Last summer, I was searching for a Bluetooth speaker so that I could listen to music from my phone in my bedroom — I wanted it to be stylish, and do the job well, but it didn’t need to be an all-singing, all-dancing speaker. So when I stumbled across IKEA's NATTBAD Bluetooth Speaker — a trending product on IKEA's website at the time, having just been released — I thought I'd see what the fuss was about, considering it only cost £29. I wasn't disappointed.
This Bluetooth speaker is chic, does what it says on the tin, is super easy to use, and I was honestly surprised by the sound quality — plus, the volume goes way louder than I was expecting. It can also seamlessly transition from one music platform to another as I swap them on my phone, which I was impressed by.
I also love the retro-inspired design. I chose the dusty pink color, which works perfectly with my bedroom's scheme, but there are also black and yellow colorways, and the sleek style would work in any space. It's not hard to see why it has a near-perfect rating — and it’s what I rate it, too.
IKEA's NATTBAD Bluetooth Speaker is a stylish, easy-to-use device that delivers good-quality, powerful sound — whether from your phone, computer, or other Bluetooth device.
With its multi-speaker mode, you can connect multiple NATTBAD speakers for seamless music or podcast listening in your home. It also has a Spotify Tap function that connects you right where you left off, and can generate music for you based on your listening history.
Available in pink, black, and yellow colorways, it's a design that would work just as well in your modern living room as it would in your kitchen, bedroom, or home study.
The NATTBAD Bluetooth speaker has 13 reviews to date, but none are 1, 2, or 3-star ratings — there are only two 4-star reviews, leaving the rest as shiny 5-star ratings, with plenty of praise to go with them, quite understandably.
One customer writes, "This is a genuinely great little speaker. It sounds as good as speakers at twice the price. It looks beautiful, and it pairs really easily with other Nattbad speakers. Some people have reported Bluetooth connection issues; I have not experienced any such thing. What we have here is a genuinely affordable, great-sounding speaker that, with the addition of a few more, becomes a pretty spectacular and affordable multi-room music system. It's not a smart speaker. But it is a great speaker."
And I couldn't agree more. I equally have not experienced any connectivity issues, and it's not something I've seen mentioned in any other reviews. One complaint I had noticed a customer mention, though, was that the light on the front of the device stays on constantly, which is why they would have avoided buying it for a bedroom, for example.
Personally, I've been turning mine off after I'm finished using it, but I do understand the desire to keep it in standby mode — so I tested what the light would look like in my bedroom at night when going to sleep if I left it on, and I barely noticed it. I do also have a candle next to the speaker on my nightstand, which stops me from seeing the light at all when I'm lying in bed; however, it's worth noting that the light on my extension lead is far brighter than the speaker.
The only other thing to point out is that this is not a portable speaker; it does need to be plugged in to work, so if you want a speaker that you can move around with you from room to room, then this likely isn't the one for you. But for some modern bedroom decor that packs a punch in sound and ease of use, this Bluetooth speaker is spot on.
Alternative Bluetooth Speakers
If you're keen to see what other stylish Bluetooth speakers are available right now, I've rounded up six more design-forward styles that have caught my eye — both for their looks, and for their customer ratings.
New to IKEA, the SOLSKYDD Bluetooth Speaker already has three 5-star reviews, with users commenting on the great value for sound quality. I love the aesthetic, and that you can also have it on a stand or mounted on your wall, depending on your preference. Like the NATTBAD Bluetooth speaker, it has a multi-room mode and the Spotify Tap function, along with three EQ settings for fine-tuning your music.
Retro-inspired, like the NATTBAD, the Roberts Beacon 320 Bluetooth Speaker is portable, with up to 12 hours of portable play time. It has four easy-to-use control buttons on the top of the device, and the curved edges are said to "shape the multi-directional bass radiator design." The textural cloth speaker is also a nice touch, and it has a 4.3/5 star rating after almost 600 reviews.
This dustproof, waterproof, and portable Bluetooth speaker is as practical as it is stylish. With 15 hours of portable play time, it not only has multi-point pairing so that you can connect it with an additional device, but it also includes five built-in ambient lighting effects for added good vibes. It also has 5/5 stars for all four of its reviews to date.
When it comes to audio giants, Sonos and Bose are often the two most talked about brands, so with Bose's Soundlink Home Speaker, you can confidently count on its audio quality. With advanced Bluetooth and up to nine hours of battery life, it also allows you to make and take calls with its built-in microphone. And whether you're taking it on the go or making a bookshelf speaker of it, the design ensures it will look great wherever it is.
Luxury audio brand, Bang & Olufsen's Beosound A1 Bluetooth speaker is sleek style at its best. Also available in Eucalyptus Green, Natural Aluminium, Warm Graphite, and Rustic Red colorways, this portable speaker has a battery life of up to 24 hours. With sustainable product design and modular components, it has enhanced bass, 360-degree sound, and it also has an IP67 waterproof rating, meaning you really can bring it with you anywhere you go.
From yet another reliable audio brand, I'm so into this limited edition speaker design for Lunar New Year by Marshall. With 32+ hours of portable play time, it has the longest battery life of all the portable Bluetooth speakers I've listed, and with a Bluetooth range of up to 100 meters in free field to boot. It's also dustproof and waterproof, and the speaker offers a built-in microphone along with its superior sound quality.
If you want to combine sound and lighting, IKEA also has a Bluetooth Speaker Lamp that looks ridiculously cool and combines two for the very reasonable price of one.
