The Best Outdoor Speakers to Buy in 2024

There are a lot of great Bluetooth speakers, but not all of them are great for an outdoor speaker setup, which has to be tough enough to survive the elements and usually isn’t designed with the same portability in mind. While some Bluetooth speakers do make perfectly fine outdoor speakers, the quest for the best setup for your next pool party, barbeque, or camping trip might take you in a different direction.

The following speakers are all able to withstand rain, and some are even built to stay outdoors year-round, and all have enough battery life to last most of the day. Here are my picks for great outdoor speakers, depending on what matters to you.

Best outdoor speaker with voice control

The Sonos 2 differ from most outdoor speakers in that they can be controlled with your voice, via either Alexa or the Sonos Voice Assistant when you’re connected to Bluetooth. This speaker can also connect to your phone via wifi. The Sonos 2 offers an impressive 24-hour battery life, which makes the imposing design a bit more palatable. Another welcome feature: “Auto Trueplay”, which automatically optimizes the audio output to your environment, whether indoors or out.

The best outdoor speaker for a large gathering

If you’re having a backyard gathering with friends or family and need a powerful speaker to power the party, the JBL Boombox 3 can hold its own. It’s one of the best-sounding boombox-style outdoor speakers you can find, and its PP67 waterproof rating means it can survive a pool party. One downside: This thing is hefty, weighing in at nearly 15 pounds, so it probably isn’t a good choice if you plan to be moving it around a lot. Also, keep in mind that in order to maximize its audio output, you will need to plug it into an AC outlet.

The best outdoor speaker for an event

If you’re hosting an event and need to string multiple speakers together, you’ll need something with more power. I’ve been hosting Street FC soccer games at my local park for three months using the Soundboks 4, and I’ve gotten more compliments and queries about my setup than the goals I’ve seen scored. The Soundboks 4 works great as a one-speaker setup, with powerful 126db sound that will turn heads, but it can also be wirelessly linked to five more of its kind. It has a 40-hour battery, and highly customizable EQ in its accompanying app. I’ve even used it to host karaoke parties, thanks to its input settings that allow you to plug in microphones and instruments.

The best stationary outdoor speakers

If you’re looking to set up your speakers outdoors and forget about them, consider the OSD Audio AP650. This pair of speakers is a great value for their price and audio quality. Their full sound can easily fill 1,500 square feet of outdoor space without dropping the beat., and they are fully sealed to protect them from intrusion by water, dust, and bugs.

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 can sound a bit rough at full volume, but they’ll give you the best bang for your buck, costing for less than half what you’ll pay for the OSD Audio AP650. They are likewise sealed to prevent water, dust, or bugs from getting in. If you’re especially frugal, wait for a sale—you can often pick them up at a discount.