Nanoleaf Essentials GU10 Matter and Apple Home review

Nanoleaf has now expanded its Essentials product line to include some GU10. Just like the previous Essentials lineup, you do not need an additional hub. However, what sets them apart from the other versions is the support for Matter, making them compatible with Apple Home and other smart home platforms. Whereas the first generation was HomeKit only, but this does have its advantages as I will explain later on in the review.
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#HomeKit #Nanoleaf #Matter

[@quiggs1000]

I have 15 of these GU10 lights and they are so unreliable. Constantly disconnecting from either thread or bluetooth. And from reading the forums, it seems to be like that for many many people. Incredible that they can release a product with such unreliability. They are providing new firmware updates frequently, so at least they are trying to resolve the issues, but it's not there yet.

[@andersgammelsrd1815]

Any better yet?

[@DavidM979]

Don’t expect them to get better with future updates. Eventually enough time will pass where they’ll ignore the product line for a newer one like how they did with the original essentials.

[@sflk2]

I have 5 Nanoleaf Matter Downlights working with Matter over Thread via Apple TV and HomePod mini as Hub. These Downlight are constantly dropping out as non-responsive or sometimes a random Downlight will not work but the others will. You cannot create scenes either but you can colour each light separately. Given that I have LIFX, Philips Hue and Nanoleaf, I would rate Nanoleaf the least.

[@zsoltmolnar7387]

We chose to build exclusively with Matter Over Thread (with a latest gen Apple TV as hub). All of the thread devices work consistently (Eve, Zemismart), except NanoLeaf Essentials products. We have at least a dozen of them (from lightbulbs to lightstrips), no day goes by without one of them being randomly non-responsive. Despite everything being updated to the latest version. We had to go back to Philips HUE. NanoLeaf is a huge letdown. I would really appreciate some disclaimer or transparency on this issue by reviewers.

[@othermanugg]

Same experience for me. 😢

[@HomeKitAuthority]

Did you watch the review? I called out the no response and the device onboarding issues 🤔🤷

[@zsoltmolnar7387]

@@HomeKitAuthority Yes of course, and it really was mentioned. However the review doesn’t make it clear how long term is the problem, or is it only a local interference or something. Including a longer term conclusions would be appreciated.

[@HomeKitAuthority]

@@zsoltmolnar7387 i experienced the issues and called them out. As I have said to other comments, they have been “ok” the last couple of weeks for me.

[@zsoltmolnar7387]

@@HomeKitAuthoritywith all the respect "ok" is rather vague. I recommend specifying for the viewers, whether or not a smart light is reliable enough to serve as a primary light source.

[@LXXXIX]

I've had 8 GU10 bulbs for a couple of months. It's not been great. They don't work properly or are stable in any way. The colors keep changing, some bulbs can't properly dim, they flicker when I turn them on and off and it all gets worse if you group them. I've tried several different firmwares, even the beta. Nanoleaf needs to do better and fix the firmware before I buy any more Nanoleaf products.

[@othermanugg]

I’ve had 12 it it was such a bad experience. Bright, great but using matter some doesn’t turn on or off. When not reachable it takes sometimes more than an hour to auto fix the connectivity. Had Nanoleaf support that wasn’t able to fixe my issues. After 3 weeks, sell everything to buy an other solution (Hue, more expensive but after all the problem I prefer to pay more than to have no light or not to be able to turn off when going to bed for exemple !

[@user-km8sq2jj6j]

Awesome review on nanoleaf essentials GU10! It's smart lights rock, perfect for any tech-lover.

[@thair]

Thanks for the review .. I totally agree on the setup hassle , had similar experience setting up my Nanoleaf new products .. I wish if they enhance their setup and update / upgrade process .

[@Davehaha2001]

I just ordered some for my kitchen counter I hope they work as well as the HomeKit nanoleaf bulbs I have I like the thread connection it’s just fast and reliable for lighting finding wireless switches to control them is harder than getting the lights set up I’m excited to see how they work over matter in HomeKit and will get some down lights of they are good 👍 great video on these new bulbs 💡 can’t see anything else on here thanks 😀😀

[@JoshuaAreogunOfficial]

Thanks for the video! Are they diffused or harsh?

[@RichAesthetic]

If you’re not gonna use the correct device frame for the screen recording, why use a device frame at all?

[@The_Alpha_Channel]

Do they come ip 44/65 for bathrooms?

[@Vitalij_R2]

Great! I was looking for such bulbs last week.

[@othermanugg]

Sorry but if you have more than 3 to 4 light in total it is not working well, for everyone of the users.

[@paulwoodward8265]

I had issues with a 2 year old nanloeaf essentials A19 bulb, and they could not resolve it. When I came to buy a replacement, only the new Matter version was available. I had exactly the same experience as you had with the GU10 matter bulbs. The onboarding process they recommend DOES NOT WORK for homekit. It's incredibly hard to get them into homekit, and then once there, not reliable. i don't need lights that I can't turn on or off. Given your review, and the comments here, this is endemic. You are far too kind in your comments, these are hot garbage and should not be on sale until the issues are resolved.

[@HomeKitAuthority]

I need to try and be balanced and the last couple of weeks they have been “ok” I think the no response issue is down to them switching between Bluetooth and Thread more often than they should. But the setup process is just not working

[@paulwoodward8265]

@@HomeKitAuthority Yeah, I get it, it's not productive for you to rant about it like I am, but still. I don't think you've got the baIance quite right. I could not possibly recommend these bulbs for use with Homekit given the awful onboarding process and lack of reliable connectivity over thread. All the more given it's not exactly easy to install/uninstall GU10 bulbs in ceiling mounts. The Matter A19 onboarding process for homekit flat out doesn't work, and I got those bulbs in November - to find out they're launching more Matter devices with the exact same issue months later is pretty unforgivable. They do know they don't work, right? And they still shipped them to you for review? What do they have to say about it?

[@HomeKitAuthority]

@paulwoodward8265 @paulwoodward8265 it’s not about being not productive. I have called out the onboarding issues and the no response issues in the video and even said that the Homeskit only versions are my choice. But that said, I don’t think I have been having the same level of issues that you and some of the other people commenting have. It’s a strange one as everyone’s experience will be different. The no response issues last seconds and I only notice it when I am in the Nanoleaf app. It does not appear to show in Apple Home. Siri requests have worked fine too. I do think it’s the switching between thread and BT causing the issues. But the onboarding of these devices is not working properly and when it does it takes ages which I also called out

[@mikeainsworth4504]

I have had the same issue with a new Nanoleaf matter bulb. I have quite a few Nanoleaf bulbs and light strips around the house and they are generally ok though they do drop out occasionally. However, I simply cannot get this new matter bulb to register on HomeKit- it appeared on the Nanoleaf app but will not show up on either Apple Home or Eve apps. Very frustrating (even more so as my wife threw out the box by accident so I cannot send it back). I was looking forward to the GU10s; but, I think that I will hold back given the comments on here.

[@doronind4738]

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[@clipper99]

How much did you get paid by Nanoleaf for this one?

[@HomeKitAuthority]

Just get sent the product for the review. If you watched the video I call out the no response issues and set up issues.

[@paulwoodward8265]

Yes, you do, but "To wrap up the review, the nanoleaf gu10 smart bulbs are impressive, and surprised me with the performance at this price point". Sorry, I do not think that is the takeaway here. Homekit is about convenience and ease of use, and I've found living with nanoleaf matter bulbs is stressful and inconvenient.@@HomeKitAuthority

[@HomeKitAuthority]

@@paulwoodward8265 as I said to you before, they have been “ok” the last couple of weeks for me. I have been using these since end of November and had the no response and onboarding issues. But i can only comment on my own experience

[@clipper99]

@@HomeKitAuthority which leads to another question, did you pay for them and if not do you still get to keep them?

[@HomeKitAuthority]

@@clipper99 no you don’t pay for media samples, no reviewer does.

[@nsnigde]

I have matter essential bulbs and first version of HomeKit support bulbs. non matter ones are ok but I always have issue with matter lights. I have 3 of them and mostly one of the bulb not responding in apple home but I can control in nano leaf app. I've switched the lights to see is there problem on my light fixture but still same problem. I emailed them with the video but already 2 weeks nothing heard from them. I personally don't recommend to anyone to this+ customer service is not good either as I mentioned earlier their replies takes forever.

[@HomeKitAuthority]

The HomeKit only version are rock solid over the 3 years I have had them. If you don’t need another eco system then opt for them

[@Max86421]

🤔 I'm using the Google nest hub max...

[@luisarsuaga7637]

How's that setup treating you?

[@Max86421]

@luisarsuaga7637 Setup is easy, not difficult

[@Rockovissi]

Both my Nanoleaf essentials bulb and Eve motion sensor cannot connect to my HomePod mini at all. Thread is dead. It doesn’t work.

[@paulwoodward8265]

Just you mate. Thread is rock solid, I have it everywhere. Eve power sockets and sensors, nanoleaf bulbs and light strips, homepod minis and appletv 4k.

[@HomeKitAuthority]

The issue is not the Thread network. I have multiple thread devices working fine. I suspect matter

[@pauljeynes2589]

I had a similar issue and it turned out to be my older Apple TV had become the hub. Once I restarted it and my HomePod took over hub duties everything worked fine. You can check this in the home settings.

[@Rockovissi]

@@pauljeynes2589 I’ve done everything. Factory reset my HomePod mini, removed it, factory reset devices, not on VPN, signed into iCloud, moved iPhone over to same 2.4Ghz WiFi, factory reset the sensor multiple times, used different batteries, etc. Everything. All other non-thread matter devices connect just fine using the QR code. I’m at a loss and there’s no answer.

[@Rockovissi]

@@paulwoodward8265 Great. I have no idea. Nobody knows. Eve told me return the sensor. I find it strange both thread devices from different manufacturers don’t connect.

[@allenmeyer2912]

'Promo SM'