The best waterproof speakers of 2023

With unabashedly some of the greatest bass in a Bluetooth speaker (let alone a waterproof speaker) that we've experienced, the mammoth Sony SRS-XG300 is simply perfect for those long days in the great outdoors or even for hosting a party that's on the larger side. Thanks to the sheer size of this speaker, Sony has capably created a speaker with a slick, immersive soundstage for less than £200 - making it a great option for audiophiles.

Built to weather dust and water - there are no accidental spills that could take out the XG300, and with its water-repellant mesh covering - it'll stay dry too. Colourful (thanks to its customisable lighting), modern-looking, and bassy as anything, the SRS-XG300 is a perfect choice for those looking to make a great investment into speaker technology that's built to last.

Easily one of the best budget speakers available, let alone waterproof speakers, soundcore's Anker Motion Boom is a triumph of spectacular value and clever design all in one that keeps your music playing loud, even if it happens to catch a splash or even end up in the pool.

With IPX7 waterproofing, the Motion Boom is completely and utterly waterproof - and is actually built to float. Yes, that's right - this speaker floats.

In all aspects, the Anker Motion Boom is, by all means - very durable. Despite its somewhat ugly, borderline retro design with its oversized handle, Anker has done a fantastic job of designing a very sturdy speaker - that'll outlast the rough and tumble of the outdoors, as well as the occasional slips and spills of the indoors.

Aside from being a wonderful waterproof speaker, soundcore's Motion Boom works quite well as an excellent party speaker - in large part thanks to its great bass for its price and size. Delightful at smallish gatherings of friends for a club-vibe rave, the Motion Boom is particularly excellent at producing those cutting, sharp, high tones and the low, rumbling bass of electronic music, so if that's your scene - this is the speaker for you.

At higher volumes, however, the Motion Boom struggles to avoid compression issues due to the sheer demand of the speaker's bass. As a result, you lose some precision - which is only a problem with music that isn't intended to be bass-heavy, as this speaker will certainly bassify everything.

Among one of the smallest yet greatest JBL speakers of the year - the JBL GO 3 packs a wallop in terms of great value and wonderful sound that JBL is known for, in spite of its incredibly low price.

Perfectly pocket-sized, the GO 3 is as cute as it is affordable - simply connect via Bluetooth and play away. At its size, you'll be surprised to hear that the speaker has a fairly impressive 5 hours of charge - which is plenty for a quick swim, a shower, or for an outdoor adventure that might get wet in a flash.

Sound-wise, the JBL GO 3 has plenty of balance for its price, with bass that is bizarrely full-sounding at its size and clean mid and high tones for satisfying listening on the go.

At its price, it's to be expected that there are cutbacks - and while the sound is good for the price, it isn't great at times. Louder tracks from electronic albums or other such high and low-centric music suffer from some compression, which is to be expected at such a small size, but we still certainly respect the sound the GO 3 is capable of producing at such a low price and small stature.

You cannot underestimate the satisfying feeling of quickly grabbing a speaker, getting a shower going, and cranking up your favourite shower playlist - and with the Bose SoundLink, it's never been easier.

This wonderful little speaker is small enough to fit in a single hand and is built to endure the scrapes, slips and drops of everyday life - and with a waterproof rating of IP67 - you'll never have to worry about writing off a speaker ever again. An easy contender for one of the best shower speakers ever made, the Bose SoundLink Micro is made for convenience. Don't want to faff with your phone in the shower? Connect the Soundlink Micro's speaker to Siri or Google Assistant on your smartphone and control away, it's just that easy.

As for sound - this little speaker is shockingly loud, which is no surprise considering it's Bose - but what didn't surprise us is the slightly lack-lustre bass, all in large part thanks to its tiny size. The SoundLink Micro is just too small to contain enough space for some proper bass despite some precise, crisp and clear mid and high tones. While bass is certainly there, it just doesn't blow us away.

Be that as it may, the Bose SoundLink Micro is sublime - affordable, portable, and built to last - it's the poolside (or shower-side) speaker of our dreams.

If the faff of charging a speaker isn't quite for you, and you'd rather have some much wider sound when you're sitting outside or beside the pool - the Polk Audio Atrium 4 speakers are going to be your best bet. Containing two wired speakers, these flexible, durable speakers are wonderful for giving your outdoor space a hit of music in a bold yet unobtrusive way.

Simply connect your Polk Audio Atrium 4 speakers to a dedicated amplifier (preferably a Bluetooth amplifier) and enjoy the rich, warm sounds of the incredible Polk audio engineering. Bass-rich, breathtaking and impactful - these affordable speakers knock the socks off a range of high-end speakers at its price, and despite being outside - they can easily survive the elements all year around.

Most noticeably, when looking at the specs of the Atrium 4, you'll notice that the waterproof rating isn't listed. Instead, it's given an ASTM rating (or the American Society for Testing and Materials). Polk's Atrium 4 has been deemed weatherproof and fit for military standards - so whether they're baking in the warm sun, battered with rain, or being blanketed in fog - they'll outlast all conditions.

Of course, the hassle of setting up an amplifier, installing dedicated speakers and fiddling with wires isn't quite for everyone - we get that, but be that as it may - should you fancy yourself a keen DIYer, this is certainly one straightforward task that'll pay off, the Polk Atrium 4 speakers are simply exceptional.