Bluetooth speakers are wonderful little devices — you can completely change the vibe of a space by powering on this portable device and playing your favorite tunes. While noise-canceling headphones may be perfect for situations when you want to tune out your surroundings, Bluetooth speakers are ideal for when you want to interact with your environment or share your music with others.

Bluetooth speakers come with a variety of features these days. You can pair them with other speakers, they offer customizable EQs, and some even come with voice assistants (like your beloved smart speaker back home). And they’re so easy to use, too. All you have to do is hit the Bluetooth button on the speaker, search for the speaker on your phone, pull up your favorite iPhone or Android music app, and hit Play.

As for portable or outdoor Bluetooth speakers, they can be amazing companions for various situations. However, these speakers have to be able to survive water splashes at a pool party, the mud and moisture during a hike, or the pervasive sand on a beach day. Plus, they should offer enough battery life to last the entire duration of your little adventure. And if you’re currently shopping for an outdoor Bluetooth speaker, there are plenty of choices. Indeed, there’s a massive variety of options in each price segment. So, to make selection easier, we've curated a list of the best on the market.

Take these Bluetooth speakers out and about

If you’re looking for a portable Bluetooth speaker that offers excellent value for the money, the Anker Soundcore 3 is exactly the right pick for you. It may not look as exciting as some of the other Bluetooth speakers listed here, but it offers a powerful output for such a small speaker, excellent sound quality, and IPX7-rated water resistance.

The Soundcore 3 is vastly improved over the Soundcore 2 in terms of sound quality and battery life. This 16W speaker measures 6.75x2.25x2.25 inches and weighs about 13 ounces. The exterior is rubber and feels sturdy enough for rough use. The speaker is also equipped with dual drivers featuring titanium diaphragms, so you can enjoy those crisp highs at 40k Hz. That's not to say the low-end is unimpressive, though, as Anker uses BassUp technology, which allows you to clearly hear the basslines from your favorite songs.

You can use PartyCast to link this unit to other Soundcore speakers, but there is no provision that allows other users to connect simultaneously. Additionally, this battery-powered speaker features a USB-C port for charging and requires about 4 hours to get fully juiced, which then gives you about 24 hours of playback. It would have been nice if the speaker featured a built-in mic for calls or voice assistants, but at this price, it feels wrong to ask for more.

The Oontz Angle 3 from Cambridge Soundworks punches well above its weight class because you rarely see such performance at this price. Cambridge Soundworks has always focused on selling affordable speakers, and we’re glad to see that the quality of their products just gets better with time. Back to the Angle 3 — this 10W speaker easily takes on competitors that sell up to three to four times the price of this one.

At 9.4 ounces and dimensions measuring 5.3x2.8x2.6 inches, this speaker is pretty portable. In addition, the interesting pyramid design also allows you to place the speaker horizontally and vertically. The IPX7-certified Angle 3 is waterproof (so go ahead and take it into the shower), and it comes with a 2200mAh battery that can run 7 to 8 hours before dying out. We like that the Angle 3 features a built-in mic and has an aux port, but app support would have also been nice.

This speaker came out a couple of years ago, but it still made it to our list, so you know it’s good. However, the Soundcore Motion Boom is not for you if you’re looking for a cute little desktop speaker. This device aims to get the party started in a big way right off the bat. Measuring 7.9x13.6x5.9 inches and weighing 4.4 pounds, the IPX7-rated Motion Boom can surely do a better job than the typical compact Bluetooth speaker. The body is hard plastic, with passive bass radiators on either end. The finish looks pretty premium.

Fitted with titanium drivers, the speakers deliver high-definition audio in the upper end of the frequency spectrum while doing a pretty good job with the lows. This 80W speaker can be operated using the Soundcore app for Android and iOS if you don’t want to tinker with the physical controls. Our favorite feature on the Motion Boom is the 9-band EQ, which lets you tune the output to best suit the environment. Don’t forget to hit the BassBoost button if you want to be in for a real treat.

It’s surprising to see a speaker as cute and unassuming as this Ortizan X10 with a 24W power output rating. Its twin speaker setup climbs pretty high on the SPL scale, and it does so without compromising too much on the quality. On the downside, the bass is okay-ish; the speaker is best suited for music concentrated on the mid-range and high frequencies. You also get three EQ presets to play with.

This IPX7-rated Ortizan speaker’s battery promises 30 hours of runtime on a single charge and takes 3 hours to juice fully. The speaker weighs 1.15 pounds and measures 3x3x6.7 inches, with a sturdy, rubberized finish. The speaker has multicolored LED lights on either end of the speaker, which respond rhythmically to the music you’re playing. It also allows multiple users to connect to it and can be paired with other Ortizan speakers to create a stereo environment.

JBL’s Flip series is probably the default go-to for buyers shopping for an excellent portable Bluetooth speaker. It’s on its sixth iteration with speakers for a good reason: they are durable, work flawlessly, and perform with excellence, and the price tag isn’t bad at all.

The dimensions of this speaker are 7x2.6x2.8 inches, weighing about 19 ounces. Like previous Flip models, it has a mesh cover on its cylindrical body and passive bass radiators at both ends. It also has an IP67 rating, making it Spongebob-approved. The Flip 6 has two woofers and a tweeter, which delivers a balanced sound that does not go overboard with the bass or highs as many Bluetooth speakers do.

The speaker can be controlled using the JBL Portable app, and you can even adjust the EQ with three basic controls for highs, mids, and lows. You can also access the PartyBoost feature on the app, which lets you pair your speaker with other JBL speakers. You can get about 12 hours of listening time on a full charge via the USB-C port.

Ah, Bose. More famous for its premium home speaker setups, this company also made its presence felt in the world of Bluetooth speakers because everyone wants a slice of the pie. But that's good news since this is one impressive speaker. And Bose being Bose, the SoundLink Flex delivers the goods in terms of audio quality. The speaker's small size is rather deceptive — when you play music on the SoundLink Flex, the music completely fills up the room. Pair it with another Flex speaker, and you'll be blown away by the stereo image.

The speaker measures 2.06x7.93x3.56 inches, weighs about 20 ounces, and comes in Smoke White, Black, and Stone Blue color options. A cool feature of this speaker is its PositionIQ technology, which adjusts the speaker's EQ based on the device's orientation.

The SoundLink Flex is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance and has a soft silicone back and a steel grille on the front. The rechargeable battery lets you use the device for approximately 12 hours before you need to juice it again using the USB-C port.

If you thought the Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 3 was all about aesthetics, you’d be wrong. There’s a reason this series is so popular, and the reason is excellent performance in a compact package. It seems the company’s motto is, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” because there aren’t a lot of changes compared to its predecessor. You do get one extra hour of run time compared to the WONDERBOOM 2, so that’s nice.

The WONDERBOOM 3 measures 4.65x4.53x4.65 inches and weighs about 14 ounces, so it’s pretty portable and ideal for carrying with you on a hike or to the beach. And if you’re worried about water damage, you can relax because this speaker is IP67-rated. We wish this speaker came with an app, but the control buttons on it do suffice.

The sound is balanced, and we like that the soundstage is 360 degrees, so you can leave it in the middle of your room. Moreover, we like how there’s no distortion at high volumes, but we still recommend you don’t push it too hard. The speaker also lets you pair with another WONDERBOOM 3 unit.

This compact speaker gives you 14 hours of playtime out of a single charge and fully charges in about 4 hours. If you use Outdoor Boost (a custom EQ mode for when you’re outside), expect the battery to run out an hour sooner.

The JBL Go series speakers are best described as affordable, rugged, compact, and colorful. These are easily one of the most popular portable Bluetooth speakers, and as I write this article, there's a guy sitting at my café with one of these on his table. It would pass for a fat wallet if there wasn’t music coming out of it.

I’d say the best part of this speaker is how light and small it is, measuring 1.6x3.4x2.7 inches and weighing roughly 7 ounces. The soundscape from its 1.5-inch driver is more impressive than its small form would have you believe. While you won’t be DJing at any house parties with the JBL Go 3, it definitely works for camping or if you’re chilling by yourself and want some background music.

This speaker is IP67-certified and is available in 10 different colors. The battery life is okay-ish, with about 5 hours before the battery needs recharging. As for audio quality, this is why the Go 3 made it to our list over the Tribit StormBox Micro 2: it simply sounds better than most of its competitors.

Tribit has made quite an impression on the Bluetooth speaker market with its quality products, and this is one of my favorites. If you’re looking for a powerful Bluetooth speaker that is a proper party machine, then the Tribit StormBox Blast is perfect for you.

This beefy 90W Bluetooth speaker is outstanding for times when you want to rock out. It ticks off all the boxes of a party boombox — colorful LEDs, booming bass, and excellent battery life. It measures 14.4x4.1x3.1 inches and weighs 11.6 pounds, so it’s definitely on the upper end of Bluetooth speakers in terms of portability.

The StormBox blast features two 4.2-inch woofers and two 1.2-inch tweeters for a sum of 90W. As for the quality of the output, you’ll be impressed as soon as you hit the Play button on your phone. This speaker delivers excellent bass response, and the mids and highs are equally clear. Turn the volume all the way up, and you can sense the limiter working and killing the dynamics, making the music sound unnatural. But then, modern dance music barely has any dynamic range to begin with.

The speaker comes with a 3.5mm aux-in port and a USB-C port, plus it has an app that lets you tweak the EQ and change audio modes. The StormBox Blast is also IPX7 rated, so you don’t have to worry if anyone drops their drink on it or dunks it in a pool.

It can run for 30 hours on a charge, but in my own experience, this figure drops a bit when you play the speaker at loud levels for a few hours. Also, you can charge your phone by connecting it to the USB-C output. The speaker charges via the cable that comes bundled.

The most powerful speaker on this list, we had to make it a JBL. And what better option than the Partybox 110, one of their most popular party speakers? If you’re a party animal shopping for a portable speaker that you can take to house or block parties, the Partybox 110 will more than meet your requirements.

It weighs 23.9 pounds and measures 22.4.8 x 11.6 x 11.8 inches, so it’s a task to lug around, even though it technically is a portable speaker. But on the plus side, it features an ergonomic handle to make carrying it around a bit comfortable. It has an output of 160W, so you can expect some impressive performance from this speaker. If you look at the speakers that generally generate this kind of output, you’ll appreciate how compact and portable the Partybox 100 is.

The dual 5.25-inch woofers and twin 2.25-inch tweeters do a great job at audio quality. The music sounds rounded and well-balanced. You can play music via Bluetooth or the aux-in port. You can even connect your phone to this speaker using the USB-A port on the back. The JBL PartyBox app lets you control various aspects of this speaker, like the EQ (with plenty of presets), but the best part is that you can play with various RGB LED patterns using the app.

You can expect about 12 hours of uninterrupted music once fully juiced; this is, of course, at half volume and with the RGB lights off. Charging the battery from 0 to 100 takes about 2.5 hours. This speaker is rated IPX4 against water splashes, so it may survive an accidental spill, but make sure you keep it far away from the edge of the pool.

Final thoughts on the best outdoor Bluetooth speakers

Now, that’s a list that covers all price ranges. There are all kinds of speakers up there, so depending on your requirements and budget, pick the one that’s best for you. Personally, my top pick would be the Anker Soundcore 3, followed by the Flip 6, a close second. My reasoning is that I want my Bluetooth speaker to offer both portability and quality in equal amounts, and these two speakers definitely do that.

That said, I also use my Go 3 a lot, as it’s barely an issue to carry with me, regardless of the size of my bag. For readers who pride themselves on being audio enthusiasts, the most obvious choice would be the Bose SoundLink Flex. For those who would choose output over all else, I definitely recommend the Partybox 110. There are few speakers out there that deliver this kind of power in such a compact form, so it’s a pretty obvious choice.