Whether you genuinely love a podcast in the garden or are calmly nudged that way when your nearest and dearest does their online yoga class, an outdoor wireless speaker makes a great companion.
Maybe you want a larger option to wheel out when hosting an outdoor party, or maybe you've just learned that sticking a playlist on while weeding the lawn eases the job. Whatever necessitates your music al fresco, there are plenty of outdoor speakers we want you to know about.
Portable speakers have become massively popular in recent times, so much so that it can be hard to know where to start in this crowded, increasingly complicated corner of the market. Thanks to the hands-on testing in our dedicated listening facilities (and occasionally a trip to the local park) for every one of the speakers below, you can bet you'll sniff out the ideal speaker for your outdoor needs.
How to choose the best outdoor speaker for you
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
Fully waterproof speakers are a great option and will survive a lengthy dip in your private pool (you lucky thing, you) while dust-proof options can also shrug off sand with the best of us. If you want a speaker for the beach, look for an IP67 rating rather than the waterproof-only IPX7.
Most portable speakers feature hooks or handles for carrying, plus Bluetooth wireless connectivity, if you want something for a camping holiday or road trip. Some models even offer access to voice assistants, should you need to ask Alexa the current temperature in Florida, or the chances of decent surf this weekend in Cornwall.
Some of these models are great for slinging in a bag, but don't be fooled: there are bigger high-fidelity options too if you want to really level up the sound quality outside. Read on for our pick of the best outdoor speakers, each with a full, in-depth What Hi-Fi? review attached. We'll let you select the best fit for your needs.
The JBL Charge 5 is even more durable and better sounding than the four Charges before it – and it's a current What Hi-Fi? Award-winner to boot. Its predecessor carried an IPX7 rating, meaning it could handle being submerged in water to a depth of 1.5m, but the IP67-rated Charge 5 builds on that durability by also being fully dustproof. Want a speaker roughly the dimensions of a bottle of wine that'll charge your phone and sound great? You've found it.
Thanks in part to its 10W tweeter and racetrack-shaped driver, the Charge 5 is currently as good a sound as you can get in a portable Bluetooth speaker design for under £200/$200/AU$300. It even boasts marginal improvements, both sonically and aesthetically, over its predecessor, the five-star Charge 4.
One day JBL may produce a Charge that can be outdone by a new and plucky rival. With the rather splendid Charge 5, that day is yet to come.
Read the full review: JBL Charge 5
Yes, it's another JBL, but at this rate, what were you expecting? The American audio brand remains king of the pile, and with the company's proclivity for producing such great portable speakers, it's little wonder so many of its products are suitable for outdoor use as well.
The Flip 5 was a past What Hi-Fi? Award winner, a trick that JBL has more or less repeated with the five-star sequel (if only losing out the top trophy to its Charge 5 bigger brother). We might have thought we’d be advising JBL to rework the Flip by now – add a few more features, change it up a bit to keep up with the competition – but instead, we're left praising the sonic chops of a proposition that now offers extra durability (IP67 water and dust proofing over the waterproof-only IPX7-rated Flip 5), plus an extra ounce of space within its trademark zealous and musical presentation.
Yes, it's still 'just' a Bluetooth speaker – but what a great-sounding Bluetooth speaker it is. If you want to boost the sound presentation to your liking, you can now tweak things thanks to a new EQ feature in the app. For a nominal price hike over the launch price of the Flip 5, there’s certainly more detail here, too.
Read the full review: JBL Flip 6
Ultimate Ears has really made a splash in the Bluetooth speaker market with a number of colourful, fun-sounding and portable models, and the Wonderboom 3 is by no means an exception.
The four-star follow-up to the five-star Wonderboom 2, the third entry in the trilogy still sounds dynamic and detailed, but it's the model's portability and ease of use that make it ideal for outdoor excursions. Battery life is bolstered by an hour to a total of 14, while the Bluetooth range is now up by 10 meters, making the Wonderboom 3 even more suited to when you're not confined to the four walls of your domestic abode. Better still, the UE's IP67 rating should keep dust, dirt and water from ruining the speaker during your muddy bike ride or beach volleyball session.
Sonically, the Wonderboom 3 is an enjoyable, exciting listen. Bass is impressive given how small the speaker is, and the sense of dynamics on display is similarly remarkable. You also get a ‘boost’ button on the underside of the unit that restricts the bass frequencies when pressed, allowing the UE to play louder through the midrange. This in turn makes the sound easier to hear when the unit is used outdoors, rendering it all the more attractive as a speaker to bring with you on a trip.
Sadly, there's no built-in mic or app as is the case for the Wonderboom 2, but even so, the Wonderboom 3 is an eminently portable, great-sounding Bluetooth speaker that won't break the bank.
Read the full review: Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
If all you want from a decent outdoor speaker is portability and affordability, you really couldn't do much better than the excellent Stormbox Micro 2. A tiny, satchel-friendly Bluetooth speaker that's one of the cheapest options on this list, the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 is easily one of the best we’ve tested at this meagre price point.
The small-form-factor speaker doesn’t have the 360-degree sound design of many of its rivals like the dinky UE Wonderboom 3, but during our tests we found it is one of the best value options if you’re really on a tight budget.
Building on the success of the original Stormbox Micro and featuring an all but identical woven finish design, the Micro's sequel trumps its predecessor when it comes to delivering enjoyable audio and massively improved battery life. We easily coaxed 12 hours of listening out of a single charge, while an IP67 rating let one of our reviewers use it in the bathroom/shower without any issue or damage. Again, the Stormbox Micro 2's diminutive size and durable design make it well-suited for travelling far beyond the confines of a bathroom or kitchen.
Audio is really strong, too, bigger, punchier and louder than you’d expect from such a small box. Play Juice by Lizzo and the Micro 2 does justice to the song’s upbeat tempo with her vocals vibrantly portrayed. Midrange in particular is dealt with in a much more appealing manner than anything else we’ve seen at this price.
The only issue is that it can start to suffer from distortion at louder volumes, but based on our head-to-head tests, you’ll have to pay more and invest in either a JBL Flip 6 or Wonderboom 3 to get a better speaker. Really impressive stuff.
Read the full review: Tribit Audio Stormbox Micro 2
JBL has practically built its name on rugged, portable hardware capable of surviving anywhere (we imagine) from the bottom of an icy ravine to the top of a snow-capped summit. The JBL Xtreme 3 is no exception with its durable design and is a versatile, talented five-star wireless speaker that’s as happy chilling at home as it is being the life and soul of a sweaty student party. As rugged as the rest of its stablemates, it is IP67 dust and waterproof-certified, making it perfect for getting its (metaphorical) hands dirty in the great outdoors.
You might be forgiven for thinking that, given the bulky construction, the Xtreme 3 might be more preoccupied with the amount of bass it’s producing rather than focusing on musical quality. Let us put your mind at rest: the Xtreme 3 proves to be a careful and considerate performer from the lowest of lows to the highest highs, giving impressive detail, dynamics and a strong sense of timing.
Still, bassheads will be more than satisfied with the healthy low-end clout on offer, but there’s quality as well as quantity on display. The JBL Xtreme 3 gained five stars across the board during our rigorous in-house testing, never appearing out of its depth no matter how complicated the musical arrangement.
Read the full review: JBL Xtreme 3
The Sonos Roam is an ideal option for those looking for an off-roading, hiking, beach-combing, deep-diving speaker with dimensions and a feature set to rival offerings from JBL and Ultimate Ears. Not to mention those that also want to dip a toe into Sonos's excellent ecosystem. Given Sonos’s recent run of superb-sounding products, one that we can drop in our backpack and take on a ramble has been highly anticipated – especially since the Move, the company’s first battery-powered speaker, was more portly than portable in comparison.
Sonically, the Roam is a decent effort, but we can't help feeling things have been flipped around somewhat, with Sonos' diminutive portable speaker swapping out truly detailed sound for a greater emphasis on usability, build quality and durability. That's not an entirely bad thing for an outdoors speaker (and we're admittedly being very harsh), but the Roam's slight lack of crystal clear detail, coupled with some rather average timing and dynamics, means it won't trouble the JBL rivals.
However, it's a nicely portable design with a pleasing, full-bodied sound, and unusually for this type of speaker, it can connect to your home wi-fi. Let's hope the sequel (whenever it arrives) steps up its game in the sound department.
Read the full review: Sonos Roam
Bang & Olufsen isn’t noted for following the herd. In the Danish audio specialist’s stable you'll find a wheel-shaped wireless speaker, a TV that opens up like a butterfly, and an 8200-watt monolithic speaker comprising 18 drivers. Its output could reasonably be described as "premium" and "innovative" – and the B&O Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) wireless speaker is no exception.
That said, all of these fancy designs and clever tricks aren't what you'd usually associate with rugged, outdoorsy functionality. Most of B&O's range looks more at home in an art gallery than stuck on the side of Skegness, meaning you'd be forgiven for thinking that a go-anywhere bit of Bang tech would be a little like having a portable version of Rodin's The Thinker stuffed in your backpack.
Happily, the Beosound A1 is tougher than its delicate looks would suggest. The A1 is now water- and dust-proof to the high IP67 rating, meaning it should be happy being subjected to a 30-minute swim up to a meter deep. Quoted battery life is also a solid 18 hours at normal listening volume, or up to 48 hours at a more conservative level, so running out of juice halfway through your camping trip shouldn't be too much of a concern.
The new A1 supports Qualcomm’s latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth 5.1 codec, as well as Alexa voice control, despite the fact that it's Bluetooth-only. Sound performance is authoritative and expansive with a weighty, pleasing bass presentation, and there's even a convenient strap for ease of transport. It's expensive, sure, but if you have money to spend, the Beosound A1 is a rather remarkable all-rounder.
Read the full review: Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 (2nd Gen)
Portable, outdoor-ready speakers usually opt for a funky, rough-and-ready design aesthetic, but they're rarely what you'd call actively "handsome". Enter the Audio Pro Addon T3 to buck the trend, a stylish, vintage-feeling piece of kit that brings style and substance to the great outdoors with ease. A bit like Bear Grylls or those chaps on SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Unlike those burly lads mentioned above, though, the Addon T3 isn't water resistant, a big drawback if you happen to live in the UK and forever labour under the yoke of a constant, persistent drizzle. It's also getting on a bit, and while the T3 was recently been superseded by the T3+, we actually prefer this model as a more expressive and enjoyable wireless speaker. That handle is a nice touch for carrying the thing around, too.
It's in the arena of sound quality, though, where we found the T3 near-impossible to fault, covering itself in glory with full sound, great balance and expressive, dynamic delivery. It may now have a few grey hairs these days, but the original Addon T3 is still a five-star listen.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Addon T3
This diminutive, soap on a rope-styled Go 3 features Bluetooth 5.1 plus a maximum power output of 4.2W, up from Bluetooth 4.1 and 3W in the previous iteration, the Go 2. The one specification that hasn’t changed is the Go 3's stamina. It takes 2.5 hours to charge fully, and you can still only get a comparatively meagre five hours of playtime from a single charge.
If you can live with this, there's much to celebrate in the sound department at the level. The extra power and overhauled design have resulted in some solid sonic enhancements, so much so that we awarded the Go 3 full five stars in the sound department.
It's also an aesthetically pleasing little fella, perhaps even cuter than the 2nd generation model (if you can imagine such a thing). The problem for the Go 3, sadly, is that it's limited by a poor battery life and a pretty average sound range, so if you're only planning a trip to the end of your street, you'll be fine. Any further, you might want to consider one of this list's bigger boys, or maybe think about digging out a wireless charger instead.
Read the full review: JBL Go 3
We're leading with this option because, while it is not waterproof, the Drumfire could certainly be wheeled out to start a party. What you see here is a great, space-filling speaker that stands over half a metre tall and boasts a top-notch build quality. If you're looking for something you could actually take to the beach, the Drumfire probably isn't your best bet, but for blasting Metallica at your stepmother at the family barbeque, you'd struggle to find much better.
As an all-in-one system to which you can connect a multitude of sources, the Award-winning Drumfire is a great choice for the money. Compatible with a wide range of file formats, including MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC and Apple Lossless, there's a huge variety of applications on display. If you’re running music from your server, meanwhile, you shouldn’t meet with many compatibility issues either.
As for sound quality, Audio Pro’s sonic chops only get better as its speakers get bigger, delivering a loud, impressive listening experience wherever you are. Get ready for those summer heatwaves on the patio with a scorchingly good speaker.
Read the full review: Audio Pro Drumfire
Note: There is an updated version of this speaker, the Audio Pro Drumfire II, with upgraded sound, AirPlay 2 and Google Cast compatibility, costing £700 / €800 / $800 / AU$1299.
How we choose the best outdoor speakers
We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test all of the outdoor, portable and Bluetooth speakers to pass through What Hi-Fi? towers.
What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, listening to one product up against its closest competition to figure out exactly how it differs and what each model does best. We keep class-leading outdoor speakers in our stockrooms so we can compare new products to ones we know and love.
Aside from the raw audio quality of an outdoor speaker (heard both inside and outside our test rooms), we also test and evaluate every aspect of its performance, including battery life, connection quality, ease of use, and versatility.
We are always impartial and do our level best to make sure we're hearing every product at its very best. Whatever your budget, we want you to have the best solution for the money, so we'll experiment with features, test any voice assistant integration and app support, try plenty of different types of music and give the proposition plenty of listening time (and time to run in).
All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team as a whole too, rather than an individual reviewer, thus eliminating any personal preference. Note that there's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to our verdicts. We are proud to have been delivering honest, unbiased and thorough reviews since 1976 – and we're not about to change that.
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