Nanoleaf Umbra review: Cup and Cono Lamps put to the test

Nanoleaf Umbra smart lamp: Introduction

• 2 styles available: Cono and Cup
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Thread
• Ecosystems: Matter, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, SmartThings

Back in March, Nanoleaf officially announced the first fruits of its collaboration with Canadian design powerhouse Umbra, marking a fusion of avant-garde design with smart lighting technology: the Cono Portable Lamp and Cup Lamp.

Nanoleaf had actually been teasing the new smart lamps for a few months prior; we spotted both on show back in September 2023 in Berlin at IFA, and then again over in Vegas for CES 2024 in January.

But it was all a bit cloak and daggers until the official reveal and it wasn’t even known if they’d ever go on sale.

But they did, and they can both be yours… but read on for our full review of the Nanoleaf Umbra Cono Portable Lamp and the Nanoleaf Umbra Cup Lamp to see if they should be.

Design and components

• Cono is battery powered
• Cup needs plugging in

The Nanoleaf Umbra Cono Lamp boasts an eye-catching, playful design, allowing for versatile positioning – upright, on its side, or even upside down if you hang it to something.

Its unique shape, with its curved lens-esque illumination panel and its four little legs, is certainly a conversation starter, but the execution leaves a little to be desired.

The plasticy finish feels less premium than you’d hope for the price tag, and the low lumen output makes it less effective as a primary light source.

The battery life is also underwhelming, with a maximum of 4-6 hours before needing a recharge, which can be inconvenient for a portable lamp.

Adding to that frustration, the Cono only comes with a black USB-C cable and no plug, which feels like an oversight at this price point.

Given the relatively short life span, I’d have liked something a bit more permanent and stylish looking in the box to keep it powered up and charging when I didn’t need the portability.

The Cono Lamp’s button controls are somewhat clumsy, impacting the overall user experience – I was never sure if I was pressing to increase or decrease brightness.

The Nanoleaf Umbra Cup Lamp, in contrast, has a more rounded aesthetic, with a metal-like finish that aligns better with its premium price-tag positioning.

Its design is reminiscent of a pub table umbrella, and does a great job balancing modern and retro aesthetics.

However, it has its own set of design issues. The illumination reveals dark patches in the LED section when viewed up close, and the overall design feels slightly clumsy; if you add stationary to the cup it soon becomes a bit clumsy looking.

I’m not sure the power button needs to be that bulky either.

There is a handy USB port on the back for charging your tech though, which surely would have been better – both for looks and usefulness – if it was USB-C, if I’m nitpicking.

The Cono is available in Grey (on test here) and Sierra, while the Cup Lamp comes in just black.

Setting up

Adding the Cono and Cup Lamps to Matter using Thread proved to be an incredibly frustrating experience; although I will point out that this isn’t a problem unique to the Nanoleaf lamps – Matter over Thread is a mess full stop at the moment, I’ve had lots of issues with a broad range of devices from a multitude of brands.

However, I did encounter some connectivity issues with the Umbra duo that I hadn’t come across before.

Initially, I encountered significant difficulties when trying to pair these lamps directly to Alexa or HomeKit using the usual Matter QR code methods…

Despite numerous attempts, neither lamp would connect to these platforms directly, I just kept getting various errors – this despite me having an abundance or Matter controllers that have Thread border routers on board such as the Echo Hub or Apple HomePod Mini; the latter of which I already use with other Nanoleaf Matter Thread devices I have such as the Essentials range.

This forced me to rely on the Nanoleaf app for setup. After connecting the lamps to an existing Thread network via the Nanoleaf app (an Eero driven one, bizarrely) I did then manage to sync them with HomeKit and Matter inside the Nanoleaf app.

Subsequently, I used the Matter code to link them to Alexa as well.

Not exactly the streamlined Matter setup we were all promised but, again, not really the fault of Nanoleaf (who, interestingly, seem to have ditched Thread for all of its other recent Matter launches.)

Even after this convoluted process, the connectivity was still pretty inconsistent. Occasionally, the lamps would appear as connected through Thread in the ‘My Devices’ section of the Nanoleaf app, only for them to revert to Bluetooth-only mode at other times.

When in Bluetooth mode, the lamps were only controllable via my smartphone and not accessible to other smart home systems, which obviously detracts from their intended ‘smart’ functionality.

Features

Both lamps integrate with the Nanoleaf app, providing three control methods in total: their manual buttons, app controls, and those integrations I mentioned with smart home systems.

The app includes a Circadian rhythm feature that adjusts lighting based on time of day, although this is not compatible with Matter or HomeKit at present but updates are due (from those respective platforms, rather than Nanoleaf) in the coming weeks.

Both Umbra lamps only offer single-color illumination at any given time, lacking the color blending capabilities found in competitors like Govee.

However, you can select from various scenes that cycle through colors and shades and, for anyone that’s used a Nanoleaf light before, you’ll know its a super simple, clean app to use with plenty of options for customization on offer.

Performance

Both lamps offer over 16 million colors – with a color temperature of 2700K-6500K – and tunable whites, the Cono delivers 130 lumens and the Cup 320 lumens.

The Cono Lamp’s performance is therefore somewhat disappointing, with its low lumen output making it less effective as a portable light source but it is still pretty good for creating nice mood effects.

As mentioned, the battery life of 4-6 hours limits its practicality for extended use, and the constant drain from Bluetooth or Thread connectivity further reduces its usability – even if you only used it for an hour or so but then left it ‘off’ for a week, the battery will still drain as those radios stay alive during standby status, to listen out for a signal.

The Cup Lamp’s performance is more consistent, providing solid illumination for a desk or bedside use, though the design could benefit a bit of refinement to avoid those visible LED patches.

Final thoughts

The Nanoleaf Umbra range introduces some bold and unique designs with the Cono and Cup Lamps, but they are not without their flaws.

They both look pretty snazzy and offer some versatile control options, but connectivity issues, high pricing, and some design quirks hold them back from being truly standout products.

For those who value style and are willing to overlook these shortcomings, they might still be worth considering, particularly if purchased at a discount.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Smart lights usually live within an ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a connected light for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular light compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide on how we test smart lights to learn more.