IKEA’s route into the smart home world began with some Wi-Fi bulbs and the TRADFRI smart home hub. This launched in 2017, and served its purpose reasonably well until its second hub, the DIRIGERA, was launched in 2022.
But two years since its launch, IKEA’s second smart home hub has almost become its third. A series of remarkable firmware updates have upgraded the seeming basic puck-shaped hub into a comparatively powerful smart home hub.
Here are five things that have changed on the IKEA DIRIGERA.
1. Full Matter controller capabilities
When I first started writing about Matter, I had a Samsung SmartThings-equipped TV, but it seemed necessary to expand its capabilities with a Matter bridge. So, I bought the DIRIGERA, and it fulfilled the role perfectly.
But now, I have two Matter controllers: the Samsung SmartThings TV, and the IKEA DIRIGERA. A major firmware update in 2025 turned the unassuming Matter bridge into a full Matter controller, enabling the addition of both IKEA and non-IKEA devices.
Additionally, its new Matter controller guise enables other Matter ecosystems to connect to the same devices. So, you can control them within IKEA Home (the IKEA smart home app for Android and iPhone) or on whatever other Matter app you use.
2. Active Thread Border Router
The DIRIGERA wasn’t only released with the necessary hardware to support operation as a Matter controller. Other hardware was also dormant, including the radio system to support Thread.
(Thread is not the same as Matter -- Thread is a mesh networking system with low power and long range, and is best explained in this video.)
So, this means that the IKEA DIRIGERA can handle low power mesh networking. IKEA has released several products in this category, such as the KLIPPBOK water leak sensor (and others) and has new bulbs and light drivers planned with Thread.
The real strength of Thread is that it operates beyond Wi-Fi, so reduces Wi-Fi congestion. However, there is a limit to how many devices you can connect and maintain responsiveness, and keep in mind the IKEA DIRIGERA is already doing a lot for the price. In short, don’t overdo it on the Thread!
IKEA has 21 Matter over Thread devices, and more are being added.
3. Matter and Thread 1.4 support
Matter controller and Thread support don’t exist in a vacuum for the IKEA DIRIGERA. The Swedish home interior giant has maintained development of the device, ensuring it remains updated with the latest Matter specification.
DIRIGERA
At the time of writing, this means Matter 1.4 and Thread 1.4 certification (not that these are achieved separately). Such updates are important for multiple reasons, but two stand out. First, it ensures that security, credential sharing, and stability are paramount when it comes to connecting to other smart home ecosystems.
Second, and probably slightly more importantly, each Matter revision brings support for new device types. (It should be noted, however, that each ecosystem can add device category support as specified for each new Matter revision based on its own timetable; one ecosystem might deliver support for a specific device before another.)
4. Energy monitoring insights
One of the key strengths of Matter – and one of the things that can get a whole household interested in the smart home technology – is its support for energy monitoring. Introduced in Matter 1.3, this is a feature that isn’t uniformly presented, not even in smart plugs.
However, it is supported by the IKEA DIRIGERA, with the most recent firmware updates adding the ability to track and monitor energy use in real time. So if you’re using an IKEA smart plug like the GRILLPLATS, you can view how much energy is used by the device connected to it.
GRILLPLATS Smart Plug
A smart Matter over Thread plug with power meter support.
GRILLPLATS Smart Plug
A smart Matter over Thread plug with power meter support.
This information can also be shared with other Matter ecosystems like Google Home, Apple Home, etc. and it has various advantages. For example, you can use it to assess whether the “low power” device you recently bought is as efficient as the promotional documentation claimed. Alternatively, energy monitoring can highlight just where you’re spending money unnecessarily.
Energy monitoring can also be used as a trigger for automations. However, this isn’t currently a feature that you can use in the IKEA Home app, as its automation engine is pretty limited in comparison to other tools. So, you’ll need to be using Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, or Amazon Alexa to enjoy any energy monitoring-based automations or scenes.
5. Backward compatibility with older IKEA smart home gear
Perhaps the most impressive thing about the IKEA DIRIGERA is that it remains compatible with older IKEA smart home products. These are largely bulbs and light drivers that can be controlled remotely.
Despite shifting to a new protocol and supporting later versions of Zigbee, the DIRIGERA has maintained and improved touchlink commissioning capabilities, allowing it to seamlessly bridge older TRADFRI products. In addition, the SYMFONISK sound devices that resulted from an IKEA and Sonos collaboration also remain compatible with the DIRIGERA.
Both hardware lines rely on the Zigbee protocol, and their continued support by IKEA is reassuring. One of the key philosophies of Matter is that it should reduce electronic waste (“e-waste”) so maintaining support for older tech is valuable. There is no sense in sending perfectly functional and relevant tech to landfill, and it seems IKEA recognizes this.
What else could the IKEA DIRIGERA deliver?
At this stage, it seems likely that IKEA’s focus for this device is to ensure a reliable Matter experience for everyone. Despite a minor rise, the price remains remarkable, especially in the context of global supply chain and RAM issues.
In terms of hardware functionality, we suspect no striking new features are likely to be added to the DIRIGERA. Based on the five-year duration of the TRADFRI before the DIRIGERA came along, it will probably only have another two to three years of development before being similarly replaced.
However, we hope that it will be maintained with firmware/security updates, per the philosophy of Matter. After all, we need less e-waste!
