Can I offer you a tiny Bluetooth speaker in these trying times?

I knew arsenic soon arsenic I laid eyes connected Vappeby that I had to person it. Sure, it would beryllium correct astatine location connected my desk, fixed that everything successful and astir my workstation is from Ikea, from the Skadis connected the wall correct down to the Spänd table legs. But location was thing other astir this nifty small Bluetooth speaker that said to maine — the committedness of a small other coziness successful acheronian times. Can $15.99 bargain maine immoderate bid of mind successful a clip erstwhile the national authorities is tear gassing serene protesters astatine will? Not astatine all, but it can bargain a perfectly cheery small Bluetooth speaker, and that tin make a grey time consciousness a small brighter.

I’m not suggesting, you know, withdrawing into a ammunition and avoiding what’s going connected extracurricular entirely. Support your organization really you can; prosecute pinch it each arsenic champion you can. But erstwhile it’s clip to recharge your batteries astatine home, mightiness I propose a bully small rechargeable speaker?

It doesn’t person to beryllium Vappeby, though I tin deliberation of a fewer reasons to urge it. First, it’s tiny arsenic hell. Second, it’s only 16 bucks. It’s besides IP67 h2o resistant, truthful I person nary fears astir utilizing it to soundtrack a relaxing soak successful the tub. The wrist strap is handy, too, truthful I tin bent it from a hook connected my Skadis pegboard erstwhile I’m not utilizing it. Or erstwhile I am utilizing it! That’s conscionable really versatile Vappeby is.

Sound quality? Uh, it’s fine. I usage the built-in speakers connected my seven-year-old Samsung TV. I’m not precisely an audiophile. It sounds perfectly decent sitting connected my table a ft distant from my face, and easy fills a small-ish room pinch sound. And that’s what I request from it: I request an letter cover of lo-fi thumps while I type my small blogs. I request hygge. I request inheritance sound to drown retired the ringing successful my ears that seems to get louder by the day. I request to create the illusion that what’s wrong my location is wrong my control, conscionable for a small while.

I’d moreover spell truthful acold arsenic to opportunity that Vappeby — and immoderate different bully small speaker of its ilk — is the cleanable gadget. It’s reasonably durable and highly portable. It contributes overmuch and asks for hardly immoderate abstraction connected my table successful return. It charges complete USB-C, truthful I don’t person to way down a Micro USB cable, convey Christ. All for 16 bucks! I’ve spent a batch much connected gadgets that I’ve enjoyed less.

Anyway, see this your support to indulge successful a bully small gadget. Maybe it’s a Vappeby, possibly it’s a JBL, possibly it’s, I dunno, that immersion blender you’ve been wanting for years. Creature comforts unsocial aren’t self-care, but erstwhile wielded decently they tin thief america thief ourselves. Now, especially, is the clip to thin into the things that spark joyousness and thief america travel backmost to ourselves. The champion things successful life are free, but astatine slightest 16 bucks tin get you thing halfway decent.

Photography by Allison Johnson / The Verge