Ikea Just Gave Its Most Viral Product of the Decade a Massive Upgrade

A new version of the brand’s viral, circular “donut” lamp will feature a host of coveted smart capabilities that are bound to make Ikea’s top-selling lamp more desirable than ever.

Gear Patrol

By Ben Bowers

Published January 8, 2026

·

If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Ikea has apparently leaned on the current techie zeitgeist swirling around CES — the self-proclaimed “most powerful tech event in the world” — to announce what’s destined to be a massive addition to the Swedish home goods brand’s rapid expansion into the smart home space.

The release? A new and improved “smart” follow-up to one of the brand’s most viral products of the last decade in the lighting sphere: the Varmblix lamp, more casually known in online circles as the “donut lamp” designed in collaboration with Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis.

A design darling

Round amber-colored wall lamp mounted on a vertically paneled beige wall. — The original “donut” lamp was launched in 2023 and immediately became a viral home design sensation thanks to platforms like Tiktok.

When Ikea and Sabine Marcelis first launched the original Varmblixt collection in 2023, the donut-shaped lamp rapidly made the rounds on TikTok and social media platforms. Its distinctive sculptural form and warm orange glow captured the internet’s attention, and for a time, the lamp was notoriously difficult to find in stock.

According to Ikea’s global range manager David Granath in a statement to the design outlet Dezeen, one Varmblixt lamp sells in the US every five minutes, making it Ikea’s most-sold lamp globally.

Two amber-colored glass bowls with a central hole, one held in hands and the other on a table with design sketches. — While most buyers loved the original design, some had issues with the lamp’s light color and developed hacks – such as covering the internal LED with colored paper or electrical tape – or even painting the light bulb with nail polish to change the lamp’s hue.

While many loved the lamp for its unique look and warm atmospheric glow, others quickly identified shortcomings and starting tinkering with ways to improve them.

DIY enthusiasts shared creative hacks online, including painting the LED bulb with nail polish to adjust the light color, or more simply covering the light with colored paper or electrical tape. Others added smart plugs to make powering it on and off easier.

These user modifications hinted at what many fans wanted: more control over the lamp’s light color and functionality without sacrificing its iconic design.

Hack and ye shall receive

Hand holding a small white remote over round, donut-shaped glowing lights on an orange surface. — The newly announced smart version of the Varmblixt adds a variety of new capabilities that the hacking community has wanted including the ability to change the lamps lighting hue and turn it off and on via remote without additionally accessories.

The newly announced and upcoming smart Varmblixt donut lamp addresses user desires head-on.

Out of the box, the lamp can be controlled with an included Bilresa remote, giving users access to 12 preset colors carefully curated by Sabine Marcelis. The sequence moves smoothly through different temperatures of white light into glowing amber and warm red, through soft pink, cool lavender and turquoise, and on to gentle yellow tones before circling back to white light.

Seven oval-shaped wall lights in a vertical row showing a gradient from white to pink light on a brown wall. — Right out of the box, buyers can use the included remote to cycle through 20 pre-selected hues chosen by designed Sabine Marcelis. Buyers can unlock even more color options by connecting the lamp to Ikea’s Dirigera smart home hub (sold separately).

For more advanced users, connecting the lamp to the Ikea Home Smart app via the brand’s dedicated Dirigera hub (sold separately) unlocks even greater customization.

Users can move freely across the full color spectrum with more than 40 shades, adjust light intensity, and dim the light to their preferred level.

Since the lamp is built on the Matter standard, it’s also ready to be integrated into other major smart home platforms — a key part of Ikea’s continued aggressive push into smart home products.

Taken together, these changes are bound to maintain the donut lamps pole position in Ikea’s massive lighting lineup, not to mention fuel an entirely new cycling of hacks and tricks shared by online enthusiast to maximize the lamp’s versatility.

Pricing and Availability

Seven white ceramic plates with a concave center arranged on an orange surface. — The new version is slated to hit shelves in April and will still cost $100. The original version of the lamp will also remain on sale for those who want it.

Ikea states that the smart Varmblixt donut lamp will be available starting in April 2026 with a retail price of $100, matching the price of the current non-smart version.

Beyond the new smart capabilities and included remote control, the new smart version will also features a matte white glass surface instead of the glossy finish of the original, which helps the color-changing LEDs glow softly from within.

Ikea has also shared that the original Varmblixt lamp will continue to be sold alongside the new smart version, giving fans the option of picking up a glossy and simpler option if that’s preferred. It’s unclear though if the price of original will also drop once the smart version hits shelves.

Round peach-colored donut-shaped lamp with a central hole on a brown surface.

Ikea Varmblixt Smart LED Lamp

Learn More

About the Author: Ben Bowers is the Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer of Gear Patrol. Throughout his tenure in media, Ben has written and reported on everything from consumer tech to whiskey, watches, cars, camping, and personal style. These days, he gets to write less than he’d like to.

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.