Nanoleaf Lines
The Nanoleaf Lines are easy to install and connect to your WiFi network. You may have to deal with some network error connections at times but the lights can also be controlled locally by the Controller Cap. The initial price is high, but because the device is so well-made, they last for a very long time.
- DESIGN
- EASE OF USE
- PRICE
Nanoleaf Lines are an innovative lighting solution for a customized smart home or office.
I’ve always been drawn to unique lighting installations and I love surrounding my workspace and home with lighting effects that enhance the spaces. In 2017, I added the Nanoleaf Panels to my home office. Those original Panels are still part of my workspace, but they have been rearranged a few times since I originally installed them. The Nanoleaf Panels have been such a unique piece of our home that we decided to add in another Nanoleaf product: the Nanoleaf Lines — Heartbeat Bundle.
About
The Heartbeat Bundle is made up of Nanoleaf Lines, which are backlit LED bars. Users have the option of choosing from 16M+ colors and dynamic lighting animations that flow through the entire layout. Nanoleaf Lines have smart features like Rhythm Music Visualizer, Screen Mirror, and more. Some of the key features of the Nanoleaf Lines include — modular backlit illumination, music visualizer, layout assistant via the app, voice control, and dynamic lighting effects.
The bundle includes the Nanoleaf Lines along with the Matte Black Skins for the strips. While the Lines can be arranged to and customized in a variety of ways, this particular bundle is designed to have enough pieces to create an ECG visual.
Specs
Lines
- Height: 0.31 in (0.80 cm)
- Width: 11 in (27.85 cm)
- Depth: 0.78 in (2 cm)
- Weight: 0.08 lb (39g)
Connector
- Height: 0.85 in (2.16 cm)
- Width: 1.57 in (4 cm)
- Depth: 1.36 in (3.46 cm)
- Weight: 0.03 lb (15g)
Features
- Music Sync: Yes
- Screen Mirror: Yes
General
- Luminous Flux Per Panel: 20 lumens
- Lifetime: 25,000 hours
- Communication Protocol: WiFi (2.4 GHz b/g/n) NOTE: 5 GHz networks are not compatible with Nanoleaf products.
- Dimmability: Yes (via Nanoleaf App, Voice, Controller)
- Mounting Type: Via included double-sided tape or screw mounts (screws and anchors not included)
- The Nanoleaf Apps: Control via Nanoleaf App (Android & iOS) for mobile/tablet or The Nanoleaf Desktop App (Windows & Mac).
- Thread Compatibility: Yes, Lines work as Thread Border Router
- Compatibility: Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, SmartThings, Razer Chroma, iCUE
- Usage: Indoor Only
- IP Rating: IP20
Color Temperature
- Color Temperature: 1200K – 6500K
- Color Channel Configuration: RGBW
- Max Colors: More than 16 million
- Color Zones: 2 color zones per line
- Color Rendering Index (CRI): >80
Power
- Voltage: 100VAC – 120VAC
- Max Power Supply Power: 42W
- Max Energy Consumption Per Line: 2W
- Max Lines per 42W Power Supply: 18 Lines
Nanoleaf devices work with:
Smart Assistant Platforms
- Apple Home
- Google Home
- Amazon Alexa
- SmartThings
By Nanoleaf
- Screen Mirror
- Desktop App
- Mobile App
Integrations
- Corsair
- Secretlab
- Razer Chroma
- Engine DJ
- IFTTT
- Flic Button
Standards
- Thread
- Matter
Pricing & Availability
Nanoleaf Lines have a list price of $179.99 for the 9-Pack Smarter Kit. There is also an option for a 15-Pack Smarter Kit, which retails for $269.99. The Expansion Packs are either $24.99 each or $59.99 for a 3-pack. The Lines Skins – Matte Black are $19.99 for the 9-Pack. The Heartbeat Bundle is currently being sold on nanoleaf.me for $359.95.
Nanoleaf Lines can also be purchased on Amazon.
Installation Tips
Because I have installed Nanoleaf products before, I wasn’t intimidated by the process this time around, but I can see how some people might be. After all, it’s a semi-permanent fixture in your home or office. With that in mind, here are a couple of tips before I get into the ‘meat’ of my review.
- Clean the surface. This doesn’t mean it has to be spotless. I would at the very least take a damp rag and wipe down your the surface where your Nanoleaf will be installed. Dust and other unsightly blemishes could keep the adhesive from sticking well.
- Plan your design carefully. I can’t tell you how many times we thought about the design for our Nanoleaf Panels before we put them on the wall. Layout your Nanoleaf pieces and use the designer tool in the app. Be 100% sure you will be happy with the design before starting the installation process. You can find loads of design ideas on Pinterest or through Nanoleaf’s Instagram account.
- Find the middle. This is something you will want to do based on the design you plan on using. You will see with our Heartbeat design that there is a clear middle of the wall. I measured the length of the wall and then placed a mark where the middle of that wall was. Then I figured out – based on the number of Nanoleaf lines I was using, where the middle of the design would be. Then I matched up the two centers before placing the Controller Cap.
- Make sure you have access to power. This is another piece to the puzzle that you want to ensure is close to the Nanoleaf’s final location — a power outlet. Part of the reason we selected the wall we did for the Lines was because there was a wall outlet on that wall. The Controller Cap is actually placed only a few inches away from the center of that wall outlet, which is of course down the wall. Nanoleaf does provide enough cable so that you can properly hide it but you still want to have your power source included in your planning.
- Have fishing line close at hand. No matter how much planning you do beforehand it’s always good to have your ‘eraser’ available for mistakes. In this particular case, fishing line works well to remove the adhesive strips from the wall. If you catch your placement mistake quickly enough, you might be able to pull it off your wall surface with little effort, but if it’s been placed for a while, you will need some help. Even though the strips come with a tab for you to pull them away from the wall (like 3M Command Strips), I have found that using a strip of fishing line helps quite a bit to make sure that your wall doesn’t get destroyed in the process.
- Use a level. I found this tip particularly useful with the Nanoleaf Lines because it helped to line up the pieces correctly.
User Experience
The Nanoleaf Lines – Heartbeat Bundle was shipped in a standard shipping box. The bundle includes the 9-Pack Smarter Kit, 3 x 3-Pack Expansion Packs, and 2 x Lines Skins – Matte Black (9-pack). While Nanoleaf has these parts grouped together as a bundle, they can be purchased separately if desired. And, it’s not 100% necessary to use to the Matte Black skins, but it does provide a certain aesthetic to the Heartbeat design. In total, you will end up using 18 line sections in this design.
After you finish prepping your wall surface and planning your design, you will want to find your starting point to build from (the center of the wall + the center of the design). This is the point where you will place the Controller Cap. Now, I want to make a caveat here. The Controller Cap should be placed in close proximity to your power source. So, if that isn’t the center of your design or wall, then you would use one of the standard Connector Caps instead.
I found this process to be easiest when I laid out all the parts of the bundle close to the wall where I was installing the Nanoleaf. That way, I could just grab the pieces as I needed them. Once the Controller Cap was placed, I snapped the first line into place. Each cap contains the necessary connectors for the LED Line pieces to get power and lighting design instructions from the Controller Cap.
The Line pieces snap into place and can be removed if need be. Once you snap the first piece into the Controller Cap, you will attach a standard Connector Cap to the opposite end. Again, you will want to ensure the Line piece is resting at the angle you desire, so use a level to make sure the Connector Cap is straight before sticking it to the wall.
I recommend removing the film from the adhesive strip from the cap before attaching it to the Line section. You have to be cautious with this approach since it can stick to the wall at this point, but it’s much easier than trying to remove the film after it’s attached to the line. After the first couple of pieces are in place, the rest of the installation is just a matter of following your design instructions.
While it’s not essential that you plug the Controller Cap into power when you start, I prefer doing that so I can make sure each individual piece of the installation works as I am installing them. There is nothing worse than getting through the entire installation process to find there is a dead panel or line in the mix.
Once the physical installation is complete, the next step is to connect the Lines to your network, phone, and smart assistant (if applicable). Nanoleaf works with virtually every smart home platform imaginable but it can also be a standalone device. Important Note: Nanoleaf devices only work with 2.4Ghz WiFi networks. We have a dual-band router in our home so it’s not an issue, but in the past, we have run into problems with smart devices connecting properly when our router only supported 5Ghz.
The connection to your network, app, and smart home platform is fairly simple. When you connect the Lines to power for the first time, the LED indicator on the Processor will blink and then turn to a solid white. This means it is ready for pairing. Using the Nanoleaf app, follow the instructions for connecting to your network or smart home platform. We use Apple Home exclusively so I was able to tap my iPhone 14 Pro to the Processor and have the Lines connected to our WiFi network and HomeHub at one time. Full instructions on pairing to iOS or Android can be found here.
Full disclosure — we have modified our home network many times and had some issues with the lights being unreachable at times. This can be frustrating, but we have found that it has more to do with how a WiFi network is setup than the Nanoleaf devices themselves.
It is possible that the Nanoleaf device may show up as unreachable from time to time. There are four main reasons this could happen:
- Your mobile device is on a different network from your Light Panels
- Your Light Panels have lost connection to your network
- The Light Panels can no longer be found on the local network
- The Light Panels are undergoing a firmware update
For full instructions on how to fix this issue, visit helpdesk.nanoleaf.me.
Once the installation is complete, you can set up various lighting styles or patterns to your liking. The Lines provide a vivid light source in any room and can be set to work automatically through the Nanoleaf app or through your smart assistant.
Conclusion
Nanoleaf continues to provide high-quality, unique smart lighting products for consumers. The Nanoleaf Lines are another excellent example of that. The sleek, customizable LED lightstrips, combined with the easy-to-use app and integration with voice assistants, make Lines a must-have for anyone looking to add some personality and ambiance to their living or working space. While the initial investment may seem high, the Nanoleaf line offers a high-quality and long-lasting product that is well worth the price. At this point in time, we have had Nanoleaf in our home for more than 6 years — and they still work great! Overall, I highly recommend the Nanoleaf line to anyone interested in taking their home lighting to the next level. They are also excellent as a Birthday, Father’s Day, Graduation or any type of gift for loved ones who love lights and tech.
For more information, visit nanoleaf.me, Facebook, or Twitter.
