Product Review: Bluetooth Speakers for Caravanners

You shall have music wherever you go… even on the campsite.

Wireless speakers that link up to your phone via Bluetooth are brilliant for caravanning and many are designed for using in the great outdoors. We’ve been trying out three sets which you could take on holiday.

Polk Boom Swimmer

www.polkaudio.com

This one, the rugged and dirt and waterproof, the Polk Boom Swimmer can be used in your caravan, at a festival, on the beach or just in the back garden.

It’s compact and light enough to slip into a backpack but for a small package, it packs a real punch, delivering plenty of volume at a quality that is not too shabby at all. But please don’t annoy your neighbours on the site! Battery life is eight hours and it comes with a micro-USB cable for charging.

Linking it to your device is easy and it has a detachable flexible hook you can wrap around tent poles or use the suction pad instead to stick it to a flat surface. Not sure if we’d recommend it, but you could even take it into the shower block!

Expect to pay £49.99

Edifier MP233

www.edifier.com

An altogether different Bluetooth speaker set than the unit above, the Edifier MP233 is something you’ll need to treat more carefully. It’s not designed to be waterproof or to take a bit of battering.

However, the Edifier MP233 is going to go well in a caravan. The unit is slim so you can place it easily upright on a shelf or surface without it getting in the way. Alternatively, you can lie it flat with the speakers facing up, making it flexible.  It has nice, big controls button on it too.

Connecting it with different smartphones via Bluetooth was easy enough. It also works with NFC (although we didn’t try that out). Not only that, you can connect to it with a 3.5 mm jack, or even insert a micro-USB card with your music on it to play.

The Edifier MP233 has two 4.5 Watt speakers which push out a decent sound, including good bass, which was better than we thought.

The rechargeable lasts up to 12 hours, apparently. We did not get beyond 7 hours playtime, but we noticed no drop off or lesser quality in that time.

These are a good quality set of Bluetooth speakers which will suit caravanners who need a set in their van or awning, and who haven’t got built-in speakers already.

Expect to pay £49.99

Mixx S3 Alarm Clock Speaker

mixx-audio.com

Out of the three Bluetooth speakers we tried, the Mixx S3 Alarm Clock Speaker is the largest, and its shape makes it one probably the most challenging using in your caravan.

That said, it’s not so big that you couldn’t use it in your caravan at all. And, it has more functions on it than the other two speakers we used, so it is more versatile.

For instance, the Mixx S3 Alarm Clock Speaker has an LED screen to show the time and set your alarm. You can use its internal battery to charge up your phone or tablet PC. It provides about 7 hours of playtime between charges.

It has a non-slip surface to keep it one place more firmly. If you need to make a hands-free call, the Mixx S3 Alarm Clock Speaker has a built-in microphone too.

The unit has two 3 watt speakers, which means its sound output is respectable, but not as strong as other units.

With all the other features in the Mixx S3 Alarm Clock Speaker, this is more of an ‘all-rounder’ product for people who need something to help them wake, listen to music and, perhaps, to make some calls while cooking!

Expect to pay £40.00