The Best Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers (Installed & Portable) (2024)

If you love spending time in your garden or out in nature, it’s natural that you’d want to have your favorite tunes playing while you do so. Outdoor Bluetooth speakers are made to withstand all types of weather conditions and come in various shapes and sizes, letting you pick exactly what you need from a speaker. We’ve separated them into three categories, making starting your journey to a vibrant outdoor sound experience easy.

Installed Speakers For Your Patio & Backyard

Your home is typically the source of most of your best memories. It’s a place where children feel free, and you, as a homeowner, can relax and reap the rewards of your hard work. What better way to relax than with an installed speaker system that provides a consistent sound and can be turned on at any point? There’s no need to worry about carrying your speakers back and forth when you opt for an installed patio speaker.

Premium: Polk Audio Atrium 6

The Atrium series of outdoor speakers from Polk is legendary. They’ve been on the market for over a decade and have become renowned for their value, incorporating a classic and classy design with impressive audio performance.

The Atrium series comprises five models, with the Atrium 6 in the middle. The larger Atrium 8 is another popular choice if you need more bass. That said, the Atrium 6 is slightly more affordable and still manages to create a full sound with enough volume to cover most patio areas. The Atrium 8 is a better solution if you want music to permeate through other areas of your garden, too, or if you’re a party animal that enjoys hosting larger gatherings.

The Atrium 6 comes in black and white, letting you pick which best matches your patio area. The grille is also paintable, letting you add your own custom flare, and the installation process is simple; mounting them under your eaves won’t take you all day.

For Bluetooth connectivity, install and connect the Atrium 6 to any supporting Bluetooth receiver, and you can play your favorite tracks directly from your phone. To bring these speakers to life and truly experience what they offer, you’ll need to power them with an amp, as they have no built-in power source. Details on amplification can be found in the specifications above.

Budget-Friendly: Dual Electronics LU43P

If you love the idea of having music on your patio but don’t think you can afford it in today’s climate, think again. The Dual Electronics LU43PB lets anyone improve their outdoor home experience. You can’t buy much for $50 these days, but you can buy a pair of these great budget speakers. They will impress your friends and family without digging into the savings.

The LU43PB is the smallest and most affordable outdoor speaker of the Dual Electronics’ LU range. They have a 3-way design with a 4″ woofer, which, while limited in its bass, volume capabilities, and soundstage, perfectly creates ambiance in your outdoor space. This isn’t what you’d call a party speaker, but it is an affordable background music option. If you’re after a little bit more, you can consider the LU53PB or LU63PB, which have 5.25″ and 6.5″ woofers, respectively.

Because the LU43PB can be mounted vertically or horizontally, you’ll have better mounting options, particularly in areas with limited mounting space. However, remember that these speakers may not be protected from high salt content in the air, making them less suitable for oceanside homes than the Atrium series, for instance.

These are the ultimate cheap outdoor speakers for those with limited audio demands and a tight budget. They will still require an amplifier to power them, as they are passive and don’t have a built-in power source.

Midrange: Klipsch KHO-7

If you prioritize brand reliability, look no further than the Klipsch KHO-7. It demonstrates superb build quality that speaks to the renowned Klipsch ethos. It is also affordable enough for everyone to experience at around $100 a pair.

Initially released in 2005, the KHO-7 has spent almost two decades cultivating feedback from customers, ensuring that you don’t have to worry about the modern marketing tricks some manufacturers use to make their products seem better than they are.

Homeowners who want a versatile outdoor speaker system can count on the KHO-7. This is primarily because they come with a mounting bracket that can tilt into a vertical or horizontal orientation, letting you customize how they disperse their sound. The sound is somewhat limited in the deep bass range but clear and precise in the midrange and treble, thanks to the Tractix Horn design, making it ideal for casual listening. If you want to bother the neighbors with booming bass, consider looking at the Polk Atrium 8.

The efficiency of the Klipsch KHO-7 will appease those looking to cut down on their electricity usage (75W continuous/150W peak at 8 Ohms). These passive outdoor speakers need to be connected to a supporting wireless amp. Thankfully, they’re easy to drive, and finding a suitable receiver is easy.

Portable Poolside & Beach Speakers

Installed outdoor speakers are great solutions for homeowners who want to add a permanent audio solution to their garden, but by their nature, they lack versatility. That’s where portable outdoor speakers come into the picture. They can be placed on the patio table for lunchtime background music and refreshing summer evenings outdoors or picked up and taken to the beach, to the poolside, or just about anywhere else. That’s the strength of these battery-powered options.

The following portable outdoor speakers all come with an IP67 water-resistance rating. You can sit back and enjoy your time without worrying about your speaker being damaged by water or debris. These durable speakers can handle just about anything you throw at them, even pouring rain.

Budget-Friendly: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3

Between the towels, sunblock, and clothing, it can be challenging to find the capacity to carry a speaker with you. That’s where the Wonderboom 3 from Ultimate Ears comes to the party. This exciting little speaker has been one of the most recommended Bluetooth speakers of the last five years and with good reason.

Despite its compact size, the Wonderboom 3 provides clear and detailed audio and can reach up to 87 dB of volume. It is loud enough to entertain you and your family or friends at the beach or around the pool, but if you want to provide coverage to larger pool areas, it’s worth opting for the Soundcore Motion Boom+, which has almost 10 dB more volume.

The 360-degree sound is a noteworthy benefit as it provides a more expansive, encompassing sound, ideal for setting up between the beach umbrellas or having around the pool. This broader sound dispersion equates to better sound quality for all those around the speaker, not just the area the driver faces.

It has a relatively balanced sound profile without piercing treble or muffled midrange. Instead, the Wonderboom 3 sounds detailed and precise, with good dynamic performance. Despite all the areas of audio performance in which the Wonderboom 3 excels, remember that the smaller speaker size results in limited bass.

While it’s limited in size, the Wonderboom 3 represents one of the most versatile and best-sounding speakers in its form factor. The detailed and balanced audio ensures smooth listening and a wide, immersive soundstage. If you’re on a budget and want a speaker for you and your friends to have by the pool or at the beach, the Wonderboom 3 is a great choice.

Midrange: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus

The Motion Boom Plus from Anker Soundcore is a moderate-sized boombox-style speaker that excels in indoor and outdoor use. Despite its high-quality sound, volume, and durable build, it remains affordable.

Sound Quality

The Soundcore Motion Boom Plus has two 30W woofers with dual 10W tweeters for a maximum output of 80W. The two woofers are located in the speaker’s center, while the tweeters are located on each side, increasing the dispersion of high frequencies and providing better imaging. Still, the Motion Boom Plus tuning isn’t what I’d call bright, and the upper frequencies are recessed instead. The dynamic performance is good, but pushing it too loud can result in compression artifacts becoming noticeable.

It has a sound pressure level close to 95dB, more than enough volume for most uses, and vastly improved over the original Motion Boom.

Anker didn’t publish official numbers on the low end of the response range, but independent third-party testers show this speaker having a low-end cutoff of around 50Hz. Anker claims this response range spans through to 40kHz.

Despite its name, the Motion Boom Plus is limited in its low end. The Soundcore mobile app allows you to dial in the EQ on this speaker to change its stock presets to one that works best for your purposes.

Connections and Controls

The Motion Boom Plus features app supports both graphic and preset EQ options. There is a bass boost function called the BassUp, which elevates the low-end presence. It features an aux input, which wasn’t present in the original Motion Boom release. It has modern Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity for improved range and connection reliability.

The controls are located on the speaker’s top and are easy to access. You can quickly access the BassUp function while also having full pairing control. Pressing the play button twice will skip to the next track, and pressing it a third time will revert to the previous track.

Waterproofing

Soundcore’s Motion Boom Plus has comprehensive water resistance, with an IP67 rating. It can withstand exposure to dust and debris outdoors and handles splashes and sprays without concern. It can also be submerged in water for brief periods (less than 30 minutes up to 1 meter).

Battery Life

Soundcore has reliably produced great battery performance across its products. The Motion Boom Plus has seen the same treatment with its built-in battery lasting over 20 hours of playtime at lower volume levels with bass boost disabled. The BassUp feature has a noticeable impact on battery life, reducing it by a large margin. It is also extremely fast charging and can go from 0 to 100 percent in under five hours.

Conclusion

The Motion Boom Plus is a loud, versatile, and durable speaker that costs less than $200. It can be used indoors or outdoors. The carry handle and strap make it easy to carry, while the IP67 water-resistance rating protects it from limited submergence in water and dust.

Premium: JBL Boombox 3

The JBL Boombox 3 is a powerful outdoor Bluetooth speaker well-suited for indoor and outdoor use. JBL’s focus on detailed and balanced sound has made the Boombox 3 popular. While it’s slightly less loud than its predecessor, there are marked improvements to the audio quality, particularly in its dynamics. The built-in carry handle ensures that this speaker remains easy to carry.

Sound Quality

The Boombox 3 is loud enough to cover most pool areas and more than sufficient for use as the beach, too. The 80W output can cater to small groups of friends at a lower volume or entertain a crowd of up to 30 people when the volume is pushed up. It is slightly less loud than the Boombox 2, but significant improvements are made to the dynamics, along with a balanced sound and deep bass.

Connections & Controls

The controls are intuitive and give you basic track and volume control. The on-speaker track control only allows you to skip forward, however. The buttons are defined enough to control even with wet hands, assuming you have the speaker on the side of the pool.

For its wired connections, it supports an aux input and USB drive. The wireless connections are supported by Bluetooth 5.3, a modern, reliable, and low-latency version of Bluetooth.

Additionally, the Boombox 3 offers mobile support through the JBL Portable app. From here, you can adjust the sound using the graphic EQ. It also lets you pair another Boombox 3 for a stereo setup or place it in ‘party mode’ where you can combine additional mono speakers.

Waterproofing

Despite the design being able to blend in with home decor, the Boombox 3 is still a rugged speaker at its core. IP67 waterproofing protects it from splashes, sprays, and submergence in water less than a meter deep for up to 30 minutes. It also has dust protection, making it suitable for all kinds of environments.

Battery Life

The Boombox 3 has a battery that can last up to 24 hours at moderate volume levels or around 18 hours at higher volume. This extended battery performance makes the Boombox 3 suitable for extended listening sessions and also lends itself well to camping trips where you may have limited access to power. The charging time is quite long, at around 6.5 hours, so keep this in mind when planning to use it for several listening sessions.

Conclusion

The Boombox 3 is a great choice for a speaker who can do it all. It’s ideally suited for indoor and outdoor use and has enough volume to cater to social gatherings. Whether by your pool, at the beach, or just out on the patio – this speaker has you covered. Compared to the Motion Boom Plus, the Boombox 3 has less volume but better dynamics and a fuller sound.

Rugged Speakers For Outdoor Adventures

These speakers are made to be used outdoors. They are built with durability in mind, both in their finish and ability to withstand water and dust exposure. Because adventures should be about living in the moment, we’ve recommended outdoor Bluetooth speakers that can still be easily transported and carried with you.

Budget-Friendly: JBL Clip 4

The Clip 4 is a small, outdoor Bluetooth speaker that is extremely easy to take anywhere. It can be fitted to your backpack or belt loop using the built-in carabiner or placed in your pocket.

Sound Quality

For a speaker of this size, the Clip 4 does an amazing job of providing a full sound. The 1.5″ driver is powered by a built-in 5W amplifier, which results in an impressive performance that exceeds the quality of the GO 3 and previous Clip 3 models. Getting good bass is always challenging with a small driver, but the Clip 4 achieves more low-end depth than similar competitor speakers. It retains a detailed and bright sound, with its best performance at moderate volume levels. Still, the Clip 4 can get relatively loud for its size.

Connections & Controls

There isn’t much to cover in terms of physical connections. The Clip 4 is a fairly stripped-back speaker, focusing less on technological trinkets and more on achieving ultimate portability and quality sound. The only physical input is the USB-C charging port. It uses Bluetooth 5.1 for its wireless connections, providing reliable, low-latency performance.

You can skip tracks, adjust volume, and play/pause your music using the physical controls on the speaker’s top.

Waterproofing & Durability

As any good outdoor adventure speaker should, the Clip 4 has IP67 waterproofing – protecting from dust, rain, and limited submergence in water. The lack of additional input ports ensures a tight seal. However, The durability extends beyond just weather resistance, with a tight-knit woven fabric exterior that doesn’t scratch or dent. Its durable build makes it well-suited to more demanding outdoor adventures like rock climbing and mountain biking.

Battery Life

The Clip 4 is a fast-charging speaker that can go from 0 to 100% in under 3 hours. It can provide up to 10 hours of playtime at moderate volume levels. At louder levels, it provides between 7 and 8 hours of playtime. Because the battery is relatively small, it can be charged nearly ten times using a 10000Ah power bank.

Conclusion

If you’re on a tight budget or want a speaker that you can easily carry around on your adventures without worrying about where to put it, the Clip 4 excels. It has a vibrant sound and a durable design. It can be purchased for well under $100.

Midrange: Bose Soundlink Flex

Regarding outdoor adventure speakers, the Bose Soundlink Flex is a popular midrange speaker with some of the most comprehensive weather resistance and durability on the market.

Sound Quality

Its lively sound retains balanced frequencies while providing significant detail and good dynamics. Despite the portability, the SoundLink Flex has up to 20W of power, producing sufficient volume for small groups of people to listen together. Bose’s PositionIQ technology further aids its natural sound, which adjusts the sound according to the speaker’s orientation.

Connections & Controls

The SoundLink Flex comes with mobile support from the Bose Connect app. It also supports stereo and mono party mode pairing to connect multiple SoundLink Flex speakers for a more comprehensive sound. It can even be paired with supporting Bose soundbars.

Like the Clip 4, Bose has opted for fewer physical connections on the SoundLink Flex. You’ll only find a charging port on the speaker, while wireless connectivity is supported by modern Bluetooth support, ensuring stable connections, even at range.

The on-speaker controls allow for track skipping (both forward and backward), volume control, and playing and pausing your music.

A unique feature of the SoundLink Flex, rarely found in similar speakers, is the addition of voice control and call functions.

Waterproofing & Durability

The SoundLink Flex’s durable construction protects it from damage when dropped while ensuring you don’t need to worry about water damage. It can handle splashes, sprays, and limited shallow submergence. It manages to do this while still having a clean aesthetic and professional finish. The Soundlink Flex even floats, so if you accidentally knock it into the water, you won’t need to go fishing it out. Additionally, the fact that it floats reduces the likelihood of water damage, as it prevents submergence. The built-in carry loop lets you hang the speaker from your tent or nearby trees in the wild.

Battery Life

The built-in Lithium-Ion battery provides up to 12 hours of playtime on a single charge, while the recharging process takes between just 3 and 4 hours, depending on the charger being used. It uses a USB-C connection, so your cellphone charger can charge the speaker. This is particularly helpful when camping, where less to carry is preferable.

Conclusion

The SoundLink Flex is a nearly flawless design that incorporates durability with sound quality and functionality. It can be carried in one hand, placed in a handbag, or in a backpack. It is ideal for camping trips, picnics, and just about any other outdoor adventure.

Premium: Turtlebox 2

Loud, yet not very large – the Turtlebox 2 has become an in-house favorite due to its rugged nature and massive volume capabilities. Unlike the Charge 5, you cannot toss the Turtlebox in your backpack, but you can still easily carry it around the garden, or if you’re the adventurous type, strap it to the back of your boat, truck, or jeep.

Sound Quality

This speaker is versatile and easy to use. It utilizes a 6×9″ primary driver, which, along with a 1″ titanium tweeter, can put out a massive 120dB of volume, making it one of the loudest outdoor Bluetooth speakers. Check out our list of the loudest Bluetooth speakers to see how Turtlebox stacks up against similar speakers. It features a frequency response range of between 40Hz and 20kHz and, while not particularly wide, has a strong punchy bass. It has a relatively good soundstage, though not to the degree of the Megaboom 3, which is more precise and detailed.

Inputs and Controls

The Turtlebox 2 is somewhat basic in its inputs, but the microphone input and 3.5mm aux are helpful. The microphone input is an especially exciting addition, allowing for MCing and karaoke.

It comes with Bluetooth 5.0, ensuring efficient codecs that improve the range and stability of your connection. The controls are located at the top of the speaker and are fairly large. This makes them easy to press, even for those wearing gloves.

Additional Features

While this speaker isn’t the most accessory-filled option, a few small quality-of-life features make the Turtlebox 2 satisfying to use. The first includes an LED battery indicator bar, showing the battery life at 20% intervals. It also has controls for volume, track skipping, and pairing.

To get a party going, you can pair the Turtlebox with another of the same speakers to create stereo sound.

Waterproofing & Durability

The Turtlebox 2 can be used as an indoor or outdoor speaker, but the outdoors is where this speaker is in its element. This speaker was made for a rough outdoor lifestyle. The Turtlebox boasts an IP67 rating, protecting it from limited submergence in water and dust. These weather-resistant capabilities mean there’s almost nowhere that the Turtlebox can’t be used.

Battery

Despite its huge volume output, the Turtlebox can easily play for 6 hours at maximum volume or up to 25 hours at more moderate volumes. It will take between 3 and 4 hours to fully charge the 85w/h built-in Lithium-Ion battery. One downside of the Turtlebox 2 is the non-replaceable battery, meaning if your battery fails, you’ll need to contact Turtlebox support.

Conclusion

Weighing just 10 pounds, the Turtlebox weighs much less than competitors like Soundboks Go. The low weight and carry handle make this speaker extremely portable, considering the amount of power it has. You can regularly move the Turtlebox 2 between your home and garden without feeling like a chore.

We included the Turtlebox 2 in our list for its impressive volume capabilities while remaining portable. You’ll not get a smaller, lighter portable Bluetooth speaker than the Turtlebox 2.

Buyer’s Guide – Things To Consider When Buying Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers

Outdoor Bluetooth speakers come in various formats, from small portable speakers that can be taken on hikes and other adventures to installed options that cover a larger area. There are considerations to keep in mind for all types, which is why we’ve created this buyer’s guide.

Portable Speakers vs Installed Speakers

The first thing to consider is whether you want a portable or installed speaker. Portable outdoor speakers are types like the JBL Charge or the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3. These are relatively small speakers intended for versatile use. They can be taken with you to the pool or on a hike.

Installed speakers are those that are mounted to your home. They don’t have the versatility of portable speakers, but they tend to offer better audio characteristics. They tend to have deeper bass, more detailed imaging, and a broader soundstage.

If you intend to use your speaker in a single outdoor location, going for an installed speaker with a Bluetooth receiver will give you the best results. Use a portable option to use your speaker in different locations and for varying purposes.

Active vs Passive Outdoor Speakers

Installed speakers can be active or passive. Passive installed speakers tend to have lower quality. This is because built-in amps have limited power capabilities, and the best performance comes from adequately driven speakers.

Battery Life

While installed speakers are wired and don’t run off battery power, portable options do. If you’re looking at portable speakers for outdoor use, think about how long you plan to use them. Speakers you’re taking back and forth between your home and garden only need a few hours of battery life. In contrast, speakers taking on hikes or away from power sources for extended periods will need battery life to match those requirements (I’d recommend 10-25 hours).

Sound Quality Considerations

Outdoor speakers sound best when they’re designed for outdoor use. Without walls and ceilings, the reflections experienced with indoor sound aren’t found outdoors. Because sound more easily dissipates, speakers with more volume and a broad soundstage will sound noticeably better. Additionally, a good tweeter design will provide a more detailed sound.

Outdoor Bluetooth speakers tend to have limited bass. For most, this isn’t a problem. But if you’re looking to throw parties and need a deep bass, you would benefit from installing a garden sub-bass for your patio speakers. For deep, low-end sound on portable outdoor speakers, you can consider something like the JBL Partybox series or similar party-focused Bluetooth speakers.

Water-Resistance

Outdoor speakers don’t need to have waterproofing, but having it and not needing it is better than needing it and not having it. The degree of waterproofing is more subjective and plays into how you use it. Having dust and water resistance is important if you’re taking it out into the wilderness. For other speakers, some simple splash protection can still let you use the speaker around the pool.

Installed outdoor speakers typically don’t have a specific IP/IPX rating in the same way that portable choices do. But most of these installed options still offer protection against the weather. Still, it’s important to follow each manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the longevity of your speaker.

Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Speakers

Purchasing and installing outdoor Bluetooth speakers requires some basic understanding and knowledge, as damaging your speakers from incorrect installation or usage is possible. Here are some frequently asked questions to help you avoid making costly mistakes when purchasing and installing your outdoor Bluetooth speakers. If you still have questions regarding these types of speakers, we encourage you to leave your questions in the comments.

Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers – Update Log

30 October 2023 – Improved buyer’s guide, added the Klipsch KIO-7 and Soundcore Motion Boom Plus
15 June 2021 – Increased readability
3 June 2020 – Updated page layout