The Best Smart Thermostat (Review) in 2020
We cannot underestimate the importance of not only have heating and cooling units in the home, but also having thermostats that can help us properly set and control the temperature around the house to the desired degrees. No doubt, the only thing better than a regular thermostat is a smart thermostat. These smart devices are able to connect to Wi-Fi for easy control, come with downloadable apps that let us manage settings from our smartphones, and honestly, are just a whole lot cooler, which is why we’ve put together the best smart thermostats on the market.
The Best Smart Thermostat
1.
Emerson Thermostats Sensi Smart Thermostat
The Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Thermostat comes with a mobile app that you can simply install on your smartphone and control from the very comfort of your home. This digital thermostat comes in a pack of six so that you can install multiple all around your house, all of which can be controlled with your phone and remotely monitored at the same time. Once your smart thermostats are installed, you can then customize the settings to meet the unique needs of your space, as well as integrate settings such as keypad lockout, fan mode and set points.
Features an HD touch screen with color display
Compatible with Alexa, Home Kit and Wink smart home platforms
Includes settings such as temperature control and flexible scheduling
Can be easily installed and controlled from smartphone
2.
Honeywell Touch Screen Programmable Thermostat
With the Honeywell Wi-Fi Color Touch Screen Programmable Thermostat, you get to experience easy and comfortable temperature control. This smart thermostat comes with a Wi-Fi connectivity feature which means it can automatically connect to the internet set up in your home. What’s more, it can sense the temperature outside of the house and automatically reset the temperature in the house to be more appropriate. You can also change the settings and custom set the temperature to have it on a daily schedule. What’s more, the thermostat comes with a Total Connect Comfort app that can be simply downloaded on your smartphone and used to remotely manage and control both the energy usage and the comfort levels in your space. From your phone, no matter where you are, you can turn on and turn off the thermostat, control your settings and check the temperature and weather.
Requires a C-wire to operate
Comes with Wi-Fi connectivity
Features custom display with on screen information
Comes with an app that can be controlled from a smartphone
3.
ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control
For lovers of music, this digital thermostat is ideal. The ecobee Smart Thermostat With Voice Control comes with a built in wireless Bluetooth technology that can stream via Spotify, for the perfect music entertainment. From the comfort of your home, you can experience just the perfect indoor temperature while still jamming up to your favorite tunes, all without having to even lift a finger. This intelligent thermostat also comes with a built in Alexa that offers access to Alexa calling, Alexa Drop in, which also acts as an intercom to speak across rooms between devices, and Alexa messaging which allows for voicemail between Alexa devices.
Comes with 5GHz Wi-Fi connectivity power
Features built in music streaming with Spotify
Features built in Alexa
Can be controlled with any smart phone and even apple watch
4.
Google Nest Smart Thermostat
Experience premium power saving technology with the Google Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Gen. This Wi-Fi smart thermostat has been designed based on the knowledge that your thermostat controls at least half of your power bills in your home, and so, should also help you save energy. Based on independent studies, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat saves an average of 10 to 12 percent on heating bills in a home as well as 15 percent on cooling bills as well. Imagine how much money you could be saving with this intelligent thermostat that looks out for you? And that’s just the beginning of the awesome features of this device.
Helps save heating and cooling energy consumption
Can be controlled with any smart device
Features auto scheduling
Stores energy history for your learning purposes
5.
Mysa Smart Thermostat
The Mysa Smart Thermostat for Electric Baseboard Heaters is the Wi-Fi thermostat that works excellently well with high voltage electric heaters. This smart thermostat can be controlled from anywhere in the world, thanks to its Mysa app that can be downloaded on any Android or iOS device; so with your phone or your tablet, you can easily control the temperature settings of your home. Furthermore, with the scheduling feature, you can set, monitor and manage the schedule of the thermostat from within the app on your phone.
Makes use of geofencing to determine location
Acts as a power saver by monitoring power usage
Is compatible with high voltage heaters
Can be controlled with android and iOS devices
6.
Honeywell Home T9 WIFI Smart Thermostat
The Honeywell Home Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat is the whole thermostat package that you need in your home and shows just how smart a device like this can be. It senses the temperature around your home, helps you set an everyday schedule depending on how you like the temperature to be on a daily basis, and even helps you save energy when you are out by preparing the perfect temperature for your return. No doubt, it doesn’t get any smarter than this – this device even comes with a smart room sensor that displays a room’s temperature and humidity levels. The sensor has a strong signal that can reach up to 200 feet, spreading across the whole house before presenting data, so that both devices are working together to ensure an ideal temperature throughout the home.
Can be controlled by app in smartphone or tablet
Features monthly energy reports
Compatible with Alexa and Google assistant
Features geofencing from app
7.
Johnson Controls GLAS Smart Thermostat
The GLAS Smart Thermostat by Johnson Controls is the ultimate stylish thermostat that features a translucent OLED touchscreen that can fit right in with any home décor. This device monitors the quality of air both indoors and outdoors before reporting for further awareness. And like most other thermostats on this list, it comes built with an app that can be easily downloaded on a smart device; so that that you can conveniently control the temperature of the home or office from anywhere.
Compatible with Amazon’s Alexa
Features mobile app
Can be controlled through smartphone or tablet
Monitors and reports air quality
8.
Honeywell Lyric T5 Wi-Fi Touchscreen Thermostat
Just like with the GLAS Smart thermostat, the Honeywell Lyric Wi-Fi Smart Touchscreen Thermostat allows you to schedule the temperature of your home for up to seven days, ensuring it is always the perfect temperature throughout the week. And like many others, this thermostat also combines geofencing, thanks to the easily downloadable app. What’s more, it features adaptive recovery which means that it learns how long it takes to achieve the right temperature and automatically runs the system when you want it. Furthermore, it can also change from auto heat to auto cool by sensing the outside temperature.
Features geofencing from downloadable app
Allows for 7 day scheduling of temperature
Compatible with Alexa
Requires a C wire to function
Best Smart Thermostat Buying Guide
The buying guide below offers further information on the key aspects to look out for when purchasing a smart thermostat.
What to Look for in a Smart Thermostat
- Installation
When buying a smart thermostat, you need to consider the ease of installation. A smart thermostat should not be hard to install, and most come with instruction manuals that can guide you along the way. Some manuals even have pictures and color coded wires to further simplify the installation process.
- Remote control
A smart thermostat typically allows you to control the settings from outside of the home; most are built with smartphone apps that can be installed for easier managing of the thermostat settings. Additionally, try to nvestigate the smart thermostat you are purchasing to ensure that you have access to smart control
- Smart home integration
Consider if your smart thermostat can be integrated with other smart home devices. This is usually achieved through compatibility with certain smart assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Voice Assistant. If you have a smart home, this is essential.
- Requirement of C wire
Consider that a lot of smart thermostats require the presence of a common wire to function. Others function with an R wire, but a C wire is preferred. First, look out for a C wire where you want to put your thermostat, and if there isn’t one, then you would need to have one installed.
Advantages of Using a Smart Thermostat
- Geofencing
One of the advantages of smart thermostats is geofencing. Geofencing works with the apps that typically come with smart thermostats. These apps can be easily downloaded on a smartphone, tablet, and laptop. Geofencing means that the app senses a location through your phone, sends a signal to the smart thermostat in your home, and if you are outside of your house, the thermostat turns off all heating and cooling, as a way to save energy.
- Compatibility with voice assistants
A lot of smart thermostats are becoming increasingly compatible with voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. These voice assistants make controlling the thermostat a lot easier; with the simple command of your voice, you can change temperatures and even turn the heating on and off. Additionally, when coupled with the smart thermostats, many of these voice assistants can even work as intercoms around the home if more than one smart thermostat is installed.
- Temperature scheduling
Another advantage of using smart thermostats is their ability to carry out temperature scheduling. This basically means that the thermostats can schedule the temperature of your home for a period of time, mostly seven days, so that you don’t need to worry about adjusting temperatures. Some smart thermostats do it automatically after monitoring your temperature preferences, while with others, you would have to set the schedule yourself.
How to Install a Smart Thermostat
To install a smart thermostat, you’re going to need to first of all turn off your HVAC system, as this will cut the power to your thermostat and prevent you from damaging electrical components when working with the thermostat’s wires. Next, you will then need to remove the faceplate of the old thermostat to get to the backplate. The faceplate should simply be removable at this point, and you can just pop it off.
Once it is off, then you can remove the backplate. Some require you to remove the screws that hold in the wires with a screwdriver while with others, you will have to release the wires by pressing in small tabs. Once this is done, you can then add the C wire if your system doesn’t already have one.
Then install the new backplate and pull the wires through, reconnect the wires to thermostat wires, and install in the new faceplate of the new thermostat by simply attaching it to the backplate. Next, turn back on your HVAC system, and finally, you can then connect the new thermostat to the Wi-Fi in your house.
Testing a Smart Thermostat
You can test a smart thermostat by first turning off the power to the furnace in your home, then removing the thermostat faceplate to expose its wires. You can take a picture of the wires with your phone, just so you can easily remember which wires are connected to the terminals. You will then have to unscrew the wires from their terminals, then twist the naked ends of two wires together and ensure no other wires are touching each other.
Next, turn on the furnace’s power and if the blower turns on and the furnace’s burner gets ignited, this might mean that the thermostat might be faulty of wrongly connected. If the burner does not get ignited, you can then check the continuity of the wires going from the thermostat all the way to the furnace to check if one of the wires has a break.
Our Top Pick
Our top pick for today goes to the Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Thermostat. First of all, this thermostat comes in a pack of six, meaning that you can have one installed in every room in your house. It features geofencing which means that there will be no heating or cooling in your house when no one is home, so this device helps you save energy and money. It also features a flexible scheduling that lets you custom-set just the right temperature for each room in your home for each day of the week. Coupled with it being completely easy to install, it really doesn’t get any better than this.
Sources:
- Thermostats - Explain That Stuff
- What are smart thermostats and how do they work? - Simply Switch
