Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Smart thermostats are one of the most useful tools a homeowner can buy. They can optimize your heating and cooling, so you save money on your bills. Additionally, some smart thermostats also come with extra features such as remote sensors or a built-in Amazon Alexa. Unfortunately, it can be challenging to know which smart sensors are the best due to the sheer number of them on the market. Don't worry, though, because we're here to direct you in the right direction. Overall, we think the best smart thermostat available is the ecobee SmartThermostat thanks to its awesome bonus features and wide smart-home compatibility.
Best Overall: ecobee SmartThermostat
If you want the best smart thermostat out there, it doesn't get any better than the ecobee SmartThermostat. Aside from allowing you to control your home's temperature with your phone and regulating your heating and cooling based on factors like you being home or not and the climate in your area, it also comes with a couple of very handy bonus features.
The first is a built-in Amazon Alexa, which allows you to control the temperature with voice commands, and you can also use it to ask Alexa to play music, make calls, tell you the weather, and more. Secondly, the thermostat comes with a special sensor that will optimize heating and cooling in a specific room, helping you save even more money while also making the area as comfortable as possible. If you want more of these sensors, they're available to buy separately.
The ecobee SmartThermostat works with all smart-home management systems such as Apple HomeKit, too. At the end of the day, you can't really ask for more out of a smart thermostat.
Pros:
- Full temperature regulation
- Room sensor is fantastic
- Can be controlled with smart devices
- Built-in Alexa
- Compatible with all smart-home systems
Cons:
- Pricey
Best Overall
ecobee SmartThermostat
Everything you could ever want
The ecobee SmartThermostat combines some amazing bonus features with quality temperature regulation, making it our top choice.
Best Runner-Up: Nest Smart Thermostat v.3
The third iteration of Google's Nest smart thermostat is excellent, and it's what we recommend if the ecobee option isn't to your liking. It has all of the same capabilities of the ecobee SmartThermostat, except for a built-in Amazon Alexa, functionality with room sensors, and compatibility with Apple HomeKit. As a result, the price is a little lower, making it perfect for folks who want something on the high-end but don't want to pay too much. It can be purchased in a wide variety of colors as well, meaning you can make it match your interior decor with ease.
Pros:
- Full temperature regulation
- Can be controlled with smart devices
- Compatible with most smart-home systems
- Plenty of color options
Cons:
- No built-in Alexa
- No room sensor support
- No Apple HomeKit compatibility
Best Runner-Up
Nest Smart Thermostat v.3
The next best thing
The Nest Smart Thermostat v.3 offers comparable excellence at a lower price, making it a great alternative.
Best Mid-Range: ecobee EB-STAT Lite
If you want something that offers great mid-range performance, look no further than ecobee's EB-STAT Lite. It has standard temperature regulation, and you can control the temperature manually with your phone. Still, it lacks built-in Amazon Alexa and geofencing (what smart thermostats use to tell if you're home automatically or not by communicating with your phone). Losing out on geofencing is unfortunate, but the trade-off is that this thermostat is fully compatible with ecobee's room sensors, though none actually come in the box.
The ecobee EB-STAT Lite is an excellent option for people who want to enjoy the benefits of ecobee's room sensors without paying a premium for the ecobee SmartThermostat.
Pros:
- Good temperature regulation
- Can be controlled with smart devices
- Compatible with room sensors
- Compatible with all smart-home systems
Cons:
- No geofencing
- No built-in Alexa
Best Mid-Range
ecobee EB-STAT Lite
Middle of the road
This thermostat is perfect for people who want to save a little money, and you can add room sensors to the mix later if you wish.
Best for Window AC: Sensibo Sky Thermostat
For people who live in apartments or older homes and use window air conditioning units instead of full HVAC systems, most smart thermostats won't work for you because they're not designed for window air conditioning. However, a few companies have made smart thermostats for this purpose, and among them, your best bet is the Sensibo Sky Thermostat. It has all of the typical features like geofencing, temperature scheduling, and climate-based regulation. Like all the other options on the list, it can also be manually controlled with your smart devices. It doesn't come with any bonus features and only offers smart-home compatibility with Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT, but it's the best you've got if you're using window air conditioning.
Pros:
- Full temperature regulation
- Can be controlled with smart devices
- Affordable
- Best option for window AC users
Cons:
- Only works with a few smart-home systems
- No built-in Alexa
- No sensor support
Best for Window AC
Sensibo Sky Thermostat
Specialized Sensibo
The Sensibo Sky is ideal for people who are using window AC units instead of full HVAC systems.
Best Budget: Honeywell Lyric T5 Thermostat
If you're okay with getting something basic and saving a lot of money, you'll love the Honeywell Lyric T5 Thermostat. Like the Sensibo Sky, it comes with the full suite of standard temperature regulation options and features but doesn't have any bonus features. Also, like the Sensibo Sky, it only works with a few smart-home systems — in this case, it's compatible with Alexa and Apple HomeKit. Due to this limited compatibility and lack of any bonus features, though, the price is very low. As a result, it's an excellent budget option.
Pros:
- Full temperature regulation
- Can be controlled with smart devices
- Most affordable
Cons:
- Only works with a few smart-home systems
- No built-in Alexa
- No sensor support
Best Budget
Honeywell Lyric T5 Thermostat
Affordable quality
The Honeywell thermostat may not have any special features, but it's very affordable, making it the ideal budget pick.
Bottom line
When it comes to buying a smart thermostat, there are a few different things to consider. Firstly, there are basic temperature regulation features to look for, such as automatic adjustments based on climate, remote control with smart devices, and geofencing. Most smart thermostats will have most or all of these. Then there are advanced options and functions. These include things like sensors for specific rooms or a built-in Alexa voice assistant. These things take the standard smart thermostat experience and enhance it by offering more in-depth customization options and versatility. Finally, there's compatibility with other smart-home systems to consider. If you use one or more smart-home management systems like Apple HomeKit or IFTTT, you'll want to make sure the smart thermometer you choose works with them so that you can manage your thermostat within the same apps you utilize for your other smart appliances.
While all of the different thermostats on this list are great, none of them are better than the ecobee SmartThermostat. It regulates temperature excellently, and the support for room sensors allows you to manage the temperature in specific rooms, too, which is fantastic. Pair that with a built-in Alexa and full compatibility with all modern smart-home management systems, and you have the best smart thermostat ever made.
Credits — The team that worked on this guide
Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer with a burning passion for video games, of which he's been an avid fan since childhood. He's relatively new to the writing scene, but he counters that lack of experience with a rock-solid work ethic and a desire to improve at every opportunity. You'll find him doing reviews, editorials, and general coverage on everything Xbox and PC. Follow him on Twitter.
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