Exploring IKEA is like exploring a mystical land filled with trinkets and gadgets 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 task lamps and whimsical cabinets to oddly named note boards and phone stands — hello Havrehoj. The fact is, you never really know what you’ll find there, and this next product highlights that, if you want a high-performance, stylish speaker. Dubbed Badkruka, it’s a blocky Bluetooth speaker that delivers balanced, room-filling sound, which IKEA says is good for gaming and watching movies.
This isn’t the only Bluetooth speaker in IKEA’s arsenal. The Grejsimojs looks like a colorful mouse and is perfect for young listeners. The Vappeby looks like a boombox or portable radio. But the Badkruka has a few notable features that make it stand out as an office companion over the rest. It supports Bluetooth, has an optical output, includes an optical cable, and has a 3.5mm auxiliary input so you can plug in other equipment. With optics alone, you can connect it to a TV, PC or home theater. It also works with Spotify Tap for instant listening. If you have more than one of these speakers, you can also configure them to work together.
The Badkruka is an oversized version of the brand’s $10 Kallsup that’s also boxy and affordable. It costs a bit more, at $60 for the black or pink variants, but that’s still a solid price compared to comparable speakers. Many popular compact speakers that deliver powerful sound cost around the same price, like the JBL Clip 5, Soundcore Boom Go 3i, or Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4.
What makes the Badkruka a solid desktop option?
Unlike portable options, it doesn’t have a rechargeable battery, but the Badkruka also supports multi-speaker modes that allow it to work better in various setups. A stereo mode option means that when you pair two Badkruka models together you can enjoy stereo sound, which is a welcome feature if you have two on your desk connected to a PC or other entertainment source. Inside the speaker there is a tweeter and a woofer, so the sound should be adapted to 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 is that if you’re really looking for something portable, the Badkruka probably isn’t your best option. It will always need a power source. You can carry 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 sound at similar prices. If you are looking for a useful speaker for static setups, on a desk, workstation, table or in a games room, the Badkruka is affordable and efficient.
If you head to a local IKEA, there are also a handful of other electronics to look out for, which you probably didn’t know IKEA carried.
