IKEA Just Launched the "Smartest" Collection — And This is the One Thing I'm Buying ASAP

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3 days ago

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If you've been wanting to dive into the smart home lifestyle, but haven't done so because you just don't like the way all those techy devices look, I've got good news for you. Just months after announcing the end of its SONOS speaker collaboration, IKEA's popular smart home lineup is getting a major overhaul — and you can buy one of these aesthetically pleasing yet affordable new devices right now. Get ready to go way beyond KALLAX hacks and into fully integrated living.
IKEA confirmed it'll be releasing 20 new offerings over the next few months in a press release on Wednesday, July 9. Fans can look forward to a new generation of Matter-over-Thread-compatible sensors, smart lights, remotes, and, most importantly, speakers, that will roll out in the coming months. (For the uninitiated, Matter and Thread are smart home standards. Matter 'is the language that smart home devices speak,' while Thread 'is the network they use to communicate,' per MatterAlpha.com.)
For the non-techy folks, this can all sound like confusing tech babble. But it's not — IKEA says this move will make its smart home products easier to use for anyone, so you can simply 'plug and play.' The best part? The IKEA DIRIGERA smart hub now allows you to connect your IKEA tech with other branded products (such as Apple, Amazon, Google, and Samsung) that you already own, making your entire home's smart system much more integrated and seamless.
Drumming up the excitement early, IKEA gave buyers a preview of its brand-new smart home lineup by releasing its NATTBADD Bluetooth Speaker on July 9 — and the retro yet futuristic design costs less than $50.
IKEA
$50
Buy Now
Despite its futuristic appearance, the new NATTBADD Bluetooth Speaker is designed to look like a vintage radio while featuring all the state-of-the art capabilities that you'd expect from your Bluetooth speaker. Available for just $49.99, the NATTBADD Bluetooth Speaker comes in either a canary yellow (my personal favorite colorway) as well as a black or nude hue depending on the vibe of your home.
Shaped with a half-moon design on top and a square base, the compact speaker won't take up much space with its 7-inch height, nearly 5-inch width, and just under 4-inch length. However, the simplicity of the design (there are just two buttons in the front) is misleading, because you can simply tap a button to zero in on the Spotify Tap functionality, or opt to go into multi-speaker mode to connect to other NATTBAD speakers around your space.
IKEA fans who are looking for a speaker with a little pizzazz will want to wait out for the BLOMPRAKT Speaker with Light, which will be rolling out in October. The table speaker looks like a light blue sci-fi-inspired lamp at first glance, but you can also use it to play your favorite music without taking up any extra space on your desk or bedside table.
In addition to the BLOMPRAKT Speaker with Light's release in October, IKEA will be rolling out a new line of speakers in collaboration with Swedish designer Tekla Severin in January 2026. IKEA of Sweden's David Granath told The Verge that the company will also be releasing new product categories next January and April.
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