The best smart thermostats make your life easier and more comfortable. Plus, you will save money and energy. It’s as simple as that.
After all, you want your house to be cool on a sweltering summer day. You also want to be warm and cozy when the winter winds blow. The last thing you want to do is crawl out from under the covers to turn up the heat. Or, be forced to walk across a hot house to turn up the air conditioner.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a smart thermostat so you could adjust your home’s temperatures from your smart phone? That’s now an option—thanks to programmable smart thermostats.
Here are some of the basic things to know before buying a smart thermostat. Keep reading for our guide to the best smart thermostats that includes reviews of the best Wi-Fi thermostats to buy now.
What Is a Smart Thermostat?
A smart thermostat connects to Wi-Fi and automatically adjusts the heating and cooling temperatures inside your house for optimal performance. You can remotely control the device using your phone or another Wi-Fi connected device.
You program your desired temperature settings, and the smart thermostat takes it from there. A smart thermostat can even be incorporated into your voice automation systems, such as Alexa (Amazon Echo).
In fact, many of the best smart thermostats can learn your temperature preferences. They can also learn your daily schedule. Because they know how warm or cool you like it in your home, they can begin to recognize when you are asleep. And when you are out of the house. Using this collected data, the thermostat can automatically switch to energy-saving mode when it thinks you aren’t there. (Of course, you can always override the unit and set the temperature you want.)
Remember, YOU are the boss of the smart thermostat. It is merely your smart wi-fi helper.
The Benefits of the Best Smart Thermostats
This innovative device makes controlling the temperature of your home easier. Convenience is one of the many benefits of using a smart thermostat. But there are many other benefits, too.
Convenience
Remotely controlling your thermostat with your cell phone is one of the major conveniences of a Wi-Fi thermostat. That’s true when you are home, and also when you are not. Let’s say you are on your way to the airport, and you don’t remember if you turned down the heat. Presto! Use the app on your smart phone to make any necessary temperature adjustments.
But most days or weeks, your schedule is probably quite predictable. Intelligent thermostats can pick up on your temperature preferences and create a schedule. They automatically lower the temps when you are away from home or asleep to save energy.
Smart thermostats can also have a geofencing feature, which enables the thermostat to know when you are coming home. Then it automatically adjusts the temperature according to your personal preferences.
Control
Smart thermostats make it easy to control your temperature settings right from your phone. There’s no need to get up in the middle of your favorite show just to turn down the heat. Instead, you can control things with a simple click of an app. Some devices will even launch a power-saving mode when the device is inactive.
These devices also provide temperature that data you can manage and track. This information can help you learn more about your heating and cooling preferences. It can also help you make more efficient energy choices in the future, such as lowering your air conditioning during warmer days.
Energy Savings
Smart thermostats save you energy by automatically controlling the temperature inside your house. They also have settings that efficiently conserve energy by adjusting the temperature when you leave or return home.
The software updates periodically to ensure the product is using the latest energy-saving features available.
A Good Home Improvement Project
Since you probably spend more time at home, you may want to consider upgrading some of your appliances to make your life more convenient. Smart thermostats are a great way to add the latest technology to your home. Some additional smart technologies you can add include:
The Best Smart Thermostats to Buy
Now that you know the benefits of smart thermostats, it’s time to consider the best model for your needs and your budget. We’ve compiled a buying guide to smart thermostats that makes it easy to evaluate the most popular programmable wi-fi thermostats on the market.
We picked the three best smart thermostats as our Editor’s Choice winners. All three of the smart thermostats reviewed below are excellent choices. Compare the features and the prices, then join the 21st Century world of smart heating and cooling.
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Editor’s Choice Awards
Google Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Thermostat is probably the best-known smart thermostat on the market. It was one of the first smart thermostats, introduced in 2011. Today’s model is the 3rd Generation Nest Learning Thermostat, which is a best seller that offers all the latest technological benefits. Plus, it has a sleek, modern design and comes in several colors.
This circular device is a Google product that learns your temperature preferences and adjusts accordingly. You can also override this feature and set your own heating and cooling schedule from anywhere.
This smart thermostat gives your home complete HVAC monitoring, which looks out for your heating and cooling systems. It even sends an alert if something doesn’t seem right, along with helpful reminders to make maintenance easier.
Remote control lets family members change the temperature from anywhere on a phone, laptop, or tablet. The Google Nest is a great choice—especially if you like the look of its sleek design.
Check Price and Availability.
Best Smart Thermostats: Ecobee4
Ecobee introduced the first “smart thermostat” back in 2007. Since then, its fine products have continued to get better and better with new features and options. The new Ecobee4 Smart Thermostat is a technological marvel.
The Ecobee4 features a square-shaped screen and comes with an innovative sensor to give you more precise control over your home temperature. It also tracks the weather throughout the day and adjusts the indoor temperature.
One of the best features of the Ecobee4 is the built-in Amazon Alexa compatibility. Once the unit is installed, you can control your thermostat using your voice with built-in Alexa. (Pretty cool, huh?) Wi-fi connectivity is ieee 802.11 b/g/n at 2.4 GHz.
The company says it only takes about 30 minutes to install this smart thermostat. That’s because it comes with an easy-to-follow installation guide and an in-app step-by-step walkthrough. Everything you need is in the box, including a Power Extender Kit for homes with no common wire (C-wire). This unit is compatible with gas, oil, electric, dual fuel, Conventional (2H/2C), Heat Pump (4H/2C), Humidifier, Dehumidifier, Ventilator, HRV or ERV systems.
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Honeywell 9000 Wireless Wi-Fi Thermostat
The Honeywell 9000 Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat offers many of the features of a top-of-the-line unit at a budget-friendly price. Download the Honeywell Total Connect Comfort app and remotely manage your home’s comfort and energy use. Add voice control by adding an Alexa device.
The handsome blue screen shows temperature, humidity, time and date. The unit enables you to program a 7-day schedule to accommodate your at home and out-of-home weekday and weekend schedules.
Honeywell has been making quality thermostats for decades, and this is a good choice for someone who doesn’t need every “bell and whistle.”
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The bottom line is this: you can’t go wrong with any of these best smart thermostats.
Looking for another great home DIY project? Read Transform Your Cabinets with DIY Pull-out Shelves.
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