The smart plugs make excellent routers. The USB repeaters are brilliant and handy as USB chargers. I got 4 bulbs, 4 repeaters, 2 smart plugs, and a couple controls for super cheap on ebay
#Ikea zigbee, just do it
mental heron
vernal thunder
I bought many Ikea Zigbee lamps, but now I regret it. The Ikea Zigbee lamps are not capable to change brightness and color-temperature at the same time. And defenitely not with a transition time. Instead of a smooth transitions I have steps in color temp (as I use transition time for brightness), and worse sometimes the lamps hangs at a level and will not follow newer settings any more, and will not even switch off. This is clearly visible above my large table where I have 3 identical lamps, often one of them is not following the other 2. So no, I won't do it again.
mental heron
For 3 bulbs, you really should have used a controllable dimmer switch
I got 6 zigbee bulbs, 2 routers (switchable plugs), 5 USB repeaters, odds and ends for $50 used, and it all but one bulb works fine so far
I hear you on the transitions, will note that, thank you
vernal thunder
Just to clarify, I have my brightness and color temperature changing automatically during the day, and this is causing all the issues with the ikea bulbs. A controllable dimmer will not change the color temperature, only the brightness, so that won't work for me.
mental heron
Ah yeah, color temp, you need bulbs that do color temp.
weary wagon
I found myself disabling the transition times entirely. That said, I really like the "Styrbar" light switches that come with a magnetic wall socket, but can also just be picked up and used wherever when necessary. I 3d printed some covers that go over the old physical switches, so there is no confusion and then the switch holder goes on top of that, so the new switch sits exactly where the old one was.
The prices are comparable to ordering no-name stuff from Aliexpress, especially if you get it during some kind of promotion (they had some Zigbee smart plugs for 4.99€, incl. tax before, and I can't even find an AliX listing at that rate rn)