This cheap Bluetooth speaker could be the perfect companion for the hygge lifestyle I wish I had

Happy Plugs JOY speaker in green, in front of a mirror reflection of a blue, fluffy-clouds sky

(Image credit: Happy Plugs)

Yes, Happy Plugs Joy is this li'l speaker's real name
As well as (Grogu-like) green, it's available in baby blue, pink, and black
It's out now, priced at just £39.99 / $49.99 (around AU$80)

In the completely fictitious hygge lifestyle I like to imagine I lead, this speaker would be a perfect fit. It's the life in which I wake up naturally with the sun, drink warm lemon-water with turmeric from a handmade stoneware mug, meditate for 20 minutes, write a gratitude journal, perform a seven-minute workout, shower, slip on a few items from my perfectly-pressed spring capsule wardrobe, add a pair of fresh fluffy thick socks and glide towards my upcycled driftwood desk to calmly begin the working day, with a refreshed and positive attitude. And this delightful little speaker can be part of that discussion; it is pinned to the mental mood-board I like to call 'Sorting My Life Out'.

In reality, a grande Starbucks cup has curiously welded itself to my desk following a stint of overtime late last week, where it remains unmoved next to some leftover Christmas chocolates and at least six post-it notes with headers like 'DON'T FORGET' double-underlined, and 'MUST DO BY 25TH!!' to ease me into my day. Such is life. But I'd argue there's still room for this speaker – and music is always a great place to start.

What you're looking at is the Happy Plugs Joy – yes, that is really its name. It's not just happy. It's not just joy. It's the sum of the two, plus… plugs. In my imaginary aspirational hygge lifestyle, I'd sit at my upcycled driftwood desk, pluck up my smartphone (with the tactile woolen cover I crocheted mindfully that definitely isn't pleather and shedding blue flecks all over the apartment) and stream some niche acoustic covers to this speaker. I would do this while I waited for my lemon-water to cool, so as not to shock my body unnecessarily.

Happy Plugs Joy in your life

I'd like the green finish because it reminds me of Grogu, the Yoda-adjacent Force-sensitive character from The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. But whichever option you pick, this is a pebble-esque speaker that wants to blend in with your delicious taupes, your natural textures, your recycled throws.

It also lasts for eight hours on a single charge and weighs just 192g, so you can throw it in your waxed canvas satchel, jump on your bicycle and head to a nearby mountain stream, to read that paperback you've been promising yourself you'll get to since 2017.

It's got Bluetooth 5.3 onboard and, thanks to its IPX4 rating, it'll survive a light shower too – and wouldn't it look great on Instagram on a cloudy day, maybe next to that gorgeous old fountain pen you were given, a stainless steel cafetiere and the cryptic crossword you're trying to finish?

And it doesn't cost a lot to get the look. The Happy Plugs Joy (or JOY, as it's styled in Happy Plugs' marketing) is available now for just £39.99 / $49.99 (or around AU$80), which makes it cheaper than almost every single one of the best Bluetooth speakers we currently recommend, and the same price as the likeable-but-not-as-cute JBL Clip 5. Will the Happy Plugs option take its place? I'm not sure yet. But we're working on reviewing it in full, so when we know how good it sounds, so shall you.