In this article, we will examine a number of Bluetooth speakers, focusing on which ones deliver the best overall value. Particularly, we’ll be looking at the most suitable waterproof Bluetooth speakers for your next pool party or beach excursion. We’ll take a look at some of the more popular Bluetooth speakers and see which ones sound great—and which ones can pass the “dunk” competition.
Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker FAQ
1. What Is a Bluetooth Speaker?
What is Bluetooth? In simple terms, it is a communications technology that enables cross-device communication over relatively short distances. Bluetooth is increasingly prevalent in a host of devices, enabling increasing user and automated control of all kinds of things once considered autonomous (and limited) because of their lack of ability to communicate outside their own functional arena.
Bluetooth speakers are great for situations where portability and operating versatility (say, in outdoor recreational environments) are desired features, so it shouldn’t surprise us that these speakers are often used around water—poolside, lakeside, and beaches—or even in bathrooms. Waterproof speakers provide users an extra assurance that the music can keep on playing even if the speakers end up getting wet or floating about in a pool or the bathtub.
2. What Are the Advantages of a Bluetooth Speaker?
The chief advantage of a Bluetooth-capable speaker is its ability to connect to another Bluetooth device. Most mobile devices have this capability, and since most people now play media like music through their mobile devices, Bluetooth speakers can be controlled by and play music from those devices. Consequently, Bluetooth speaker manufacturers have made speakers that offer features that are compatible or accentuate the advantages of working with mobile devices. Over the years they have really made these speakers extremely small and portable—and waterproof.
3. What Are the Disadvantages of a Bluetooth Speaker?
One of the problems of all Bluetooth devices is signal interference. The wide proliferation of the technology in so many devices—telephones, speakers, tablets, media players, laptops, etc.—all competing for the same range of frequencies, can sometimes jam up communication. However, since Bluetooth is intended for short-range communication between devices in low-bandwidth situations, this is usually not a big problem. Of course, this means that operating ranges are often pretty short, so for example using a Bluetooth speaker as a remote speakerphone can be done, but generally with a maximum range of a few feet.
4. Why Is It Important to Choose a Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker?
Portability is a great feature of Bluetooth speakers. This makes them particularly useful for outdoor recreational activities, where the possibility of the speaker coming into contact with water—at a pool or a beach for example—means water resistance is a desirable additional feature for these devices.
5. What Makes a Good Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker?
Better waterproof Bluetooth speakers have a water resistance rating indicated by an IP code, usually IPX7, indicating the speaker can be immersed in 1 meter (3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. You will also see a rating of IP67, meaning the speaker is rated to be dust/dirt/mud resistant or dustproof as well.
How We Reviewed the Speakers on This List
We reviewed competing waterproof Bluetooth speakers based on the following parameters: Features, Pros & Cons, and Price. All speakers on this list are compatible with Apple iPhone and Android phones, as well as Siri and Alexa.
We chose this list to represent a broad range of feature sets, price ranges, and performance while making sure the basic features buyers want in a Bluetooth speaker are there. While some buyers will be OK with a less expensive speaker that delivers a smaller, thinner sound, most buyers want the biggest, best sound they can get from whatever speaker they purchase.
Our rating aims at revealing the best overall value for the average consumer.
Overall Price Range
All of the speakers we reviewed offered at least adequate water resistance, meaning at least an IPX7 rating, which again means the speaker is submersible in up to one meter (3.3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. But what is the cost?
Generally, prices for waterproof Bluetooth speakers range from around $20 on the extreme low end to $800 and more on the high end. What you usually get for more money is enhanced durability, richer sound with deeper bass, and a better feature set.
Another consideration on price is that sometimes you want a speaker that can survive the elements no matter what and maybe you’re OK sacrificing some sound quality to get that—especially if the price is nice. And there are a couple of speakers in our review list which match up with those requirements.
And Now…What Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers We Reviewed
- NYNE Boost Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- AOMAIS Sport II Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speakers 4.0 Waterproof
- JBL Charge 3 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- AOMAIS GO Bluetooth Waterproof Portable Indoor/Outdoor Speaker
- Ultimate Ears Waterproof Super Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- Altec Lansing LifeJacket 2 Wireless Waterproof Portable Mountable Bluetooth Speaker
- Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth Speakers
- JBL Clip 2 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
- BassPal Shower Radios, Waterproof Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
- Altec Lansing Mini H2O Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
NYNE Boost Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Features
The NYNE Boost Portable Bluetooth Speaker is a very durable, affordable, water-resistant speaker with good sound for the price. Impact resistant (it can absorb falls onto concrete from several feet and still work), and IP67-compliant, meaning it can stay submerged in one meter of water for up to thirty minutes—plus is dust, mud and other muck-resistant too—this NYNE Boost is a good choice for outdoor recreation. The NYNE Boost provides 20 hours of battery life per charge, which is more than most speakers twice its price. Again, the sound is good for the price, though it struggles a bit at high volume and bass is MIA for the most part.
Pros
- Very durable
- 20 hours of battery life per charge
Cons
- Sound is pretty thin and no bass
- Controls could be more responsive
Price
Around $50.
Where to Buy
Warranty
One-year limited warranty on parts and labor.
AOMAIS Sport II Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speakers 4.0 Waterproof
Features
This speaker combines real toughness and durability with good sound at a great price. The Sport II is IPX7 compliant and dust, mud, rain and snow resistant. The great thing about the Sport II is that its 20-watt speaker kicks out a lot of volume for such a small box, and the price is so low you can easily buy two and split them into separate channels to get 40 watts of sound. And the AOMAIS Sport II offers up to 12 hours of battery life per charge, too.
Pros
- Very durable
- Big sound in a small speaker
- Very inexpensive
Cons
- Doesn’t float (but it does have
a floaty) - Sound can be sharp at higher volumes
Price
Around $20-$30.
Where to Buy
Warranty
One-year limited warranty.
JBL Charge 3 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Features
The JBL Charge 3 offers good all-around sound characteristics in an IPX7-certified floating speaker. Uses JBL Connect feature, enabling multiple speakers to be chained for more sound. This could come in handy since the Charge 3 provides dual 10-watt speakers (not a small sound, but more is better). Additional features are speakerphone capability and an auxiliary 3.5 mm audio cable input. The Charge 3 provides true channel separation when splitting these speakers. Twenty hours of battery life per charge is better than most Bluetooth speakers.
Pros
- Good clear sound
- IPX7-rated and floats
- 20-hour battery life
Cons
- No NFC (near-field communication)
- No 360-sound
Price
Around $100 to $150 (the list price).
Where to Buy
Warranty
1-year limited warranty.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom Waterproof Super Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Features
Easy to use, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom is IPX7-rated (so immersible in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes), it floats, it is super compact and durable in design, and it offers good 360-sound in a 10-hour battery-life speaker. Pairs easily with another Wonderboom to make a big, party-worthy sound. On the other hand, the Ultimate Ears speaker isn’t the cheapest option.
Pros
- Super compact
- Sound is very good for the size
- Very durable/IPX7/Floats
Cons
- Takes two to make a big sound
- Not inexpensive for the size
Price
Around $80 to $120.
Where to Buy
Warranty
One-year limited warranty.
AOMAIS GO Bluetooth Speakers, Waterproof Portable Indoor/Outdoor Speaker
Features
The AOMAIS GO Bluetooth Speaker has everything you want: it provides very big, 30-watt sound, with good bass, good sound balance and very little full-volume distortion. An amazing 30 hours of battery life per charge goes with IPX7 water resistance and this large “portable” speaker even floats!
This speaker’s big sound will definitely fill up a room, and should be a great sound generator for outdoor activity. It even provides a microphone input for karaoke. That said, it is a rather large and definitely does not fit in your hand.
Pros
- Solid well-balanced sound
- Amazing battery life
- Great features/performance for the price
Cons
- Kind of big for a portable
Price
Around $60-$80.
Where to Buy
Warranty
One-year limited warranty.
Altec Lansing LifeJacket 2 Wireless Waterproof Portable Mountable Bluetooth Speaker
Features
The Altec Lansing LifeJacket 2 delivers big on two main points: it is super durable and provides 16 hours of battery life. With an IP67 rating, the Altec is not only water resistant but is rated to resist dust, snow, ice, rain, and mud. And it is impact resistant and floats! So the Lifejacket 2 is ready for any outdoor recreational environment. As for sound, it is OK, not really big or deep enough to compete as a room-filling speaker. But you’re paying for its ruggedness and its battery life. Includes a microphone input.
Pros
- Should handle any environment with being splashproof and having a high waterproof rating.
- Very good battery life
Cons
- Sound is OK; not big
Price
Around $100.
Where to Buy
Warranty
One-year limited warranty.
Tribit XSound Go Bluetooth Speakers
Features
The Tribute XSound Go provides real portability, IPX7 water resistance, in a small, inexpensive speaker that actually produces 12 watts of amazing sound for the size and price. Add to this a 24-hour battery life, and the Tribit Sound Go is truly hard to beat at even twice or maybe three times the price. Mic input included.
Pros
- Compact and portable
- Big sound and bass for a small speaker
- Really inexpensive
Cons
- Some users report lag on videos
Price
Around $30-$40.
Where to Buy
Warranty
18-month repair or replacement warranty.
JBL Clip 2 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker
Features
Very compact, portable speaker with IPX7 water resistance. While this speaker is certainly inexpensive, when it is compared with something like the Tribit XSound Go, which is in the same price class, the Clip 2 just can’t stack up stereo sound-wise. With an output power of only 3 watts, it should not be surprising that this small speaker produces a thin tinny sound with virtually no bass at all. Its metal carabiner is useful for securing the Clip 2 on mobile outdoor excursions.
Pros
- Very compact
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Small thin sound
- Too expensive for the lack of features
Price
Around $40-$60.
Where to Buy
Warranty
One-year limited warranty.
BassPal Shower Radio, Waterproof Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
Features
The BassPal Shower Radio is just what it sounds like, a pretty good, inexpensive bluetooth speaker with a radio that is also IPX7 water resistant. The BassPal comes with a suction cup that is used to mount it in the shower or wherever you wish to use the speaker. It is a simple process to switch between FM radio reception and Bluetooth connections. The BassPal can be submerged and it also floats. The sound is okay but thin and with no bass, which is funny given the name. But if you’re looking for a cute little cylinder that can provide you basic audio quality in the shower, the BassPal Shower Radio is your pal.
Pros
- Has a radio function like a regular boombox
- Works pretty well in the shower
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Sound is fair only
- Radio is not full-featured
Price
Around $30 to $35.
Where to Buy
Warranty
12-month partial refund or replacement warranty.
Altec Lansing Mini H2O Wireless Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
Features
As with the Altec Lansing Lifejacket, the Mini H2O delivers on durability—it is IP67 rated (meaning it is dust and water resistant)—and the Mini H20 certainly delivers on extreme portability and compactness. Many users will find the speaker is small enough to fit into their hand. If compact size and light weight and footprint are the concern, the Mini H20 will deliver. And the sound, while naturally not as big and bassy as a bigger, more expensive speaker, is actually not bad, especially for the size of the speaker and the price. Only 6 hours of battery life for this rugged little speaker is one concern.
Pros
- Highly durable and water resistant
- It floats
- Sound is pretty good for the size and price
Cons
- Only 6 hours of battery life
- Sound is personal, not party sized
Price
Around $25.
Where to Buy
Warranty
One-year limited warranty.
The Verdict for Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers
Bluetooth provides a convenient way play your favorite music without wires—with the perk of portability. In this article, we reviewed a number of the better and more versatile waterproof Bluetooth speakers. Some speakers were clearly designed to survive the rigors of outdoor use in more difficult recreational environments. Some speakers were clearly designed to deliver on sound.
The Tribit XSound Go
One speaker we examined, the Tribit XSound Go, combined all the elements an average buyer of waterproof Bluetooth speakers is looking for: durability, water-resistance, good sound, portability, and all at a great price. And with that, we can definitely recommend the Tribit XSound Go as your go-to waterproof Bluetooth speaker.
