The Best Outdoor Speakers to Buy in 2024
There are many great Bluetooth speakers out there, but not all of them are suitable for outdoor installations as they need to be rugged enough to withstand the elements and are not usually designed with the same portability in mind. While some Bluetooth speakers do make great outdoor speakers, searching for the best setup for your next pool party, barbecue, or camping trip may lead you in a different direction.
All of the following speakers can withstand rain, some are even designed to stay outdoors all year round, and they all have enough battery life to last most of the day. Here are my picks for great outdoor speakers, depending on what’s important to you.
Best outdoor speaker with voice control
The Sonos 2 is different from most outdoor speakers in that it can be controlled by voice through Alexa or Sonos Voice Assistant when you’re connected to Bluetooth. This speaker can also connect to your phone via Wi-Fi. Sonos 2 offers an impressive 24-hour battery life, which makes the impressive design more attractive. Another useful feature is “Auto Trueplay”, which automatically optimizes the sound output according to the environment, whether indoors or outdoors.
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Sonos Move 2 ($449)
The best outdoor speaker for a large company
If you’re getting together in the backyard with friends or family and need a powerful speaker for the party, the JBL Boombox 3 can help. This is one of the best-sounding boombox-style outdoor speakers you can find, and its PP67 waterproof rating means it can withstand a pool party. One downside: This thing is heavy, weighing about 15 pounds, so it’s probably not the best choice if you plan on moving it around a lot. Also keep in mind that for maximum audio output, you’ll need to plug it into an AC outlet.
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JBL Boombox 3 ($499.95)
Best Outdoor Speaker for an Event
If you’re hosting an event and need to link multiple speakers together, you’ll need something more powerful. I’ve been running Street FC football matches at my local park for three months using Soundboks 4 and have received more compliments and questions on my setup than the number of goals I’ve scored. The Soundboks 4 works great as a single-speaker setup, delivering powerful 126dB audio that will turn heads, but can also be connected wirelessly to up to five more of the same speakers. It has a 40-hour battery and a customizable equalizer in the included app. I’ve even used it to host karaoke parties thanks to its input settings that allow you to connect microphones and instruments.
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Soundboxes 4 ($999)
The best stationary outdoor speakers
If you want to set up your speakers outdoors and forget about them, check out the OSD Audio AP650 . This pair of speakers represents excellent value for money and sound quality. Their full sound can easily fill 1,500 square feet of open space without losing rhythm, and they are completely sealed to keep water, dust and insects out.
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OSD Audio AP650 ($194.99)
The best budget outdoor speakers
For those on a budget, consider the Dual Electronics LU53PW . This pair of speakers is a little lacking in bass, and they can sound a little rough at full volume, but they’ll give you the most bang for your buck while costing less than half of what you’ll pay for the OSD Audio AP650 . They are also sealed to prevent the entry of water, dust or insects. If you’re particularly frugal, wait until there’s a sale – you can often get them at a discount.
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Dual Electronics LU53PW ($79.99)