Smart thermostats learn your daily schedule, can adjust the temperature of individual rooms, and anticipate heating and cooling needs based on the weather outside. You can even control your thermostat away from home through an app. Here are a few of the best smart thermostats.
Ecobee SmartThermostat
Best smart thermostat overall
Why we picked the Ecobee SmartThermostat:
There are a lot of reasons to love the Ecobee SmartThermostat. For starters, the install process is pretty painless. Even if you don’t have a C-wire, Ecobee has you covered with a power extender kit included. Plus, the installation instructions are easy to follow, and the setup process is quick.
The SmartThermostat has a responsive touchscreen display with a clean interface. It also has voice control built-in via Alexa, like the previous Ecobee. However, with the SmartThermostat, Alexa can play podcasts, playlists, news, and music from services like Spotify (and it actually has good sound). You can even use your thermostat for features like
The SmartThermostat also comes with a SmartSensor. If you have hot or cold spots in your home, the sensor can help even things out and make your home more comfortable.
Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Generation)
Best easy-to-use smart thermostat
Why we picked the Nest Learning Thermostat:
We really like the Nest Learning Thermostat because of its learning capabilities. After you install the device and set the temperature you like, the thermostat does the rest. Nest takes note of how you move around your house throughout the week, adjusting the various temperature settings according to the time of day and your habits. With the third-generation model, a new set of sensors called Farsight make this even more accurate.
Farsight detects when you enter a room or walk past it up to five meters away, a significant improvement over earlier models. Additionally, up to 10 additional sensors can monitor temperatures in other rooms, further optimizing your heating and cooling. You can monitor temperature from a much further distance thanks to a 3.25-inch screen, a half inch bigger than previous models.
Like any good friend, the device will offer suggestions designed to save you money. Its ability to adjust the temperature of your home a half hour before you arrive from work only furthers its intuitiveness.
Thanks to ‘Works with Nest,’ the thermostat integrates with a lot of other smart home products, allowing you to create scenes, like bedtime: Your lights turn off, the door locks, and the temperature lowers. The latest version also works with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can tell it when you’re too hot.
Nest Thermostat E
The best thermostat on a budget
Why we picked the Nest Thermostat E:
Nest was seeing a lot of pressure from its competitors after nearly a half decade at the top of the heap, and that’s likely one of the main reasons the Nest Thermostat E came about. Cheaper than the Learning Thermostat, it retains a good deal of its functionality at the same price point as most mid-range competitors, even though Nest has ditched the iconic metal enclosure for cheaper plastic.
That’s not to say it looks cheap. If you have white or light-colored walls, the E blends in. The choice to place a diffuse plastic film over the screen gives an almost watercolor-like effect to the display, maintaining its overall subtleness. You won’t get Farsight or some internet-connectivity features, but to be honest we don’t think you’ll miss them.
You’ll still get the learning features of the other models. It works with other Nest and third-party devices. We firmly believe (at least right now) that the Nest Thermostat E is the most affordable smart thermostat out there that is actually worth buying.
Cielo Breez Plus Smart AC Controller
Best smart thermostat for window units
Why we picked the Cielo Breez Plus:
These days, smart thermostats aren’t just for homes with central HVAC systems. Thanks to companies like Cielo Breez, those of us stuck with window air conditioners, ACs on wheels, and mini-splits now have smart options for keeping the house comfy in the summer. The Plus works its magic by way of four infrared sensors that are built into the thermostat. These sensors interact with the infrared signals produced by your portable AC and its remote control, effectively learning the infrared language of your AC brand. All you have to do is mount the Plus module in the room your air conditioner is located in, connect to Wi-Fi, and your smart controls are up and running. Once you download the Cielo app (for iOS and Android), you’ll be able to power your AC on/off, adjust the temperature, set routines, and more, whether on-the-go or nestled on the couch.
Additional capabilities for Alexa and Google Home let you control your ACs with simple voice commands or with your
How we test
Smart thermostats aren’t just about how well they regulate temperature; they’re also about saving money and changing temperatures at the right time. When we test them, we take into account several factors, including ease of installation, ease of use, how well they do their job, and whether or not we saw any cost savings during testing.
There’s always a learning period with smart thermostats, so we take those into account and then see how well they do at tracking our comings and goings. Thermostats are often seen as the center of smart ecosystems, so we also test their integrations with lights, locks, and other devices they’re compatible with.
With the addition of compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, we also see how well the thermostats do with voice commands. Overall, we’re looking to see how well these thermostats do with cost savings and how often we have to interact with them once they’ve supposedly learned our habits.
