IKEA Just Made Philips Hue Look Ridiculous

IKEA just dropped a bomb on the smart home market. Five dollar smart bulbs with the same features as Philips Hue’s forty dollar offerings. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to start building your smart home, this is it.

On November 6th, 2025, IKEA officially unveiled 21 brand new smart home products, and they’re all Matter-compatible, absurdly affordable, and designed to work with literally everything. Smart bulbs starting at just $5, remotes for $4, and a complete ecosystem that finally makes the smart home accessible to everyone.

Why Matter Changes Everything

The smart home market has been a nightmare for years. You’d buy a Philips Hue bulb, a Samsung sensor, an Amazon Echo, then spend hours trying to get them all to talk to each other. You’d end up with ten different apps just to control your own home.

Matter solves this completely. It’s an open-source standard that creates one universal language for all smart home devices. Buy any Matter-certified device and it works with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Home Assistant. No more choosing sides.

Matter works over Thread, a mesh networking protocol designed specifically for low-power smart home devices. This means better range, faster response, longer battery life, and more reliable connections than older protocols like Zigbee or Wi-Fi.

IKEA’s Dual-Protocol Advantage

What makes IKEA’s launch revolutionary is their dual-protocol support. The new KAJPLATS bulbs have both Matter-over-Thread AND Zigbee radios built in. You can pair them directly with any Matter controller like an Apple HomePod, or use them with IKEA’s DIRIGERA hub via Zigbee. They’re even backward compatible with older IKEA products.

Here’s why this matters: IKEA gets over 900 million store visits every year. When IKEA commits to affordable smart home tech, they’re bringing it to mainstream consumers who’ve never considered it before because of cost or complexity.

The Complete IKEA Smart Home Lineup (21 New Products)

KAJPLATS Smart Bulbs: 11 Variations

The KAJPLATS smart bulb range replaces the old TRÅDFRI bulbs with 11 variations:

• Standard E27 and E26 bulbs from 470 lumens up to 1,521 lumens
• White spectrum versions (adjusts from warm to cool white)
• Full RGB color versions
• Compact P45 E14 bulbs for smaller fixtures
• GU10 directional spotlights
• Clear-glass decorative bulbs for that vintage Edison look

Every KAJPLATS bulb offers more functionality than the previous TRÅDFRI lineup with better colors, wider intensity range, and smoother dimming.

Five New Smart Sensors

MYGGSPRAY Motion Sensor ($9)

Works indoors and outdoors, auto-triggers lights when motion is detected.

MYGGBETT Door and Window Sensor ($9)

Sends notifications and triggers automations when doors or windows open.

TIMMERFLOTTE Temperature & Humidity Sensor ($6.50)

Measures temperature and humidity with a pixelated LED display.

ALPSTUGA Air Quality Sensor ($33)

IKEA’s first air quality sensor, measuring CO2, PM2.5, temperature, and humidity. It even works with IKEA air purifiers for automated air quality control.

KLIPPBOK Water Leak Sensor ($9)

Small enough to slide under appliances. When it detects water, it alerts your phone AND sounds its own alarm. This could save you thousands in water damage.

BILRESA Universal Remotes

The new BILRESA remotes work with multiple device types and are programmable to control any Matter device:

Dual-button version ($4): Compact and magnetic, perfect for bedside tables or hallways

Scroll wheel remote ($5): More sophisticated with a rotating dial and three LED indicators. You can switch between controlling three different device groups with one remote (lights, speaker volume, smart blinds, whatever you want)

Both styles come individually or in colorful three-packs.

GRILLPLATS Smart Plug ($12)

The GRILLPLATS smart plug turns any regular lamp or appliance into a smart device. Beyond on-off control, it tracks energy consumption so you can identify energy vampires. You can pair it with remotes or motion sensors for simple automations without even needing the app.

DIRIGERA Hub: The Brain of Your Smart Home ($70)

All these devices connect through IKEA’s DIRIGERA hub, now upgraded to a full Matter controller with Thread Border Router functionality. Priced at $70, it can control devices from any Matter-compatible brand, not just IKEA.

It’s running Thread 1.4 with credential sharing, meaning it integrates with your existing Thread network instead of creating a separate one. The DIRIGERA also bridges older IKEA Zigbee devices to Matter platforms, so you don’t have to replace everything.

The Price Comparison That Will Blow Your Mind

Here’s where IKEA’s strategy becomes crystal clear. They’re not just matching competitors. They’re undercutting them by 75% to 85% while offering comparable features.

Smart Bulbs

IKEA KAJPLATS:

• White spectrum bulbs: $5
• Full-color versions: Under $12

Philips Hue:

• White spectrum bulb: $33
• Color bulb: $40-$50

That’s an 85% price reduction for similar functionality.

Sensors

IKEA:

• Motion sensors: $9
• Door sensors: $9
• Water leak sensors: $9
• Temperature sensor: $6.50
• Air quality sensor: $33

Philips Hue:

• Motion sensors: $50-$60
• Other sensors: $80+

Remotes

IKEA BILRESA:

• Dual-button: $4
• Scroll wheel: $5

Philips Hue Tap Dial: $66

You could buy 13 IKEA remotes for the price of one Hue remote. Let that sink in.

Real-World Cost Comparison: Starter Smart Home

Let’s do some quick math on a starter smart home for a two-bedroom apartment. We’re talking smart lighting in five rooms, motion sensors, remotes, smart plug, and hub.

With IKEA:

• 5 bulbs at $8 average = $40
• 2 motion sensors = $18
• 2 remotes = $10
• 1 smart plug = $12
• DIRIGERA hub = $70

Total: $150

With Philips Hue:

• 5 bulbs at $33 = $165
• 2 motion sensors = $110
• 2 remotes = $132
• Hue Bridge = $60
• Smart plug = $10+

Total: $477+

Over three times the cost. IKEA isn’t positioning themselves as the “cheap” option. They’re the “smart” option. You’re not sacrificing quality, you’re simply not overpaying for a brand name.

Practical Automations You Can Build

No Hub Required Setup

The absolute simplest setup requires no hub. Buy a KAJPLATS bulb and a BILRESA remote, pair them together, done. You have smart lighting with physical control, no app or internet needed. Perfect for renters or anyone who wants simple wireless control.

With the DIRIGERA Hub

Good Morning Scene: Gradually brighten your bedroom lights over five minutes, mimicking sunrise.

Leaving Home Scene: Turn off all lights when you leave.

Night Lighting: Put a motion sensor in your hallway for automatic night lighting at 20% brightness that doesn’t blind you at 2 AM.

Water Damage Prevention: Place water leak sensors under your washing machine, water heater, and kitchen sink. Get instant notifications plus audible alarms if water is detected. Could save thousands in damage.

Air Quality Management: Set the air quality sensor to monitor bedroom CO2 levels. If it rises above 1000 ppm, automatically turn on your air purifier. When it drops below 800 ppm, turn it back to normal. You’re always breathing clean air without running the purifier full blast constantly.

Multi-Platform Control

Because everything is Matter-compatible, you’re not limited to the IKEA app. Add the DIRIGERA to Apple Home, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa. Use voice commands like “Hey Siri, goodnight” to activate your whole nighttime scene.

The beauty of Matter’s multi-admin support means your family can each use different platforms (Apple, Google, Alexa) and everyone controls the same devices without conflicts.

Release Dates and Availability

UK and Europe: Products rolling out from November 2025 through January 2026, with availability varying by market. KAJPLATS bulbs are expected by end of January 2026.

United States: Sensors and remotes launch January 6th, 2026, with lighting coming in April 2026.

Check your local IKEA store for specific dates.

What’s Coming Next from IKEA

Looking ahead, rumors suggest IKEA plans to expand into new categories:

• Smart locks (now that Matter supports them)
• Smart thermostats
• Radiator valves
• Energy monitoring systems
• Matter-upgraded motorized blinds
• More sophisticated sensors (presence sensors, occupancy sensors, outdoor environmental sensors)

Are IKEA Smart Products Actually Good?

Let’s be honest here. Are they perfect? No.

Philips Hue bulbs are brighter with more advanced app features. Premium remotes have a more luxury feel. But for the vast majority of people, IKEA’s range offers everything you need.

The question is whether you want to spend three to five times more money for marginal improvements most people won’t notice in daily use.

These aren’t stripped-down budget products. The KAJPLATS bulbs have more colors, better dimming, and higher brightness than the old TRÅDFRI lineup. The sensors are comprehensive. The remotes are cleverly designed. And all of it works with Matter, integrating with whatever platform you prefer, now and in the future.

Why This Matters for the Entire Smart Home Industry

What excites me most is the impact on the broader market. IKEA is forcing premium brands to justify their pricing. When a $5 bulb does 90% of what a $40 bulb does, consumers will ask tough questions. This competitive pressure will drive innovation and push prices down across the board.

With IKEA’s massive retail presence and low prices, millions more people will experience Matter-compatible devices for the first time. As the installed base grows, more manufacturers will support Matter, creating a positive feedback loop that strengthens the entire ecosystem.

Should You Buy IKEA Smart Home Products?

If you’ve been on the fence about starting a smart home, now is the time.

Starter Kit Recommendation:

• DIRIGERA hub
• 3 KAJPLATS bulbs in your most-used rooms
• 1 motion sensor
• 2 remotes

That’s roughly $120 total. Install everything, experiment with automations, see how it improves your daily life. Then expand gradually.

For those who already have smart homes, this is a great opportunity to fill gaps. Add sensors you’ve been hesitant about, get more remotes for guests, expand your coverage. IKEA’s prices make experimentation affordable.

The Bottom Line

IKEA has delivered exactly what the smart home industry needed: affordable, accessible, Matter-compatible products that actually work with everything.

For years, smart homes have been expensive, complicated, and frustrating. Matter is fixing the interoperability problem, but it doesn’t matter how good the technology is if products are too expensive. IKEA is removing the biggest barrier to smart home adoption: cost.

This is the moment where the promise of the smart home actually starts to match the reality. Twenty-one new products, all Matter-compatible, all incredibly affordable, designed to make smart home technology finally accessible to everyone.