A great playlist or a good podcast can elevate your daily shower routine into a relaxing or energizing experience, but you’ll need the best shower speaker you can afford to make it happen. Taking a speaker inside a shower means transporting your electronic device into a unique environment. High moisture, humidity, water exposure, and the enclosed space of a shower all create challenges that some speakers aren’t designed to handle.
So it comes as no surprise that there’s an entire line of speakers on the market designed specifically as shower speakers. But are these worth buying? Or are they a gimmick that will end up being a poor investment? Let’s take a look.
Pro Tip: Buy one of the numerous “hangup-style” trusted brand-name speakers with an IPX7 rating, and use it in the shower. This gives you a great versatile out-of-the-shower speaker and the best shower speaker all in one. It’s the smart way to stretch your buck.
Related: The Best Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
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What Are The Bare Minimum Requirements For a Good Shower Speaker?
If you’re going to be using a speaker in a shower, you need to overcome a few very specific challenges. To do so, here’s what I think the table-stakes features are that you should be looking for:
IPX7 Waterproofing – You’re actually going to be using it in a shower. If it cannot survive exposure to a lot of water, steam, and other forms of moisture, it’s dead in the water. So to speak! Yes, you can technically get away with an IPX6-rated speaker as well, but I simply wouldn’t compromise on this point. It’s too salient to the way you are planning to use this device.
IPX Rating Refresher
A Reliable Mounting Mechanism – Your shower may have a little soap shelf that you can place your speaker on, but in most cases, space in a shower will be limited, so having a way of mounting your shower somewhere out of the way is essential. You don’t want to place it on the shower floor, forcing yourself to bend all the way down to skip a track or change the volume. There are multiple shower speaker mounting options, and we’ll discuss them in more detail below.
Good Volume and Strong Bass – Showers are noisy. There’s constant running water on your head and in your face. They also have smooth, reflective surfaces. All of this is in a confined, compact space. A speaker with sub-standard sound quality will simply contribute to the noise rather than cut through it. Buy a reasonably loud speaker with a strong bass or bass boost feature that will not get drowned out by running water.
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What to Look for in a Shower Speaker (Without Overthinking It)
So, you want to blast your favorite tunes while you shower? Good call. But before you grab any random Bluetooth speaker and hope for the best, let’s talk about what actually makes a good shower speaker. Sure, you could use a regular portable speaker, but the right features will make all the difference when you’re belting out your shower playlist.
It’s Gotta Be Waterproof (Duh!)
This one’s a no-brainer. If it’s going in the shower, it better survive water. The IPX rating tells you how well a speaker can handle moisture, and you want something rated IPX7 or higher. That means it can survive being submerged in water, which is exactly what you need when you’re dealing with all that steam and splashing.
While you might come across lower “splash-proof” ratings like IPX5, there’s no reason to settle when IPX7 is so common now. Speaking of steam, showers aren’t just wet—they’re hot and humid. Not all electronics are built to handle that, so make sure your speaker is designed to work in moisture-heavy environments.
And don’t forget about the materials. Water and metal aren’t exactly best friends, so a speaker with plastic or rubber casing is your safest bet. Some models come with a silicone cover, which helps with grip (because, let’s face it, wet hands and slippery surfaces don’t mix well).
Mounting: Where the Heck Do You Put It?
Showers aren’t exactly designed for holding speakers, so think about where you’ll place it. Some options:
- Suction Cups – Some speakers come with suction cups to stick to glass or tiles. Sounds great, right? Well, let’s just say they don’t always stay put, especially in steamy conditions. If you go this route, check the grip regularly unless you enjoy heart-stopping falls mid-shower.
- Hanging Loops, Carabiners, or Straps – Many small Bluetooth speakers have a loop or carabiner. Perfect for hanging it on a shower caddy, hook, or even the showerhead. Just make sure the strap is water-resistant and doesn’t get gross over time.
- Adhesive Mounts – Some speakers stick to the wall with an adhesive pad. This works, but keep in mind that removing it later could leave a sticky mess. Not my first choice.
- Compact Size Matters – Your shower isn’t a concert hall, and you don’t need a massive speaker. A small, lightweight speaker is easier to place and less likely to take an accidental nosedive.
Sound Quality: Prepare for Echoes
Bathrooms are basically echo chambers, which means your speaker’s sound will bounce off every hard surface, sometimes in weird and annoying ways. That’s just the nature of small, tiled spaces. One way to combat this is by choosing a speaker with decent bass or a bass boost mode to help your music stand out against the white noise of running water.
You also want something with high volume output because, let’s be real, showers can be loud even before you start singing. As for stereo sound? Forget about it. The space is way too small to appreciate left and right channels properly, so a good mono speaker is all you really need.
Can You Control It With Wet Hands?
Picture this: You’re deep in the chorus of your favorite song, the best part is coming up, and you reach to crank up the volume—only to fumble helplessly because the buttons are too small or touch-sensitive. Frustrating, right? That’s why you want a speaker with big, tactile buttons that are easy to press even with wet, soapy hands.
Raised or textured controls are a must because let’s be honest, no one wants to be smacking their speaker in frustration mid-shower.
As for voice control? Sure, in theory, it sounds great. But in reality, the sound of running water drowns out your commands, and you’ll just end up shouting “Next song!” over and over while your speaker pretends not to hear you. Stick to physical controls that actually work.
Does Battery Life Even Matter?
Not really. Let’s be honest—your showers aren’t lasting hours (hopefully). That said, if you plan on using the speaker outside the shower too, aim for 8–10 hours of battery life so you’re not constantly recharging.
Extra Features That Sound Cool (But Might Not Matter in the Shower)
- Built-in Microphone? In theory, you could take calls in the shower. In reality? Talking to someone with water blasting in the background is a bad idea.
- Multi-Device Pairing? Great for regular use, but in a shower? Meh.
Keeping It Clean (So It Doesn’t Turn Gross)
Your shower speaker is constantly exposed to water, steam, and soap, so it’s bound to get dirty over time. To keep it in good shape, don’t let water pool on it—find a spot where it can drip dry properly. Wiping it down regularly is a good habit, too. Soap scum, hard water stains, and mildew are all things you don’t want building up on your speaker.
Use a damp cloth for cleaning, and if your speaker has an IPX7 rating, you can even give it a quick rinse with mild dish soap every now and then.
And here’s a pro tip: If you don’t use it every day, take it out of the shower when you’re done. Bathrooms stay damp long after you’re dry, and that constant moisture can shorten your speaker’s lifespan if you’re not careful.
Final Thoughts
The best shower speaker isn’t just waterproof—it’s easy to mount, easy to control, and loud enough to cut through shower noise. There are purpose-built shower speakers, but honestly? A high-quality, waterproof Bluetooth speaker with a hanging loop works just as well—and gives you more versatility for other uses.
Smart money says go for a trusted brand that can handle water, sounds great, and isn’t a pain to use. Now, go enjoy your next shower concert.
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