This isn’t a drill: it is an affordable and absolutely waterproof Bluetooth speaker (sorry).
I truly coated the IKEA Vappeby’s preliminary US launch over a month in the past, and famous the hook in my bathe that may be excellent for it. And now it is lastly that can be purchased on the massive blue superstore within the UK and different elements of the world – and this information is worthy of your consideration. Need one? I would not suppose an excessive amount of on it…
Admittedly, low-cost and cheerful flat-pack furnishings does not are inclined to play nicely with high quality hi-fi merchandise (ever tried to position your system on a wobbly desk?), however IKEA has had notable successes within the audio sector – the corporate’s file participant collab with Swedish Home Mafia, the Sonos-certified Symfonisk Desk Lamp Speaker (which additionally is available in a floor-standing model) and its Image Body with Wi-Fi Speaker are just some examples.
Now, IKEA has added to its entry-level Vappeby lineup with a tiny Bluetooth speaker, and if it seems like a cleaning soap on a rope, that is as a result of it was designed primarily for the bathe. The perfect bit? It is priced at simply $15 / £12 / AU$22 (opens in new tab), and it is accessible now.
Opinion: for this cash, IKEA has knocked it out the park but once more
What else can I inform you? It is silicone-coated to attain an IP67 waterproof and dustproof ranking (it could possibly truly be submerged in water as much as one meter deep and survive for half-hour), and measures simply three inches sq. and two inches deep.
So it will most likely final you just a few hours at greatest, proper? No, no! Essentially the most shocking side of this little belter is that you would be able to chuck it in your bathe and depart it for weeks, because of the claimed 80 hours of battery life at 50% quantity. For readability, that stamina crushes its closest competitors (the dinky Tribit Stormbox Micro 2, which is sonically stellar however boasts solely 12 hours), in addition to a few of the greatest Bluetooth audio system in the marketplace – and that features the greatest waterproof audio system of 2023.
The IKEA Vappeby transportable Bluetooth speaker doesn’t come bundled with a USB-C charger, however we have all bought a type of kicking round by now, have not we?
You’ll be able to stereo-pair two of them to degree up your in-shower playlist, and it is available in black, purple or yellow finishes – and for me, the yellow one seems the soapiest.
Will it sound good? Ah, there’s the rub. Then once more, that is a-coffee-and-a-cake cash (if you happen to reside within the UK anyway) for what on paper is a just about unbreakable little speaker – and I actually need to hear it.
Once more, if you happen to’ve learn to the tip of this piece and you’re contemplating shopping for one, I would not learn it once more…
