X

Check out Ikea's Tradfri smart lights

Ikea's new smart lighting platform wants a place in your connected home.

Ry Crist
Originally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a writer, a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, broadband and home networking.
Ry Crist
ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-9.jpg
1 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Ikea's selling Tradfri smart lights now, and we decided to take the $80 starter kit (£69 in the UK) for a spin.

ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-3.jpg
2 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Different kits

You've actually got a couple of different ways into the Tradfri ecosystem. In addition to the $80 starter kit on the bottom there, you could also try a $20 wireless dimming bundle (top right) or a $25 bulb-and-motion-sensor bundle (top left).

ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-4.jpg
3 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Click it

The main $80 bundle comes with two bulbs, a gateway hub to let you control things on your phone and this wireless remote for dimming things up and down.

ikea-tradfri-app-two-factor-authentication.jpg
4 of 9 Screenshots by Ry Crist/CNET

Scan it

The Tradfri app makes you scan a device-specific pairing code during setup -- a smart way to help keep things secure.

ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-10.jpg
5 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Tunable

The bulbs in that $80 kit are nice and bright, clocking in at well over 900 lumens at their default setting -- noticeably brighter than a 60W incandescent. They also offer three distinct color temperature settings that you can switch between in the app.

ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-6.jpg
6 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Dimming kit

The $20 dimming kit comes with a single, fixed color temperature smart bulb and a wireless dimming knob. There's no gateway hub here -- you'll pair the knob directly with the bulb and skip the app altogether.

ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-5.jpg
7 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Wireless knob

The knob features two separate halves that sit together magnetically. Twist the yellow part to turn your lights on and off or dim them up and down. Each knob can control up to 10 bulbs.

ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-8.jpg
8 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Motion detection kit

Another option: This $25 bulb-and-motion-detector bundle. Like the knob, you'll pair the motion detector directly with the bulb.

ikea-tradfri-smart-leds-product-photos-7.jpg
9 of 9 Tyler Lizenby/CNET

Simple sensor

When the motion detector detects motion, it will turn the bulbs it's paired with on (again, up to 10 of them). You can turn a dial on the back to adjust how long without motion before it turns the lights back off.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos