What to Buy > Audio The Best Shower Speakers of 2024 The Bose Soundlink Flex comes out on top By Jason Schneider Jason Schneider Writer Northeastern University Jason has been writing for tech and media companies for nearly ten years. He reviews audio products, including speakers and headphones for Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 6, 2024 We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. In This Article View All In This Article Reviews Or Maybe These? How We Tested What to Look For Frequently Asked Questions While a great general-use speaker may deliver excellent projection, app-connected features, and rich audio quality, a great shower speaker has different requirements. If it has too much bass or projection, it’ll sound painfully muddy in the echo-y acoustics of a shower. The Bose Soundlink Flex waterproof Bluetooth speaker came out on top after weeks of testing because of its good sound quality, even in a tiled bathroom. The Soundcore Flare 2 is an excellent choice for those on a budget. Why Trust Us As a multi-decade musician and a consumer audio-obsessed tech writer, I am uniquely qualified to rate (read: rant and rave) a Bluetooth speaker's effectiveness in various settings. I have extensive experience reviewing and testing home audio equipment and know what makes a great all-around Bluetooth speaker. –Jason Schneider. Just Buy This Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Speaker PHOTO: Amazon $109 at Amazon $110 at Best Buy View on Verizon TL;DR: The Soundlink Flex’s balanced, measured audio performance is perfectly accentuated by a shower’s acoustic environment. Pros Balanced sound is perfect for the shower IP67 waterproof rating Grippy rubber shell Hanging loop Cons Lacking a bit in volume Rubber coating prone to dirt Limited EQ settings The Bose Soundlink Flex offers a uniquely perfect feature set for shower use. Out in the world, the long, flat enclosure that houses two small woofers struggles to provide strong bass and resonance compared to bass-heavy offerings from JBL and Ultimate Ears. In the shower, on the other hand, the acoustic properties of an all-tile space with tons of mid-frequency reflections make the Soundlink Flex’s sound come alive in a pleasing way. Lifewire/Jason Schneider The IP67 water- and dust-proof rating is also crucial here. The 7 in the rating promises you can pummel the speaker with shower droplets and steam or submerge it, so you won’t need to worry about damage over time. Furthermore, the ultra-thick rubberized shell has no weak points, so it'll still work if it falls onto a hard tile floor. I also found that the grippy rubber backing was conducive to staying on a niche ledge. It picks up a lot more dirt and dust than I’d like, so if you want your speaker to look visually pristine through thick and thin, this might not be the one for you. Lifewire/Jason Schneider A handy hanging loop lets this speaker dangle from a hook or shower rack, meaning I could position the speaker in various places in my shower for optimal acoustics. The Bose Soundlink Flex doesn’t get particularly loud—which is fine for echo-y showers. For balance, stable Bluetooth connectivity, and form factor, the Soundlink Flex is a real gem. It's also our top recommendation for waterproof Bluetooth speakers. Who else recommends it? CNET, SoundGuys.com, What-Hi-Fi?, and others give the Bose Soundlink Flex high ratings. What do buyers say? More than 85% of over 19,000 Amazon reviewers rated the Bose Soundlink Flex five stars. Budget Buy Anker Soundcore Flare 2 PHOTO: Amazon $58 at Amazon $70 at Walmart View on Verizon TL;DR: The Flare 2 is a feature-rich, price-conscious option with a visual flair not often seen in this category. Pros Decent sound for the price IPX7 water resistance Impressive RGB light show capabilities Plenty of extras like PartyCast Cons Sound quality lacks a bit of definition Shape isn’t as portable as other options Design feels a bit dated Soundcore—Anker’s audio-focused brand—brings solid features without the hefty price tag. For a few reasons, the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 is our top budget pick for shower speakers. First, the conical, almost traffic-cone-like shape provides an excellent three-dimensional enclosure for filling a space with sound. Soundcore has built several drivers around the perimeter of the speaker alongside two dedicated bass ports to provide a full sound that's not too loud for a shower. It lacks a bit in definition, with perhaps too much emphasis on bass, but I’ll forgive that for the decidedly reasonable price point. Lifewire/Jason Schneider Then there are the rest of the features: IPX7 water resistance provides the same level of splash and submersion protection as the Bose Soundlink Flex. It doesn’t come with dust resistance which is probably okay for shower use but might cause some problems at the beach. Then there’s the light show provided by the two diffused RGB rings on the top and bottom of the speaker. I was surprised at how much I liked this feature, as it let me keep my harsh overhead bathroom lighting dim and still see what I was doing while getting ready in the morning. Lifewire/Jason Schneider The build quality is there, too, with a rugged mesh grill texture around the outside and a sturdy rubber base to ensure the speaker doesn’t slide off my shower shelf. The speaker suffers a bit in portability because, though small, it doesn’t slide as nicely into a front pocket as something like the Bose Soundlink Flex. However, thanks to Soundcore’s social-first approach, if you want to take advantage of app support, EQ customization, and PartyCasting (linking the speaker to other compatible Soundcore products), the Flare 2 has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. Who else recommends it? TechRadar, PCMag, and others recommend the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 as a good value. What do buyers say? 81% of over 350 Amazon reviewers rated the Anker Soundcore Flare 2 five stars. Lifewire/Jason Schneider Or Maybe These? I want a Bluetooth speaker I can use anywhere. The JBL Charge 5 is an impressive choice if you're looking for one speaker to be your go-to party machine and your morning sidekick. Show me the cheapest. The Anker Soundcore 2 and Treblab HD77 are nice speakers for about $40. I want a showerhead speaker. Kohler's Moxie showerhead has built-in Bluetooth and Alexa, so you can listen to tunes when you shower without bringing in extra equipment. How We Test and Rate Speakers I tested a variety of waterproof speakers and broke out my testing into three categories: Sound qualityWaterproof rating and durabilityExtra features While rating a waterproof speaker for general use is more robust, testing a speaker for use in the shower adds a nuanced focus to how you should look at each category. Sound Quality For sound quality, I considered many of the things I often look at—fullness, clarity, richness in sound—but I also emphasized how these speakers sound in the shower (a space that’s notoriously echo-y and muddy). While some speakers may sound better than these selections in regular use, my selections are my favorites for use in the bathroom. Waterproof Ratings and Durability While waterproof ratings and durability are always important considerations for a speaker, you take on the go, a shower speaker can’t be damaged by steam and splashes. All of these speakers feature a minimum IPX7 rating for water resistance. For the most protection, go for IP67 certification, which adds dust- and debris protection—a nice add-on if you want these speakers to double as on-the-go and shower speakers. Shower Speakers We Tested Anker Soundcore Flare 2 Bose SoundLink FlexJBL Charge 5 Sonos Roam Sony XE300 Ultimate Ears Megaboom 3 Extra Features Battery life is essential, but less so in the shower, where you can charge your speaker the night before. Some speakers (like the Soundcore Flare 2) feature visual cues like diffused RGB lighting. Some speakers offer straps and carabiner attachments to hang hooks in your shower. These extras were factored into my research. How We Rate Speakers 4.8 to 5 stars: These are the best speakers we tested. We recommend them without reservation.4.5 to 4.7 stars: These speakers are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.4.0 to 4.4 stars: We think these are great speakers, but others are better.3.5 to 3.9 stars: These speakers are just average.3.4 and below: We don't recommend speakers with these ratings because they didn't meet basic expectations; you won't find any on our list. What to Look For The waterproof Bluetooth speaker market is as varied as it is crowded, so there are now many flagship options for those who want a solid shower speaker. Here’s what you should consider when shopping for a shower speaker. Sound Quality Bluetooth speakers sometimes struggle to produce full-sounding bass or room-filling soundstage. That’s less of a problem when considering a speaker for a shower because the echoes and resonance of your bathroom can extend a quieter speaker with natural acoustic properties. Therefore, it’s often best to find a balanced sound profile rather than a bass-heavy one. The Bose SoundLink Flex (our top choice) does this quite nicely. Build Quality I’d put this category into two parts: Is the speaker waterproof? Most audio brands use the IP-rating system to measure this. IPX5 or IPX6 should suffice for most uses in the shower, but many of the top speakers are IPX7, so if you stick in this range, you’ll be fine. The other factor is how sturdy and stable the speaker is on your shower shelf. If it happens to fall onto the hard tile or porcelain floor, is there a rubber shell to keep it safe? These are important considerations for this category. Soundcore Flare 2 speaker. Lifewire/Jason Schneider Size While most speakers in the portable category will be much smaller than a bookshelf speaker, most listeners will need to consider the size even further. Depending on how big your bathroom is, shelf space in a shower is likely at a premium. And if you’re hoping to hang your speaker from a hook, weight is also a critical checkbox. The larger speakers are also more challenging to carry around if you want to take your shower speaker out for camping trips, beach days, or other activities. So, keep a keen eye on how heavy your speaker is, how big of a footprint it occupies, and whether or not that works in your particular shower. The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers of 2024 FAQ Why do I want a shower speaker? Can't I just use my phone? While most modern phones feature some level of water resistance, they are far from waterproof. It's far too easy for water to find its way into speakers, charging ports, and other open spaces in your phone where it can do some actual damage. Apart from sounding better, having a dedicated, waterproof speaker removes the risk from your phone, allowing you to adjust the volume or skip tracks without damaging your phone. How is waterproofing measured? Electronic devices like phones and speakers' resistance to dust and water are measured on the ingress protection scale (IP) followed by two digits (ex., IP67). The first digit represents resistance to solid objects, typically a 6 or 7, meaning either dust-protected or dust-tight. The second digit represents water resistance; to be called "waterproof," this number needs to be 7 or higher, meaning that the device can handle being submerged for up to 30 minutes at a depth of 1 meter. Are waterproof speakers resistant to saltwater too? While any waterproof speaker should be able to stand up to the rigors of the ocean, prolonged exposure to saltwater will have a corrosive effect on just about any electronic device. But, if you dry off your speaker if you retrieve it from the inky depths, it should still work without too much trouble. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! 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