Smart thermostats offer easy access to your home’s environmental controls. Some include easy-to-use manual interfaces or connect to multiple room sensors for more precise temperature control. The best smart thermostats offer heating and cooling schedules, adapt to homeowner behavior, and let you make temperature adjustments when you’re away from home. Let’s not forget the fact that they look high-tech and modern, too. Take a peek at the latest in smart home technology with our best smart thermostat list, plus a few tips for choosing one that’s right for you.
Best voice control: Ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice ControlBest manual operation: Honeywell Home RCHT9610WFSW2003 T9 WiFi ThermostatBest for old HVAC: Honeywell T5+ RCT8612WFBest learning smart thermostat: Google Nest Learning ThermostatBest budget smart thermostat: Emerson Sensi WiFi Smart Thermostat
The best thermostat for home lets you sit back and relax while saving money.
Smart thermostats offer distinct advantages over traditional models by taking home temperature control to a new level. These models use WiFi or Bluetooth to connect to an app that lets you monitor and control the temperature from anywhere you can get a connection. Through the app, you can set weekday or weekend schedules, access temperature controls before you step foot into the house, and get detailed analyses of your energy use or temperature patterns. Smart home thermostats don’t skimp on technology. Some models feature geofencing, GPS, and touchscreens among their features and options. Advancements now allow some models to learn your behaviors and preferences, then adapt the temperature schedule to anticipate your needs. It comes down to the fact that the best smart thermostats give you one less thing to worry about while saving money on your energy bill.
Make your temperature control hands-free with a smart thermostat with voice control.
Best voice control: Ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control
The best smart thermostats need a user-friendly manual interface
Apps and remote access are one of the biggest benefits of smart thermostats. However, if you’re the kind of person who only wants to fiddle with an app when you’re away from home, a user-friendly manual interface makes life easier. Smart thermostats can have large touchscreen interfaces, where you can scroll through settings, schedules, and quickly make temperature adjustments. An easy-to-use manual interface can also come in handy if you have weak or spotty WiFi. If your WiFi is on the fritz, a manual interface that doesn’t take rocket science to use will keep your house comfortable.
Best manual operation: Honeywell Home RCHT9610WFSW2003 T9 WiFi Thermostat
This Honeywell smart thermostat features a large, color touchscreen that’s easy to read and use. The screen defaults to displaying the room temperature when it’s not in use, but a touch of the screen pops up the menu. It comes with a single remote thermostat, but you can buy and add more for increased control over the home’s environment. This model can also monitor and change the temperature in specific rooms of the house.
The right adapter lets some smart thermostats renew old HVAC systems
New and old technology don’t always get along. Unfortunately, that means that some smart thermostats don’t play well with old HVAC systems. That said, some smart thermostats whip old systems into shape with a power adapter that includes a C-wire for the added power that smart models need. If you live in an older home, check the wiring for your thermostat to see if you need a model that requires an adapter. And double-check the smart thermostat’s specs and manufacturer’s offered accessories. Even if the thermostat doesn’t come with an adapter, many manufacturers offer one that’s sold separately.
Best for old HVAC: Honeywell T5+ RCT8612WF
The Honeywell T5+ is designed and ships with the necessary adapter for older homes that don’t have a C-wire. It also has an excellent range of features, including geofencing to activate the HVAC when your phone enters the geofencing zone, seven-day scheduling, and the option to override scheduling for weekends or holidays. The Honeywell can also send push notifications to let you know the status of filters or other HVAC maintenance issues.
Learning smart thermostats fine-tune heating schedules for greater energy efficiency.
Some smart thermostats are smarter than others. As creepy as it may sound, these smart devices get to know you by recognizing patterns in your behavior. For example, they’ll learn that you turn the thermostat down to 60°F every night at 10 p.m. It will then make that adjustment for you. Models that include additional remote sensors or monitors in other rooms can even learn to adjust temperatures in rooms based on when they’re occupied and who occupies them. It’s all about pattern recognition to fine-tune the programs and scheduling so that you don’t have to.
Best learning smart thermostat: Google Nest Learning Thermostat
The Google Nest learning thermostat doesn’t waste time getting to know you. Once it’s installed, it starts looking for patterns. If you’re unhappy with the temperature, you can change it manually or remotely through the app. The Nest then remembers what temperatures you like, when you like them, and sets the schedule for you. Before long, you’ll find that it anticipates your preferences, and you get to chill (at the perfect temperature). It can also learn to adjust the temperature in certain rooms if you connect a compatible remote thermostat (separately sold) in another room. You’ll love it so much, you’ll be getting all the Google smart home devices in no time.
Save your budget with an affordable smart thermostat
Smart thermostats can get pricey when you add features like geofencing (using GPS or RFID to define an area), learning capabilities, and multiple remote sensors. However, you can get a model that lacks a few of the higher-end features yet still automates temperature control. These models come at an affordable price with functional apps and important features like remote scheduling and monitoring.
Best budget smart thermostat: Emerson Sensi WiFi Smart Thermostat
The final world on the best smart thermostat
The best smart thermostats monitor the temperature for you. They collect information that helps you (or them) make informed decisions about energy usage. These new thermostats take work out of your hands, so you can relax in cozy warmth or blessed chilliness of your home, depending on what you prefer. Look for features that work with your lifestyle, like geofencing if you want your house to jump to attention when you pull up or learning capabilities if you want it to adapt the schedule to your preferences. In the meantime, the best smart thermostat will reduce your energy bill, save time, and make your home look ultra modern.
