The Nanoleaf is probably the easiest way to add a fun, unique, and space-saving light source to your home. Simply create your own layout and stick it to the wall. Then deep dive into the Nanoleaf's interactive and entertaining features, design your own scenes, set up a custom playlist or schedule for your space, and make it shine.

Pros
  • Modular design lets it fit any space
  • Touch- and sound-responsive light panels
  • Versatile control options: plug-in controller, app, smart assistants, or remote
  • Can run on a schedule and works with IFTTT
  • Simply looks stunning!
Cons
  • Steep price if you just want a light. (But totally worth it!)
  • For corners or angled surfaces, you need to purchase flex linkers separately.
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Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons

Nanoleaf's modular light panels combine smart lighting, decoration, and entertainment in one easy-to-install kit. The new Nanoleaf Shapes comes with out-of-the-box support for all the features from previous versions, including the sound visualizer and touch games. Connect+ also makes the Hexagons edition compatible with future shapes.

Is it time to clear your walls for a unique and space-saving light installation or should you stick to basic smart lights instead? We tested the Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons to help you decide.

What's in the Box

We received the Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons Smarter Kit (i.e. a starter kit), which includes seven light panels, and a matching Expansion Pack with an extra three light panels.

Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons Smarter Kit unboxed and Expansion Pack next to it

The Smarter Kit included the seven light panels, eight linkers, seven mounting plates pre-equipped with double-sided tape, two additional strips of tape, a controller, and a power supply. With the Expansion Pack the panel count is increased to ten, with mounting plates, and linkers.

Features, Limitations, and Accessories

The default linkers provided with your kit are flat, meaning you need an even surface for your installation. To bend your design around corners or mount it on angled surfaces, you'll need Flex Linkers, which are available from the Nanoleaf store in a set of three.

Nanoleaf Shapes Flex Linkers

Note: The linkers of the Nanoleaf Canvas and Light Panels versions aren't compatible with Nanoleaf Shapes, meaning you can't combine panels or attach accessories from different versions.

Each panel is up to 100 lumens bright and consumes 2 Watts. Our kit included a 42 Watts power supply, which supports a maximum of 20 light panels. If you want to link up more panels, you can upgrade to a 75 Watts power supply, which technically supports up to 36 light panels.

The Smarter Kit comes with a controller that plugs into one of the light panels. You can also control your setup from the Nanoleaf app, and you can pair multiple app installations with the same Nanoleaf device. For a more convenient and shareable solution, you can get the Nanoleaf Remote, a 12-sided cube (aka dodecahedron) that connects to your Nanoleaf light panels via Bluetooth. You can use the default presets or custom program each side of the remote using the Nanoleaf or Apple Home app. One default feature we're sure you'll end up using a lot is brightness control by rotating the remote.

Nanoleaf Remote

Finally, you'll need a 2.4GHz network; the Nanoleaf doesn't work with 5GHz networks.

Preparing Your Design

Before you install the light panels, install the Nanoleaf Smarter Series app on your phone (Android, iOS), and use the Layout Assistant to design and preview your panel arrangement.

Just choose your product in the top right, enter the number of panels you have, then drag-and-drop the panels or hit the reload button to generate a random layout.

You can even pinch-and-zoom or rotate your layout. If you added one too many panels, highlight a panel and tap the trash icon to remove it. You'll quickly notice that no panel can live by itself, it always has to connect to at least one other panel.

The app offers a "Try It Out" mode, which, if you have a compatible Android or iPhone, lets you visualize your Nanoleaf installation using augmented reality (AR). Unfortunately, Google's ARCore supports none of our Android phones, so we couldn't use this feature. The AR preview is the first feature demonstrated in the video below.

Mounting Your Nanoleaf Shapes

When you're ready to install your light panels, make sure the target surface is clean and dry. Then arrange your light panels in the desired layout on a table or on the (clean) floor and attach the linkers, but don't connect the panels, yet.

Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons laid out on floor

The Nanoleaf Shapes are a bit easier to install than previous versions. Each light panel plugs into a mounting plate, which you can attach to the wall with either double-sided tape (pre-applied) or screws (not provided).

Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons backside with mounting plate and double-sided tape

We recommend starting with a panel that's at the center of your layout, then connect neighboring panels, one at a time. Our panels came with the mounting plate and double-sided tape already attached, so we just removed the tape cover, placed the panel on the wall, and applied pressure at the center for a few seconds until the tape stuck to the wall.

With your first panel installed, you'll have to make sure it's level before you attach the next one. Thanks to the flexible mounting plate, you can rotate the panel into place. Then just link each panel up with its neighboring panels until you're done.

We used a flex linker to connect our design across a corner.

Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons with flex linkers

Technically, you don't need much to control your lights. Just attach the controller that comes with the starter kit and you're ready to enjoy beautiful lighting. You can double-tap any of the panels to turn the entire set on or off. For more granular controls, however, you'll want to pair your device with the app.

Pairing Your Nanoleaf Shapes With the App

After mounting your panels, connect the controller and plug in the power supply. Now you're ready to pair your device with the Nanoleaf Smarter Series app (Android, iOS).

From the app's Dashboard, tap Add a Device, select your product, and tap Start Pairing. The app will guide you through the process. First, it'll remind you to enable the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network on your router and connect your phone or tablet to it. You'll need the QR code printed on the manual to initiate the pairing. You'll also need the password to your Wi-Fi network. The panels will briefly light up while the network connection is in progress.

Pairing Your Nanoleaf Remote With the Nanoleaf Shapes

When we decided to order the Nanoleaf Remote, we weren't quite sure whether it would work with the Nanoleaf Shapes. The remote requires the Rhythm (for Android 5.01+) or a Home Hub (for iOS8+). Fortunately, the Nanoleaf Shapes controller includes the Rhythm plugin, meaning you can pair it directly with the controller, if you have an Android phone.

To pair the remote, hold the controller's power button for five seconds, until the LEDs above the other buttons light up in a scrolling motion. Then hold the remote close to the controller, until the power button lights up in green. Now try to use the remote, e.g. rotate it to control the brightness, and the power button should light up purple as the brightness changes.

Customizing Your Nanoleaf Shapes

Fair warning: The possibilities are endless!

The best place to start is the Nanoleaf Smarter Series app's Dashboard. Here you'll find the current scene at the top, and a list of default scenes that you can filter by type (e.g. plain, rhythm, or games) below. Swipe the "now playing" scene to the left to switch between your connected Nanoleaf devices or to see the pre-setup dashboard.

From the dashboard, you can edit the current scene, change the brightness, turn the light panels on or off, and switch between scenes.

To add additional scenes to your dashboard, head over to Discover, where you can preview and download scenes and entire playlists shared by Nanoleaf and fellow users for free.

To create your own scene, head back to the dashboard and tap the + icon in the bottom right. Now select what exactly you want to create and see what you can do.

Not sure what you can create? Head over to Explore and browse the tutorials and other materials provided.

Finally, put your Nanoleaf on a schedule. You can make it turn on and off, gradually reach a set brightness, play any scene you want, including a random one.

When you get tired of customizing settings, stop and play one of the many games included with your Nanoleaf. Kids will love Whack-a-Mole and adults can test their memory with Simon. If that's still too much action, just lay back and watch it light up to the beat of your favorite music or TV show.

We were blown away when we discovered that we didn't even have to touch the light panel to activate it. In fact, the closer you hover your hand over a panel, the brighter it shines. The Nanoleaf is forever fascinating.

Should you ever get bored with customizing scenes, check out the IFTTT applets available for Nanoleaf. Yes, we weren't kidding when we claimed the possibilities were endless.

Our Verdict

The Nanoleaf Shapes is the best Nanoleaf version, yet. We love the hexagons, and we're excited to see which other shapes Nanoleaf will add in the future.

Mounting the light panels was a breeze. Likewise, pairing the app, connecting the remote, and displaying the first light scenes could not have been easier. Most importantly, the Nanoleaf Shapes look stunning when lit up.

The included controller supports every feature Nanoleaf has released so far. We enjoyed the touch games and the rhythm feature, which makes the light panels react to music and sounds.

The Nanoleaf app offers a wealth of options, yet it's intuitive to use. The vast selection on offer was a bit intimidating, so we made do with the many default scenes at first. But we quickly discovered the user-generated scenes and games and tried a few of those. So far, we haven't had a need to create custom scenes, but, like the rest of the app, the options are clear and easy to follow. One of our favorite features of the app was scheduling scenes to run automatically.

Mounting and setting up our set was a smooth experience. We didn't run into a single issue. If we could suggest one improvement, it would be to include one flex linker with every starter kit. Our only small complaint is the price. The Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagon Smarter Kit will set you back $200 for 7 panels. However, considering the design, ease-of-use, and the rich experience this product provides, we do think it's worth the premium price tag.

We can't stress enough how easy it is to set up the Nanoleaf Shapes. And while the Nanoleaf is compatible with all the smart assistants, you don't need to bother with them if you don't want to. Whether you use the buttons, the app, or the remote to control your Nanoleaf, you'll absolutely love the result: A stunning light display that will make your home brighter and more beautiful. We bet it'll blow you away, too.