A smart thermostat is a great way to save money on your heating and cooling costs month after month. Most smart thermostats adjust the temperature during the times when you are home, learning your habits and minimizing the wear and tear on your HVAC system.
The question is: Which of these smart home devices is the right fit for you?
There are several of these smart thermostats on the market today, but here are our top five options:
Nest Learning Thermostat
Perhaps one of the most well-known brands on the market is the Nest Learning Thermostat. It is super user-friendly and makes it a point to learn your habits. During the times that you are home, this tool can adjust the temperature of your house to be more comfortable.
After taking some time to learn your habits, you will find that it is really quite intuitive.
One of the things that makes this the best smart thermostat for many people is its connection with other smart home devices. Feel free to use Nest with your Amazon Alexa or Google Home, as well as other less popular devices. Owned by Google, it comes as no surprise that it can be easily integrated with all of these tools.
Perhaps the only drawback to the Nest thermostat is that it does not have the capability of reading the temperature across multiple rooms.
Amazon Smart Thermostat
Is there anything that Amazon can’t make? Like many smart thermostats, the Amazon model has a clean and modern interface that looks like it blends right in with your home design.
These smart thermostats connect to your Alexa devices as well as your HVAC system. Utilizing a feature known as Alexa Hunches, it can automatically adjust your HVAC systems to save on energy usage. Even if your connection goes out, this smart thermostat can continue to work offline.
The main benefit of the Amazon Smart Thermostat is that it is extremely affordable. For many, this is what makes the Amazon model the best smart thermostat on the market. You can invest in your home and save money on heating and cooling without breaking the bank on the initial investment.
One thing to keep in mind is that it doesn’t feature remote sensors like the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium has (which we will look at next).
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
If you don’t mind making the investment into something more robust than the Nest thermostat or the Amazon model, Ecobee smart thermostats have a lot to offer. First and foremost, it utilizes remote sensors in order to determine the temperature of other rooms. This makes it easier to control heating and cooling systems across the whole home.
However, it really shines in relation to all of its capabilities. It features an air quality sensor that tells you when you need to get some air circulating in your home. There is also a relatively large display screen that does more than just tell you the temperature. You can look at the weather and even play music via this screen.
Alexa is built into the device, but it also gives you access to Siri voice control with a HomePod.
The only real problem is the investment you will need to make into this premium option. You may find that the Ecobee 3 Lite is a better fit for your budget.
Ecobee 3 Lite
You can seriously slash the price of your smart thermostat by going with the Ecobee 3 Lite. This model still offers some of the robust capabilities of the Premium model but at a much lower price. You still get the ease of use of a decently sized touchscreen interface.
Plus, you still get the capability of using remote sensors that can help you control the temperature in other rooms (purchased separately). It does not have the same learning function that many smart thermostats have, requiring you to program it exactly how you want it.
It works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and even Apple HomeKit. However, voice control is not built into the thermostat, so you may find it clunkier to use with some of these smart home systems.
Wyze Smart Thermostat
Some people are already using lots of Wyze products when it comes to controlling their home, so it may make sense to utilize the thermostat as well. Like the Amazon model, it’s an extremely affordable way to test smart thermostats out to see if they are a good fit for you before investing in an expensive learning model like the Nest or Ecobee Premium.
You can use it with both Alexa and Google Assistant. The easiest way to alter the settings on your new smart thermostat is straight through the app that accompanies it. If you’re already in there to take care of other items, you may want to test-drive your new thermostat settings instead of adjusting them from the display screen.
Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat
Over the years, Honeywell has built up a reputation as being one of the best thermostats on the market. It is a reliable brand, and this carries over to its function as a smart thermostat. This particular model functions on your Wi-Fi and integrates with Alexa, Google Assistant, and your Apple HomeKit.
In addition to its general features like remote sensors and app integration, you also get some unique capabilities not seen on most thermostats. For example, the Honeywell T9 also controls humidity and proximity.
Keep in mind that while the Honeywell is a great option, it is going to be a more expensive initial investment.
Get Help With Your HVAC Systems and Smart Thermostats
Settling on the perfect smart thermostat for your home requires research and an initial investment in the technology itself. From the Nest thermostat to the Honeywell, smart thermostats work to save you money on heating and cooling bills. Your smart home system can be improved with one of these tools.
If you need help with HRV in Winnipeg, reach out to Provincial Heating and Cooling today!