Ikea and its affordable, constructable furniture need no introduction. But something does deserve an announcement, and it's all about the new smart products that Ikea unveiled at CES. That's right, the Swedish home and meatball company is entering the smart home world with beautiful lamps and versatile home security products.
As I start testing these new Ikea lines (many of which are already for sale), I already foresee some of its products winding up in our top recommendations. Here's what's available and why I'm excited.
Smart lights with a friendly glow
Ikea's debut to CES included several smart home and security products that could be gamechangers. Ajay Kumar/CNET
One of the most visually impressive products from Ikea was the Varmblixt smart home lights (yes, the classic Ikea names remain even in its tech endeavors). You may have heard of the Varmblixt line before, but now Ikea is adding smart technology to these stylish lamps.
The lights come in two varieties. One is a doughnut-like ring that you can hang from a wall or place on a nearby table, casting a warm light throughout the room in any color you choose. The other is a draping LED pendant lamp, more at home hanging in a corner, with shades available across the entire white spectrum.
Ikea's newest lights are app and remote-controlled. Ajay Kumar/CNET
Both lights impressed me, not only because of their unique and very Ikea appearance, but also for the new app controls that allow you to adjust the brightness and color at will. They also come with remotes that include a dozen presets, in case your phone isn't handy. For some of the first proprietary smart lights Ikea has made, it's an impressive showing.
If you're thinking a little smaller, Ikea's new smart home has that covered, too. The Kajplats line offers 11 styles of smart bulbs you can screw into sockets you already have, converting your old lights to smart, app-controlled versions.
Then there's the Grillplats, a smart plug that allows you to use app controls on any existing plug-in lamp, as well as other devices like fountains or heaters. What we saw of these app controls at CES looked easy to master and effective.
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