IKEA's super-cheap Bluetooth speaker is out now – your shower never sounded so good

IKEA Vappeby close-up in yellow
(Image credit: IKEA)

This is not a drill: it's a cheap and fully waterproof Bluetooth speaker (sorry). 

I actually covered the IKEA Vappeby's initial US launch over a month ago, and noted the hook in my shower that would be perfect for it. And now it's finally available to buy at the big blue superstore in the UK and other parts of the world – and this news is worthy of your attention. Want one? I wouldn't think too much on it… 

Admittedly, cheap and cheerful flat-pack furniture doesn't tend to play well with quality hi-fi products (ever tried to place your system on a wobbly table?), but IKEA has had notable successes in the audio sector – the company's record player collab with Swedish House Mafia, the Sonos-certified Symfonisk Table Lamp Speaker (which also comes in a floor-standing version) and its Picture Frame with Wi-Fi Speaker are just a few examples. 

Now, IKEA has added to its entry-level Vappeby lineup with a tiny Bluetooth speaker, and if it looks like a soap on a rope, that's because it was designed primarily for the shower. The best bit? It's priced at just $15 / £12 / AU$22, and it's available now. 

Opinion: for this money, IKEA has knocked it out the park yet again 

IKEA Vappeby portable Bluetooth speaker in Black, soaked in water and drying on a white towel

Such a cute, soap-like aesthetic  (Image credit: IKEA)

What else can I tell you? It's silicone-coated to achieve an IP67 waterproof and dustproof rating (it can actually be submerged in water up to one meter deep and survive for 30 minutes), and measures just three inches square and two inches deep. 

So it'll probably last you a few hours at best, right? No, no! The most surprising aspect of this little belter is that you can chuck it in your shower and leave it for weeks, thanks to the claimed 80 hours of battery life at 50% volume. For clarity, that stamina crushes its closest competition (the dinky Tribit Stormbox Micro 2, which is sonically stellar but boasts only 12 hours), as well as some of the best Bluetooth speakers on the market – and that includes the best waterproof speakers of 2023

The IKEA Vappeby portable Bluetooth speaker does not come bundled with a USB-C charger, but we've all got one of those kicking around by now, haven't we?

You can stereo-pair two of them to level up your in-shower playlist, and it comes in black, red or yellow finishes – and for me, the yellow one looks the soapiest. 

Will it sound good? Ah, there's the rub. Then again, this is a-coffee-and-a-cake money (if you live in the UK anyway) for what on paper is a virtually unbreakable little speaker – and I really want to hear it. 

Want to check out the competition? Here's my pick for the 3 Bluetooth speakers you should be throwing in your bag this festival season

Again, if you've read to the end of this piece and you are considering buying one of IKEA's new cheap Vappeby Bluetooth babies, I wouldn't read it all again… 

IKEA Vappeby Bluetooth speaker in yellow, hung in a shower

I have a hook in my shower just like this, too!  (Image credit: IKEA)
Becky Scarrott
Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.  

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