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The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers for the Shower, Pool and Beach

There are a lot of portable Bluetooth speakers that are fully (or almost fully) waterproof. All under $200.

waterproof-bluetooth-speakersPhoto by Tucker Bowe for Gear Patrol

By Tucker Bowe

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Portable Bluetooth speakers are incredibly popular. They’re small, affordable, and durable, and they allow you to bring music anywhere you want—be it the shower, the pool, the beach, or anywhere else in the great outdoors. But frankly, when shopping for a portable Bluetooth speaker, there are a lot of options to choose from, and they’re all quite a bit different.

How We Tested

8 different bluetooth speakersTucker Bowe

We tested all of the below portable Bluetooth speakers in both indoor and outdoor environments, and played a wide-variety of music (mostly summer jams). We primarily judge the speakers on sound quality, ease-of-use and battery life — as those are the most important features to look for in a portable Bluetooth speaker.

To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.

The Best Compact Waterproof Speaker Under $50

jbl go 3Amazon

JBL Go 3

Specs

Battery Life 5 hours
Weight 0.46 pounds
Water-Resistance IP67

Pros

  • Very Affordable
  • Really durable design
  • USB-C charging

Cons

  • Design might not be for everybody
  • Not so great battery life

The JBL Go 3 is the company’s smallest portable Bluetooth speaker and it’s really quite charming. It has a unique cube shape and fun rugged design — I must’ve dropped this thing a dozen times and it just seems to bounce and be fine. It gets surprisingly loud and it has an attached lanyard that makes it easy to carry. The Go 3 is one of the simplest portable speakers to use with really just a few control buttons (for play/pause, volume control and power). It charges via USB-C, but its 5-hour battery life is less than ideal. Also, it is a front-firing speaker so it sounds best when the logo is facing you. Available in multiple colors.

The Best Sounding Portable Speaker Under $130

Sony ULT Field 1 speakerSony

Sony ULT Field 1

Specs

Battery Life up to 12 hours
Weight 1.43 pounds
Water-Resistance IP67

Pros

  • Affordable for its size
  • Innovative laynard design for easy carry
  • ULT button gives you the option of better base

Cons

  • Companion app doesn't offer much

Released in 2024, the Sony ULT Field 1 is the company’s standout portable speaker. Its cylindrical design makes it super easy to carry and pack. It features two passive bass radiators (one on each side) and a front-facing woofer-and-tweeter combo, enabling it to deliver a bigger sound than you’d think; and there’s a dedicated “ULT” button that gives the speaker even more bass. Additionally, it has an innovative and adjustable lanyard that makes the speaker easy to hold or hang on things (like a chair or a tree).

A Compact Bluetooth Speaker for Less Than $60

speakerSony

Sony SRS-XB100

Specs

Battery Life up to 16 hours
Weight 0.61 pounds
Water-Resistance IP67

Pros

  • Extremely portable design
  • USB-C charging
  • Available in a bunch of colorful finishes

Cons

  • Not as feature-packed as other portable speakers

Released in 2023, the Sony SRS-XB100 is essentially an updated version of the Sony SRS-XB13; it looks basically the same but has improved sound and better built-in mics for when used as a speakerphone. Like its predecessor, the SRS-XB100 is about half the size of a soda can and dishes out 360-degree sound. It charges via USB-C and can easily be attached to a bag or bike thanks to its lanyard.

JBL’s Classic Portable Bluetooth Speaker

jbl flip 6Amazon

JBL Flip 6

Specs

Battery Life 12 hours
Weight 1.21 pounds
Water-Resistance IP67

Pros

  • Solid sound quality
  • Rugged design
  • USB-C charging

Cons

  • Not as feature-packed as other portable speakers
  • Fairly pricey

Released in 2022, the sixth-generation Flip is an excellent little portable speaker. It’s a front-firing speaker — which houses a two-way driver and dual passive radiators — that pumps loud and room-filling sound. It has a fully waterproof design (which is probably its biggest improvement over the previous Flip 5) and an attached lanyard for easy carrying. It does work with a companion app, too, if you want to tweak the sound settings or stereo pair with another Flip 6. Available in multiple colors.

Sonos’s Most Portable Bluetooth Speaker

SONOS_Sidecar_Black_3q_Horizontal_SidecarSonos

Sonos Roam 2

Specs

Batter Life 10 hours
Weight 0.95 pounds
Water-Resistance IP67

Pros

  • The smallest and most portable wireless speaker that Sonos makes
  • Supports wireless charging
  • Available in multiple colors
  • New button makes pairing and setup process even easier

Cons

  • A touch expensive
  • Doesn't get as loud as other portable speakers
  • Wireless charger sold separately

The second-generation Sonos Roam is admittedly an outlier on this list because, well, it’s more sophisticated. It’s the only portable speaker also to support Wi-Fi connectivity, which allows it to play in tandem with other Sonos speakers and have a built-in voice assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant. When working as a traditional portable Bluetooth speaker, the Roam has a decent battery life and good sound quality. The Roam is a great portable Bluetooth speaker, but I’d only recommend it if you have other Sonos speakers in your home.

An Compact Bluetooth Speaker That Floats

portable bluetooth speakerAmazon

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3

Specs

Battery Life up to 14 hours
Weight 0.93 pounds
Water-Resistance IP67

Pros

  • Really durable and fun design
  • A true 360-degree speaker
  • Big sound for such a little guy
  • It floats!

Cons

  • Still charges via micro-USB, making it feel slightly dated
  • More expensive than other tiny Bluetooth speakers

UE released the Wonderboom 3 in the summer of 2022 and, to be honest, it’s only a little better than its predecessor, the Wonderboom 2. The “3” looks identical and works basically the same; the only improvements are that UE improved its range and gave it an extra hour of battery. Still, the Wonderboom 3 is still a really durable and fun portable Bluetooth speaker — it can even float in water. The biggest downside, however, is that it charges via micro-USB, making the speaker feel so dated.

Anker’s Metallic Portable Bluetooth Speaker

speakerSoundcore

Anker Soundcore Motion 300

Specs

Battery Life up to 13 hours
Weight 1.76 pounds
Water-Resistance IPX7

Pros

  • Metallic grille makes the speaker feel and look different
  • Can float
  • Relatively affordable

Cons

  • Heavy for its size

The Soundcore Motion 300 a new ultra-portable speaker for 2023 and it’s standout in a couple ways. It has unique design thanks to a metallic grill and rubberized sides and buttons. It’s super waterproof (IPX7) and can even float. And, most interestingly, it actually supports LDAC files, so if you have a compatible Android you can play high-res sound. The only “kind of” downside is that because of its metallic grill, it’s heavier for most other similar-sized speakers.

A Portable Bluetooth Speaker That’s An Old Favorite

ultimate ears boom 3Amazon

Ultimate Ears Boom 3

Specs

Battery Life up to 15 hours
Weight 1.34 pounds
Water-Resistance IP67

Pros

  • Great sound quality
  • Rugged design
  • Affordable (now heavily discounted)

Cons

  • micro-USB charging feels old
  • UE is due for an update

The Boom 3 has been one of the best all-around portable Bluetooth speakers for years. It has an extremely rugged design, excellent battery life and it’s one of the few options that plays true 360-degree audio — place it in the center of the pool party and, no matter where you stand, you’ll hear it loud and clear. The Boom 3 further stands out because of its many color finishes and, if you buy a special accessory, it can wirelessly charge. The only downside is that, because it’s several years old (released in 2018), it still charges via a lowly micro-USB cable.

An Affordable and Extremely Durable Bluetooth Speaker

anker soundcore 3Amazon

Anker Soundcore 3

Specs

Battery Life 13 hours
Weight 0.81 pounds
Water-Resistance IPX7

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • A+ battery life
  • Rugged and water-resistant design
  • Available in four different colors

Cons

  • Doesn't deliver 360-degree audio
  • Not as feature-packed as other options

The Soundcore 3 is a compact portable speaker that’s fully waterproof and simple to use. It’s a front-firing speaker, so you want to be listening to it head-on (or near about). It charges via USB-C and comes with an optional lanyard if you want to make it easier to carry. It works with an app if you want to adjust the EQ, but you probably won’t need to. The best thing about this speaker, however, is that it has excellent battery life for its size.

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