It’s tailgate time of year, so break out the grill, corn-hole game and, of course, outdoor speaker. You can’t have a good party without your favorite playlists (and maybe even a little karaoke), which is why I’ve rounded up some of the best outdoor speakers for fall. And having tested a ton of these things, I’ve got good news: It’s hard to choose a bad one. Most are waterproof (or at least water-resistant), meaning a few snowflakes, a spilled beverage or even a sudden rainstorm won’t fry the electronics. Several are beach- and parking lot-friendly as well, able to repel sand, dirt and the like.
Quick Overview
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Ultimate Ears
Portable: Yes | Supports multi-speaker pairing: Yes | Weatherproofing: IPX4 | Rated battery life: 24 hours | Ports: USB-A, micro-USB | Connectivity: Bluetooth | Special features: Power bank
The Hyberboom looks like it would be more at home in a living room than outdoors. Thankfully, it’s plenty outdoor-friendly, with its 24-hour battery, IPX4 rating — meaning spills or splashes won’t damage anything, but sand might — and cleverly designed handle.
This speaker has power, with plenty of bass behind it and an adaptive, microphone-powered equalizer that adjusts the audio depending on where you’re listening. I found the sound quality extremely well-balanced overall and appreciably “big” without ever growing harsh. And you can pair additional speakers — anything from UE’s Boom, Megaboom or Hyperboom lineup — to further extend your listening range and power.
The speaker’s large battery provides playtime of up to 24 hours, but you need the included AC adapter to charge it; this one doesn’t support USB-C charging. The only real challenge here is the price: At almost $400, the Hyperboom is among the most expensive speakers in the group.
Pros- Superb soundstage
- Styling suitable for indoor use
- Oversize touch controls
- Water-resistant
- Supports additional speakers
Cons- Expensive
- All-white exterior could get grimy outdoors
- No USB-C port
Factors to consider when choosing an outdoor speaker
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Sound quality: This is always a highly subjective consideration, especially for outdoor speakers because there are so many variables that can affect sound quality, like location and ambient noise. Generally speaking, the more power (in terms of wattage) a speaker has, the louder it can get without distorting — and that’s an important “quality” for backyards, beaches and the like.
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Battery life: Just about any portable speaker should have enough battery power to survive your outdoor event. The question is, will it survive the next one? Because, let’s face it, you’ll probably forget to recharge it. During my testing, I kept that in mind, assessing speakers for the ones that will generally last more than one outing. Most of the speakers here are good for at least 10 hours of playtime, while some can last as long as 30.
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Connectivity: Most outdoor speakers rely on a Bluetooth wireless connection to your phone, which means your phone needs to remain in fairly close proximity (ideally 30 feet or less) to keep that connection stable. The Sonos Move 2 also supports Wi-Fi, but that’s limited to wherever you have Wi-Fi signal strength strong enough to use it, like possibly your backyard or patio.
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Multi-speaker support: What’s better than one outdoor speaker? Two, obviously, or maybe even more. Some of the models here can be paired to provide extra audio power and coverage area. If you really want to spread out the music, JBL’s PartyBoost-compatible models support linking up to 99 speakers at once.
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Power-bank features: There’s always one person who arrives at the gathering with a dead phone battery. Fortunately, many portable speakers can double as power stations, with USB Type-A or Type-C ports for charging phones and other small devices. As a general rule, the larger the speaker, the more spare juice it’ll have for such uses.
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Weatherproofing: Bad weather may make the chips soggy, but it doesn’t have to interfere with your tunes. Look for a speaker that’s water-resistant (meaning it has at least an IPX4 rating) or, better still, completely waterproof. That way it won’t get damaged in case of a sudden rainstorm or, even more likely, a spilled beverage or a tumble into the water. Outdoor speakers can accumulate dirt too, but one that’s waterproof can handle getting rinsed off by a hose.
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Built-in microphone: You never know when a picnic will turn into that kind of party. By choosing a speaker with a microphone input, you can see who belts out the best version of Springsteen’s “Born to Run” during spontaneous karaoke. Or you can take phone calls from it. Whichever is more your vibe.
How we tested
These products were selected based on a number of criteria, including price, portability, product features, usage scenario, user ratings and so on.
On the subjective side, I evaluated design, sound quality (I listened to lots of music in my yard, which I’m sure my neighbors loved), ease of use and fun or practical added features such as colorful LEDs. There’s not a bad option in the bunch, so all you need to do is pick the best outdoor speaker that best meets your needs.
FAQs
Where is the best place to put outdoor speakers?
Obviously, you don’t have many options if you’re at, say, a park or the beach. But whenever possible, it’s good to put a speaker near a wall or vehicle or the like. That affords at least one surface for the sound to bounce off. It can also help with Bluetooth range for the same reason: Those wireless signals work better when there’s something to reflect them.
Can you leave outdoor speakers outside in winter?
Not a good idea. Although many outdoor speakers are built to withstand water and dust, cold is another thing entirely. Batteries don’t do well in extreme temperatures, and cold could definitely damage internal components. The only exception is “permanent” outdoor speakers, the kind you might install on your patio and wire to an indoor stereo receiver. Even then, you’d want to make sure they’re rated for winter temps and conditions.
Do outdoor speakers need to be plugged in?
Nope! Every model here comes with a battery, meaning you don’t need AC power except to recharge it. As you peruse the rated battery life for the different speakers, take note that things like volume level and LED lighting (where available) can have an impact. And in the case of the JBL Boombox 3, overall speaker power is a bit less when it’s running on a battery than when it’s plugged in. But that’s not common.
