All together, this is a great speaker. It sounds amazing and fulfills my needs for a portable speaker. The Alexa function is a nice addition, but would recommend the UE Boom if this was not on sale and the Alexa function is not important to you.”

Battery life isn’t amazing at 12 hours, but it’s perfectly respectable for when you’re hanging out in the backyard. If you’re keen to enjoy Alexa through your waterproof speaker, the Ultimate Ears Blast is the speaker for you.

Not quite as familiar a name as other speakers here, the Fugoo Style XL deserves to be noticed. After all, it offers pretty much everything anyone could want from a good quality waterproof Bluetooth speaker. The only thing you might find yourself missing is that it doesn’t float in the pool. 
Other than that, it has a tough IP67 rated center so it can withstand significant shocks as well as survive being submerged in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. In all, there are six speakers contained within that shell, which explains why the sound quality is so fantastic. 
Initially, you might think it’s a fairly ugly looking speaker — but that’s because the Fugoo Style XL is actually highly customizable. You can apply different jackets to suit your style, with some neat options available. The Sport jacket also enhances the protection offered with a thicker plastic shell and more rubber, for those times when you’re dealing with more rugged terrain. 
Still, it’s the sound quality that’s going to blow you away. The Fugoo Style XL simply sounds great, whether you’re at home or hitting the beach. It truly sounds like 360-degree sound thanks to how the six speakers work together. Nothing sounds weak or less than wonderfully crisp. 
Whack the volume up high and you’ve got a battery life of about 20 hours. However, turn the sound down low and the battery life goes up to an extraordinary 35-40 hours. The party (almost) never needs to end thanks to this battery. 
Amazon Reviewer Ben said: 

“This speaker (Tough XL) is an absolute tank. It looks like it can take anything. And it basically can. It is everything-proof. Dust, water, mud, sand, you name it. Sonically, it sounds amazing, as there are EIGHT drivers facing all directions, so you’re always getting quality sound wherever you are in relation to the speaker. The bass drops, too. At 50 hrtz, this speaker puts out deep, clean bass that you simply wouldn’t expect to hear from a speaker like this. I get compliments on it all the time. A lot of other speakers out there have decent bass, but a lot of the time it’s more of a muddy, thumpy, and overpowering bass. That’s not the case with the Fugoo XL. Paired with the 4 tweeters and the 2 midwoofers on the sides, this thing puts out some of the most clear and well-balanced sound I’ve ever heard from a portable Bluetooth speaker.”

There’s a speakerphone facility, as well as Siri and Google Now support too. Ultimately though, it’s that potent mix of great battery life, exceptional sound quality, and waterproofing that makes the Fugoo Style XL a tantalizing prospect.

Looking like most other Bluetooth speakers out there, the Altec Lansing Mini LifeJacket 3 isn’t one to place by the pool to provoke some discussion. It is, however, a good Bluetooth speaker for hiking, camping, or traveling. It has a remarkable 100-foot wireless range, a dependable battery life of up to 16 hours, and it’s pretty resistant to anything bad. It’s fully waterproof, will float in the pool, can withstand most shocks, and it even ships with bike mounting accessories.
Elsewhere, it’s possible to use it in pairs as left and right channels, with its neodymium driver and passive radiator doing an admirable job. Unusually for a portable speaker of this price, there’s a 3.5mm aux input for wired listening, as well as a convenient USB port for charging your own devices off the speaker’s battery. 
The speaker uses digital signal processing (DSP), which means the bass sounds a little quieter when the volume is high, but most users will be perfectly happy with the results. The DSP works to avoid distortion and does a pretty good job, even if certain sounds and the bass can seem quieter. 
Amazon reviewer Firedancer215 said:  

“This is the best little speaker!! We use it constantly at my house….. inside, outside…..and the range is huge. The device doesn’t have to stay right next to the speaker to work. It gets very loud. I love that it’s waterproof also! Super easy to use and the batter lasts a very long time as well. If you are looking for a good quality portable speaker, this is definitely a good choice!”

Audiophiles may find themselves a little irritated by this moderation but the majority of users will simply revel in the overall quality of the Altec Lansing Mini LifeJacket 3. It sounds good enough, and its extensive ruggedness makes it a perfect candidate if you love to wander off the beaten track, but still take your sounds with you. 

Many waterproof Bluetooth speakers are designed with pool parties or hiking in mind. But sometimes, you just want to be able to hear music or podcasts while you’re in the shower or bath. The Bose SoundLink Micro is an ideal size for that. It’s compact and lightweight, while still being rugged enough to withstand you tossing it around or knocking it into a pool of water by your feet.
It’s not going to win prizes for style, but it’s very travel friendly and the sound quality is what you would expect from Bose. It has a strap directly attached to the bottom so you can easily fasten it to objects like your bike or a towel rack, or simply a hook next to your shower. Flexibility is key here, so you can easily move the Bose SoundLink Micro around your home. 
Where the Bose SoundLink Micro falters a little is its 6-hour battery life. This isn’t a speaker to take out hiking for the day, although its sound levels are surprisingly high enough to carry when outdoors. 
Amazon reviewer Paul Christensen said: 

“On its own, and with nothing to compare, the sound is clear, undistorted, and loud enough for outdoors. It’s IP7 waterproof (you can literally dunk it in 1 meter of water for 30 min) and dust-proof, so it’s rugged for true outdoor use, biking, or a day at the beach. At 10 ounces, it’s not going to break your carry-on or backpack with weight. The built-in mounting band is brilliant – you can attach this to your belt, a strap on your backpack, even a thin bicycle handle and it locks securely. You get about 6 hours of playback on a single charge.”

We think this speaker’s greatest strengths lie at home. It’s perfect for moving around wherever you go about your business throughout the house. Conveniently, there’s Siri and Google Assistant support too.