Nanoleaf

On Day 4 of the 12 days of Christmas, you may want to consider giving the gift of smart lights. Personally, I have a special affinity for a smart light company called Nanoleaf. First, they’re a Canadian company. I always like supporting smart home tech companies from my backyard. Second, is their wide product offering. If you’re geeky like me, Nanoleaf lets you express that through cool light effects with a wide variety of products. Sync lights to music or even to your television screen. Third, I’ve reviewed some of these products myself. I’ve also reviewed similar products from competing brands. I know well exactly how they stack up against the competition. With all of that in mind, let’s look at the different Nanoleaf products to consider as gifts to yourself, or others.

Check out all 12 Days of Christmas gifts

Nanoleaf Essentials Matter A19 Smart LED Light Bulb

Nanoleaf Essentials Matter A19 Smart LED Light Bulb

For anyone new to the world of smart lights, start with Smart Bulbs. I recommend you check out the Nanoleaf Essential Matter A19. This 3-pack is easy to install. Replace your existing light bulbs with these ones and finish the installation on the Nanoleaf app. If you have a smart speaker, connect them to the A19 smart light bulbs for voice control. Old habits are hard to break so take the time to get accustomed to changing the light colours with your voice. The Nanoleaf app also lets you set light schedules. If you have kids, schedule the lights to go off at bedtime and turn back on in the morning. That encourages regular sleep and wakeup patterns in kids.

Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Holiday LED String Light 

Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Holiday LED String Light 

One of the best parts of the holidays is decorating the home as a family. If you want to take your holiday decorating to the next level, get the Nanoleaf Essential Smart Holiday LED String Light. It features 250 Addressable LEDs. That means you can program different lights across the string lights. Having multiple colours at a single time provides a world of lighting possibilities. For example, during the holidays, program the String Light red and green. Better yet, connect it to other Nanoleaf products so all the colours match. You’ll be amazed at all the colour possibilities smart string lights provide.  

Nanoleaf Essentials Smart LED Lightstrip

I’m a huge fan of indoor ambient lighting. If you want to impress your family, get the Nanoleaf Essential Smart LED Lightstrip. This opens up a new way to light up a room. This 2-metre LED light strip features small colour-changing LED light bulbs. Be careful, most people install LED light strips wrong. The secret is how and where you place it. You shouldn’t be able to visually see the light strip. Instead, you should see the light bouncing off a surface. This could be a white wall, ceiling, or the ground. My tip is to install it over cabinets, or under tables and desks. You’ll be surprised how much light it provides. If possible, install it under a bed frame. The more light strips the better so consider getting more than one and connecting them together in the Nanoleaf app. 

Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagon Light Panels

Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagon Light Panels

Know someone with a gaming room? This could be a bedroom or a dedicated entertainment room in the home. If so, consider getting them the Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagon Light Panels. These are 7 modular light hexagon panels that are installed on a wall. Users can shape it any way they like with cool and intricate patterns. With Layout Detection, colour animations that users can program in the app flow through the light panels. A Rhythm feature makes the light panels react to sound in real-time. This is perfect for gamers, movie nights, or with music during parties. Since they are modular, users can connect additional lights at a later time. Another option is connecting it with other Nanoleafd products for a truly immersive light experience at home. 

Nanoleaf 4D Screen Wifi Mirror + 65" Light Strip

Nanoleaf 4D Screen Wifi Mirror + 65″ Light Strip

The Nanoleaf 4D Screen Wifi Mirror + 65” Light Strip is one of the top products I reviewed this year. It takes a lot to impress me these days, and this did just that. Here’s how it works. An LED light strip goes around the back of a TV. What makes this different from other LED light strips is that it also comes with a camera. Users mount the camera on the TV or below it. The camera faces the TV to match the colours on the screen to the lights behind it. For example, if someone is watching a movie with a sunset on the top left, the same colour will appear on the LED light strip in that corner. It’s truly magical because it’s happening nearly in real-time. It’s the perfect gift for movie lovers, gamers, or just a gift for the whole family. If you want to take movie nights to the next level, this is the gift to get.

Nanoleaf smart lights as holiday gifts

Everyone wants a good gift. So why not give the gift of light with smart lights? The key is to stick to one smart light ecosystem like Nanoleaf. It’s much easier to connect the lights together inside a single app for the ultimate effect. My advice is to start off with the Nanoleaf A19 smart light. Retrofitting old bulbs with smart bulbs is the foundation of smart lighting. 

From there, add additional Nanoleaf products and connect them to smart speakers. This lets you control the lights via the app or with voice controls. It’s a new way to control indoor lighting so it will take some time to get used to. 

If your new to the world of smart lights, read this buying guide. It goes into detail on all the different types of smart lights available. Then check out all the different types of Smart Lights from Nanoleaf. Remember, your Nanoleadf gift could be a catalyst for someone getting into smart lighting. Everyone has different lighting needs, so choose wisely this holiday season. 

Andy Baryer
Andy Baryer aka “Handy Andy” is a technology journalist, gadget reviewer, and DIY/how-to content creator. Known as the handyman of tech, Andy enjoys fixing poor wireless networks, building smart homes, and cooking with the latest kitchen gadgets. He’s a competitive whistler, a budding woodworker, and loves gardening in his home-built smart garden.