Ikea’s Smart Lighting is here to outshine Philips Hue

Welcome to your next impulse buy from Ikea’s devilishly addictive Marketplace section. The Swedes’ new Smart Lighting collection will be arriving in April 2017 to fill your house with app-controlled bulbs, panels and even doors, for the full Starship Enterprise look. At the system’s heart is the white Trådfri LED bulb, controlled by a remote control that attaches magnetically to your wall. Pair it with a gateway or motion sensor and you’ll be able to control the lights with Ikea’s iOS and Android app, or just by walking in and out of the room. Sure, there’s no voice control or Apple HomeKit support, but the kits start at only £15. And you only came here for a cheap colander, didn’t you?

Mark Wilson Features editor

About

Mark's first review for Stuff was the Nokia N-Gage in 2004. Luckily, his career lasted a little longer than the taco phone, and he's been trying to figure out how gadgets fit back into their boxes ever since. While his 'Extreme Mark Wilson' persona was retired following a Microsoft skydiving incident, this means he can often be spotted in the wilds of South West London testing action cams, drones and smartwatches, and occasionally cursing at them.

Areas of expertise

Smart home tech, cameras, wearables and obscure gadgets from the early 2000s.