When I think of IKEA, my brain goes to sofa beds, kitchenware, and meatballs long before it goes to smart home tech, but, actually, our favorite budget-friendly furniture store does some just-as-clever things in this arena.
In fact, IKEA recently launched 21 new smart products across the home, including 'sensors' for things like temperature and humidity, security, and air quality, as well as smart lighting and remotes.
And, what you'll notice when you start to dig into it, you'll find that IKEA's products are not only better-looking than a lot of the others out there, but also super competitive. Take IKEA's ALPSTUGA indoor air quality monitor, for example. It's cheaper than pretty much any you'll see on Amazon, is stylishly minimalist, and has promising reviews.
It's a relatively new range, so take any star ratings with a pinch of salt, as they're over a small range right now, so one poor review can drag down the average significantly, and there are a lot of variables with connectivity, which seems to be the main complaint from some reviewers.
You'll notice when you're shopping IKEA's newest smart range that everything is compatible with Matter — but if you're not into your smart home tech like I am, I don't expect you to know what that means.
Matter was launched a good few years back now, as a way to unite the disparate technologies being produced for smart homes under one system. Think of it this way: it's something that promises all your smart gadgets are talking the same language. That means, if something is Matter-compatible, you can generally integrate it into your existing (also Matter-friendly) set-up, whether that's Amazon's Alexa, Google Home, or Apple's HomeKit. Once upon a time, you would have had to add in another 'hub' to connect IKEA's smart gadgets too, so we can all be thankful for Matter.
It also means that IKEA's smart remotes, for example, can be used to control smart gadgets outside of IKEA's range.
This surprisingly stylish temperature and humidity sensor is incredibly budget-friendly. Some reviewers say the humidity measurement is a little off, but it works as a great way to keep an eye on changes across your home in general.
This motion sensor lighting that would work just as well in a kitchen cabinet as it would illuminating a hallway so you don't have to turn the big lights on in the middle of the night.
An air quality monitor for £25? IKEA's stylish smart gadget has some great reviews, and is much more aesthetic than most.
IKEA's updated water leakage sensor is great for around washing machines, dishwashers, and under sink cabinets to make sure things stay dry.
If you're home security-minded, these window frame sensors are a good addition to your home for peace of mind.
IKEA's smart remote can be used across a whole range of smart gadgets, including the brand's own smart lightbulbs.
Smart tech might not be the IKEA you know best, but these budget-friendly buys are perfect add-ons if you're looking to buy some furniture for your next IKEA hack, planning a new kitchen or bathroom, or just heading to the food hall. In fact, when you order a lot of these online, they'll have to be part of a larger order to qualify for delivery.
