The Bose Home Speaker 500 is a great smart speaker with a built-in voice assistant, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. At only 2.1 pounds, you could bring your speaker to a friend’s home, events, or on outdoor adventures. However, if you’re interested in taking your speaker on the go, you may be wondering if it’s waterproof.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 is not waterproof or water-resistant. It should not be used in rainy or humid environments. Consider getting a waterproof case for your speaker before bringing it outside.

You might still be wondering what the best cases are to keep your speaker safe from water. Don’t worry; we will go into more detail in this article. We will also review another speaker by Bose that might be better for you if you’re looking for a waterproof speaker option.

Is Bose Home Speaker 500 Waterproof?

Unfortunately, the Bose Home Speaker 500 is not waterproof or water-resistant. This means even a small amount of water or humidity can damage the device. If you want to bring the speaker somewhere where it may get wet, it’s highly recommended that you get a protective case for it.

There are no cases sold explicitly for the Bose Home Speaker 500, so you will have to look for one that is closely compatible with the speaker. Try looking for the following qualities in a case:

  • Hard and durableFeatures a silicone sleeveA small suitcase or small carrying case

There isn’t anything you can put on the speaker to make it waterproof while in use, so a case will purely be for carrying the speaker through rain or water. You can also keep the case around for when it starts to rain so you can quickly put the speaker away.

Keep in mind that a waterproof case will ultimately protect the speaker from extensive water damage. On the other hand, water-resistant cases will only be able to repel small amounts of water and should not be placed directly into water.

Which Bose Speakers Are Waterproof?

While the Bose Home Speaker 500 offers the best audio quality and is lightweight for easy portability, it’s simply not waterproof, so you can’t exactly take it everywhere you go.  

Luckily, Bose makes other speakers that are waterproof and portable. The following speakers by Bose are waterproof:

  • SoundLink Micro Bluetooth SpeakerBose SoundLink Color

These two speakers by Bose don’t just have an outer waterproof shell but a fully lined inside one as well. The inside has a silicone seal to protect all the technology inside. The outside is rated IPX7, which means it can be submerged up to 1 meter in water for 30 minutes.

These three Bose speakers are water-resistant:

  • Bose SoundLink Color IIBose SoundLink RevolveBose Portable Smart Speaker

Feel free to take these options out when it’s lightly raining or in more humid environments, but don’t submerge them into water or use them in the shower.

Is the Bose Home Speaker 500 Worth It?

Many people ask this when they learn that the home speaker 500 isn’t waterproof or water-resistant. However, the 500 speaker by Bose makes up for this in many other ways.

The Bose Home Speaker 500 has many incredible features:

  • Two custom drivers make audio bounce off wallsEven at the highest volume, the sound ability is still crispSleek and modern designCompatible with Google Assistant and AlexaWorks with Bluetooth and Wi-FiLightweight for its size and output

Since it is lightweight, you may be tempted to bring it with you to various places despite it not being waterproof. For the high price, though, it is recommended you keep your speaker in one safe place.

If you are looking to add a Bose speaker to your smart home collection that is more portable and waterproof, try the SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker, which has excellent features such as:

  • IPX7 waterproofCompatible with Siri and Google voice commands6 hours of battery lifeTear-resistant silicone strap includedNo case neededPortablePerfect for outdoor travel and adventure

The SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker is low-cost compared to most waterproof speakers, so some people even opt to get it for their travel days and then use the 500 for home use since the sound quality is much better.

For a complete comparison of speakers, check out Bose’s guide.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Bose Home Speaker 500 is still great even though it’s not waterproof because it can provide exceptional audio quality. If you opt to use this speaker, always keep it in a hard case or protective silicone sleeve to prevent water damage. However, it’s highly recommended that you invest in one of Bose’s waterproof, portable speakers if this is a feature you really want.