Nanoleaf’s $80 HomeKit Light Splits Duty Between Downlight and Backlight

Nanoleaf’s $80 ceiling light is a harder sell to dismiss than the price tag suggests. Most Matter-compatible fixtures at this range offer basic white tuning and little else. This one ships with 196 LEDs, 28 color zones, and a dual-sided design that splits the job between a downward functional light and an upward backlight that throws color against the ceiling.

That split design is the detail worth sitting with. The main downlight handles adjustable white light across warm and cool tones for everyday use, while the backlight creates a layered ambient effect independently. Each side is controllable on its own, and the fixture supports millions of color shades. If you want multiple gradients running simultaneously, that requires the Nanoleaf app rather than a third-party platform.

HomeKit and Matter support without a hub

Because the fixture runs Matter over Wi-Fi, it connects to Apple’s Home app and responds to Siri without any additional bridge hardware. For anyone already running a HomeKit setup, that’s one fewer compatibility question to answer before buying. The ceiling light sits at a price point that undercuts most Matter-compatible fixtures while still covering brightness, color, and platform flexibility in one unit.

The fixture measures 13.8 inches across and just over an inch thick, hardwires directly into the ceiling, and works with standard light switches. Nanoleaf also supports its own wireless smart switch for expanded physical control. The company added low blue light technology to reduce eye strain during regular use, which positions this as something intended for living rooms and bedrooms rather than accent-only setups.

At 2600 lumens, the output is respectable for a fixture this thin. The $80 price puts it well below what most comparable smart ceiling lights cost, which makes the feature list feel less like marketing padding and more like a genuine attempt to compete on value.