One of the most popular choices for home decor is decorative bulbs, especially those in the Edison style. They look like they came straight out of a movie set.
These types of bulbs have a more aesthetic application than functional bulbs, but the classic look and warm light make them a common choice for lighting a home office. The costs for this kind of bulb tend to be prohibitive, but Ikea has launched its first decorative bulb in the Tradfri line for a mere $10.
Compared to the similar product from other brands at $25, Ikea holds a strong, stable place in the market and widespread appeal for consumers on a budget. Ikea continues to expand its lineup of Tradfri smart lighting with its first-ever decorative bulb.
Ikea's technology branches out as they launched smart bulbs
What is notable is the price of the bulb. At $10, this smart bulb undercuts the comparable Philips Hue bulb, which sells for $25. The big socket, E26-sized bulb glows warm as it has 2200 Kelvin, and is made to resemble the vintage Edison-style filament bulbs that are so popular in Brooklyn houses and restaurants. It is dimmable through the Ikea Home Smart application or an Ikea wireless dimmer, which is sold separately.
Still, the company does not recommend connecting it to a hardwired dimmer, which is the same for the Hue bulb. Generally, Philips Hue bulbs tend to offer better dimming than Ikea bulbs, characterized by smoother transitions, and it has a greater range of illumination. But that is going to be very important when paying an extra $15 per bulb. Ikea's good-enough, low-cost smart bulbs pose a real threat to Signify, the owner of Philips Hue.
In September, Ikea announced that its customers had bought 5 million smart bulbs and accessories during the financial year. Signify said they installed 14 million smart lights in 2018, based on their annual report, a number that includes both business and home installations. It is not an exact comparison, but Philips Hue has been selling smart bulbs since 2012, while Ikea's Tradfri range was just introduced in 2017.
Ikea, the world's largest furniture retailer, reported record sales this year while Signify, one of the world's largest lighting companies, just lowered its annual outlook citing the deteriorating market conditions. There are an estimated 26 billion light points all over the world, and only a small fraction of those are smart. In other words, the battle between Ikea and Philip Hue has only begun.
As for Ikea's Edison style bulbs, they are not intended to be used as functional lighting, which negates the need for a lot of features. As long as they can be dimmed and controlled through Ikea's smart home application, the bulbs will serve their purpose as a decorative piece in your home.
Ikea's Edison-style Tradfri bulb is available for purchase on Ikea's stores and through their website. Remember that the Tradfri remote and Gateway are sold separately, costing $16 and $35, respectively. The remote is not required, but new customers will need the Tradfri Gateway to be able to connect their smart lights to their network.
