10 Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers Perfect For Poolside Fun

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When the weather's great and the sun comes out, you'll want to spend your time relaxing by the pool or at the beach. And for maximum enjoyment, you'll need a Bluetooth party speaker to pump out the tunes. But not all speakers are equal, when it comes to poolside security.

A reliable pool-destined Bluetooth speaker needs something that the best home gym Bluetooth speakers don't: waterproofing. After all, one simple trip, drop, or kick is all it'll take to see your sub-bass become sub-aqua, and a speaker without waterproofing could be permanently wrecked by such a swim. An IP67 rating will ensure your device can withstand dunks in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. But for absolute safety, you'll want IP68, which means it's certified to survive for that long in depths of a meter and a half — a much better pick if your pool goes beyond a paddling depth.

So here are portable speakers you can buy right now that have an IP68 rating, so you can use them poolside or at the beach without fear. It's an exhaustive list, after considering over 20 brands' offerings, to ensure only options with this maximum waterproofing are shown. You can even pair them with the best waterproof phones you can buy, so you don't need to worry about any of your tech malfunctioning. Prices may vary.

Many of the best cheap but high-quality wireless speakers you can buy on Amazon come from well-known audio brands, but we'll start with with a small, inexpensive option from a brand that mainly makes power banks. The Nobis Clip N1 costs just $23.99, in either black, blue, or pink, and so it's the most affordable speaker available right now with an IP68.

In fact, Nobis outdoes the typical definition of IP68, promising the Clip N1 will survive for 30 minutes of submersion for up to two hours. It has a 24-hour battery life, outputs sound at 8 watts, and can be paired with another of its kind to offer stereo sound. It even has a novel feature: In the app, you can choose between various beats, and buttons on the Clip will let you start playing that beat, even if you're already playing a song. These include snare rhythms, clap-snaps and maracas.

Likely due to its coming from a relatively unknown brand, major reviewers haven't paid much attention to the Nobis Clip N1. But amateur testers have written about how it delivers fantastic value for money, a sentiment reflected by buyer comments on retail sites which also compliment its compact design and durable build.

While we placed Tribit dead last when we ranked major Bluetooth speaker brands from worst to best, its devices are competitively priced. Take, for example, the Tribit PocketGo: This costs just $29.99, and is frequently discounted to bring its price even lower — sometimes below the Nobis Clip N1.

This super-compact speaker has been praised by professional reviewers for its compact, lightweight build, weighing just under 8 ounces. It's also waterproofing, touting that IP68 protection with pride, with additional drop resistance to ensure it's safe on dry land too. It lasts for 20 hours of music, and can pair with certain other speakers which use the True Wireless Stereo tech.

The PocketGo outputs sound at 7 watts, so it's almost the quietest speaker on this list, something flagged by online commenters who've used it. However, those users still pick it for one handy reason: It has a microSD card slot, so you can load it up with a music selection that it can play from. It's perfect if you're going to places without cell reception for Spotify, or if you don't want to rely on a paired device for tunes.

JBL is a name that'll be familiar to portable speaker shoppers (and will become far more familiar through this list). The JBL Go 5 costs $54.95, so it's the most affordable Bluetooth blaster from the brand that fits the criteria for this list, and it comes in seven different color options to choose between. Coming in a pretty similar form factor to the Tribit above, it's drawn praise from professional reviewers for its compact, rugged design, which can withstand a plunge or drop.

Despite having the lowest output power at just 4.8 watts, testers have praised its sound quality and volume, so it seems to outstrip its specs sheet. However, there is an issue raised both by said testers and raised by prospective buyers online: the battery life. Clocking in at eight hours, and two extra if you use its Playtime Boost mode, it doesn't match many of the other options on this list. Some online commenters are also dubious about the improvements from past models, with additions like Auracast and ambient lighting not universally beloved, so some may find the $5 cheaper JBL Go 4 preferable — although it only has an IP67 rating.

One of the newest options on this list, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 3 costs $64.99 at MSRP, though it started seeing discounts immediately upon release. It's an improved version of the already hugely-popular Stormbox Micro 2. Testers expressed surprise that the new model seems to exceed its predecessor in value and quality — and, more importantly, power output and battery life.

The Micro 3 is IP68 protected against submersion and can withstand drops of up to 1.22 meters with a versatile strap and magnetic mount — meaning you can hook it to bags or bikes, or put it on a refrigerator. It lasts for 24 hours of listening and connects via Bluetooth 6.0 for a longer range than many alternatives on this list. Its output power is 13 watts, combining a main driver with passive radiators, and it has a bass boost mode accessible via a button on its body, which enacts a low-end-boosting EQ you can customize yourself.

The design of the Soundcore Boom Go 3i may seem familiar if you've just read the above entry, and it's true that the Boom and Micro look pretty similar, including the carry clip. That's not where the similarities end. This device, from Anker's audio sub-brand, also has 24 hours of listening time, Bluetooth 6.0 support, and an IP68 rating, although it costs a little more at $79.99. It's a comparison many online users have also made.

However, the device outputs sound at 15 watts, so you'll get a little extra power than the Tribit offers, and has a built-in digital display so you can easily see how much power it has. Another tool at its disposal is RGB lighting, with striped patterns adding a little extra fun lighting to your party, although some testers have criticized how some people find this unnecessary. If you're an RGB fan, you can customize the light show using Soundcore's app, which will also let you turn the feature off if you're not interested.

We're moving from the pick-shaped smaller Bluetooth speakers to slightly larger ones now, with the JBL Grip, the first-generation model of the company's newest speaker line. Available in a wide range of colors for $99.95, this slightly undercuts the more established siblings which we'll meet later. It offers a 16 watt output via its full-range driver, and can last for 14 hours on the trot. And, of course, it's IP68 rated, with JBL's mesh weave ensuring it's protected from hard knocks, too.

Some reviewers criticized the max volume and bass capability of the JBL Grip, but the biggest issue people took with it — and perhaps the main reason to keep scrolling — is how similar it is to certain other releases from the company. Professional reviewers have recommended opting for the slightly-pricier Flip 7, while online commenters also expressed a preference for JBL Flip options due to the improved power output and sound quality. But if you want a slightly smaller and more affordable option than JBL's bigger speakers, the JBL Grip's one to consider.

If you prefer to enjoy your water-based partying by the sea rather than the pool, then the Soundcore Boom 3i has a rather unique pitch to make it one of the best Bluetooth speakers for outdoor use. Not only is this speaker IP68 certified and protected for drops up to a meter, it has specific resistance to salt water, so it can get hit by waves and keep pumping out music. It's even manufactured to float speaker-up if in water so you can keep hearing your tunes.

It's also designed to avoid rust and corrosion, so it it'll withstand the elements better than anything else on this list. It also has a shoulder strap to counteract its larger size. Many outdoorsy reviewers have testified to its ruggedness and portability, and testers on online forums have pointed to its durability features as some of the best parts.

The Soundcore Boom 3i has a 50 watt power output, so it'll go much louder than the previous options on this list, with the brand's tech designed to offer enhanced bass output. Its battery life is 16 hours, so it doesn't match certain rivals on this list, but it'll still go for the best part of a day between charges. And you only have to pay $129.99, so it's the cheapest of the larger speakers on this list.

As we've already seen, and will soon discover further, JBL is a fan of the tube-style Bluetooth speakers, and the Flip line is the one which has seen the most entries of all of them. The JBL Flip 7 builds on the brand's popular series with a few improvements over previous models, and has won audio awards from brands like What Hi-Fi as a result of its great sound quality.

The Flip 7 sells for $150, and comes in a wide range of colors including beach-chic sand and outdoorsy camouflage models. Its speaker outputs audio at 25 watts to reach the crevices of a medium-sized yard, and its battery life will let you listen for up to 16 hours on a single charge. The speaker also comes with a range of clip-on accessories, like a strap and carabiner, so you can easily carry it about or strap it to your bag strap. And that's not to mention several useful modes, like the JBL speaker infinity button, which lets you pair multiple of the speakers together (although, in the case of the Flip 7, is actually a triangle button, and doesn't work with older models ).

If there are any criticisms of the JBL Flip 7, it's that the battery life isn't fantastic , and it's certainly not the longest-lasting model on this list. But if you need something durable, it's a fantastic pick, with some online commenters describing how their own Flips have survived world trips or long dips in rivers.

JBL clearly has total control of the IP68 party speaker market, because here's another speaker from the brand which ticks all the boxes. The JBL Charge 6 is hugely popular, having won awards from review brands and raking in 5-star review scores from others , so if you're looking for a solid party speaker on a middling budget, it could be the best pick.

Reviewers praise the sound of the Charge 6, which offers powerful yet expansive music, so you can light up your pool party with great audio (unless you're listening at low volumes (EMDASH) testers say it quickly drops energy if you go quiet). The Charge has a 30-watt woofer and 15-watt tweeter and can last for up to 28 hours of listening. It's also readily portable thanks to an attached carry strap, and will withstand an aquatic dunk thanks to its IP68 rating.

If there's one thing some online testers criticize, it's the lack of an audio jack, so you can't enjoy wired audio unless you have an adaptor for its USB-C port. The JBL Charge 6 launched for $199 but it's available for $160 in multiple retailers, making it a tempting Flip 7 alternative if you don't mind something a little bigger.

The final product on this list is the most expensive, and for good reason. The JBL Xtreme 5 will cost you $399, so it'll set you back twice as much as the nearest alternative. It's fittingly huge, requiring a shoulder strap to tote about, but comes with specs that could justify the price.

It has a 90-watt speaker output and lasts for up to 28 hours of listening, so it's for long parties or large gatherings. Ambient lights add some visual flair and various sound-boosting and battery-life-lengthening tools justify the extra cost. Naturally, it's well protected, with an IP68 protection and a hardy chassis that'll take a beating without giving way.

Professional testers who've used the JBL Xtreme 5 have praised the upgrades it brings over previous models. In particular, the speaker's penchant for bass sounds was picked out, but just as praise-worthy were its quality-of-life tools: its swappable battery, IP68 protection, and range of audio inputs, for example. If there's one point of consternation that online audio fans point out, it's the price — other JBL products are available for a lot less and don't necessarily offer many compromises, and many argue they can't justify such a high asking price. So it's probably only for people who are hosting pool parties all summer, since they will get value for their money.

To create this list, the current offerings from 20 major speaker and audio companies were considered, to see if they fit three key criteria that would make them a good buy for poolside parties or other water-adjacent uses. Firstly, they needed an IP68 rating, to ensure they were fully waterproof. Secondly, they had to be portable, so you could carry them about with you without requiring mains power or a Wi-Fi connection. Thirdly, they had to be currently on sale in the U.S. from major retailers, and the most recent model of their respective lines.

These criteria saw lots of speakers cut, which is why you're only reading about 10, and from a limited number of companies. To ensure the speakers belonged on the list, online discussion and critical feedback was taken into account, and when relevant, personal experience was also used to add or find context. To create the exact order of this list, products were ordered in price, from cheapest first to priciest last.