- HOME
- INTERIORS
The Best Luxury Outdoor Speakers for Summer 2022
Play nice
By | 2 years ago
You can’t really go through summer without investing in decent outdoor speakers; here’s our ultimate cheat sheet
Which of our Outdoor Speakers is Best for You?
Whether you’re an aesthete with a penchant for vintage speakers, or an outdoorsy type who needs some outdoor speakers that don’t suffer from getting bashed about a bit: we’ve got something for everyone. Here’s our ultimate guide (including all the nitty-gritty tech specs) for choosing your portable speakers for summer 2022.
Marshall Emberton II Speaker
Look & Feel: Think of the classic rock n roll aesthetic with that charcoal lux black emblazoned with the iconic brass Marshall logo – but packing a *small* punch. It’s got that rugged feel, but still suitably bougie for your garden parties.
Battery life: 30+ Hours.
Charging Time: 3 hours to full charge.
Water Resistance: It’s got IP67 dust and water resistance rating, which in laymen’s terms means it won’t let rain or dirt get in the way of your music.
How Big is it?: 68 x 160 x 76 mm, weight: 0.7 kg.
Connectivity: Marshall is keen to cut the faffing about with pairing devices (aren’t we all) with a dedicated app. N.B. Connectivity is just through Bluetooth; not Wi-Fi.
Is it Wireless? Yes.
Best For: Music junkies after a proper piece of kit for on the go portable music. Perfect to grab for a picnic on a hazy summers’ day.
Dropping June 2, Emberton II Marshall Speakers, £149.99, marshallheadphones.com
Bang & Olufsen
Look & Feel: The brilliant zingy forest green is a nice designer’s touch. But it’s equally made to be robust enough so you’re not too precious about packing it in a backpack to play on your summer van trip hiking holiday.
Battery life: Up to 27 hours
Water Resistance: Waterproof
How Big is it?: 108.25cm x 189.22cm x 2.72cm, 44.50kg
Connectivity: Bluetooth enabled (it’s also worth mentioning you can also sync it with Alexa, Google Assistant, amongst a flurry of others)
Is it Wireless? Yes.
Best For: Lovers of the outdoors, but who don’t want to skimp out on a bit of designer gear.
Beosound Explore Waterproof, £169, Selfridges, selfridges.com
Loewe
Look & Feel: There’s a stylish, minimalist aesthetic to these Loewe speakers, and it’s available in other bold colours.
Battery life: 17 hours
Water Resistance: Splashproof (IPX6) and dustproof
How Big is it?: 125 x 290 x 121 mm, 2kg (N.B. it comes in two sizes)
Charging Time: 2-3 hours
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Is it Wireless? Yes.
Best For: Popping on an al fresco table in the garden. But not necessarily to take on a hike.
Loewe We.Hear portable speakers, from £99, loewe.tv, sold at Selfridges, selfridges.com
KREAFUNK
Look & Feel: There’s a lovely leather handle and earthy colours with Danish designer Kreafunk, that’s especially welcome in tech gear.
Battery life: 25 hours
Water Resistance: Dust and water-resistant.
Size and weight? 3.6cm x 8cm, and 180g
Charging time: 2-3 hours
Best For: Those with a penchant for aesthetic earthy design; but are equally constantly on the go and need an on the go speaker where a smaller is better.
aGO Bluetooth Speaker, £44, Liberty, libertylondon.com
Sonos Move
Look & Feel: Sleek, but certainly weighty.
Battery life: 10 hours
Water Resistance: Water-resistant (IP56).
Size and weight? It’s a hefty one: 24cm x 16cm x 12.6cm, 3kg
Connectivity: Bluetooth enabled (and what’s good with Sonos is that you can connect with the Sonos Home Network over Wi-Fi). There’s also Wifi (2.4gHz and 5gHz), AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa.
Best For: A long term buy for the home; perfect for every day at home listening indoors, as well as portable for the garden – but we wouldn’t advise you to carry it for a picnic (or hike) unless you were based there for the long haul.
Move Speaker, £399, Bose, sonos.com
Roberts Radio Beacon 330
Look & Feel: This one is all about the design: perfect for those with a penchant for that retro aesthetic. Duck egg blue would be our choice of colour.
Battery life: 15 hours
Water Resistance: n/a
Size and weight? 9.4cm x 9.4cm x 19cm, 734g
Connectivity: Bluetooth enabled.
Best For: Lovers of nostalgia; vintage; that cottagecore aesthetic — all the good stuff. One for an interiors lover.
Beacon 330 Bluetooth Speaker, £169, robertsradio.com
Bose Soundlink Flex
Look & Feel: With its loop, it’s designed to be hung on a tree, strapped to a backpack, or just popped on a branch as you potter around. It’s compact design makes it easy to carry around, too.
Battery life: 12 hours
Water Resistance: Waterproof and Dustproof (IP67)
Size and weight? 9 cm x 20.1 cm x 5.2 cm, 0.6 kg
Connectivity: Bluetooth enabled.
Best For: Outdoorsy types (or people who are always moving about and sometimes let their tech get a bit bashed up, despite their best efforts). Plus its rugged, compact, and waterproof design makes it great for those ticking off their travel bucket list.
Bose SoundLink Flex, Stone Blue, £149.95, bose.com
Bose Portable Smart Speaker
Look & Feel: Sleek and swish; the handle is a nice touch too.
Battery life: 12 hours
Water Resistance: Water-resistant design: IPx4 rating
Charging time? Approx 4 hours
Size and weight? 19.15 cm x 11.9 cm x 10.4 cm, 1.06 kg
Connectivity: Bluetooth and Wifi enabled, as well as having multi-room functionality. NB. It’s voice-enabled, and it can be synced up with Google Assistant, Spotify, and Alexa, among a flurry of others.
Best For: Those looking for the best of both worlds: it’s relatively lightweight which makes it easily transportable, but you’d easily use it for years as an indoor and outdoor option.
Bose Portable Smart Speaker, £379.95, bose.co.uk
SEE MORE
Luxury Hot Tubs / Jubilee Tablescaping for Your Garden / The Prettiest Candlesticks for Your Dinner Party
Featured image: Sonos Roam Picnic, Image courtesy of Sonos, sonos.com
