With the launch of its first Matter-certified light from its Essentials range, the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip, the company is diving headfirst into Matter. The Matter Lightstrip is bright, colorful, and comes with the easy-to-use Nanoleaf app. It is available in two lengths and comes with starting and extension kits. The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip is compatible with all four of the main smart home ecosystems, including Samsung SmartThings, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon’s Alexa, because it is Matter-certified.
On paper, that’s fantastic news, but in reality, Matter is still very much in development, and I had some initial difficulties with Matter setup and connectivity. Fortunately, some of the rough spots appear to have been ironed out with a recent iOS update. There are snags to work out for the time being, but the matter will undoubtedly straighten out in the upcoming months. The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip cannot switch on and off at random while you’re on vacation, nor can it sync with music or TVs like the Nanoleaf 4D can. It also cannot shine in many hues at once. Aside from Matter-related problems, the Matter Lightstrip performs its intended function admirably, making it an easy choice for individuals seeking a light strip that complements their Nanoleaf Light Panels. panels with Nanoleaf Elements.

Several of the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter’s greatest attributes

Essentials of Nanoleaf Design and Construction

The Essentials Matter Lightstrip is available in 2- and 5-meter lengths and the Smarter Kit includes a power converter and an in-line, four-button controller. For $12.99, a 1-meter expansion is also available, although it does not include the controller or PSU. According to Nanoleaf, you can extend a single light strip installation up to 10 meters; any more extension would result in the light strip’s brightness being reduced overall.
The strip itself is white and has a peel-and-stick backing and a solid-feeling plastic coating that shields the LEDs (unlike less expensive light strips that leave the LEDs exposed). The strip connects to a 5.7-inch wire that hooks into the controller via a delicate 6-pin connector. The controller then connects to a 71-inch power line that ends in a traditional hefty wall wart. (At the very least, the wall wart is small enough to accommodate an adjacent plug in the same duplex outlet.)

Installation and Configuration Matters for Nanoleaf Essentials

Anyone who has ever placed a light strip will be familiar with the physical setup of the Nanoleaf Matter Lightstrip. Applying the light strip to any flat surface is made simple by its peel-and-stick backing—as long as the application area has been thoroughly cleaned beforehand.
Before attaching the light strip to a surface, you need to take some time to plan it out. Specifically, you should make sure the strip will fit in the available space. The strip can be cut to fit, but you can’t just chop away at any old place; you have to limit your cutting to specific locations about 13 inches apart on the strip. Additionally, make sure the end facing the right way is connected to the controller, which has a peel-and-stick backing of its own. After installing the light strip, plug it in and wait for the LEDs to light up. Then, scan the Matter QR code on the back of the controller or on the “welcome card” that comes with the package to add the strip to the Nanoleaf app.

The Function and Features of Nanoleaf Essentials

Using a color wheel on the Nanoleaf app, you can adjust the color and brightness of the Essentials Matter Lightstrip. There are separate wheels for color and white color temperatures, in addition to seven customizable presets. The majority of Nanoleaf’s dynamic color scenes—from Blaze and Date Night to Northern Lights and Starlight—work with the Matter Lightstrip. Additionally, there is a circadian lighting feature that automatically modifies the color temperature of the white light based on the local time of day.
You may group the Matter Lightstrip with other Nanoleaf lights in a room. Additionally, since HomeKit-enabled lights can also be grouped with the strip, you can group the strip with any Philips Hue lights you may have at home. You may arrange the Matter Lightstrip or any other lights in the Nanoleaf app on a daily or weekly basis thanks to the app’s simple yet dependable scheduling feature.

Essentials of Nanoleaf Matter of Performance

Because of the Essentials Matter Lightstrip’s Matter support, as I previously indicated, I was able to connect it to both the Alexa app and Apple HomeKit. It took me a little while to connect the strip to all three ecosystems (along with a few speed bumps from iOS 16.6), but it was well worth the wait because now I can use most of my smart speakers to control a Thread-enabled Nanoleaf light. Because the Matter Lightstrip was connected via Matter, I could use Alexa to add the strip to rooms in addition to HomeKit groups and automation. I could even use Alexa routines to add the strip to rooms. Despite Matter’s peculiarities, the Nanoleaf Matter Lightstrip held up well over several testing weeks and was remarkably bright for a light strip.

Is it worth purchasing the Nanoleaf Matter Lightstrip?

Despite having some growth pains, the Essentials Matter Lightstrip is a feature-rich, brilliant, and simple-to-install light strip. The Nanoleaf Matter Lightstrip pairs well with existing Nanoleaf light panels in your house, and it is natively compatible with Apple HomeKit. Above all, the cost is reasonable.
However, if you mostly use Google Home or Amazon Alexa, you might want to wait until the Matter protocol is further refined before purchasing the Essentials Matter Lightstrip. Try a light strip that is integrated with Google Assistant or Alexa instead.