Nanoleaf has announced a new line of smart bulbs and strips called Essentials, and it could act as a cheaper alternative to other smart lighting products on the market.
The Essentials range is somewhat different from the usual Nanoleaf products we've seen – like The Nanoleaf Shapes, Canvas and Panels. Where Nanoleaf has previously made modular art pieces out of its smart lights, at a hefty price, the Essentials are a cheaper option for your daily, more casual smart lighting needs.
Essentials, which are available as individual bulbs and strips, can be pre-ordered now – starting from just $19.99 / £17.99 / AU$39.99, which is a fraction of the cost of the Nanoleaf Shapes ($179.99 / £199.99 / AU$229.99).
The bulbs and strips have a built-in feature called circadian lighting, which is capable of "automatically adjusting its color temperature throughout the day" to match the level of light expected from that time of day or night.
Users can even set their lights to custom timing, to help adjust to irregular schedules and jet lag.
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These Essentials Bulbs provide extremely bright white lighting, too, at all colour temperatures (2700K-6500K) – boasting an average brightness of 806 lumens and a max brightness of 1,100 lumens.
True to the style of Nanoleaf, the bulb itself looks lovely. So much so that it could double as an art piece with its unique shape.
The light strip, on the other hand, has been designed with four white LEDs per set. Two of them are in warm colours, while the other two are cooler, to help you get the lighting you like best.
Each of the light strips come with 21 LED sets per meter, with purchasable expansions available too. Each light strip can be cut for users to better customise the ultimate set up for their own space too.
Nanoleaf explained in a press release that its new Essentials range is the "first-ever consumer smart lighting to work with Thread". Thread is Apple's new low latency network technology – also found in the HomePod Mini – which allows users to have a more streamlined and low-power connection to compatible products.
Essentials can also be controlled by the Nanoleaf App, HomeKit App and Google Assistant, with the light strips coming complete with a remote to change and adjust settings to your liking.
Price and availability
In the UK, you can pre-order individual Nanoleaf Essentials A19 light bulbs at £17.99, with the light strips starter kit coming in at £44.99. Nanoleaf Essential is also available to buy in the US ($19.99 USD), Canada ($24.99 CAD) and Australia ($39.99 AUD).
Essentials work without the need of a wider hub or bridge, allowing you to place them around your home with ease.
In our review of Nanoleaf products, we've typically listed the high price as a negative. This new range is definitely a great step for people who want to dip their toe into the world of smart lighting.
