Whether you are looking for a simple plug-in unit to light a dark hallway or a lamp that can help promote sleep, there's a Matter-compatible night light for almost any need.
Yes, IKEA, take my money.
Top Matter categories to follow in 2026
Features are important, but so is the type of battery that enables it all to happen.
I took a chance on many Matter products this year, and my home is better off for it.
Not every Matter product I purchased this year was a winner, but these four have become cherished additions to my home.
Here are my overall takes on how Matter has evolved the smart home in 2025.
What’s going on with Matter participants?
Matter isn't only for apps and voice assistants.
Matter over Thread is elegant in theory and infuriating in practice. From broken meshes to zero debugging, here’s why Wi-Fi still wins in my smart home.
One of the easiest ways to start building a Matter-compatible smart home is to head to IKEA. But it’s not immediately clear which IKEA devices will work with Matter, and which ones are tied to IKEA’s previous smart home platform, TRADFRI. So, to help you out, we’ve collected all of IKEA’s smart home devices with Matter compatibility in one place.
Next-gen Matter devices will be easier to set up with enhanced NFC features.
Gone are the days of twinkly white lights with five patterns; now you can have a rainbow cornucopia of music-reactive and Matter-compatible smart lighting to lift the holiday spirits.
Matter Camera could arrive faster than expected.
Lockly Secure Link adapters add Matter compatibility to existing Wi-Fi smart locks, enabling unified control and automation within major smart home platforms, despite minor limitations.
Your Matter sensors’ batteries will soon last longer.
More details show up as new Ikea Matter devices become available in Sweden.
Matter smart switches keep regular function (low friction) but have glowing lights; main benefit is checking all lights at a glance for under $1,000 total cost.
There are many reasons to want smart devices, but notifications may not be one of them after all.
It's the smart features that really Matter.