February 11, 2026, 2:46 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Ikea aimed to take a significant step with its new Smart Home line. The goal was clear: affordable products that easily collaborate with devices from other manufacturers thanks to Matter over Thread. But now there are plenty of problems.
Products like the Bilresa Button or Kajplats light bulbs were intended to make entry into the connected home easier. However, many users are already encountering difficulties during setup. While the technology works as planned in numerous households, a significant portion of the community reports major issues with connecting the devices.
Connection Failures and Failed Pairings
In online forums such as the Subreddit for Tradfri, users share their experiences in detail. The most common issues involve devices that cannot be paired or lose their connection. One user reported that out of 60 installed Bilresa Buttons, only 31 could be permanently integrated into the system, resulting in a success rate of just over half.
Long-term tests also showed that some sensors only respond after many restarts or fail completely. Such reports suggest a deeper underlying problem. Matter is supposed to eliminate these hurdles and simplify the collaboration between different devices.
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Google Home Adds to the Challenges
The software of major platforms also complicates the daily lives of some users. Owners of Google Home systems, in particular, faced limitations. Google Home did not recognize Matter switches like the Bilresa Button as triggers for automations for a long time. Automations are processes where devices independently perform certain actions, such as turning on a lamp.
It wasn’t until version 4.8 on February 2, 2026, that Google provided direct support for Matter Buttons. However, initial user tests showed that this update did not resolve all issues. Commands sometimes arrive late or fail to trigger any action.
What Ikea Says
Despite the criticism, Ikea remains committed to its strategy. David Granath, a manager at Ikea, told “The Verge” that the products “work seamlessly for most customers.” At the same time, he acknowledged that connection issues occur in certain environments. Ikea has recognized these difficulties and is investigating them further. According to Granath, a dedicated team is working with the Connectivity Standards Alliance, or CSA, on the issue. This organization develops and oversees the Matter standard. The goal is to better understand the causes of the errors and find solutions.
As of February 2026, the situation remains challenging for customers. The devices are appealing due to their low price and modern technology. At the same time, it is evident that a fully functional Smart Home with Matter is not yet a reality everywhere. Those who are patient will find a lot of technology for their money at Ikea. Those expecting immediate reliability may currently face disappointment.
Matter is a unified standard for Smart Homes. It aims to ensure that lamps, switches, or sensors from different brands can communicate with each other. Thread is the wireless network that connects these devices. It operates energy-efficiently and is designed to function without a central control unit.