Ikea | The Verge

Ikea and Samsung promise glitch-free Matter integration

2026-04-21T06:29:28-04:00

Samsung makes Ikea’s lineup feel native inside SmartThings, not like generic Matter devices. | Image: Samsung

Ikea's two dozen Matter-over-Thread devices have proved problematic since launch, but Samsung says its SmartThings platform now has it all sorted. If true, it means Ikea's sensors and complex remotes should actually display correctly, function flawlessly, and plug directly into Samsung's advanced home automation routines without any issues.

To achieve this, Samsung says it has "built enhanced integrations" with Ikea's scroll wheel remote, bulbs, smart plugs, and sensors for temperature, humidity, air quality, motion, water, and open doors and windows. Furthermore, "Samsung and Ikea conducted multiple rounds of validation to enhance connect …

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Ikea’s smart donut lamp is a sweet treat

2026-04-15T14:30:55-04:00

The Varmblixt is a smart donut-shaped light fixture that can sit on a table or be mounted on a wall. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Ikea's popular Varmblixt lamp just got a smart home glow-up. The delightfully bulbous light now features color-changing, dimming, and smart home control. I tested the new smart lamp in my daughter's room and found it made a great bedside lamp and added a fun touch of ambiance to her space. While she's rarely a fan of me adding smart tech to her room, she did give this an "It's nice" accolade - high praise from my 15-year-old.

The donut lamp, as it's known for its distinctive shape resembling everyone's favorite sweet treat, can be wall-mounted or set flat on a table. It comes with a long power cable, which helps with placement, and differs …

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I tested a living room full of cheap Ikea speakers against Sonos and Bose

2026-04-08T12:01:08-04:00

Ikea's $10 Kallsup Bluetooth speaker is fun and colorful and sounds better than its price suggests. It's not mind-blowing (it is a $10 speaker, after all), and there are no features to speak of, other than the ability to connect up to 100 of them together, but at that price, I don't really care. They're a quick addition if I need a bit more color and sound on my desk or in my son's room.

The Kallsup is about as simple as a Bluetooth speaker can get. It's a 2.75-inch plastic cube enclosure with four short feet on the bottom and a single speaker inside, and it's available in pink, white, and yellow green. There are two buttons and a small LED …

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Ikea tried to build a smart home for everyone — here’s why it’s not working yet

2026-03-17T14:55:19-04:00

Ikea’s new smart bulbs, sensors, and remotes use Matter-over-Thread to connect to any compatible ecosystem — including Apple Home and Amazon Alexa. In theory. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

Ikea's new Matter-over-Thread products were supposed to prove that the smart home could be cheap, accessible, and reliable. The highly anticipated line - which includes sensors, remotes, smart plugs, air-quality monitors, and smart bulbs - has most everything you need to build a smart home, with prices starting at $6. It's an exciting idea, but it's still not ready for primetime.

When I first got the Ikea devices in January, I had a lot of problems connecting them to my main platform, Apple Home. And it turned out I was not alone. Reddit forums and user reviews were full of reports of onboarding and connectivity issues. Many people were str …

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You can now fill your home with Ikea’s cheap and tiny new Bluetooth speaker

2026-03-06T15:29:12-05:00

Alongside smart Lego bricks and lots of robots, one of the most anticipated gadgets announced at CES 2026 was a cheap Bluetooth speaker from the company best known for flat-packed furniture. Ikea is no stranger to electronics, but after ending its partnership with Sonos last year, its approach to Bluetooth speakers has been a focus on design and affordability. Its new Kallsup wireless speaker, now available in the US, is its cheapest to date at just $9.99.

Cheap compact speakers are plentiful on sites like Amazon, but their performance and functionality is frequently lacking. Despite the Kallsup being a tiny 2.75-inch cube, The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy was “impressed by the powerful sound from the pint-size product” during a hands-on with the speakers at CES.

Ikea Kallsup Bluetooth speaker

Where to Buy:

$9.99 at Ikea (green)

The Kallsup’s replaceable battery is good for up to nine hours of playtime at 50 percent volume, and it’s rechargeable using a USB-C port. It won’t be nearly as loud as a towering party speaker, but up to 100 Kallsup speakers can be wirelessly connected and synced to fill a larger space with music. However, while Ikea announced white, pink, and lime green color options at CES, on its US online store the Kallsup is currently only available in the white and green options.

Ikea’s Matter-compatible smart bulbs are now available in the US

2026-03-05T09:34:50-05:00

Ikea’s new smart bulbs are hitting the US a month early. | Image: Ikea

After being announced last November, Ikea’s Matter-compatible smart home collection has been slowly trickling into its stores around the world over the past few months. Despite some early connectivity issues, one of the most anticipated items in that collection is Ikea’s new Matter-over-Thread smart bulbs. The company originally said they’d hit the US sometime in April 2026, but they’re now available through Ikea’s online store, and many of its retail locations around the country.

Amongst the smart home products it’s been selling for years, smart bulbs have been one of Ikea’s most popular, offering a cheaper but similarly functional alternative to products from companies like Philips Hue. Its new Matter-compatible smart bulbs are equally affordable, and come in optional bundles that include a wireless remote.

Kajplats E26 LED bulb (450 lumen, smart white spectrum/globe/opal white) $5.99
Kajplats E12 LED bulb (800 lumen, smart white spectrum/globe/opal white) $7.99
Kajplats E12 LED bulb (450 lumen, smart white spectrum/clear glass) $8.99
Kajplats E12 LED bulb (800 lumen, smart color and white spectrum/globe/opal white) $9.99
Kajplats E26 LED bulb (1100 lumen, smart white spectrum/globe/opal white) $11.99
Kajplats E26 LED bulb (1100 lumen, smart color and white spectrum/globe opal) $12.99
Kajplats E26 LED bulb (1600 lumen, smart white spectrum/globe/opal white) $13.99
Kajplats E26 Starter Kit (smart white spectrum with Bilresa remote) $9.99
Kajplats E26 Starter Kit (smart color and white spectrum with Bilresa remote) $14.99

While Ikea’s Matter-compatible smart home collection has been highly anticipated, its rollout has been a bumpy one. Early adopters, including The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, have had issues connecting them to both Ikea’s own Dirigera hub, and other smart home platforms including Apple Home and Amazon Alexa. Ikea is aware of the problem and is working to address issues. Earlier this week it released an update for its hub that includes fixes to improve “Matter onboarding stability,” but it’s not yet known if it resolves these widespread issues being experienced with Ikea’s Matter-over-Thread devices.

Ikea’s cheap new smart home gear is struggling to get connected

2026-02-04T14:35:19-05:00

Some users are having trouble onboarding Ikea’s new Matter-compatible smart home products. | Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

I've spent the last couple of weeks trying - and mostly failing - to test Ikea's new Matter-over-Thread gear. These highly anticipated smart home devices include programmable buttons, smart bulbs, plugs, and temperature and motion sensors - all of which should work with any smart home platform and start at just $6.

But I've hit several walls trying to connect them to any smart home platform, and I'm not alone. The Tradfri subreddit is filled with Ikea customers sharing similar frustrations, reviews on Ikea's website point to issues, and colleagues at The Verge have also been having problems.

Of the six devices I've tried to connect, I've …

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Ikea’s next cheap Bluetooth speaker is a playful purple mouse

2026-02-02T15:26:13-05:00

Following the debut of its $10 Kallsup Bluetooth speakers at CES 2026, Ikea is introducing another wireless speaker with a playful design and an affordable price tag. The Grejsimojs Portable Bluetooth speaker probably isn't going to wow audiophiles, but it's designed to look like a little purple mouse with a tail that can be used to carry it around.

The Grejsimojs speaker is currently available in countries like the UK and Germany for £12.00 and €14.99, respectively, which is around $16 to $18 in US dollars. It's not available on the US Ikea site yet, but the speaker is part of a new Grejsimojs collection of kid-friendly devices that includ …

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The Verge Awards at CES 2026

2026-01-09T14:46:04-05:00

Every January, the world of consumer electronics heads to Las Vegas to spend the first full week of the year in the desert presenting, prodding, and gawking at all the new gadgets and gear debuting at CES. The show has once again delivered an avalanche of products, both innovative and vaporous, that will shape the industry in 2026.

The Verge's team has been working around the clock to share the experience. Some of it wowed us while some of it weirded us out, but that's part of the fun of CES.

After taking it all in over the past week, there are some gadgets that stood out from the rest. They innovated on an existing product, entirely ret …

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Ikea is expanding its Matter support to two stylish lamps

2026-01-07T15:21:01-05:00

Mmmmm, forbidden glowing smart donut. | Image: Ikea

After debuting 21 new Matter-compatible smart home devices last November, Ikea is expanding Matter support to some of its existing home furnishings starting with two upgraded lamps at CES 2026. The Varmblixt donut lamp is getting a small redesign to complement its new color-changing smart home capabilities, while the new Varmblixt pendant lamp will let you fine-tune the warmth of its white LED lighting.

The original version of the Varmblixt donut lamp featured a glossy finish designed to reflect the lighting in a room, but the new smart version has a soft, matte white finish to accentuate the appearance of its own internal lighting. Using a …

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