If you like to listen to music while you are in the shower, swimming, or doing any outdoor activity in the rain, a waterproof Bluetooth speaker is practically necessary if you do not want to ruin your headphones or regular speaker.
To help you find what you are looking for, here's a quick and easy buying guide, some of the best speakers out now, and the overall winner which is difficult to beat.
Buying Guide
How to choose the best waterproof speaker.
Size
For speakers that will be used more in the shower than outdoors, you will probably want to get a smaller-sized speaker since they will take up less space, something you may need if you have a small shower. For those that will be used outdoors, you may want to get a larger one since the size will make it easier to find, and larger speakers are usually louder than smaller ones; usually.
Weight
If you are planning on carrying the speaker around, like on a hiking bag, you will probably want to save yourself some energy and get a smaller-sized speaker. Of course, if the speaker is just going to be sitting somewhere while it's running, the weight is not necessarily something you really have to think about.
Battery life
You will probably want to get a speaker that has a longer battery life if you plan on using it outdoors or away from a power source that can charge it; the longest ones can last for up to or more than 20 hours.
Charge time
This can take as little as 3 hours or as long as 8 hours depending on the speaker, if you are using it while it is charging, and how large the battery is. Typically, speakers that have a longer battery life have longer charge times, so be prepared to wait for it to fully charge if you want a long-lasting run time for your speaker.
Bluetooth connection
This is one of the trickier things to look at, especially if you have an older phone or device that you plan on using with the speaker. If you do not know much about Bluetooth connection, one thing you will have to learn is that nearly every new speaker has a newer Bluetooth connection type (ex. 4.0, 4.2, 5.0).
You will have to check whatever Bluetooth connection type you have on your phone or device because if the connection type is a lower number than the one the speaker is, you will not be able to use the Bluetooth connection.
Thankfully, if you really love the speaker, nearly everyone also comes with an AUX port that you can use to directly plug your device into the speaker, but you will not be able to carry your phone or MP3 player without having to carry the speaker around too.
Loudness
This is something you may want to look at if you are planning on using the speaker outdoors because some speakers are simply not loud enough to be heard around a campsite, even at their highest volumes.
Some speakers do not list how loud they get, which is measured in decibels aka dB, but if you see that one does, know that a speaker that gets to 65 dB is about as loud as a hairdryer while one that gets to around 105 dB is about as loud as a car horn.
Extras
Some of the most common things that are built into a Bluetooth speaker are accenting LED lights, a microphone for hands-free calling, and even a radio connection, but you usually need an AUX cable plugged into the speaker to act as an antenna. However, some speakers can be found with some more unique features like a built-in flashlight or camping light for campers and hikers.
What are the advantages of a waterproof speaker?
They allow anyone to listen to music practically anywhere they want without having to worry about water damaging the exterior and/or interior parts of the speaker, which is one of the most common ways to damage them.
What is the best way to use a Bluetooth shower speaker?
Before you turn it on, check to see if it is charged and the protective cover over the charging port is fully on. While the speaker itself may be waterproof or water-resistant, the charging port and other ports are almost always not waterproof, meaning if you get them wet, they can ruin the speaker.
Once you are done using the speaker, it is also a good idea to wipe it down with a towel so no water can get into the ports.
Waterproof vs water-resistant vs splashproof
Waterproof speakers are usually the type that can be fully submerged, though not for long, and be fine afterwards. Water-resistance speakers are the kind that can get fairly wet but not submerged, and splashproof speakers can only handle getting splashed.
Top 7 Bluetooth waterproof speakers
#1
This is one of the few speakers that is truly made for camping and other outdoor activities because it has a built-in flashlight and lantern that you can use while you are playing your music.
The battery can last for up to 30 hours when the music is played at lower volumes and the lights are not used. It only takes around 6 hours or so to fully charge and also comes with a built-in mic for hands-free phone calls.
One of the rarest features that it has is that you can plug your phone or other USB-charged devices into the speaker directly and use it to charge that device.
4.1 of 5 Stars
Pros
Cons
#2
Unlike the last speaker which had a more flat design, this speaker uses the now popular metal mesh material over nearly the entire speaker, except for where the built-in controls are.
It can run for up to 10 hours on lower volumes, and like the last speaker, it also comes with a built-in microphone. Some of the more unique features that it has are that it comes with a hardcover case, can be paired with another speaker, and has a built-in FM radio.
The speaker is also available in a 2-pack because it can be paired with another, and each speaker can be around 100 feet away from the device they are connected to. The possibly biggest feature it has, though, is the fact that it can store a micro SD card and use it to play music, too.
4.4 of 5 Stars
Pros
Cons
#3
The body of this speaker is sort of a cross between the last two; having a hard, flat, metal mesh material covering the body. However, this one seems to handle water better than the previous speakers since it can be fully submerged for several minutes.
It can play music for up to 24 hours on low volume, but this one has one of the shortest charging times out of the others on this list: only 4 hours. It does not come with too many extra features, a built-in speaker and 360-degree surround sound, but that is also because it makes up for it in quality; it has very good bass quality at high and low volumes.
The connection distance is not as strong as some of the other speakers, though; it can only keep a connection from up to around 33 feet or so.
4.2 of 5 Stars
Pros
Cons
#4
This is another speaker that has 360-degree surround sound and a built-in microphone. It is a little heavier than some of the other speakers, it weighs a little over a pound, but it does have one of the longest battery lives; 12 hours when played on lower volumes and up to 8 hours on higher volumes.
Unlike some of the other speakers, this one also comes with an alarm that goes off when the battery will die soon. The alarm usually goes odd anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour before the speaker requires charging, but it does give you the chance to lower the volume and conserve power.
When it comes to the specs, it is pretty average, but the completely round body is one of the more unique physical features. It is debatable that the round design makes it truly 360-degree surround sound, but it does seem to provide better sound coverage.
4.9 of 5 Stars
Pros
Cons
#5
This is another one of the popular metal-mesh covering designs, but this one seems to be thicker and more durable than some of the other ones. It has 360-degree surround sound and is actually specially designed to be used in the shower, but it can also be used outdoors.
It seems to be more water-resistant (not waterproof) than many of the other models, and it has a few extra features as well. It has one of the largest batteries, being able to run nearly 24 hours straight when used at low volumes.
The bass does not seem to be as powerful as some of the other models, but the sound quality is still very good and clear, even at higher volumes.
4.5 of 5 Stars
Pros
Cons
#6
Another round speaker, this one also has a smooth, metal mesh material. It can play music at low volumes for up to 15 hours or play music at high volumes for up to 8 hours on a full charge.
The charging is one of the best out there now, being as short as 3 hours to get a full charge when it is dead. Unfortunately, the sound quality does get chopped up when the volume his maxed or closed to the max, but it does support hands-free calling like some of the other speakers.
4.2 of 5 Stars
Pros
Cons
#7
The last on the list, this speaker has one of the more unique designs, being shaped similar to that of a portable power brick (devices that are used to charge things like phones, MP3s, etc.). It has a long, thick, rectangular shape and the sound comes out of the main face of the speaker.
Because of the design, this speaker only has 180-degree surround sound, but it does have a long battery life; up to 12 hours on medium to high volume and up to 20 hours on low volume. Also, it can stay connected to devices that are up to or farther than 100 feet.
4.9 of 5 Stars
Pros
Cons
Conclusion
When comparing all of the technical features like battery life, charging time, Bluetooth distance, size, and power, our favourite one would probably be the Ampcaddy Version 3 Pro Max Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker.
While it may not have the best sound coverage, being a 180-degree surround sound, and it is not exactly the smallest speaker, it does have one of the longest battery lives for high and low volumes, it has one of the highest sound qualities, and it is one of the most reliable models both on and off this list.
It is also one of the loudest models and can support a much longer connection distance than almost every other speaker on and off of this list, making it very difficult to beat.
