IKEA BADKRUKA: The $60 Swedish Speaker That Won’t Swim but Will Connect to Your TV

Leave it to IKEA to name its new indoor Bluetooth speaker BADKRUKA, a Swedish word for someone who is reluctant or afraid to get into cold water. That is particularly appropriate because the $59.99 BADKRUKA carries only an IP20 rating and has absolutely no business going swimming.

The name may be amusing, but IKEA has taken a surprisingly practical approach to the speaker itself. BADKRUKA combines Bluetooth with 3.5mm analog and optical digital inputs, along with Spotify Tap, three EQ settings, multi-speaker operation and the ability to pair two BADKRUKA speakers for actual stereo playback. IKEA even includes the optical cable.

That does not suddenly make BADKRUKA a $60 replacement for a serious pair of active loudspeakers. We have not heard it yet. But IKEA has given budget buyers considerably more flexibility than we normally see at this price.

IKEA has been rebuilding its audio lineup since ending its long-running partnership with Sonos. We previously looked at the company’s BLOMPRAKT and NATTBAD Bluetooth speakers and the end of the IKEA and Sonos SYMFONISK collaboration.

More Than Another Bluetooth Box

BADKRUKA uses a woofer and tweeter configuration powered by 25 watts of total amplification, with IKEA specifying a frequency range of 50Hz to 20kHz at -6 dB. The enclosure measures 6.25 inches wide and deep and 6.875 inches tall, making it small enough for a desk, bedroom or shelf beside a television.

The optical input is what changes the equation.

Most modern televisions still provide an optical digital output, which means BADKRUKA can function as a very inexpensive alternative to the television’s built-in speakers. Buy two and IKEA says they can operate as a stereo pair with distinct left and right channels.

There is no HDMI ARC here, so television volume control will not be as seamless as it would be with a soundbar or more sophisticated active loudspeaker system. IKEA also does not list Wi-Fi streaming, AirPlay, Google Cast or other network playback features.

At $59.99, that feels less like an omission than a reminder of what this thing costs.

Spotify Tap and Multi-Speaker Playback

BADKRUKA supports Spotify Tap, allowing playback to resume from a paired device with a button press. Pressing the Spotify button again can generate another selection based on the listener’s history.

IKEA has also included its multi-speaker mode, which allows BADKRUKA to play alongside other compatible IKEA Bluetooth speakers. That mode distributes the same mono signal to multiple speakers, while stereo pairing is reserved for two BADKRUKA units.

Three built-in EQ settings provide some control over the presentation, although IKEA does not provide detailed response curves for the presets.

BADKRUKA vs. NATTBAD

The more interesting comparison comes from inside IKEA’s own catalog.

The existing NATTBAD costs $49.99 and provides 10 watts of amplification through a single 2.8-inch full-range driver, with a specified frequency range of 75Hz to 18.5kHz. It supports Bluetooth, Spotify Tap and multi-speaker playback but does not offer stereo pairing, optical or 3.5mm analog input.

For another $10, BADKRUKA increases rated output to 25 watts, uses separate woofer and tweeter drivers, extends the claimed low-frequency response to 50Hz and adds both wired inputs and stereo operation.

We have not compared the two sonically, so specifications should not be confused with a listening test. But unless the smaller NATTBAD design is the primary attraction, BADKRUKA looks like the much stronger value on paper.

IKEA BADKRUKA Specifications

• Speaker Configuration: Woofer and tweeter
• Total Power Output: 25 watts
• Frequency Range: 50Hz to 20kHz (-6 dB)
• Wireless Input: Bluetooth
• Digital Input: Optical TOSLINK
• Analog Input: 3.5mm
• Spotify Tap: Yes
• Stereo Pairing: Yes
• Multi-Speaker Mode: Yes
• EQ: 3 settings
• IP Rating: IP20
• Dimensions: 6.25 x 6.25 x 6.875 inches
• Included Accessory: Optical cable
• Designer: Ola Wihlborg

The Bottom Line

We are not expecting the IKEA BADKRUKA to send KEF, Sonos or Audioengine executives scrambling into emergency meetings. That would be asking rather a lot from something sold by the same company that expects you to assemble your own dresser with an Allen key.

What makes BADKRUKA interesting is that IKEA has resisted turning it into another Bluetooth-only lifestyle product. Optical and analog inputs make it useful with televisions, computers and other sources, while stereo pairing gives buyers an inexpensive upgrade path if one speaker is not enough.

At $59.99 each, a pair costs $119.98.

That might be the more interesting story.

Price & Availability

The IKEA BADKRUKA Bluetooth Speaker is $59.99 each at IKEA in the United States in black and pink finishes. Availability may vary by store and delivery location.

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