TechRadar Verdict
The IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet is a simple-to-use smart plug with support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit. While it’s fiddly to set up, and can be expensive if you don’t already have a Tradfri gateway, it’s a great choice for those who have already invested in IKEA’s smart lighting system.
Pros
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Simplistic smart plug
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Easy-to-use app
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Compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit
Cons
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Requires a gateway and steering device
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Can become expensive
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No energy monitoring
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One-minute review
IKEA isn’t a name that springs to mind when you think of smart home devices, but the Swedish furniture giant has offered a range of gadgets to automate your home since 2017. Starting with smart lighting, it has since expanded to include smart plugs, blinds that can be controlled wirelessly, and even a range of multi-room speakers that it developed in conjunction with Sonos.
The IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet is a single socket that can be plugged into a power source and controlled via the IKEA Home Smart app. However, unlike other smart plugs we’ve reviewed – such as the Amazon Smart Plug and the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim KP105 – the IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet doesn’t pair directly with your Wi-Fi network. Instead, it requires the Tradfri gateway that connects to your router, and a ‘steering device’, which essentially groups smart home devices together. As such, it could prove an expensive purchase if you only want to make one outlet smart.
Using the IKEA Home Smart app, you can switch the outlet on or off manually, or set schedules for the smart plug to be activated automatically. The Tradfri wireless control outlet also offers interaction with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit, so you control it using your voice, and even ensure it switches on or off at the same time as other smart devices in your home.
If you’ve already invested in Tradfri smart lights or other IKEA smart home products, or plan to, then this is the smartest option when it comes to choosing a smart plug.
IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet price and availability
- List price: $9.99 / £10 / AU$20
The IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet is priced at $9.99 / £9.99 / AU$20, which makes it one of the most affordable smart plugs around. However, you do need to purchase the IKEA Tradfri gateway, at a cost of $35 / £22 / AU$49, along with a ‘steering device’, before you can use and control the smart plug.
This is IKEA’s term for the remote control, wireless dimmer or wireless motion sensor. Prices start from $6.99 / £6 / AU$14.99 for the wireless dimmer and rise to $15.99 / £15 / AU$24.99 for the remote control.
Design
- Single smart socket
- LED on/off indicator
- No manual control button
As with most of the best smart plugs, the IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet has a simple, white design. It measures 3.9 x 2.1 x 2.5 inches / 10 x 5.3 x 6.2cm (w x h x d), but unlike other smart plugs we’ve tested, the outlet is offered in the same size across the US, UK, and Australia. However, in the US it has a horizontal orientation when inserted into a power outlet, while in the UK and Australia, it sits in a power outlet vertically.
The front of the smart plug features a single socket and a white LED that illuminates when the plug is switched on. It flashes when the plug is in set-up mode. Unfortunately, there’s no Wi-Fi indicator that alerts you to any connectivity issues, and there isn’t a manual power button, either – something many other smart plugs such as Eve Energy offer.
Performance
- Instant control using app
- Fiddly setup
- Visual power-on indicator
The IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet proved fiddly to set up. In fact, it’s the most complicated smart plug with which to get started we’ve tested to date. As we’ve already mentioned, the outlet requires a gateway to work, which must first be connected to your router and then detected by the app. Next, a steering device must be paired with the gateway – and that’s all before you can start to set up the smart plug itself – this involves unscrewing the back of the steering device and pressing the button inside to pair the outlet to the gateway.
Once that’s all been completed, you can rename it and manually control it. During testing, we found the plug switched on and off instantly when controlled via the app. The ‘click’ coupled with the LED illuminating when switching on and off was reassuring.
We were able to group devices together, although the maximum number that can be connected to a steering device is 10. If you want to add more smart home devices to the gateway, you’ll need to invest in another steering device.
While we were able to set schedules for the smart plug to switch on and off at set times, we were disappointed to find there’s no Away mode that switches the plug on or off at random times. Nor are there any energy monitoring features.
App
- Easy to navigate
- Integration with Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit
- Quickly create schedules for the smart plug
The IKEA Home Smart app is extremely easy to navigate, with the different devices grouped in ‘rooms’ visible on opening the app. The clock icon in the top left-hand corner lets you easily set schedules, with as many or as few devices as you choose controlled at once. In the opposite corner, a cog provides quick access to settings for adding new devices and enabling integration with Alexa, Google Assistant, or HomeKit.
However, as already mentioned, features such as Away mode and energy monitoring features are lacking.
Should I buy the IKEA Tradfri wireless control outlet?
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First reviewed: June 2021
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