IKEA's 21 New Matter Smart Home Products: The Budget-Friendly Way to Go Smart
IKEA just dropped 21 new smart home products, and they might be the most important smart home launch of 2026. Not because they're revolutionary — they're bulbs, plugs, sensors, and remotes. But because they're all Matter-over-Thread, they're cheap, and they don't need an IKEA hub.
That last part is the game-changer. Previous IKEA smart home products required the DIRIGERA hub (or the older TRADFRI gateway). These new products pair directly with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or SmartThings. Buy a bulb, scan the code, done.
What's New
KAJPLATS Smart Bulbs
The new bulb lineup includes E26 and E12 bases in white spectrum and color options. Prices start at $7.99 for a basic white bulb and top out at $14.99 for color. That undercuts Philips Hue by 50-70% and even beats most budget brands on Amazon.
These are Thread devices, which means they form a mesh network with other Thread products in your home. More Thread devices equals better coverage and faster response times for all your Thread-enabled gear. Every IKEA bulb you add strengthens your network.
Color quality won't match Hue — IKEA's color gamut has historically been narrower, and early hands-on reports suggest that's still the case. But for accent lighting, kids' rooms, or anywhere you want "good enough" color at a fraction of the price, they're hard to beat.
GRILLPLATS Smart Plugs
A Matter-over-Thread smart plug for $9.99. That's in Meross and TP-Link territory, but with Thread networking instead of WiFi. Fewer devices clogging your WiFi network and faster response times through mesh networking.
The plug design is compact enough to not block the second outlet — a detail IKEA clearly paid attention to. It supports up to 15A, which covers lamps, fans, and most small appliances.
BILRESA Remotes
Battery-powered wireless remotes that pair directly with your Matter controller. These are the spiritual successor to IKEA's STYRBAR remotes, but they work without a hub. Use them to control any Matter device in your home, not just IKEA products.
Available in a simple two-button on/off version and a four-button version with dimming. At $9.99, they're a cheap way to add physical controls alongside voice and app control — especially useful for guests who don't have your smart home app installed.
Air Quality, Temperature, and Humidity Sensors
This is where it gets interesting for the home automation crowd. IKEA is releasing standalone sensors that report data via Thread to your smart home platform. Air quality sensors that can trigger your smart plug-connected air purifier. Temperature sensors that can inform your thermostat automations.
The catch — and it's worth noting — is that automation capabilities depend on your controller platform. Apple Home's automation options are more limited than Google Home or SmartThings. If you want sophisticated sensor-triggered automations, pair these with a SmartThings hub or Home Assistant.
Why This Matters (Pun Intended)
The smart home industry has been talking about Matter making everything "just work" since 2022. In practice, Matter devices have been expensive and limited. IKEA is the first major brand to ship a full lineup of Matter-over-Thread products at mass-market prices.
Consider the starter kit potential:
- 4x KAJPLATS white bulbs: $32
- 2x GRILLPLATS smart plugs: $20
- 1x BILRESA remote: $10
- 1x Temperature sensor: $13
That's a functional smart home for $75, no hub required. Pair it all with the Apple Home or Google Home app you already have on your phone. Try doing that with any other brand.
The Thread Advantage
Every device in this lineup uses Thread, the low-power mesh networking protocol. If you already have Thread border routers — the latest Apple TV, HomePod Mini, or certain Google Nest devices include them — these products join your existing mesh immediately.
Thread devices act as both endpoints and routers. Each IKEA bulb or plug strengthens the Thread mesh for every other Thread device in your home. That Aqara FP2 presence sensor in your hallway? It gets a stronger Thread network every time you add an IKEA bulb.
This is also why Thread matters more than WiFi for smart home devices. WiFi congestion is a real problem in homes with 30+ connected devices. Thread operates on the 802.15.4 radio band, completely separate from your WiFi network. Add 20 IKEA Thread devices and your WiFi performance doesn't budge.
What to Watch Out For
Firmware updates: Without an IKEA hub, firmware updates depend on your controller platform. Apple Home and Google Home handle Thread device updates, but the process isn't always seamless. Early IKEA Matter products occasionally needed the IKEA Home Smart app for firmware updates before working properly with third-party controllers.
Color quality: If you're used to Philips Hue's color accuracy, IKEA's color bulbs will feel noticeably less vibrant. Whites are fine — the tunable white range is competitive — but deep reds and greens are washed out compared to premium brands.
Sensor platform limitations: The sensors report data via Matter, but not all platforms support sensor-triggered automations equally. Check your platform's Matter sensor support before buying sensors specifically for automation.
Who Should Buy These
If you've been waiting for smart home products that are cheap enough to not overthink, this is it. IKEA removed the two biggest barriers to entry — price and hub requirements — in one launch. If you've been telling yourself "I'll set up smart lights someday," IKEA just eliminated your last excuse.
For existing smart home users, the Thread-based sensors and the ability to strengthen your mesh network cheaply make these worth adding to any setup. You don't have to go all-in on IKEA — mix them with Aqara, Eve, Nanoleaf, or any other Thread/Matter products.
Power users who demand deep customization or premium build quality should look elsewhere. But for 90% of smart home needs at prices that start with a single digit? IKEA just became the default recommendation.