A $15 Bluetooth speaker that sounds great and lasts 80 hours

YOU CAN USE the nicest speakers on your patio – if you have outlets handy – but can you trust them around daytime drinking parents or kids with sticky fingers who might bump them into a swimming pool or a Sandbox ? Rest easier with a portable Bluetooth speaker designed to resist water, sand and dirt. In the past, sound quality and portability were often incompatible. More recently, manufacturers have found ways to outfit still-totable shapes with more robust sound components. Here, five that are water and dirt proof enough to sing through any outdoor listening scenario this summer.

THE CONSUMABLE

At 3 inches square and about the weight of a large lemon, the IKEA Vappby won’t blow you away with the sound. But it’s a lot punchier than it looks and has a battery that can last up to 80 hours. The plastic shell has a button that handles power, pairing and pause depending on how you press it (the movements are surprisingly well illustrated in the manual). Get two, knowing that if you lose one, you only pay for a few tubes of sunscreen. $15, Ikea.com