5 Of The Best Smart Home Devices To Consider Buying From Ikea

IKEA is known for having everything you could possibly want or need for your home, and that includes smart home gadgets. Smart home devices connect your home to the internet of things, allowing you to control lights, cameras, thermostats, and a lot more, even when you're not home. In addition to the added convenience and control, smart home devices may actually help cut costs in the long run.

Despite the initial investment and a slight increase in your home's energy load, smart devices can reduce overall consumption by turning off lights and managing climate controls when you're away. They also provide peace of mind by letting you operate smart lights and locks, or check on cameras from wherever you happen to be.

With IKEA's expansive selection of home appliances and furnishings, you can furnish your entire house and then get smart home devices for every room. These are five of the best smart home devices IKEA has to offer.

A smart plug is a great place to get started on your smart home journey. It is low cost and user friendly, allowing you to dip your toes in the smart home arena. Instead of getting all new appliances, a smart plug lets you transform a "dumb" appliance into a smart one with limited functionality.

The Tretakt smart plug retails for $18.99, making it an affordable entry-level option for anyone curious about smart home devices. Any home appliance with a standard plug can be used with this outlet. Just plug it into one of your home's existing electrical outlets and then connect your desired appliance.

Once plugged in, you can control the Tretakt (and any connected devices) in a few different ways. A physical button on the side of the plug lets you cut or supply power manually. You can also control your smart plug using the IKEA Home smartphone app or with the included pre-paired remote control. Connect potentially troublesome appliances like coffee pots or clothing irons, so you can make sure they're safely powered down at any time. If you need ideas for how to use a smart plug, check out our breakdown of unexpected smart plug uses.

While each of IKEA's smart home products can operate independently, the Dirigera smart home hub offers additional features and functionality. With the hub, you can sync up multiple devices to create "Scenes," controlling some or all of them at the same time.

The Dirigera hub retails for $109.00, and if you're serious about building a smart home, it's worth the investment. A hub isn't necessary when you're just getting started, but it can be incredibly useful as your smart home collection grows. Change the lights, lock the doors, turn on your favorite music, and more, all at the same time.

You can group appliances together based on their uses (like grouping all of the lights in your house together) or by their location in your home. Control everything in a particular room or in your entire house in an instant. You can schedule actions or switch between them based on your whims using the IKEA Home app, set up voice or motion controls, and monitor your home from wherever you are. The hub will get better over time as new functions are added to the companion app.

Smart bulbs are one of the simplest and most accessible smart home devices, and they are also one of the most effective. After all, there's no quicker way to set the tone than with a little mood lighting. The Tradfri smart light starter kit retails for $34.99 and comes pre-paired with a remote control.

Getting started couldn't be simpler, just screw in the light bulb and it's ready to go. You can control the bulb immediately using the paired remote or connect it to the IKEA Home app or smart hub. You'll be able to turn the lights on and off remotely, dim the lights, and change the color.

The starter kit comes with a single light bulb, but you can purchase more and control up to 10 at the same time using the remote. It's worth noting that all connected bulbs will mirror the same setting. In addition to a range of extra lighting options, smart bulbs also last longer than standard incandescent bulbs and use approximately one-sixth the energy, saving you money and reducing your environmental footprint.

Blinds have many uses: They help control the light levels and temperature inside your home, and they block the view from any nosy neighbors. For decades, we've been manipulating them manually with flimsy plastic posts and pullstrings. Now you can control your blinds remotely with the magic of smart home technologies.

The Praktlysing motorized smart blinds retail for $139.99 per set and can be operated with an included pre-paired remote, or with the IKEA hub or smart home app. You can also set up Scenes so that your blinds open and close at a prescribed time each day.

If using multiple sets of smart blinds, you can set up groups and control all the blinds in your home using the IKEA Home app. Establish groups of blinds for each room, put your blinds on timers, and more. Each kit comes with a paired remote and a signal repeater, which must be plugged in within 32 feet of the blinds. Best of all, there are no cords, increasing convenience and decreasing the risk of choking or injury, especially for small children.

The Starkvind coffee table is perhaps the crown jewel of IKEA's smart home lineup. It's more than just a coffee table; it also pulls double duty as an in-home air purifier. Plug it into an electrical outlet and it can run around the clock to keep the air in your home clean. The electrical cable runs down the side of one of the table's legs, keeping it out of the way as much as possible.

The Starkvind retails for $249.99 and is certified by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. When in automatic mode, the Starkvind detects particles in the air and adjusts the fan speed as needed to keep the air clean. You can also control when and how the Starkvind operates using the IKEA Home app. Adjust the fan speed, check air quality in real time, set timers, create Scenes, and more.

IKEA doesn't have the widest range of smart home devices, but the selection is more than enough to get you started. Everything on our list is IKEA's own brand and available either at brick-and-mortar stores or on the company website, and each device is compatible with the IKEA smart home ecosystem.

The items on our list were chosen to highlight the best smart home options and demonstrate the range of smart products available at IKEA. You'll find everything from entry-level products like smart lights and smart plugs to more advanced products like automatic window blinds and a stylish air purifier built into a small table.

Whether you're a smart home veteran or setting up your very first smart home device, IKEA has something for everyone. If you're looking for other smart home devices to add to your IKEA selections, check out recommendations for must-have outdoor smart home devices, smart home devices that work without an internet connection, and creative ways to use smart home devices.