New Affordable Ikea Speaker Offers An Optical Port And More In A Bigger Package

Exploring IKEA is like exploring a mystical land full of knick-knacks and doodads that may or may not serve a purpose in your life. For example, IKEA has a ton of finds that can upgrade your home office, from work lamps and whimsical cabinets to memo boards and oddly named phone holders — hello Havrehoj. The point is, you never quite know what you'll find there, and this next product highlights that, if you want a capable and stylish speaker. Dubbed the Badkruka, it's a blocky Bluetooth speaker that offers balanced room-filling sound, which IKEA says is good for gaming and watching movies.

It's not the only Bluetooth speaker in IKEA's arsenal. The Grejsimojs looks like a colorful mouse and is great for younger listeners. The Vappeby looks like a boombox or portable radio. But the Badkruka has a few notable features that help it stand out as a desktop companion compared with the others. It supports Bluetooth, has an optical out, includes an optical cable and has a 3.5mm aux input so you can plug in other gear. With optical alone, you can connect it to a TV, PC, or home theater. It also works with Spotify Tap for instant listening. If you have multiple of these speakers, you can configure them to work together, too.

The Badkruka is a supersized version of the brand's $10 Kallsup, also boxy and affordable. It costs a little more, at $60 for the black or pink variants, but that's still a solid price versus comparable speakers. Many highly rated compact speakers that deliver powerful sound cost about the same, like the JBL Clip 5, Soundcore Boom Go 3i, or the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4.

Unlike portable options, it has no rechargeable battery, but the Badkruka also supports multi-speaker modes that let it work better in various configurations. A stereo mode option means that when you pair two Badkruka models, you can experience stereo sound, which is a welcome feature if you have two on your desk connected to a PC or another entertainment source. Inside the speaker is a tweeter and a woofer, so the audio should be suitably punchy for the space. Meanwhile, if you have other speakers that support multi-speaker mode, you can connect them to create a pseudo-surround setup or fill audio gaps in your room.

The downside here is if you're really looking for something portable, the Badkruka probably isn't your best option. It will always need a power source. You could lug around a small power station or power bank, but it's easier to choose a more portable model with a battery. The best Bluetooth speaker brands offer highly portable, high-fidelity audio at similar price points. If you're looking for a speaker that's useful for static setups, at a desk, workstation, table, or in a game room, the Badkruka is affordable and capable. 

If you are headed to a local IKEA, there are a handful of other electronics to look out for, too, that you probably didn't know IKEA carried.