Ikea’s new Liljebagge can turn an ordinary radiator into a smart one, controllable from a phone and compatible with Matter. Its price could turn out to be its biggest weapon against established smart home brands.
Ikea keeps pushing into smart heating
Ikea continues its expansion into the smart home space, this time turning to the radiator. The new Liljebagge replaces the standard thermostat on water based radiators, allowing users to control temperature from their phone, set schedules, and adjust heating differently from room to room.
An aggressive price point
The price is striking. In Sweden, Ikea has priced the Liljebagge at 199 Swedish kronor, equivalent to roughly 134 Danish kroner. By comparison, smart radiator thermostats from brands such as Aqara and Tado currently cost at least double that on the Danish market.
Matter support without an Ikea lock-in
Liljebagge uses Matter over Thread, meaning it is not tied to Ikea’s own smart home system. Ikea states that the thermostat can be used alongside platforms including Apple, Google, Amazon, Homey and Samsung. Controlling it from a phone does require a Thread Border Router, such as Ikea’s own Dirigera hub.
The thermostat ships with six adapters, meaning it should fit most water based radiators, though it does not work with electric radiators. Power comes from two AA batteries, which are not included.
Built in frost protection and maintenance features
Ikea has also built in frost protection, and the thermostat automatically moves the valve every two weeks to help prevent limescale buildup. If the home loses its internet connection, the thermostat continues running at its most recently set temperature and can still be operated manually.
Denmark launch still unconfirmed
The Liljebagge has appeared at Ikea in Sweden, while a Danish and Norwegian price and launch date have not yet been announced.
