When the weather is nice and the sun is shining, it can feel like the only thing you want to do is spend your whole day outside. Whether that means lounging by the pool, reading on your porch, working from your patio, or picnicking at the park, it doesn’t get much better than enjoying the fresh air as you go about your daily activities.
But actually, there is one thing that could make all of those scenarios even more perfect, and that would be having the right outdoor speaker to make your favorite playlist the soundtrack to all your al fresco days and nights.
Choosing the perfect outdoor speaker isn’t as simple as picking the one that looks the best or seems like it has the coolest features, however. When you’re choosing a speaker for listening outside, there are a few features you’re going to want to prioritize, so let’s consider the options before we jump into our recommendations below.
Why should I choose a wireless outdoor speaker?
First and foremost, you want your outdoor speakers to be as wireless as they possibly can be. With today’s WiFi capabilities and Bluetooth technology, there’s no reason you should have to fumble with complicated installations and worry about safely burying wires outside in all the wet and windy elements. (Not to mention all the wild animals that could go and undo your handiwork.) That’s why you’re better off with a Bluetooth speaker that can connect easily to your devices — smartphone, tablet, laptop, whatever — and seamlessly stream your favorite tunes to liven up all of your outdoor spaces.
Another benefit of wireless outdoor speakers is that you can often link several of them together via Bluetooth to provide complete audio coverage across your outdoor space. You can also use that tech to sync the audio playing indoors and outdoors to keep your party’s vibe consistent.
The only downside, of course, of wireless speakers is that they will need to be charged periodically. So you also want to make sure that the outdoor speaker you choose has a decent battery life if you plan to use it often and don’t want to think about recharging too much.
Do wireless outdoor speakers work with voice assistants?
An even better reason to go for a wireless outdoor speaker is that some are compatible with the voice assistants you already own, like Google Home or Amazon’s line of Alexa-enabled Echo devices. Imagine just commanding your speakers to play your favorite song with the sound of your voice! That’s not just wireless, but touchless too, so you can man the grill at the family barbecue, splash around during your pool party, or simply keep lounging in the sun without lifting a finger or getting your phone all messy.
Do my outdoor speakers need to be waterproof?
When it comes to outdoor speakers, you undoubtedly want something that’s durable because the chances are super high that it’s going to encounter some bumps and tumbles in its lifetime. It might even take an unexpected dip in a pool or natural body of water, so if that sounds like a strong possibility for your lifestyle, you’ll definitely want a fully waterproof speaker. (Trust us. Accidents happen.) Specifically, an IPX7 waterproof rating means that the device can survive being submerged for some time, while something like an IPX5 would be good to withstand steady rain. Sometimes you’ll see the term “weatherproof speaker” thrown around, but that’s often just synonymous with water- or weather-resistance, so look closely for an actual waterproof rating.
If your outdoor spaces are relatively hydrophobic, however, you can get away with an outdoor speaker that’s just weather- or water-resistant. Of course, nothing is indestructible in the elements, but your choice of speaker should at least hold up against whatever weather conditions are common near you, like rain, snow, heat, or simply an abundance of spilled or splashed drinks from clumsy partygoers.
Consider your speaker in time and space
When choosing the perfect outdoor speaker, you’ll also want to consider how large your space is, and where you might like to place your speaker (or multiple speakers, if needed). Some outdoor speakers offer 360-degree audio that make them perfect for delivering consistent sound to all listeners when placed in the center of your space. But if you’d like your speakers to be a little less visible, you might want to go for a mountable option, or the more discreet rock style that can easily be hidden amongst your landscaping. In both of those cases, you may need to hook up multiple wireless speakers to obtain even sound across your outdoor space.
In the case of both mountable or garden rock speakers, you’ll also want to keep in mind that you’ll be sacrificing portability. So if you plan to move your tunes from the backyard to the beach (and beyond) on a regular basis, you’ll definitely want to look for something compact, lightweight, or maybe even with a built-in handle.
But what about audio quality?
It’s kind of a no-brainer, but the best wireless outdoor speakers on the market should absolutely provide great audio. That’s the main reason why you’re buying it, right? So don’t get so caught up in the special features that you completely disregard the speaker’s actual ability to make your favorite songs sound as awesome as possible. Otherwise, you might as well just blast the volume on your phone and use that as a speaker instead.
That said, in order to prioritize sound quality, you’ll want to make sure you pick something with rich bass, clear audio, and good volume. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done since finding a speaker that has all of these elements can sometimes drive the price up sky-high. But if you think you’re going to use the speaker often, it’s definitely worth the investment.
So, after doing the research with all of the above in careful consideration, we now present to you our picks for the best wireless outdoor speakers for 2021.
