Summertime is just around the corner. That means it’s time to prepare for pool parties, camping and kayaking, or playing on the beach. Wherever you go, having a portable Bluetooth speaker is a must for anyone who wants to enjoy their music too. Inateck sent me its Mercury Box ($39.99) shower Bluetooth speaker to try out. The two most important features for me were portability and water resistance. So I put the Mercury Box to the test.
Having only seen the picture and read about it, I wasn’t sure how large the speaker would be. I was surprised to unpackage it and discover a speaker about two inches longer than my iPhone 6s and twice as thick as an old iPhone 5. In other words, this thing is tiny and totally portable. Next, I noticed the charging port and auxiliary connection on the side. A little rubber tab pops out to reveal your ports and fits snuggly back over them to seal out water. One thing I noticed here is that it’s important to make sure you’ve securely snapped the rubber back into place as it has a tendency to stick out. After charging the speaker, it was time to set it up.
Connecting my phone to the Mercury Box was easy. Just like any other Bluetooth device, I turned on the speaker and my phone instantly found it. When your device isn’t paired with the speaker, the Bluetooth button flashes blue. Once it’s paired, there will be a solid blue light. Then I picked some awesome music and started to use it.
For such a small speaker it’s big on sound. I have a speaker at home that’s at least four times as big, and I’m planning to replace it with this one. The speaker also comes with an audio cable, so if the device you want to use it with doesn’t have Bluetooth but does have a headphone jack, you’re good to go. On the portability front, the Mercury box is definitely a winner. I could easily throw this in a backpack and take it anywhere. Plus, it delivers up to 15 hours of playback time so you should be good for a full day of activity.
Now for the water test. While I was playing music, I took the Mercury Box into the bathroom and held it under the sink. I turned the tap on at full blast. It got some water it in but I easily shook it out; the speaker never stopped playing and hasn’t show any signs of water damage since. The Mercury Box has a waterproof rating of IPX 5, which means your device is protected from water jets at any direction. So those water balloon fights and super soaker showdowns won’t affect the speaker.
Pros:
-
Super portable
-
IPX 5 Waterproof rating
-
Long battery life
-
Sleek, appealing design
-
Affordable
Cons:
-
I have a small concern about the rubber tab around the ports, but it’s just something to keep an eye on.
Final Verdict:
If you’re looking for a portable, Bluetooth speaker that can handle your Spring and Summer shenanigans, I highly recommend the Mercury Box. For $40 you’ll get a solid device with good sound that won’t break when someone misses your head and super soaks your speaker.
