IKEA has already showcased its desire to get back into the AV market, with the company announcing a partnership with Sonos late last year, but it’s now finally ready to launch a new product; the Ikea Eneby Bluetooth Speaker.

This is not the first time IKEA has attempted to capitalise on the AV industry, with its Uppleva TV offering a unique experience for those who want to perfectly pair a TV with a TV stand. The problem with Uppleva is that it was really bad, and that’s no understatement. It was neither a good piece of furniture nor a good TV.

Thankfully, this time around it looks like IKEA’s foray into the AV market should be a little more successful. That’s because the Eneby looks like a well-designed Bluetooth speaker, and it boasts a bunch of must-have features for this category; things such as the ability to adjust the bass and treble, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

This is likely to be the first product in what will become an onslaught of products from IKEA in the AV industry. The Eneby does not look like it’s a product of its partnership with Sonos, and it looks like this is more of a standalone effort. That’s evident in the price, with this Bluetooth speaker easily beating out many that are currently on the market. Want a UE Boom 2, a product that is widely considered the best Bluetooth speaker on the market? That’ll be nearly twice the price of IKEA’s standard Eneby.

Not much is actually known about the IKEA Eneby line-up other than that it’s being offered in two sizes and at two different price points. The smaller model measures 20cm by 20cm and costs £45, while the larger Eneby is 30cm by 30cm and costs £80. No matter what size consumers purchase, however, both speakers have been designed to fit alongside, and inside, IKEA furniture. The Swedish firm’s KALLAX storage solution is a mainstay in homes all around the world, which is why Eneby has been designed to perfectly fit them.

Unfortunately, the only thing particularly special about the Eneby is the design. It fits in IKEA furniture, it’s incredibly intuitive, while still being minimal. There’s nothing groundbreaking, and things like Alexa or Google Assistant support are also lacking. In a world where ‘smart speakers’ and Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen, is IKEA’s offering really compelling enough? It depends on how much worth consumers place on good design and affordability.