When you think of Ikea, you likely think of inexpensive home goods to deck out your casa, not portable Bluetooth speakers. What made the popular Swedish furniture company want to join the cheap portable speaker market and compete with fan-favorite audio brands like Sony, Ultimate Ears and even Amazon darlings like Tribit? Who knows … and honestly, who cares?
All that matters is quality, and the $15 Ikea Vappeby offers plenty at a generously low price.
Perfect for jacuzzi time, pool parties or showers, the Ikea Vappeby is a bargain portable speaker that blends robust battery life and sound into a waterproof design.
How I found the Ikea Vappeby Waterproof Portable Speaker
It’s funny to see what products pop up on Facebook ads. I just remember scrolling through my Facebook feed and seeing this speaker promoted in an Ikea ad gallery. The pricing caught my attention, and it looked like something too good to pass up, even for curiosity’s sake. Little did I know that this $15 speaker would be a noteworthy buy.
Why the Ikea Vappeby Waterproof Portable Speaker is a score
Battery life, build quality and sound are the Ikea Vappeby’s biggest selling points.
This speaker holds up to 80 hours of playtime when fully charged. That’s nearly quadruple what many of the best portable Bluetooth speakers offer. Ikea claims this is with volume at 50%. Even so, blasting music at max volume should get you about a month’s worth of use, which is still impressive. There’s even a power-saving function that automatically turns off the speaker after five minutes of inactivity.
Ikea didn’t skimp on protection, covering the speaker in sturdy matte plastic with IP67 waterproofing. How strong is that? Let’s do a quick comparison. Many of the best true wireless earbuds like the AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 come with IPX4 certification, which is effective against sweat and light splashing. The Vappeby is more impervious to water exposure and can resist submersion in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes, similar to the more expensive JBL Clip 4 speaker.
My son has dropped the speaker in the tub many times during bubble baths, and it continues to play music without a hitch. No corrosion or rust has developed on the front grille, rubberized stands or USB-C port. It’s also worth noting that the Vappeby is dustproof and sandproof, making it perfect for the beach and other outdoor gatherings.
Now, let’s talk audio quality. It’s much better than the price tag suggests. Listening to routine shower jams like The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” and U2’s “Beautiful Day” felt energizing in the mornings, while calmer tracks like Glass Animals’ “Gooey” provided relief during post-workout baths. Bass response knocked hard at high volume. Ikea’s sound profile is generous with mids, offering sufficient instrument and vocal clarity over the emphasized low end.
Placing the speaker in different spots changed sound performance. A flat tile surface amplified sound and gave music a livelier presence. The times I hung it from my shower wall resulted in audio bouncing off the walls and sliding doors for a semi-surround sound listening experience. You can also pair two of these speakers to enjoy real stereo sound.
The Vappeby is not a perfect speaker by any means. Fans of orchestral-heavy recordings won’t receive the full-range sound or reproduction that comes from premium models. Minor distortion occurs when listening to hardcore bass tracks at max volume. Highs are barely audible, with instruments like cymbals and violins sounding faint.
Furthermore, the Vappeby lacks the versatile control scheme of other similarly priced products like the $25 Anker Soundcore Mini. You can only play/pause, power on/off or enter pairing mode via the multifunctional button. There’s no forward/previous track command or volume controls.
Are these deal breakers? I guess it all depends on your needs. All I know is that any portable speaker that can shield itself from numerous environmental hazards and deliver up to 80 hours of energetic sound quality is a steal at $15.
