X
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Get an iOttie Sprinkle iPhone 5 case for $14.99 shipped

Available in your choice of six colors, this attractive hard-shell case lists for twice the price.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
The iOttie Sprinkle for iPhone offers shock absorption and drop protection.
The iOttie Sprinkle for iPhone offers shock absorption and drop protection. Ice Monkey

The iPhone 5: thing of beauty, right? It's slim and pocket-friendly and just a marvel of engineering, yes?

Gravity: 24-7, right? Strikes without warning, yes? That's why you'll never catch me carrying a phone without a case, even if it means hiding some of its beauty and lessening its pocket-friendliness.

The question is, which case? You've got a million options, with prices ranging from around five bucks all the way up to 50 -- sometimes even higher.

If you want robust, colorful, popular protection for your phone, there's a deal to be had: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Ice Monkey has the iOttie Sprinkle iPhone 5 case for $14.99 shipped. It would cost you $29.95 if purchased directly from iOttie and $25 at Amazon.

The case features shock-absorbing thermoplastic polyurethane on the inside and a hard plastic shell on the outside. It's available in your choice of six colors, including not only basic white and black, but also mint (green), yellow, light blue, and magenta. They're all pretty snazzy, in my humble opinion.

As all good cases should, the Sprinkle affords full access to all your iPhone's buttons, ports, and cameras. The bottom looks a little thick, however, and it's definitely rounded, so it may have trouble sitting on a dock.

What I find most interesting about the case is that it earned universally glowing reviews on Amazon. The mint-green version, for example: 4.8 stars from 9 owners. The blue version: 5 stars from 5 owners. The white one: 4.5 stars from 11 owners. One reviewer compared it favorably to the Otterbox, but with less bulk.

I can't say I've tried the Sprinkle myself, as I'm still rocking my iPhone 4S, but I definitely like the idea of a 50 percent discount on a very popular case. If you feel likewise, well, pick a color and grab one of these while you can.

Of course, if you're already a Sprinkle owner, hit the comments and let your fellow iPhone 5 users know what to expect.