What sets smart thermostats apart? They excel not only in maintaining optimal indoor temperatures but also in optimizing energy usage, leading to substantial cost savings and contributing to environmental conservation efforts by reducing energy consumption. The most advanced models accomplish all of this seamlessly, adjusting settings automatically to create a comfortable and eco-friendly home environment.
The standout choice, our selection, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, has proven to maintain optimal indoor temperatures consistently throughout the year, surpassing other contenders in our testing. Its advanced technology accounts for humidity levels, ensuring enhanced comfort. Equipped with a remote SmartSensor, it effectively regulates temperatures across your home. Additionally, it boasts a built-in smart speaker compatible with voice assistants like Alexa or Siri. Ecobee sets the industry standard for privacy policies, and their commitment to supporting older models, even those from years past, is commendable.
Everything we recommend
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
Our top recommendation, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, may not be the simplest model to install initially, but it stands out as the optimal choice for maximizing energy efficiency. Offering a plethora of customizable settings to refine your home’s climate, it boasts an intelligent remote sensor, responds to voice commands for easy adjustments, and doubles as a speaker with built-in Google Assistant functionality. Throughout our rigorous testing, it excelled in maintaining a consistently comfortable environment throughout the entire house. (For those seeking a more budget-friendly option with similar performance, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced offers comparable functionality at a lower cost.)
Google Nest Learning Thermostat
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
For those seeking a more straightforward installation process, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat Lite is a preferred option due to its intuitive setup and user-friendly interface. While it lacks a built-in smart speaker like the premium model, it still offers robust AI functionality to streamline operation. It doesn’t come with a remote sensor (and Nest’s aren’t as useful as Ecobee’s), which may not be essential for all users.
However, some individuals have noted the need to occasionally adjust the AI settings manually to achieve their desired level of comfort and energy efficiency.
Amazon Smart Thermostat
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Ring
The Amazon Smart Thermostat may lack the advanced features found in some higher-end models, its straightforward interface and basic AI functionality make it a solid choice for many users. It can be programmed to operate on a set schedule, or it can utilize Alexa Hunches, Amazon’s designation for Alexa’s AI-driven learning capability, adaptive recovery feature, it can gradually tailor settings to match your preferences.
However, it falls short in one aspect compared to our top recommendations – the absence of compatibility with remote sensors, which could enhance its overall effectiveness in managing home comfort levels.
Mysa Smart Thermostat (v2)
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home
If your home is equipped with electric baseboard heating or another form of high-voltage resistance heating, you’ll want to ensure compatibility with your chosen smart thermostat. The Mysa Smart Thermostat (version 2) brings smart functionality to these outdated heating systems, enhancing their efficiency and convenience. (Unfortunately, it lacks the capability to regulate cooling systems.) To aid in cost and energy savings—Mysa asserts it can potentially reduce your yearly heating expenses by up to 26%—it employs scheduling, geofencing, and an “Eco” mode, which subtly lowers temperatures without compromising comfort. Given that numerous electric baseboard setups necessitate a thermostat for each room, resulting in significant costs, individuals with multi-room configurations might find the Mysa Lite a more budget-friendly option. While offering similar performance, it features simpler controls and fewer functionalities compared to its counterpart, helping to keep expenses in check for larger installations.
