Ikea has been blazing a trail with a mass consumer approach to inexpensive Thread over Matter sensor and devices. Although early user experiences (including this writer) have exposed some instability, Ikea has pushed out a number of firmware updates on the path to utility.
I’ve started with a a two button Bilresa remote, which gives extra options for long and double presses. It’s worked perfectly well to control an array of backdoor lights, and attaches magnetically or via adhesive. More recently the family has played around with a scroll wheel version which toggles between 3 devices and has a jog dial. This could prove useful for dimming lights or cycling through scenes, but Home Assistant takes a bit of blueprint work to use those features.
The Grillplats plug offers simple electric control. More compelling and unique is the Tofsmygga outdoor smart plug, which offers two weather resistant plugs, a relative rarity when it comes to Thread devices. For those looking for light bulbs, Ikea offers the Kajplats line with a variety of full RGB or tuneable white bulbs. An Edison style clear bulb with tuneable white temperature was easy enough to configure.
The promise remains tantalizing but troublesome for a pair of other sensors. The Myggspray motion sensor offers PIR detection. It’s not on par with an mmWave presence sensor, but can cover the basics, if you get the network to converge properly. The Klippbok water sensor can catch leaks before they become costly repairs, but had some issue staying connected.
The immediate future will bring new functionality and devices. Home Assistant will add more direct Matter support for leak sensors, making the use of Klippbok for alarms more seamless. Ikea has also begun releasing the Dubbelkisel, a light driver for light strips and other illumination for bookcases and cabinets. These have begun rolling out in the EU, with other countries on deck in the weeks to come.
The prices are fantastic; the functionality suprisingly good in most cases; the interoperability will hopefully firm up with time. These may not rank with the allen key wrench but the product line fills a major gap in the Matter over Thread ecosystem.
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