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#1 Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Generation)
Google Nest is distinctively retro and stands out among the sea of square or rectangular touchscreens available. It is also available in more finishes than any other smart thermostat (about half a dozen).
Nest is easy to set up, provided you have a compatible HVAC system. The Nest thermostat is optimized for modern 5-wire furnaces with a C wire, but might work with an older 4-wire setup—if you have concerns, you might want to hire an electrician.
Once it’s installed, you can answer questions, connect it to your Wi-Fi network and let it work out your schedule. Google Nest knows when you’re away, so it won’t cool or heat an empty house, and it learns your schedule to lower temperatures overnight or when you’re routinely out of the house. Nest also considers the time it takes to heat or cool the house. It will learn how to adjust the temperature during the day and, soon, Google Nest will keep your home exactly as you want it to be.
Being part of the Google Nest ecosystem, it integrates with Nest Cam, Nest Hub and more. It can also connect to Alexa. And if you like ecobee’s remote sensor capability, you can add those to your Nest setup as well, in up to six rooms (though unlike ecobee, it senses temperature only, and lacks motion sensors to tell if you are physically in the room. However, it doesn’t have Apple HomeKit integration.
#2 Ecobee3 lite Smart Thermostat
The ecobee3 lite Smart Thermostat is only “smart” in the sense that it has smart home integration. If you’re looking for a thermostat that learns your behavior with sensors and keeps the house at the right temperature with little input from you, look elsewhere: This is really just a programmable thermostat, not a learning thermostat.
That said, if you want a programmable remote that also integrates with a vast number of smart home products—like Alexa, Google, HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings and more, this is a budget-priced device that has the attractive ecobee aesthetic and is extensively programmable.
One other caveat, though: The ecobee3 lite requires you to have a C wire to power the thermostat’s display. This thermostat cannot be used with older HVAC systems that do not have a C-wire. You will need to look at other options. Installing the C wire is quick and easy. It can be up and running in no time.
#3 Honeywell Home
This unit is compatible to: Alexa, SmartThings Google Home, IFTTT. Flexible programming options available based on your home and small business schedules. You can also receive intelligent alerts like reminders for air filter changes, humidifier pad replacement reminders. Also, you will be notified about the status of your internet connection.
Check to see if your new thermostat qualifies you for a utility rebate. Auto-updates daylight savings; adjusts 12/24-hours and multi-language needs
#4 Mysa Smart Thermostat For Electric Baseboard Heaters
Most smart thermostats are designed for homes with central heating and air conditioning, which can—if you’ll pardon the expression—leave people with electric baseboard heat out in the cold. The Mysa Smart Thermostat caters to this need and works well, provided you can accept a few limitations.
Chief among those limitations: Your HVAC system isn’t centralized, so you’ll need to install a separate Mysa in each room with baseboard heating that you want to control. Priced around $100 each, this endeavor can add up, but if you only have two or three rooms, it’s in the same ballpark as an ordinary smart thermostat. And if you have more than one installed, you can create “zones” using the mobile app to control them as a group, which makes it work similar to an ordinary smart thermostat.
Although you can install the Mysa by yourself, the multi-wire configuration can be confusing. For the 15-minute setup, if you are concerned about miswiring it, a professional electrician may be recommended. It is easy to control it once it’s installed. You can set up a schedule or use the extensive smart home integration (Alexa and Google, Samsung SmartThingss, HomeKit, and more) to adjust your temperature automatically.
#5 Bosch BCC100 Smart thermostat
The Bosch BCC100 has all the features you’d expect to find in a modern smart thermostat. It’s easy to install, so you can do it yourself—assuming, of course, that your current HVAC system supports a C wire. It’s particularly versatile, able to control most common HVAC systems including gas, oil and electric systems with two heating and two cooling stages, heat pumps with four heating and two cooling stages and any one-wire internally powered whole-home humidifier or dehumidifier.
It works with an Android or iPhone app and you can voice-operate it with Amazon Alexa. That’s about the extent of the smart home integration, though; you won’t find Google Assistant or Siri support here. Nor should you look for geofencing; the BCC100 doesn’t know whether you’re home or not, and won’t vary the temperature or its heating/cooling schedule based on your presence like other thermostats can.
It’s possible to access the 5-inch color touchscreen with ease, but you might be forgiven. This is the Bosch’s real appeal. It looks great, and it is easy to use. You can use it to dial in a specific temperature or to program a schedule, as well as control your home’s dehumidifier if you have one installed.
#6 Google Nest Thermostat
Don’t be confused by the similar naming—the Google Nest is the budget model in the Nest line, not to be confused with the Nest Learning Thermostat (although this budget thermostat can learn too).
About $100 cheaper than the flagship model, the Nest Thermostat doesn’t look quite as snazzy and is controlled with a touchscreen rather than the old spin-and-press interface. But it’s still quite attractive and retains the iconic round Nest aesthetic. This model is now controlled by the Google Home app. And while the thermostat does learn your habits and has a sensor to know if you’re moving around near the thermostat, it’s not compatible with remote sensors like the Nest Learning Thermostat.
#7 Honeywell T9 Smart Thermostat
Honeywell Home T9 can work with up to 20 remote sensors. You get one in the basic package, but you can purchase additional ones separately. That means you can track the temperature in very large homes and tell the T9 which rooms to prioritize, so it’ll ensure they reach the desired temperature.
Aesthetics are often a matter of personal taste, but Honeywell’s rectangular design may strike you as a little industrial compared to the attractive design used by ecobee and Nest. The touchscreen display is simple and you can control the app on your smartphone. You also have Alexa or Google compatibility. There’s limited smart home integration, though—it works with Samsung SmartThings, but doesn’t connect to other Honeywell smart products. You can program the system with IFTTT for some smart automation, like geofenced awareness of when you’re home or away. Installation is as simple as installing Nest or Ecobee. The adapter can be used if your HVAC system does not have a C-wire.