The latest in the Vappeby line has 80 hours of battery life and IP67 water resistance.
IKEA’s Vappeby lineup continues to grow with a new waterproof Bluetooth speaker designed for the shower and priced at just $15 — undercutting all but the cheapest no-name devices. “The fundamental goal with the new product was to offer quality sound in a versatile product that can really be used anywhere,” said product design developer Stjepan Begic in a press release.
It’s silicone-coated and just three inches square by two inches thick. It comes with a lanyard-style cord, so you can easily hang one in the shower or carry it around. It comes in yellow, black or red and can be used as a stereo pair if you splurge another $15 for a second one. It offers a surprising 80 hours of battery life at 50 percent volume, and is IP67 rated for water and dust resistance.
IKEA launched its Vappeby lineup with an outdoor LED lamp that doubles as a Spotify-enabled Bluetooth speaker. That model has an IP65 dust/splash rating and delivers 360 sound. The Swedish retail giant also offers the Symfonisk lineup of Sonos speakers, with a bookshelf speaker, floor lamp/speaker and a wall art/speaker combo.
The only thing lacking on the new Vappeby waterproof model is a USB-C charger, but you probably have a few of those lying around. Given the ridiculously low price, shower-friendly design and crazy-long battery life, it should fly off the shelves — though I wouldn’t expect great sound quality. It’s set to arrive in April for $15.