What’s up with IKEA’s new Matter products?
Over the weekend, several reports raised concerns about IKEA’s new Matter smart home range. Based on hands-on use and broader public feedback, however, the situation appears to be more diverse than a single cause.
Many conversations stem from reporting by Jennifer Tuohy of The Vergewhere he and his colleagues highlighted repeated pairing problems during the experiment. Jennifer has years of experience reviewing smart home products, and her reporting should be taken seriously. It is important not to dismiss the findings, especially if they come from an experiment controlled by an experienced reviewer.
At the same time, my experience has been very different. I have paired ten IKEA Matter devices so far, only one encountered a problem during setup. That device paired successfully on the second attempt, something I also noted in my original review. In addition, the remaining devices joined the network quickly and behaved reliably in daily use from mid-December 2025. In fact, during my most recent review of the Kajplats color bulb, I ended up reducing the installation part of the script because the pairing process was faster than any product I have tested in a long time.
What a comprehensive and revealing answer
So far, I have published reviews that include bulbs in Bilresa and Kajplats. Between them, those videos have generated over 100,000 views and nearly 200 comments, providing a useful snapshot of users’ extensive knowledge. Although some commenters have reported pairing problems, most have not encountered major problems.
It’s also worth noting that some early reviewers are reporting very positive experiences with IKEA’s new Matter appliances. While not all setups have been trouble-free, the common theme across most reviews points to successful pairing and stable day-to-day use once the devices are online. That broader context suggests that the experience is not universally bad, even at this early stage.
A similar pattern emerged in a TikTok video I made, where the response was mixed instead of overly critical. Some users report setup frustration, while others describe quick pairing and reliable performance.
It’s also important to note that users on the Tradfri subreddit are reporting problems that match what’s being discussed elsewhere. However, within that same series, there are also many reports of smooth installation and good results. Taken together, this suggests that while problems exist, they do not affect everyone equally or to the same extent.
Role of Thread network
This leads to an important point. It may be too early to conclude that the problem lies mainly with IKEA’s use of Matter. The underlying network layer, Thread, plays a key role in how these devices pair and work.
The series is designed to be robust, but real-world performance varies greatly depending on the placement of border routers, device density, and overall network architecture. Similar to Wi-Fi, a poorly installed Thread network can cause instability, even if the technology itself is sound. There is a growing perception that Thread is inherently strong without requiring careful setup, which is not always the case.
In 2025, I personally experienced issues related to Thread, including devices failing to pair and becoming unresponsive over time. Addressing those issues required changes to my personal network, including my Apple TV 4K hardwiring. That stability improvement has had a noticeable impact on how the Matter over Thread device fits and works in my home. I posted a video on the steps I took and this may help you.
Is this really an IKEA problem
While some users are clearly running into problems, there is currently no concrete evidence that points to a significant flaw in the implementation of IKEA’s Matter itself. At the same time, there is also no conclusive evidence that Thread’s network deployment is the only cause. Much of what we have today is based on individual experiences, including mine.
That distinction is important. As adoption of Matter continues to grow, it becomes increasingly likely that some early problems caused by individual products will eventually be traced back to underlying network conditions rather than the resources themselves. We’ve seen this pattern before. In the early days of HomeKit, limitations around Bluetooth range and reliability often caused devices to appear slow or unresponsive. Similarly, as WiFi-based smart homes proliferate, congested networks often lead to delayed responses and inconsistent performance.
For now, the new IKEA Matter range feels less like a warning and more like a reminder that Matter and Thread are still growing in real homes. Keeping an open mind, and accepting multiple influencing factors, is important as the ecosystem continues to evolve.
