an efficient and much cheaper light strip than Philips Hue

Lightstrips are not the most financially accessible luminous connected objects. The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip test is therefore welcome for those on a tight budget, while being ready for the future of the smart home with the support of Matter.

In the Matter universe, Nanoleaf is the first manufacturer to offer luminous connected objects compatible with the new protocol. After our test of the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Bulb E27, we sift through the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip. This flexible light strip must therefore participate in creating the perfect lighting atmosphere for your eyes.

A classic proposal, which must here take advantage of the qualities of simplicity and interoperability that Matter promises.

Design and functionality: the essentials do not change

This product is identical to the brand’s previous connected light strip, the support for Matter is the only notable difference. The starter kit therefore includes a light strip of two meters for 1.5 cm in width.

If you feel the need, you can then add extensions of one meter within a limit of 10 m maximum. The headband connects to a rather imposing control box with dimensions of 9.5 x 3.6 x 1.78 cm, which ends with a 1.80 m power cable.

The Lightstrip consists of a face comprising 95 LEDs for a color temperature ranging from 2,700 K to 6,500 K, with a maximum light output of 2,200 lumens.

The control box allows you to start or cut the power supply, change color and adjust the light output. For a product at 44.99 euros, we benefit from a very satisfactory good manufacturing quality.

Installation and configuration: simplicity as a key word

The side opposite the LEDs is covered with double-sided tape. Installation around a screen, a piece of furniture, under a sofa or even a kitchen worktop is extremely simple. The headband is very flexible and bends over 90° without difficulty. The adhesive is effective and attaches to really all smooth surfaces. To avoid having to re-glue it several times, take the time to install “dummy», with a string for example, in order to have a precise idea of ​​the positioning before moving on to the actual installation.

The software part of the installation is not very complex. Whether you use Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Alexa, or the Nanoleaf application, the operation is identical! Only one prerequisite is necessary, having a Matter hub such as a connected speaker (Apple HomePod, Amazon Echo or Google Nest) or a latest generation Apple TV 4K.

With our Google Pixel 7 Pro, we have almost nothing to do. Android alerts us that it has detected a Matter product and offers us to launch the installation process in Google Home. On iOS, you will have to go through the Home application to associate it with Home Kit.

In all cases, you will be asked to scan the QR Code Matter present on the product; on Android the operation is carried out without a hitch. On iOS, however, the QR Code was not recognized by the Home application, while the product is clearly identified when we launch a manual search. By using the Matter nine-digit numeric code below the QR Code, we were able to start the pairing process without difficulty. After less than two minutes, the operation is complete and you can start using your light strip.

In the Home or Google Home applications our possibilities are limited, even if they are sufficient. Thus, we can set the color (among six) and the power of the brightness. While it is very easy to integrate them into groups of bulbs and create connected home scenarios, we do not have access to the Adaptive Light function of the Apple ecosystem. Something that will normally be available in the future, but no time horizon has been given to us.

The Nanoleaf app provides access to more settings. Thus, a color wheel makes it possible to choose more finely the colors displayed. It is possible to create circadian lighting to adjust it to your sleeping and waking rhythm. Unlike the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Bulb E27, this strip light is compatible with scenarios and light modes available for download in the app. So we have a wealth of visual effects, but we have to add two caveats.

Dynamic animations related to music will only be available if you have Nanoleaf panels with this function and this banner can only display one color at a time. Impossible to obtain several different shades simultaneously or to create a visual effect of movement.

In use: efficient and practical

Nanoleaf announces a light strip with a maximum power of 1,100 lumens and therefore capable of displaying more than 16 million colors. But let’s start with the whites first.

In this mode, we have a quality light, whether soft and warm or cold and precise, the lighting is very satisfactory. Placed above a worktop, this product will provide enough power for your most precise cooking activities. In a living room or bedroom, if the headband is installed behind you, it may be sufficient to allow comfortable reading at 80/100% power. Below 50%, on the other hand, it becomes impossible, the same if the product is located in front of you.

Now let’s move on to color. Again, we are very happy with it. The color wheel allows you to select colors in a very natural way and offers a wide choice. This is a great tool for creating a light mood with two flats.

This banner does not display several colors simultaneously or create movement effects. So if you have in mind to create a dynamic lighting atmosphere related to music, video games or home cinema, this is not the best choice. If your focus is more interior design, then it becomes much more interesting.

During our test of the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Bulb E27 we noticed several small flaws related to the youth of Matter. Thus, we do not have access to all the features that the Nanoleaf application offers via Home Kit or Google Home. Or, on paper, Matter proposes to unify installations between hubs of different ecosystems via an installation code. An operation that is still erratic.

However, these are flaws that should be quickly corrected, Matter being supported by the entire industry, which is reassuring for the future.

Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip Pricing and Availability

The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip is available at a price of 49.99 euros for a starter kit of 2 meters and 79.99 euros for 5 meters on the manufacturer’s website and at partner resellers such as Amazon.