Smart thermostats have quickly become one of the coolest gadgets you can own in your home. Whether you love them for their high-tech appeal or their eco-friendly capabilities, it’s hard to deny what amazing devices these appliances are.
Since their inception, companies have jumped on the bandwagon to produce their own versions of these nifty gadgets. With so many to choose from, it can be a daunting task to pick out one that suits your lifestyle. That’s why we’ve narrowed down the list to bring you the eight best smart thermostats available.
How We Chose Our Ratings
In picking out the best smart thermostats, we wanted to bring you the most honest and accurate information possible. This list has been compiled from thousands of testimonials, reviews from customers, and data about the performance these devices offer.
The reputation of the brands has also been taken into consideration, but many of these companies are relatively new to the field of smart home appliances. Combining all of this data together, we whittled down our list to just eight products. We feel confident in our selection and hope our hard work shines through.
Top 8 Best Smart Thermostats
Out of all the products on the market, these eight are our absolute favorite. We’ve arranged them in order from a full five stars downward to bring you the best first.
1. Nest Learning Thermostat
Nest thermostats have reached their 3rd generation, and the newest iteration of this device comes packed with a ton of unique features. The thermostat saves energy by studying your temperature preferences and going into “away mode” when you leave home, evening out the temperature, so your furnace or central air isn’t running while you’re gone.
This device is capable of tracking weather near your home, delivering progress reports on energy saved, and syncing up with hundreds of other smart home products from Amazon Alexa to August Smart Lock. You can change the temperature via its outer metal ring, with voice commands through a smart speaker, or with the mobile app from anywhere in the world.
Installation is a breeze, and Nest will automatically take care of the rest afterward. It automatically detects your habits to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. It also lights up when you walk past, displaying either the time or temperature depending on what you set it to do.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Ecobee4
This is the only model on the market with built-in Amazon Alexa voice controls as well as a remote sensor included, which tracks temperatures in other rooms. Just like the Nest, ecobee4 uses automatic scheduling to create an ideal temperature and sends you monthly progress reports.
Both the on-screen display and mobile app have identical controls, making it easy to use. While it might not share the vast interconnectivity that Nest has, it is still capable of connecting to numerous smart devices in your home.
Installation isn’t difficult, especially with the app walking you through the steps. The ecobee4 comes in a sleek black design and offers a broad viewing screen that operates with the touch of a finger.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Ecobee3 Lite
This is ecobee’s more budget-friendly model, which uses the same exact technology as the ecobee4 but removes the voice control and remote sensor. It looks identical to the above model, sharing the large touchscreen interface and design.
Automatically adjusting to your habits, this device sets out to create an eco-friendly yet comfortable living environment inside of your home. You’ll still be able to use the app for this one, too. If you don’t need to speak to your thermostat, then this option can help save you a few dozen dollars.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart RTH9580WF
Honeywell is a trusted name in home appliances, and this smart thermostat lives up to their reputation. A touchscreen interface makes it simple to use, the sleek design suits any home décor, and its wireless function is not to be overlooked.
This device will warn you when it detects a problem with your heater or air conditioner, displaying an orange alert button right on the home screen. It also includes an alert that notifies you when its time to change the air filters.
Real-time weather conditions help you get ready for your day and asks a series of questions to determine what temperatures you like best. For instance, it asks what temperature you would like the house at when you go to sleep or when you are not home. After programming, the device is mostly self-sufficient, but you can still change the temperature from your mobile device at any point in time.
Going the extra mile, Honeywell included Amazon Alexa voice control compatibility and made the installation as straightforward as possible. Throw in a one-year warranty along with Honeywell’s exceptional customer service, and you’ve got an excellent piece of equipment.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Honeywell Lyric T5 RCHT86WF
Slightly more attractive than the RTH9580WF, this model is a leaner version of the Honeywell Lyric Round. It used geofencing to determine when you are away from home, provides usage reports, and works with several smart home platforms.
The touchscreen on this model is lockable, keeping little ones and nosy guests from messing with your temperature feng shui. You can tell the T5 how many heating or cooling cycles it is allowed to run per hour, control the thermostat via the mobile app, and connect it to various smart speakers such as Google Home or Apple HomeKit.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Radio Thermostat CT-80 B
Radio is reasonably new the world of smart home appliances, but this device offers the same fully-controllable temperature options as its competitors via Wi-Fi. Its touchscreen is as easy to use as the drag and drop mobile app, while its auto-scheduling function saves your preferences over a seven-day cycle. This feature allows you to make temporary changes without reprogramming the device.
Functionality is increased by the CT-80’s ability to recognize local weather conditions, which it displays on screen for you to view. Geofencing allows it to determine when you are in your home or away, so it can adjust the temperature accordingly like most smart thermostats, but this one does not share the connectivity found in other devices.
Rating: 4 out 5
Emerson Sensi 1F86U-42WF
The Sensi lacks several energy management features found on other devices but makes up for this with easy to program settings that align with your lifestyle. Geofencing picks up when you are away, on-screen weather information gives you a head start for the day, and a humidity sensor helps to regulate the moisture in your home.
This device works with nearly any heating and cooling system, is compatible with Amazon Echo for voice control, and utilizes Wi-Fi to work with its partner mobile app. What it lacks is auto-scheduling. You’ll have to program a seven-day cycle that includes away settings.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Carrier Cor TP-WEM01
Carrier’s Cor model utilizes advanced algorithms to read the temperatures inside and outside of your home, then adjust your HVAC units accordingly. Just like other models, it provides usage reports on how much energy it saves as well.
A large touchscreen makes programming a cinch, while a built-in sensor detects motion to light up as you walk by. Cor isn’t capable, however, of recognizing your habits or knowing when you are away from your house. Thankfully, you can quickly adjust the temperature setting with your smartphone.
Cor comes with away, home, wake, sleep and vacation modes that can all be accessed via the mobile app. Installation is simple, and usage is similar to the ecobee3 lite. Add excellent customer support along with a three-year warranty, and you can see how this model made the list despite its shortcomings.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Buyer’s Guide
Before deciding which thermostat to buy, there are a few key factors to take into consideration. Thankfully, they mostly consist of personal taste.
All smart thermostats work to reduce your home’s energy consumption, but the first aspect to consider is whether you want this done automatically or if you’d prefer to program the device. As you saw above, not every one of these gadgets does the work for you.
The second aspect to consider is functionality. Every thermostat can be controlled via a mobile app, but do you want yours to respond to voice commands as well? Furthermore, would you prefer that this device works seamlessly with other smart devices in your home?
You might prefer the Nest for its ability to sync up with hundreds of other smart devices, turning your home into something you can control with a few simple voice commands. On the other hand, you might just want your thermostat to function on its own without interference from smoke alarms, dryers, or other devices.
Maybe you would like a unit that displays the current weather conditions outside before heading off on your morning commute, or a model like the Honeywell that alerts you to maintenance and other issues with your HVAC systems. When picking out the best smart thermostat for your home, it all comes down to the features you would enjoy the most.
