On this page we’re going to give you a buyer’s guide for smart thermostats, we’ve also picked out the top 5 choices in our opinion that will give you all of the features that you need for a very good smart thermostat.
The choices we give will have all of the features that you need to be able to customize your heating and also automate it in most cases with a simple app so you can start controlling your heating and automating it from your phone.
The first thing we will do is give you 3 things to look for when you are shopping for a smart thermostat and then we will give you our 5 choices below and also point you in the right direction to see a review of each one or go straight through to Amazon.com to purchase.
Table of Contents
3 Things to Look for in a Smart Thermostat:
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Set Up:
Before you start looking for the features that you want with a smart thermostat it is important to have a look at how to set it up. We have picked out some choices that you will see below that make it very easy to set these up, but it is worth bearing in mind that that will depend on the heating system that you have installed.
For instance, some of these smart thermostats require the use of a C wire otherwise known as a common wire that is a wire that links through to your heating system. Some houses are missing these C wires and you will need to purchase separately, and it can also make the installation time a bit longer.
The good news is that we have picked out some choices where you do not require the C Wire which will make the installation faster and, in most cases, effortless.
Most of the choices below will only take 30 to 40 minutes to install and you will be able to do so with ease as they will give you step-by-step instructions through the app that you are able to download on your phone.
If you are worried about the setup and you are not very DIY minded for most of these products you will be able to get someone to install them for you quite cheaply.
Have a look through our choices below and just bear in mind that one of the key things you want to look for is how to set them up, for instance if you want to be able to pair it with a lot of home automation systems such as Google home etc.. You will in most cases need that C wire.
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Functions:
This is a really obvious one that you will consider before you buy smart thermostat but as there is such a wide range of features and price ranges for these products we thought we would mention that it is good to have a shortlist of the features that you need before you start looking.
Some smart thermostats will give you very customizable settings so you can have a different temperature in each room for instance, you will also find some give you sensors that you can put into each room and it will regulate your heating for you and automatically detect when it is too cold or too warm and change the eating accordingly.
Some other smart thermostats will give you something that you can program, and you will be able to do a 7-day programme and it will automatically go through that each week.
Of course, all of that you will be able to customize the eating manually if you wish and the main emphasis with all of these products is being able to control your heating through your smart phone so you won’t have any problems with using it.
We highly recommend going for a smart thermostat that also gives you a cell phone app that you can download, and it will enable you to change your heating and customize all of the settings directly from your phone.
You can start off with a very basic smart thermostat that will give you an app and the ability to control your heating. There will also be other choices that are far more advanced, as mentioned above where you will be able to put sensors into the room and it will automatically regulate heating for you.
The most advanced versions will also be able to pair up with all of the popular home automation systems and this is a really good idea if you have your home set up with automation such as the lights, locks etc.
So have a shortlist ready for the functions that you need and then you will be able to pick the one that you want far easier.
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Price:
Price is obviously a factor when you are looking at any purchase but the good news is that smart thermostats have come down over recent years and they are no longer considered cutting edge of technology so you will be able to get fantastic savings.
One thing on price that we would mention is try to get a smart thermostat that gives you everything that you need in the package, it is very easy to make a purchase where you think you are getting a deal and then you one packet out of the box and realise that you need a lot of extra equipment to get the full functionality.
The choices that we have picked out below will give you everything straight out of the box in most cases so you can get on and install your smart thermostat and start enjoying energy-saving, automatic heating and being able to program your smart thermostat while you are on your phone.
Top 5 Choices for a Smart Thermostat 2020:
1. Google T3007ES Nest Learning Thermostat – great price and range of features!
The Google T3007ES Nest Learning Thermostat is our top choice for a smart thermostat, and it will give you a wide range of features, but it also does not break the bank. This will also give you something that is very easy to install, and we think you will not have any problems with this product.
Here are some of the standout features:
Home and Away Feature:
This will also give you a feature called the home and away assist and that means that the thermostat will automatically turn itself down when you’re away to avoid heating or cooling an empty home, alternatively if you are away a long time it can switch itself on to make sure that the pipes warm up and regulate your heating.
Works With Alexa:
As this is a smart thermostat it comes with plenty of hands-free features and you can actually set this up with Alexa and that means that you can use your voice to control the temperature. This is a really good feature and if you have an Amazon Alexa it will definitely be worth using this to make it even easier to change your temperature of your home.
Remote Control:
This will even give you a remote control and this is done in the way of the app that you download onto your smart phone. Once you open up the app and set it up, which is made very easy as it gives you step-by-step instructions you will be able to control the entire heating system from the app.
Farsight:
The Farsight feature is another really fun feature that means that when the thermostat spots you across the room it will light up beautifully to show you the time, temperature or the weather. This is really a feature that is passive and not something that you have to actively use but it is a really nice touch being able to see exactly what is going on and it will automatically show you every time.
You can of course switch this off as well.
Energy Star Award:
This is also the first thermostat to earn energy Star and that means that it will control half your energy bill, they also claimed that this will work better than most energy-saving appliances and even energy-saving electronics.
Click here to check out the Google T3007ES Nest Learning Thermostat at Amazon.com…
Click here to read our full review of the Google T3007ES Nest Learning Thermostat…
2. ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control – controlled with your voice!
Ecobee is a very popular manufacturer of home automation products so if you’re looking for something that gives you a huge range of features and is also very easy to install then this is a fantastic purchase for you. This will also allow you to have a smart thermostat that you can control with your voice so if you like the idea of being able to use Alexa to control your heating this will be a fantastic choice for you.
Here are the standout features:
Music Control:
A really interesting feature that isn’t really anything to do with controlling your heating but a fun feature to have is the fact that you will be able to stream Spotify using the ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control. As it has Alexa built-in you can also control all of your music directly using this thermostat.
Alexa:
It also gives you some pretty advanced Alexa features as it has Alexa built into the device, you will be able to do all of the standard commands such as programming your heating and starting and stopping it. You will also be able to do advanced commands such as Alexa calling, Alexa drop in, which is where you can use this device as an intercom to speak between devices in your home, this means that if you had an Amazon Alexa in another room you would actually be able to use the smart thermostat to speak to someone else in the room through the thermostat.
It even gives you Alexa messaging, which is voicemail between Alexa devices, although you may not use these features a lot it is great fun having them if you want them.
Great Connection:
One of the standout features of the ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control is the fact that it will give you dual band Wi-Fi, this means that your connection will be a lot stronger and it actually gives you 5ghz support. The device also has a quad core processor so it will have a lot of power and this is something you would expect from a smart phone and not a thermostat, but it will make it work seamlessly and you shouldn’t have any problems with the connection.
Smart Sensor:
You also get smart Sensor included and that will help you to keep important rooms comfortable by adjusting your thermostat based on occupancy and temperature, this means that the smart thermostat will pick up who is in the room and it will automatically adjust the heating depending on how many people are in the room and how often.
You can of course adjust all of the settings manually as well.
Click here to check out the ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control at Amazon.com…
Click here to read our full review of the ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control…
3. Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat for Smart Home – Great Alternative
This smart thermostat will give you a great alternative if you still haven’t found what you are looking for and this one will give you all of the features that you need and a fantastic warranty.
Here are the main features:
Quick Installation:
One of the standout features of the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat is the fact that it will give you superfast installation.
Not only do they claim that you can do this in 30 minutes or less, but you will also get step-by-step video tutorials directly in the mobile app. The way this works is by installing the app and then there is a section to guide you through the installation which is very easy to follow.
The other thing that makes it far easier is that the mobile app will automatically configure the setting that matches your home, this involves being able to get a tailor-made setup Pacific for your heating system which will make it very easy to install the device.
Lastly, the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat works with your home’s existing wires and it does not require a common wire in most cases, depending on your heating setup you may have to have the c-wire but for 90% of homes you will be able to quickly install this without requiring that wire that makes the installation more difficult.
The only time that you will need the C-wire is if you have a heat only and cool only system, heat pump systems or if you want to be able to use the thermostat with the Apple home kit you will need to have to connect it to that wire.
Even if you have to install using the C-wire you can hire someone to do this for you fairly quickly at a low cost.
This means installing this particular thermostat is very easy and not very time-consuming.
Compatibility:
As an addition to the information above it will also help you set this up and it is compatible with most heating systems.
As long as you have one of the following systems you will be absolutely fine instilling this:
- Conventional – up to two stages of heating and two stages of cooling (2H/2C)
- Heat Pump* – up to 4 stages of heating and two stages of cooling (4H/2C)
- Heat Only* and Cool Only* (C-wire needed)
- Gas, Oil, Electric
- Geothermal and Dual fuel
- *This system type requires a common wire (c-wire).
Geofencing:
The Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat gives you something called geofencing and this is when it uses your smart phone’s location automatically adjusts your thermostat. So, the system is able to tell how close you are to home and you can set this up to start the heating just as you come in from work.
This is a feature you can choose to use or not depending on how you feel but it is a fantastic feature that adds to the technology of a smart thermostat.
Click here to check out the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat for Smart Home at Amazon.com…
Click here to read our full review of the Emerson Sensi Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat for Smart Home…
4. 
Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat Review
This is our 4th choice and will give you a great alternative for a Honeywell thermostat.
Here are the stand out features:
Save Money:
If you’re looking for something that will help you to save money off of your heating bills which is a great feature of most smart thermostats the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat will help you here and it will give you the ability to have a preprogrammed schedule based on your energy companies peak rate pricing. This means that he is automatically able to look at your current energy company and see when you will pay the most of your heating and adjust accordingly so you save the most money.
You can also program permanent, temporary or even vacation settings so that you be able to save while you are away. As mentioned above you may also be entitled to utility rebates in your area and you can look these up using the simple app that you download with your phone.
Smart Notifications:
Another really strong point of this smart thermostat is the ability to receive intelligent alerts, reminders and notifications these will help you to know when it is time to change the air filter and it will even update you if it feels that the temperature is too high or too low.
Other thing is that this system can update you on is the loss of an Internet connection and it will also tell you when the Internet connection is restored, it will also let you know when the humidifier pad change is required.
One of the downsides of a smart thermostat is that they need an active Internet connection so it is a really good feature that it will let you know when it is connected and it will also let you know if it is struggling, you may also want to pick up some Wi-Fi extenders if you are buying this product if you are living in the larger home where the Internet connection is further away from the smart thermostat.
Style:
Another interesting feature with the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat is the ability to personalise your smart thermostat to fit in with your lifestyle. You will be able to choose from colour schemes, and you can even choose from high or low settings if you wanted to be brighter or if you want it to be less vivid.
You will have multiple language selections such as English, French or Spanish and you can also change the display from Celsius or Fahrenheit and the clock from 12 to 24 hours.
This will also feature an auto fan circulation and you will have a lot more features when you download the app, and this is what you use to customise the smart thermostat. It will work with both iOS systems and android or even the computer.
Click here to check our the HONEYWELL HOME RTH9585WF1004 at Amazon.com…
Click here to read our full review of the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004…
5. Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5 Thermostat – Another Great Choice!
This will give you a fantastic choice with all of the features that you need, and you should not have any problems installing this or using. Even though we have put this as our 5th choice it still gives you some great features to bear in mind and we highly recommend checking out.
Here is the main stand out features:
Works with smart hubs:
The Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5 will work with all of the leading smart home partners and that means that you will have extra options to control the device the way you want to. You will be able to control features such as making your home warmer or cooler, you can even save temperatures as part of your routines and you can also do this by talking to your home assistant.
This will work with Apple home kit, Amazon Alexa and also Google assistant; this is really a must have when you are buying a smart thermostat because the chances are if you are looking at buying one of these devices you already have one of these home automation systems.
If you do not have a home automation system you will still be able to use all of the features and they will be waiting ready for when you invest in one.
Smart responses:
The Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5 is also set up to learn your home’s heating and cooling cycles and it will automatically adapt to help deliver the optimum temperature at the right time. You will also be able to be alerted when it is time to change your filter and if it feels that the temperature is too high or too low it will let you know with the quick smart notification on your cell phone.
This where you can monitor how much heat you are using, and you will also make sure that you are not overdoing it on the heating.
Automation:
The Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5 gives you geofencing technology and that means it will use your smart phone’s location to automatically control the temperature when you are near your home, when you leave for work it will automatically switch the heating off and unless you have it programmed to do so it will also switch the heating on when you are driving into your driveway so you can enter your home with the heating already started. This is a fantastic feature that adds to the versatility of the smart features that you get with this thermostat.
Rebate programs:
This will depend on your area and also the utility that you are using but you are able to look up whether your utility may offer rebate programs because you are saving energy using the Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5. When you download the app, it will guide you through and see whether you are entitled to a rebate payment because you are using an energy-saving thermostat.
This will help you make a positive environmental impact while also saving you money on your energy bill and hopefully getting you a nice rebate as well.
Honeywell app:
This is the lifeblood of the Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5. The app is very simple to use and easy to download. You will also be able to use this with iOS and android and it will enable you to control the thermostat from anywhere.
You will be able to monitor your heating system when you are away and it will save on wasted energy and heating, the app also enables you to access all of your home devices in one place as long as they are Honeywell; if you have other Honeywell products you will be able to pair them up with this app and control them all from one central station.
Click here to check out the Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5 Thermostat at Amazon.com…
Click here to read our full review of the Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5 Thermostat…
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