Nanoleaf: Panels Vs. Canvas Vs. Shapes (+ Comparison Chart)
If you’re looking to replace conventional fluorescent lighting in your home, smart LED panels might be an excellent option.
Offering a slimmer profile, these are highly customisable and offer some very impressive features, such as voice and gesture support. They are also easier to install and are highly versatile since they are available in multiple forms for different purposes.
And, when it comes to these lights, Nanoleaf is an outstanding brand that offers some amazing products. You can get smart panels, canvas, and even shapes for lighting the different areas of your home. But if you’re looking for a single option, choosing from these might be tricky.
That’s why we’ve compared the various aspects of all three variants in detail so that you can make an informed decision. So, let’s begin!
Contents
Quick Comparison
Canvas Starter Kit
- Two-year limited warranty
- Free shipping over £50
- Price: Four panels: £89.99
Why It’s Great
The Nanoleaf Canvas has a quilted texture and supports a wide range of colours and temperatures. It also supports touch gestures and can be integrated with voice assistants like Google Home and Alexa for greater convenience.
Pros
- Touch actions
- Quilted texture
- Scene shuffle buttons
Hexagon Starter Kit
- Two-year limited warranty
- Free shipping over £50
- Price: Five panels: £119.99
Why It’s Great
The Nanoleaf Hexagon Starter Kit is available in packs of five, nine, and 15 panels, which can be easily synced to music, and used with platforms like Spotify. Additionally, the panels support up to 16 million colours, and the lighting effects can easily be customised using the smartphone app.
Pros
- Screen mirror
- Voice assistant integration
- Smooth texture
Triangle Starter Kit
- Two-year limited warranty
- Free shipping over £50
- Price: Four panels: £89.99
Why It’s Great
The Triangle Starter Kit comes with the Connect+ module, allowing you to easily combine different shapes such as triangles, hexagons, and mini-triangles. Being modular, they can easily be installed on any flat surface and come with all the tools required for installation.
Pros
- Can combine multiple shapes
- Rhythm on and off buttons
- Supports up to 28 triangles
Overview Of Differences: Panels Vs. Canvas Vs. Shapes
Before diving into the detailed comparisons between the three options from Nanoleaf, check out these factors, which can help you choose the most suitable one.
1. Ease Of Installation
Nanoleaf is known for designing LED panels that are easy to install on any flat surface, such as a wall, making its products so versatile. This is possible thanks to the slim and efficient design of the panels themselves and because all the tools required for installation are included in the package.
All three Nanoleaf light panels come with double-sided adhesive mounting tape and linkers for connecting them, so you hardly need to buy anything separately. Using them is easy, and in case of any confusion or doubts, you can consult the quick start guide, which comes with panels.
2. Voice Assistant Integration
Voice assistant support is rapidly becoming an important feature in many devices, and smart LED panels are no exception. They can easily be integrated with assistants like Google Home and Alexa to make adjustments very convenient.
Fortunately, the starter kits from Nanoleaf fully support voice integration and can be controlled through smart assistants. And you can even use these panels through your voice assistant to connect to platforms like Spotify, which further adds to the overall experience.
Brand Info
Known for its high-quality light panels, Nanoleaf has quickly established itself as one of the leading players in the smart lighting industry despite being just a decade old. It originally launched its first products through crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter, later receiving funding from investment companies and capital firms.
The primary factor that makes Nanoleaf lights so popular is that they encourage energy efficiency through a combination of LED and smart technology. Also, Nanoleaf products are completely modular and available in several different shapes, which can be combined together, allowing easy customisation.
Being smart lights, they can easily be controlled using the home WiFi through voice commands or smart assistants. Moreover, they have excellent support for the Apple Homekit, which is not a very common feature, and do not require a separate controller.
Its offerings, such as the Nanoleaf Canvas, are versatile and can be used almost anywhere. Similarly, the Hexagon Starter Kit has received the Good Design Award due to its innovative design.
Construction And Materials
Canvas Starter Kit
The Canvas Starter Kit includes touch-sensitive light squares made from LED chips printed on a circuit board. They also have a diffuser on a flat surface, and each panel can be connected with another using the provided linkers. The linkers are also made from a conductive material that allows power to flow through them.
Hexagon Starter Kit
This Nanoleaf product is a part of the Nanoleaf Shapes series and features a construction similar to the Canvas, using LED chips and a printed circuit board. It also utilises the surface mounting technology of the brand, which is a fully automated process and ensures that all the components are firmly attached to the board.
The circuit boards are made from durable materials and are tested extensively, as are the LEDs. And the lights, once assembled, are tested again to detect any malfunctioning components.
Triangle Smarter Kit
Similar to the Hexagon, the Triangle smart light uses LED chips with surface mounting for fixing the components to the circuit board. It also features the patented technology of the brand, which promotes energy efficiency and ensures sustainability.
The panels are made from lightweight, flat materials that combine versatility and also help extend the durability of the smart light. Each panel includes at least 18 LEDs, which help the diffusion and distribution of light.
Temperature, Texture, And Brightness
Canvas Starter Kit
The Nanoleaf Canvas Starter Kit has a white light temperature ranging from 1200 K to 6500 K, which makes it a highly comfortable option for most users. This temperature provides a warm, cosy light and makes the Canvas ideal for areas like living rooms and bedrooms.
As for the texture, the Canvas includes panels with a quilted texture, which helps diffuse the light and reduce its harshness. Compared to most other options, which are smooth, this provides a different feel and can be used where you do not want strong light sources. However, that does not mean that the panels are not bright.
Hexagon Starter Kit
Like other Nanoleaf light panels, the Hexagon kit supports 16 million colours and has a temperature range of 1200 K to 6500K. So, you can easily choose from different lighting and colour effects for any room using the Nanoleaf app on your smartphone.
In fact, it is even possible to adjust each panel individually, so you can set the panels in different areas as required. You can even use them to create specific scenes or combine them with other shapes to create customised displays.
The hexagonal panels are smooth to touch, unlike the quilted Canvas ones, delivering a sharper, stronger light. That is why these may be best suited for larger areas where you need more brightness. However, the brightness levels can be easily altered using voice commands or touch gestures, making these lights a great option.
Triangle Starter Kit
The triangular light panels are similar to the hexagonal ones and are included under the Shapes series of Nanoleaf light panels. They support the same range of colours and temperatures and can also be used for mood lighting purposes.
These smart lights also have a smooth texture and deliver greater brightness than the Canvas, and you can control them using the Nanoleaf desktop app. The smooth surface also makes using touch gestures more pleasant.
You can create similar light effects with the triangle smart kit as with the hexagon one, or you can integrate it with third-party apps for use. The triangles can also be used to create customised designs and lighting effects for different purposes.
Size And Pricing
Canvas Starter Kit
- Four panels: £89.99
- Nine panels: £179.99
- 17 panels: £299.99
Hexagon Starter Kit
- Five panels: £119.99
- Nine panels: £179.99
- 15 panels: £269.99
Triangle Starter Kit
- Four panels: £89.99
- Nine panels: £179.99
- 15 panels: £269.99
Reviews
All three Nanoleaf LED panels have mostly positive reviews on various websites. Many customers left behind reviews praising the quality of the lights and customisation options. Some of them were even planning to purchase more of them.
Additionally, some customers have mentioned the reasons why these lights are such great options. They can be installed anywhere, are durable, and make great objects for decorative purposes. Similarly, the app has positive reviews on the app store and is highly intuitive.
Out of the three, most customers preferred the Nanoleaf Hexagon and Triangle Starter Kits, though some preferred the Canvas. On the flip side, some customers found it a bit tricky to install the lights, despite getting all the tools in the package.
Apart from that, the price was considered by many to be extremely high, but customers were still willing to recommend them to others for the great experience.
Finer Details
Shipping
Nanoleaf offers free shipping on all orders over £50 without requiring a discount code or coupon.
Trials And Returns
Unused products can be returned within 30 days of the original shipment for a cash refund. But the return shipping costs for commercial use orders will have to be borne by the customer.
Warranty
All three options come with a two-year limited warranty with complimentary replacement of defective hardware, and it is applicable on normal wear and tear.
Installation, Customisation, And Gesture Support
Installation
The Canvas, Hexagon, and Triangle kits come with adhesive tapes and linkers for installation purposes. These work very well for attaching the Nanoleaf light panels to any flat surface but may not be as effective on rough ones. The linkers can be used for connecting the different panels under the Shapes series, such as the hexagonal and triangular panels.
Customisation
All three Nanoleaf panels are highly customisable, allowing you to alter the colours and brightness of the lights. They support a wide range of lights and temperatures, which you can easily adjust using the smartphone app. Besides that, the panels have a rhythm module built-in for syncing to music via the microphone or an aux cable and also support voice control.
If you want to sync the lights to other apps like Spotify, you will need to use third-party apps like iLightShow. Another exciting feature is the screen mirror, which allows the lights to mirror the lighting on TV or computer screens for an immersive experience.
However, the Nanoleaf Canvas misses out on the Connect+, which is only present in the Shapes series, such as the Hexagon and Triangle kits. This allows connecting the different types of shapes for further customisation.
Gesture Support
Besides offering a high level of customizability, all three light strips from Nanoleaf feature touch control and gesture support. This means that you can swipe on the lights to control them and even assign smart actions to each panel. Such actions can be used to control other devices connected to the Homekit.
Buyer Feedback
The Nanoleaf Canvas is generally preferred by those who want a textured appearance and do not plan on adding more panels. This is because, unlike the other two options, it has a quilted surface and does not support attaching other panels.
However, those looking for greater customisation options should go with the Hexagon or Triangle kits, which come with all the features such as music sync, Connect+, touch control, etc.
Final Verdict
With its quilted texture and lower price, the Nanoleaf Canvas might be a better option for those looking to try out smart LED lights. On the other hand, the other two options are a better choice if you are willing to spend a bit more to get extra features like Connect+.
