Consumer Electronics, Gadgets & Accessories

IKEA FYRTUR: The programmable blackout blind tried out

IKEA, the Swedish furniture giant that has made names like Billy, Kallax, Pax and Poäng respectable in the German language and makes not only interior designers happy. The furniture store has long since moved beyond familiar territory and ventured into technical terrain – and we’re not talking about light bulbs or built-in appliances for the kitchen, of course. We’re talking about smart lighting, designer speakers and now roller blinds that can be controlled via the TRÅDFRI gateway using the IKEA Home smart app.

The FYRTUR is a blackout roller blind that comes in different sizes, which can not only be controlled remotely, but also programmed. FYRTUR is the blackout brother of KADRILJ, which lets light through and is also part of IKEA’s home smart portfolio.

We’re particularly excited to see what IKEA’s electric blind can do and how it works with the app and gateway.

Technical specs

IKEA FYRTUR Blackout Roller Blind

Materials Polyester, steel, aluminum, ABS plastic
Dimensions 80 x 195 cm / 100 x 195 cm / 120 x 195 cm / 140 x 195 cm
Compatibility IKEA Home smart, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit
Colors Grey
Battery Lithium-ion battery, 2600 mAh / 18.72 Wh
Runtime (battery) 4-6 months
Input (battery) Micro USB
Prices (depending on size) from € 4.95 *

IKEA TRÅDFRI Gateway

Compatibility (voice assistant) Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant and Sonos
Dimension (height) 45 mm
Dimension (diameter) 110 mm
Cable length (current) 1.8 meters
Color White
Price Price not available *

What’s inside

Unwrapping our first package revealed the rolled up blind as well as the suspensions, a charging cable, a charging plug, a rechargeable battery, a remote control, a signal booster, and a typical IKEA instruction manual. The second package included the TRÅDFRI gateway as well as a charging plug, charging cable and Ethernet cable. The gateway and blind must be purchased separately.

What we notice right away: this test will be different from the usual ones. Because: we have to drill holes; but more about that later.

Otherwise, the rollo suspension looks a bit cheap haptically and visually due to the ABS plastic, but otherwise makes a robust impression.

Gray always goes

Visually, the FYRTUR roller blind will probably fit into almost any interior, after all, there is the gray as the black in clothing. Even otherwise, the rest of the design is not flashy. The suspension and all other non-textile components on the roller blind are mainly made of metal and are silver-gray. All technical components wear the color white, which thus matches the color scheme of the rest of IKEA’s smart home lineup. Except for the included battery, which is black but won’t be visible later anyway.

Like regular roller blinds, the FYRTUR comes in a variety of sizes. Depending on the window inlet and size, you can choose between 80×195, 100×195, 120×195 and 140×195 centimeters. In advance, we can confirm that the fabric of the roller blind is absolutely opaque and thus keeps its promise; optimized sleep is definitely possible with it.

Beyond that, there is not much more to say about the exterior. Our focus is clearly on the technical details.

The construction of the FYRTUR

After we have a university professor come for the IKEA instructions, we can start. Four holes each need to be drilled into the wall above the window frame. Then the dowels follow and the suspensions made of steel can be screwed on. After that, the suspension together with the roller blind must only be snapped into place. For IKEA standards, a fairly simple and quick attachment. Unfortunately, however, only the suspension is made of steel, but the latching mechanism used is made of plastic. It should be emphasized, however, that the distance between the two suspensions does not need to be taken into account during installation, because you can use virtually the entire length of the blind to snap the suspension.

In order for the electric roller blind to work, it needs the battery. We charged this completely using the included micro USB cable and charging plug, which didn’t take too long. An LED indicates the status. As soon as it goes out, the battery is fully charged. If it blinks, there is an error.

Now the battery goes into a small flap on the left in the roller blind suspension. This is also simple: open the flap, put the battery in, close the flap again. This doesn’t have to be repeated anytime soon, since the battery is supposed to last four to six months, according to IKEA.

After that, it can go to the remote control. Before that, you insert the included button battery into the small square remote control. Et voilà: The FYRTUR blackout blind hangs and is ready for operation. The remote control can be used mobile according to its function, but it can also be attached to the wall – with screws or adhesive already attached to it. The remote control holds magnetically to the bracket, so it can be removed at any time.

If you want to go one step further and control the FYRTUR via the IKEA Home smart app in the future, you’ll need the TRÅDFRI Gateway, which is available separately at your nearest IKEA furniture store or online store.

TRÅDFRI Gateway

Before we explain how to control and program the FYRTUR, we will first go over the components needed to do this: TRÅDFRI Gateway and IKEA Home smart app. In the end, all IKEA Home smart products connected to the gateway can be controlled via the TRÅDFRI app or a separately available TRÅDFRI remote control. In addition, the gateway also works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant and Sonos.

In terms of looks, the TRÅDFRI gateway definitely looks good anywhere in your home. It is kept plain white and round. The cover can be removed so that both cables – power and Ethernet – can be coiled up inside and only the most necessary things are visible on the outside. It is best to place the gateway next to the modem, since it needs Internet and thus not too many cables are needed.

In total, the gateway can be controlled by 10 people at the same time; so it is also suitable for larger households.

IKEA Home smart app

To register the gateway and connect it to the FYRTUR blind, we first download the IKEA Home smart app. This is available for free in the Google Play Store and the Apple Store. It is simple and guides you step by step through the installation process – starting with the recognition of the gateway using the QR code on the back.

In order for the FYRTUR to be recognized by the gateway from another room, the signal amplifier supplied with the blind must be attached to the charging plug (in the socket). After that, it is registered and nothing stands in the way of operating it through the app or the gateway remote control. Unfortunately, the registration is a bit complicated, because you have to link the FYRTUR roller blind, the FYRTUR remote control and the FYRTUR signal amplifier with the gateway again. So you have to take a little time for this. Per roller blind you can expect about 5 to 10 minutes, during which you have to press buttons on all devices. Therefore, it may be advisable to link the roller blind before hanging it up.

Now we can set all sorts of things in the app. If smart light bulbs from IKEA are installed in the four walls, they can be dimmed with the app. In addition, timers, scenes, moods and alarms can be programmed, which also target the IKEA FYRTUR blind. The home smart construct creates its full potential when using multiple elements such as lights, speakers and roller blinds. The roller blinds should open automatically in the morning and lower again in the evening? That’s set up in the app in 2 minutes. But control with Google Assistant also works flawlessly. “Hey Google, blinds down” – and the blinds are already closed. Of course, they can also be integrated into Google Assistant scenes like “Hey Google, good morning”.

Via the FYRTUR remote control, the roller blinds can of course also be raised and lowered at any time. Both via the app and via manual control, the roller blinds can also only be closed/opened to a certain degree, for example only up to half. Furthermore, it is possible to set up the maximum length, because of course not every window is 195 centimeters high.

Conclusion

Normally, we do not skimp on conclusion and assessments in between. In the case of the IKEA FYRTUR blackout blind, however, it seemed more sensible to us to give a more comprehensive conclusion only afterwards, after we had seen and connected everything – after all, it is primarily not about the appearance of the blind.

Except for the inferior-looking roller blind suspension, we are thrilled with the construction and ease of installation. The fabric actually darkens the room, allowing for a deep and long sleep, even when it gets light as early as 4 o’clock in the summer.

We were also convinced by the whole technical construct. Both the replacement of the battery and the control with the FYRTUR remote control as well as the installation of the gateway and its registration in the IKEA Home smart app. Only the initial setup could gladly be less complex.

The blind itself is better judged by an interior design expert, but when it comes to the technology, we can continue to certify IKEA rightly ventured into the highly competitive smart home terrain a few years ago.

IKEA FYRTUR

Workmanship
Setup
Scope of functions
Value for money

91/100

The IKEA FYRTUR blind is the perfect addition to the IKEA Home smart program. It can be controlled via the TRÅDFRI gateway and, with timer and alarm functions, enables optimal sleep even on days when it is already light at 4 o'clock.

Simon Lüthje

I am co-founder of this blog and am very interested in everything that has to do with technology, but I also like to play games. I was born in Hamburg, but now I live in Bad Segeberg.

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