IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE review: a budget-friendly sensor that monitors your home environment

Rumours about the IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor began around this time last year, but it wasn’t until November that it officially launched, alongside 21 other Matter-compatible smart home gadgets. That new connectivity standard, paired with IKEA’s famously low prices, meant these devices flew off the shelves almost instantly. They’ve been tricky to get hold of ever since, but I finally managed to track one down to test for you.

I’ll be honest – I didn’t really know what to expect. IKEA smart home gadgets are so affordable that you can’t help but wonder where the compromises are. However, as someone who tests Matter-compatible devices pretty much every day, I was excited to see what this tiny sensor could do.

You’ll find my full thoughts below, and why this budget-friendly gadget might be your next smart home buy.

IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor review: price and availability

The TIMMERFLOTTE is one of IKEA’s most affordable smart devices, priced at just £5 in the UK and $9.99 in the US. You can buy it online or in-store, but given how popular it’s been, your best bet is heading to a physical IKEA if stock online is looking sparse.

IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor review: unboxing and set up

The TIMMERFLOTTE is very easy to set up. From a hardware point of view, it runs on 2 x AAA batteries, which slot neatly into the back. The rear panel is easy to remove, and IKEA includes adhesive strips so you can mount it on a wall if you’d prefer. There’s also a small hanging hole on the back, so it can sit on a nail or hook.

As the sensor is Matter-compatible, you can connect it directly to your smart home ecosystem. If you want to use it within the IKEA Home app, you’ll need a DIRIGERA hub, but I connected mine straight to Amazon Alexa and have been viewing the data via my Echo Show 8. Take a look at my guide on how to connect your IKEA smart home gadgets to Amazon Alexa for more information on this.

That said, you don’t actually have to connect it to anything. The TIMMERFLOTTE has a built-in display on the front, so you can simply use it as a standalone temperature and humidity monitor. However, there’s something very satisfying about having everything synced into one smart home system, so I strongly recommend it.

IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor review: design and features

The TIMMERFLOTTE is exactly what you’d expect from IKEA – minimal, clean and unobtrusive. The rounded shape and matte white finish means it blends into most rooms, and there are no cables to worry about either.

Its job is straightforward, measuring both temperature and humidity. The whole thing feels like one big button, which you press to display the temperature first, followed by the humidity level. By default, mine showed readings in Celsius, but there’s a small switch under the battery cover that lets you switch to Fahrenheit if needed.

Once connected to a smart home hub, you can also build automations. For example, you could set one of the best dehumidifiers to switch on if humidity rises above a certain level, or trigger a fan when the room gets too warm. Personally, I've just been using mine to keep tabs on my home environment, which is more than enough for me.

IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor review: performance

For the price, the IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE is arguably one of the best temperature and humidity sensors on the market right now. It’s rare to find something this affordable that measures both metrics and supports Matter, so even before diving deep into testing, that combination alone makes it very impressive.

After using it for a few weeks, I’m even more convinced. It’s incredibly easy to set up, reliable, accurate, and does exactly what it promises. I cross-referenced the readings with my smart thermostat and saw hardly any discrepancy at all, which was reassuring to know.

If I had one negative to point out, it’s that the readings don’t automatically light up when you approach or when there’s a significant change – you have to press the front to see them. That said, I mostly check the data on my Echo Show 8 anyway, and when you do press the sensor, the readings appear instantly. So, whilst it would be a nice extra, it’s far from a dealbreaker.

IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor review: verdict

The IKEA TIMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor feels like a bargain in the best possible way. It’s incredibly affordable, Matter-compatible and provides reliable readings, and whilst you have to press the front to wake the display, it's a small trade-off considering how accurate and flexible it is. The TIMERFLOTTE is easily one of the strongest budget-friendly smart home buys available right now, and I recommend it to anyone.

IKEA TIMMERFLOTTE temperature and humidity sensor review: alternatives to consider

If you’re weighing up alternatives, the Tapo T310 Smart Thermometer & Humidity Sensor costs around £15.99/$19.99. It does the same core job, but it’s not Matter-compatible and relies on the Tapo app, which limits flexibility.

There’s also the Aqara Temperature and Humidity Sensor T1 (£19.99/$29.99), which is Matter-compatible and even measures atmospheric pressure alongside temperature and humidity. However, it’s significantly more expensive than the TIMMERFLOTTE.