Product Library / Smart Lighting
Research profile · last verified 2026-09-18⚠ Similar names, different products: ⚠ VARMBLIXT IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS UNDER ONE NAME, and buying the wrong one gets you a lamp with no radio in it. The original VARMBLIXT — Sabine Marcelis's orange glass donut — is a plain dimmable LED fixture with no smart anything, and IKEA still sells it (article 905.251.50) alongside a bronze wall/mirror lamp from the same line. This record is the RE-ISSUED smart version, which IKEA distinguishes in the product title itself with the word 'smart': 'VARMBLIXT LED table/wall lamp, dimmable smart/white glass color and white spectrum'. Check for 'smart' in the title and the article number on the box; the shapes look alike on a shelf.
Compatibility at a glance
Choose your platform to see its setup and functions. Your choice carries across product pages.
A connection can work while individual controls or automations remain unconfirmed. Read the connection details ↓
Protocols: THREAD · MATTER[1][4][14][20][30]
Before you buy
Only for the half you'd control from your phone, and IKEA is unusually clear about the split. The lamp ships with a pre-paired remote that dims it and switches between colours with nothing else in the house — no hub, no app, no account. To reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because this is a Matter-over-Thread device: IKEA's DIRIGERA hub does that job and is sold separately, and so does any Apple, Amazon, Google or SmartThings border router you may already own. So the honest answer is that it works out of the box as a remote-controlled lamp and becomes a smart-home device only once something in your house speaks Thread.[1][14][20]
Follow the recorded connection below. Equipment details and setup limits explain what else this path needs.
IKEA VARMBLIXT LED table/wall lamp (smart, colour and white spectrum, 12")
What you gainThis connection communicates locally.
Keep in mindCheck the function table for supported controls and routines. A connection diagram does not establish every function or remote access.
This shows the connection route, not every network cable or a shopping list. One device may provide several roles, including a Matter controller and a Thread border router. Only a Thread connection needs the Thread role. Read the equipment cards for all recorded requirements.
These paths summarize documented setup options. Check the function table for the connection covered by each recorded capability.
IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Apple Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
Named by IKEA, and this is the shelf where an Apple household does well — Matter over Thread means the lamp joins Apple Home directly over the local network, and an existing HomePod, the 2021 Apple TV 4K or the Wi-Fi + Ethernet 2022 model is already the Thread border router the lamp needs. No iCloud plan, no bridge, no IKEA account.[1][14][15][17][20][24]
Follow the recorded connection below. Equipment details and setup limits explain what else this path needs.
IKEA VARMBLIXT LED table/wall lamp (smart, colour and white spectrum, 12")
What you gainThis connection communicates locally.
Keep in mindCheck the function table for supported controls and routines. A connection diagram does not establish every function or remote access.
This shows the connection route, not every network cable or a shopping list. One device may provide several roles, including a Matter controller and a Thread border router. Only a Thread connection needs the Thread role. Read the equipment cards for all recorded requirements.
These paths summarize documented setup options. Check the function table for the connection covered by each recorded capability.
IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Google Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
On the same first-party compatibility list, by the same Matter-over-Thread route. Same bound: the feature set is Matter's, not IKEA's app's.[1][14][15][18][20][25]
Follow the recorded connection below. Equipment details and setup limits explain what else this path needs.
IKEA VARMBLIXT LED table/wall lamp (smart, colour and white spectrum, 12")
What you gainThis connection communicates locally.
Keep in mindCheck the function table for supported controls and routines. A connection diagram does not establish every function or remote access.
This shows the connection route, not every network cable or a shopping list. One device may provide several roles, including a Matter controller and a Thread border router. Only a Thread connection needs the Thread role. Read the equipment cards for all recorded requirements.
These paths summarize documented setup options. Check the function table for the connection covered by each recorded capability.
IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Alexa, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
Named in IKEA's own compatibility list — the lamp is 'compatible with smart systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and the route is Matter over Thread rather than a cloud skill, which is why the transport is local. ⚠ What Matter gives you is bounded by Matter: a colour bulb's on/off, brightness and colour are expressible; anything IKEA's own app does beyond that may not cross over.[1][14][15][16][20][23]
Follow the recorded connection below. Equipment details and setup limits explain what else this path needs.
IKEA VARMBLIXT LED table/wall lamp (smart, colour and white spectrum, 12")
What you gainThis connection communicates locally.
Keep in mindCheck the function table for supported controls and routines. A connection diagram does not establish every function or remote access.
This shows the connection route, not every network cable or a shopping list. One device may provide several roles, including a Matter controller and a Thread border router. Only a Thread connection needs the Thread role. Read the equipment cards for all recorded requirements.
These paths summarize documented setup options. Check the function table for the connection covered by each recorded capability.
IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For SmartThings, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-14
IKEA names Samsung in its compatibility list, reached the same way — as a Matter controller over Thread rather than through a cloud-to-cloud linked service.[1][14][19][20]
There is not enough model-specific evidence to draw a supported connection. Read the evidence and limits below.
IKEA's list is explicitly open. The lamp is 'Built on the open standard Matter and is compatible with smart systems from, for example, Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and a list prefaced with 'for example' does not rule Home Assistant out. No Home Assistant documentation naming VARMBLIXT was found either, so this stays unanswered rather than unsupported. ⊕ Worth knowing generally: Home Assistant can control Matter devices, so a Matter light joined over Thread is the case most likely to work — but we don't publish that general rule as a compatibility claim for this lamp.[1][8][14][20]
Required for phone/app control and automations, not for the lamp's own operation. IKEA names its DIRIGERA hub for this role and sells it separately; any Matter controller with a Thread border router is the general case, which is what IKEA's own compatibility list implies by naming Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung.[1][14][20]
One device can provide more than one role. These are setup requirements, not a shopping list of separate purchases.
What could you do with this?
Start with a documented control or event. The selected connection shows what is confirmed for that platform.
Apple Home · Works
This device supports on/off.
Setup: Thread border router
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Apple Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
Named by IKEA, and this is the shelf where an Apple household does well — Matter over Thread means the lamp joins Apple Home directly over the local network, and an existing HomePod, the 2021 Apple TV 4K or the Wi-Fi + Ethernet 2022 model is already the Thread border router the lamp needs. No iCloud plan, no bridge, no IKEA account.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [17] [20] [24]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
support.apple.com · checked 2026-10-07
Apple Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
Apple Home · Works
This device supports brightness.
Setup: Thread border router
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Apple Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
Named by IKEA, and this is the shelf where an Apple household does well — Matter over Thread means the lamp joins Apple Home directly over the local network, and an existing HomePod, the 2021 Apple TV 4K or the Wi-Fi + Ethernet 2022 model is already the Thread border router the lamp needs. No iCloud plan, no bridge, no IKEA account.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [17] [20] [24]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
support.apple.com · checked 2026-10-07
Apple Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
Apple Home · Works
This device supports color.
Setup: Thread border router
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Apple Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
Named by IKEA, and this is the shelf where an Apple household does well — Matter over Thread means the lamp joins Apple Home directly over the local network, and an existing HomePod, the 2021 Apple TV 4K or the Wi-Fi + Ethernet 2022 model is already the Thread border router the lamp needs. No iCloud plan, no bridge, no IKEA account.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [17] [20] [24]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
support.apple.com · checked 2026-10-07
Apple Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
Google Home · Works
This device supports on/off.
Setup: Thread border router, a hub for Google Home (a Nest speaker or display, Nest Wifi Pro, the Google TV Streamer, or a compatible TV)
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Google Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a hub for Google Home (a Nest speaker or display, Nest Wifi Pro, the Google TV Streamer, or a compatible TV). Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
On the same first-party compatibility list, by the same Matter-over-Thread route. Same bound: the feature set is Matter's, not IKEA's app's.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [18] [20] [25]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
developers.home.google.com · checked 2026-10-07
Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-10-03
Google Home · Works
This device supports brightness.
Setup: Thread border router, a hub for Google Home (a Nest speaker or display, Nest Wifi Pro, the Google TV Streamer, or a compatible TV)
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Google Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a hub for Google Home (a Nest speaker or display, Nest Wifi Pro, the Google TV Streamer, or a compatible TV). Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
On the same first-party compatibility list, by the same Matter-over-Thread route. Same bound: the feature set is Matter's, not IKEA's app's.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [18] [20] [25]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
developers.home.google.com · checked 2026-10-07
Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-10-03
Google Home · Works
This device supports color.
Setup: Thread border router, a hub for Google Home (a Nest speaker or display, Nest Wifi Pro, the Google TV Streamer, or a compatible TV)
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Google Home, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a hub for Google Home (a Nest speaker or display, Nest Wifi Pro, the Google TV Streamer, or a compatible TV). Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
On the same first-party compatibility list, by the same Matter-over-Thread route. Same bound: the feature set is Matter's, not IKEA's app's.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [18] [20] [25]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
developers.home.google.com · checked 2026-10-07
Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-10-03
Alexa · Works
This device supports brightness.
Setup: Thread border router, a Matter-capable Amazon Echo or eero device
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Alexa, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a Matter-capable Amazon Echo or eero device. Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
Named in IKEA's own compatibility list — the lamp is 'compatible with smart systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and the route is Matter over Thread rather than a cloud skill, which is why the transport is local. ⚠ What Matter gives you is bounded by Matter: a colour bulb's on/off, brightness and colour are expressible; anything IKEA's own app does beyond that may not cross over.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [16] [20] [23]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
developer.amazon.com · checked 2026-10-07
Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
Alexa · Works
This device supports on/off.
Setup: Thread border router, a Matter-capable Amazon Echo or eero device
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Alexa, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a Matter-capable Amazon Echo or eero device. Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
Named in IKEA's own compatibility list — the lamp is 'compatible with smart systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and the route is Matter over Thread rather than a cloud skill, which is why the transport is local. ⚠ What Matter gives you is bounded by Matter: a colour bulb's on/off, brightness and colour are expressible; anything IKEA's own app does beyond that may not cross over.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [16] [20] [23]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
developer.amazon.com · checked 2026-10-07
Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
Alexa · Works
This device supports color.
Setup: Thread border router, a Matter-capable Amazon Echo or eero device
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For Alexa, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a Matter-capable Amazon Echo or eero device. Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-11
Named in IKEA's own compatibility list — the lamp is 'compatible with smart systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and the route is Matter over Thread rather than a cloud skill, which is why the transport is local. ⚠ What Matter gives you is bounded by Matter: a colour bulb's on/off, brightness and colour are expressible; anything IKEA's own app does beyond that may not cross over.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [15] [16] [20] [23]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
developer.amazon.com · checked 2026-10-07
Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
SmartThings · Works
This device supports on/off.
Setup: Thread border router, a Matter-compatible SmartThings hub
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For SmartThings, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a Matter-compatible SmartThings hub. SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-14
IKEA names Samsung in its compatibility list, reached the same way — as a Matter controller over Thread rather than through a cloud-to-cloud linked service.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [19] [20]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-07
SmartThings · Works
This device supports brightness.
Setup: Thread border router, a Matter-compatible SmartThings hub
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For SmartThings, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a Matter-compatible SmartThings hub. SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-14
IKEA names Samsung in its compatibility list, reached the same way — as a Matter controller over Thread rather than through a cloud-to-cloud linked service.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [19] [20]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-07
SmartThings · Works
This device supports color.
Setup: Thread border router, a Matter-compatible SmartThings hub
Thread border router. IKEA: the lamp's pre-paired remote dims it and changes colour with no hub, but to reach it from a phone or put it in an automation you need a Thread border router, because it is a Matter-over-Thread device. For SmartThings, a border router you already own from that platform does the job, as does IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, sold separately.
a Matter-compatible SmartThings hub. SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-14
IKEA names Samsung in its compatibility list, reached the same way — as a Matter controller over Thread rather than through a cloud-to-cloud linked service.
Connection documentation: [1] [14] [19] [20]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-07
Home Assistant · Inconclusive
This device supports on/off.
Setup: See the equipment information above.
IKEA's list is explicitly open. The lamp is 'Built on the open standard Matter and is compatible with smart systems from, for example, Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and a list prefaced with 'for example' does not rule Home Assistant out. No Home Assistant documentation naming VARMBLIXT was found either, so this stays unanswered rather than unsupported. ⊕ Worth knowing generally: Home Assistant can control Matter devices, so a Matter light joined over Thread is the case most likely to work — but we don't publish that general rule as a compatibility claim for this lamp.
Connection documentation: [1] [8] [14] [20]
Device documentation: [3] [14] [20]
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
A documented control or event is one part of a setup. It does not by itself establish a complete automation.
A platform connection does not confirm every function. Controls and reported events are shown separately from what an automation can use.
Compare all five platforms. On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways.
| Device function | Apple HomeWorks[1][14][15][17][20][24] | Google HomeWorks[1][14][15][18][20][25] | AlexaWorks[1][14][15][16][20][23] | SmartThingsWorks[1][14][19][20] | Home AssistantInconclusive[1][8][14][20] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On/offDevice control | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ? not stated | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Inconclusive Automation — |
| BrightnessDevice control | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Inconclusive Automation — |
| ColorDevice control | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ? not stated | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Inconclusive Automation — |
| Color temperatureDevice control | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ? not stated | Control Supported for this Matter device type Automation ✓ routines can use it | Control Inconclusive Automation — |
✓ Documented for this connection. × A stated limit. ◐ A partial function. ? Not established. A listed device function does not establish a complete routine, its other equipment or any plan requirements.
Matter device-type support is based on the platform’s list for this kind of device; this exact model is not named.
Named by IKEA, and this is the shelf where an Apple household does well — Matter over Thread means the lamp joins Apple Home directly over the local network, and an existing HomePod, the 2021 Apple TV 4K or the Wi-Fi + Ethernet 2022 model is already the Thread border router the lamp needs. No iCloud plan, no bridge, no IKEA account.[1][14][15][17][20][24]
On the same first-party compatibility list, by the same Matter-over-Thread route. Same bound: the feature set is Matter's, not IKEA's app's.[1][14][15][18][20][25]
Named in IKEA's own compatibility list — the lamp is 'compatible with smart systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and the route is Matter over Thread rather than a cloud skill, which is why the transport is local. ⚠ What Matter gives you is bounded by Matter: a colour bulb's on/off, brightness and colour are expressible; anything IKEA's own app does beyond that may not cross over.[1][14][15][16][20][23]
IKEA names Samsung in its compatibility list, reached the same way — as a Matter controller over Thread rather than through a cloud-to-cloud linked service.[1][14][19][20]
IKEA's list is explicitly open. The lamp is 'Built on the open standard Matter and is compatible with smart systems from, for example, Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and a list prefaced with 'for example' does not rule Home Assistant out. No Home Assistant documentation naming VARMBLIXT was found either, so this stays unanswered rather than unsupported. ⊕ Worth knowing generally: Home Assistant can control Matter devices, so a Matter light joined over Thread is the case most likely to work — but we don't publish that general rule as a compatibility claim for this lamp.[1][8][14][20]
Platform documentation:
ikea.com · checked 2026-10-07
support.apple.com · checked 2026-10-07
Apple Home — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
developers.home.google.com · checked 2026-10-07
Google Home — Matter path · checked 2026-10-03
developer.amazon.com · checked 2026-10-07
Alexa — Matter path · checked 2026-09-04
SmartThings — Matter path · checked 2026-10-07
Listed device functions are established from vendor documentation. An ability missing here is unestablished, not necessarily absent.
| Ecosystem | Support | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Alexa | WorksWorks with this ecosystem[1][14][15][16][20][23] | Named in IKEA's own compatibility list — the lamp is 'compatible with smart systems from Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and the route is Matter over Thread rather than a cloud skill, which is why the transport is local. ⚠ What Matter gives you is bounded by Matter: a colour bulb's on/off, brightness and colour are expressible; anything IKEA's own app does beyond that may not cross over.In Amazon Alexa you also need: a Thread border router · a Matter-capable Amazon Echo or eero device — Alexa’s rule for every Matter accessory. Source (read 2026-09-11) |
| Google Home | WorksWorks with this ecosystem[1][14][15][18][20][25] | On the same first-party compatibility list, by the same Matter-over-Thread route. Same bound: the feature set is Matter's, not IKEA's app's.In Google Home you also need: a Thread border router · a hub for Google Home (a Nest speaker or display, Nest Wifi Pro, the Google TV Streamer, or a compatible TV) — Google Home’s rule for every Matter accessory. Source (read 2026-09-11) |
| Apple Home | WorksWorks with this ecosystem[1][14][15][17][20][24] | Named by IKEA, and this is the shelf where an Apple household does well — Matter over Thread means the lamp joins Apple Home directly over the local network, and an existing HomePod, the 2021 Apple TV 4K or the Wi-Fi + Ethernet 2022 model is already the Thread border router the lamp needs. No iCloud plan, no bridge, no IKEA account.In Apple Home you also need: a Thread border router |
| SmartThings | WorksWorks with this ecosystem[1][14][19][20] | IKEA names Samsung in its compatibility list, reached the same way — as a Matter controller over Thread rather than through a cloud-to-cloud linked service.In SmartThings you also need: a Thread border router · a Matter-compatible SmartThings hub — SmartThings’s rule for every Matter accessory. Source (read 2026-10-14) |
| Home Assistant | InconclusiveWe researched this and the evidence doesn't settle it — the catch explains why[1][8][14][20] | IKEA's list is explicitly open. The lamp is 'Built on the open standard Matter and is compatible with smart systems from, for example, Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung' — and a list prefaced with 'for example' does not rule Home Assistant out. No Home Assistant documentation naming VARMBLIXT was found either, so this stays unanswered rather than unsupported. ⊕ Worth knowing generally: Home Assistant can control Matter devices, so a Matter light joined over Thread is the case most likely to work — but we don't publish that general rule as a compatibility claim for this lamp. |
? Inconclusive means we researched that ecosystem and the evidence doesn’t settle it — the catch says why, and the sources are listed below. It is a statement about the available evidence, never a verdict on the product. A Setup Check researches your exact setup where the official sources don’t answer.
✓ Works without a subscription: Yes.
Vendor account required: Not established — we have not sourced this yet.
No plan, tier or fee is named anywhere on the product page — which is IKEA's pattern across this catalogue and one of the reasons its lighting keeps appearing here. The included remote works with no account at all, and the app path costs a hub rather than a subscription.
It is a 180-lumen accent light, not a room light — at 3.4 watts this is glow rather than illumination, and the price is buying Sabine Marcelis's glass shape as much as the electronics. The smart half also has a prerequisite most people discover after unboxing: Matter over Thread means you need a Thread border router (IKEA's DIRIGERA, or a Thread-capable Apple TV 4K, HomePod, Echo or SmartThings hub you already own) before your phone can touch it. Without one you have a lamp and its remote. And check the title before you buy — IKEA sells a non-smart VARMBLIXT of similar shape.
Someone who wants the design object first and the smart lighting second, in a house that already has a Thread border router — an Apple household with a HomePod or a Thread-capable Apple TV 4K gets the fullest version of this lamp with nothing extra to buy. It also suits anyone wanting a colour accent that still works as a plain remote-controlled lamp for houseguests who will never open an app.
This opens IKEA's own website. We earn nothing from this link.
Numbered sources below back the facts marked with the matching number above. This is a research profile: compiled from manufacturer documentation, certification registries, and published testing — we state facts, not verdicts, and we have not physically tested this unit. How we work →
Compatibility and lifecycle information reflects the last-verified date above and can change without notice (firmware updates, cloud-service changes, discontinuations). It is provided as-is, for information — verify with the manufacturer before purchasing. Spot an error? Tell us and we'll fix it. Full terms: Terms of Service.
Your platform, exact hub and the functions you need determine the answer. A Setup Check researches how they fit together.