Ikea KADRILJ and FYRTUR smart blinds in detail

When we talk about home automation or directly about products compatible with Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant or Alexa, we have to say think about comfort and above all connectivity of objects. Currently there are a good handful of smart products and little by little more are emerging, such as these smart blinds from Ikea KADRILJ and FYRTUR.

At Ikea they have been playing the world of home automation for a long time and partly thanks to Apple Homekit and the rest of the platforms, it has been possible to officially reach all homes. Today we are going to see simple operation, installation and options of these smart blinds from the Swedish firm in detail.

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About 9 months have passed since these Ikea smart devices for the home were officially announced and now after this time we have the possibility of buying them directly in the stores that this multinational company has in our country. We can buy these smart blinds directly from the web if we do not have a store near our address.

Google Home is right now the option to control these shutters

Right now and while we carry out this review of the new shutters of the firm we have to say that they can only be controlled remotely from a Google Home device. Yes unfortunately you have to wait for the update -which according to official sources should not take too long to arrive- for these blinds to be officially compatible with HomeKit and Alexa, Amazon's assistant.

Ikea blind models differ basically by the type of fabric with which they are made. The KADRILJ and FYRTUR models are exactly as smart but the fabric of the KADRILJ is translucent and that of FYRTUR is opaque. This must be clear before launching the purchase and it depends on the model is one type of fabric or another.

Homekit is left out but from Ikea they are working to implement it

After looking for information about it and trying to solve the doubts that came to us with these smart devices, we came to the conclusion that an update is missing. As we warned a little above if you are thinking of buying these blinds to enjoy them through HomeKit, you have to be clear that still not compatible.

Asking Siri to lower or raise the blind is not possible right now but now work is being done on its implementation and it is simply expected that they will release the update with the compatibility to make it work officially with our iOS device or Mac.

Control your blind with the Ikea app

Obviously you can control these smart blinds from your mobile device, but you need to have the TRÅDFRI connection device and the IKEA Home Smart app installed on the device, either iOS or Android. Ikea offers the option to download the app for free and it is this same app that will offer compatibility with Apple HomeKit in the not too distant future. We will be on the lookout for when this occurs.

While this is happening we can use the TRÅDFRI connecting bridge To enjoy the scheduling to go up and down at certain times, create several groups of connected stores and control them from Google Home, which is currently supported. We need this TRÅDFRI connection device to use the IKEA Home Smart app.

The bridge or hub for control is optional if we do not want to control the blind from our mobile device, obviously once the necessary software update is launched to work with Siri we must buy this device that has a price of 30 euros and also allows us create different groups of light sources and control them in various ways in the case of having signature bulbs and that in this case they are compatible with Apple HomeKit.

The negative data here is that if we are not on the same WiFi network connected we will not be able to use the app to go up and down The estore, that is why it is so important that you hurry to update the app and make it compatible with Apple HomeKit. Obviously we can do it from the home controller itself, but it is not the same as being able to do this action from outside the home.

Simple installation of KADRILJ and FYRTUR blinds

Without a doubt, if Ikea is characterized by something, it is by buying and installing or assembling yourself. In this way, what we have is a type of blind that can be easily mounted anywhere that allows us to even enjoy it. For security The blinds are already associated with the remote control and the WiFi signal repeater so it is simply a matter of making the corresponding holes, putting a pile and ready.

Obviously they explain to us in the papers in a simple way what we have to do in case they are disconnected or we have a problem, but it is very simple. The first thing we have to do is take measurements of the place where they will be located and choose well between the different sizes. We have up to five sizes of blinds available: the 100 x 195; the one of 120 x 195; the 140 x 195; the 60 x 195 and the 80 x 195. In these measurements the length is obviously 195 so if it is a larger window these motorized Ikea blinds will not work for you.

For its assembly, a pair of plastic plates are added and the screws and plugs to hold on the wall are not included. Measurements must be taken into account before buying and installing but we already anticipate that it is really simple but in case of not knowing the best thing is to notify a specialist to install them for us.

What do these blinds add to the box and what material are they made of

In addition to the curtain itself that It is made of 83% polyester and 17% nylon We have the remote control battery, the remote control, the USB to microUSB cable to charge the battery of the blind, its battery and the WiFi amplifier with its wall connector that also serves to charge the battery of the blind. On the other hand, the two climates are added to hold on the wall or ceiling.

The rest of the materials are steel, polycarbonate / ABS plastic and anodized aluminum at the bottom so that it does not weigh too much and lowers or raises the blind correctly. The part in which we add the battery has a tab that is really easy to open and in which the battery of the blind has a single position, so it is simple to use.

Editor's opinion

In the absence of the firm updating the application to finally become compatible with HomeKit, we can say that we are dealing with a half-baked smart device. There is no doubt that if we have the TRÅDFRI connecting bridge With us, it will facilitate the opening and closing of the blinds from the iPhone, but this does not allow opening and closing from outside the home, so HomeKit is essential in this regard.

If you have a device with Google Assistant this already allows control from outside the home, but obviously we have to have the TRÅDFRI bridge that also it is directly compatible with Alexa and Apple HomeKit in the case of light bulbs.