Right next to the smart light bulb, one of the most popular devices for setting up a smart home has been the smart thermostat. It may seem like a simple device in your home to replace, without the same wow factor as a light bulb, but it can make a big difference in your comfort and, more importantly, your energy bill.Smart thermostats can cleverly manage your heat and air conditioning, letting you avoid running those power-hungry systems unnecessarily. You’ll be able to set timers or schedules to keep your home comfortable only when you’re at home, and you can even remotely control your space with many of these devices. Some will be better integrated into whole-home, central air, while others can work in even simpler environments, including rooms that rely on space heaters and AC window units.We’ve gathered up a variety of quality devices to fit the many possible use cases of a smart thermostat, so you can find one that’ll work for you.
TL;DR These are the Best Smart Thermostats:
1. Nest Thermostat E
Best Smart Thermostat
Display: 1.77″ 24-bit color LCD Sensors: Temperature, humidity Connectivity: 802.11n (2.4/5GHz) Wi-Fi Certification: UL 60730-1 Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Power Consumption: <1kWh/month
Googles Nest is the biggest name in smart thermostats, and with good reason. Originally designed by Tony Fadell, the father of the iPod, the Nest series use a click-wheel interface for turning the temperature up and down that feels incredibly intuitive. The Nests biggest feature, though, is its ability to learn your habits and adapt its temperature schedule accordingly, negating the need for you to futz with it.Just install the thermostat, manually adjust the temperature as needed, and after a week or so itll basically start reading your mind. It also comes with a humidity sensor, plus a Home/Away feature that allows it to save energy when youre out of the house. (You can also buy optional temperature sensors to place around your home, but theyre not very powerfulif you want that functionality, youre better off with the Honeywell or ecobee options mentioned below.)
The Nest Learning Thermostat is probably what you think of when you picture the Nest, but it isnt actually my top recommendation for most people. The $170 Nest Thermostat E, in my opinion, is a better buy. Its much cheaper but contains almost all the same features, and its clean white housing is more likely to blend into the walls of your home.
The Nest Thermostat Es display isnt quite as nice, but thats a small downside considering the savings. It does, however, lack compatibility with some HVAC systemsso check Nests compatibility tool to see if itll work with your home, and keep in mind that if you dont have a C-wire, it may not be advisable to use the Nest at all (even though it will technically work). You can read more about C-wires in our buying guide below.
The Nests biggest downside, at the time of this writing, is the state of its smart home integration. For years, the Nest was able to work with other smart home products thanks to Googles Works With Nest programbut as of August 31st, you wont be able to add new integrations to your Nest.
Google will be transitioning this functionality to the Google Home app instead, and there may be some growing pains during this transition. Google is working with Amazon to get Alexa integration up and running in the new system, but other apps are in a state of limbo, so if you live and die by IFTTT, you may not want to buy into the Nest ecosystem until things have fully flipped over.
2. Honeywell T5+
The Best Budget Thermostat
Display: Backlit, touchscreen display Sensors: Temperature Connectivity: 802.11n (2.4GHz) Wi-Fi Certification: Energy Star Battery: Wired power
I get it: as useful as these devices can be, $200 is a lot to spend on a thermostat. If youre on a stricter budget, the Honeywell T5+ gets you the most important smart features in a $149 package. Its not exactly cheap, and it isnt as attractive as the other options on this list, but itll get the job done: you can control it from your phone or with your voice using Alexa and Google, and use its geofencing features to automate energy savings when you arent home.But that discount has to cut corners somewhere: it doesnt integrate with SmartThings, doesnt support room sensors, and doesnt learn your habits the way Nest does. But if you want basic smart home integration at a more affordable price, the T5+ will do the job. Be sure to check compatibility for your HVAC system here.
3. Wyze Thermostat
Best Ultra Cheap Smart Thermostat
Display: Color IPS display Sensors: Temperature, humidity, motion Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Certification: FCC, IC, California Proposition 65 Battery: 24VAC wired power Power Consumption: <3.5VA
Believe it or not, you can get a smart thermostat for just $50. Wyze makes many affordable smart homed devices, and the Wyze Thermostat stands out as an impressive value. For such a lot price, you’re still getting a thermostat that can connect to your Wi-Fi to enable control of your home temps through your phone, and it even includes a color display.The Wyze thermostat has plenty of smarts going on. You can set schedules for temperature control as well as default temperature for when you’re home, away, or asleep. When you leave a geo-fenced region, your Wyze Thermostat can automatically switch to the away mode and help save on energy. Don’t worry about your house getting too hot or cold either, as the Wyze Thermostat has a Safety Temps feature to prevent that. You can even set it to keep the fans running after your AC’s compressor stops to make the most of the work the compressor has already done, or set a minimum time for your HVAC system to run so it’s not turning on for too short of periods. And, if you accidentally get your wires crossed during setup and your cooling system comes on when your heat should be, the Wyze Thermostat can swap functions without you needing to change any wiring. That’s a lot of capability for the money.
4. Nest Learning Thermostat
If Your HVAC Requires It
Display: 2″ 24-bit color LCD Sensors: Temperature, humidity Connectivity: 802.11n (2.4/5GHz) Wi-Fi Certification: Energy Star Battery: Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Power Consumption: <1kWh/month
If you love the idea of the Nests ability to learn and adapt to your habits, but the Nest E isnt compatible with your homesay, if you use a multi-stage HVAC systemyoull need to shell out a bit more money for the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat. At $215, its a bit more expensive, but you also get a slightly more premium-feeling product with a stainless steel housing, a bright display, and the Farsight ability, which allows it to see when you enter a room from far away and light up.Those things arent worth the extra expense in my opinion, but if you have to pay more for the wider compatibility, its nice that you get a more premium-feeling product. It does tend to stand out a bit more, like youre showcasing a piece of tech on your wall, but some people may enjoy that. (Like the Nest E, the Nest doesnt technically require a C-wire, but connecting to HVAC systems without it can cause problems.)
Otherwise, the same benefits and drawbacks of the Nest E apply to the Nest: it can learn your habits, detect when youve arrived home or entered a room, and create energy reports so you can see how much youve saved. On the other hand, its also in a transitory period when it comes to smart home integrations, so keep that in mind if you have a lot of other devices or apps you want to use in conjunction with it.
5. Honeywell T9
Best Multi-Room Smart Thermostat
Display: Color, touchscreen LCD Sensors: Temperature, humidity, occupancy Connectivity: 802.11n (2.4/5GHz) Wi-Fi Certification: Energy Star Battery: Wired, Alkaline battery (sensor)
On its own, a typical thermostat displays the temperature of the room its sitting inand adjusts the air conditioning accordingly. But your living room probably isnt the same temperature as the bedroom upstairs, which can make things frustrating when you move from room to room. Thats why the $200 Honeywell T9 allows you to place separate sensors in each room. Each sensor can detect the temperature, humidity, and occupancy of that space, and adjust the air conditioning or heat based on what rooms are currently occupied. (Note that this is different from having a multi-zone HVAC systemif you have multiple thermostats that control different parts of the house, youll need multiple smart thermostats to replace them.)Nest does offer temperature sensors, but they dont detect motion or humidity and arent as programmableso the T9 gets the edge for this use case. Its white exterior also blends nicely into the wall, which is a plus. You can check the T9s compatibility with your home here.
Of course, the T9 has many of the smart features youd come to expect from other thermostats, too. It wont learn your preferences like the Nest, but you can create schedules, set the T9 to save energy when it detects youve left the house, and integrate it with other smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT. You can see a full list of Honeywells smart home integrations here. (It doesnt currently support Apple HomeKit, though Honeywell says this is on the way. If you need HomeKit support now, the ecobee3 Lite, which also offers room sensors, is a decent alternative to the T9.)
6. ecobee SmartThermostat
Best Smart Thermostat with Alexa
Display: 3.5″ Color, touchscreen display Sensors: Temperature, occupancy, humidity, proximity, microphone Connectivity: 802.11ac (2.4/5GHz) Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0 Certification: Energy Star Battery: Wired, Lithium-ion (sensor) Power Consumption:
Canadian company ecobee is the other big name in the smart thermostat space, and their latest offering is known simply as the ecobee SmartThermostat. At $250, it has a decidedly more techy look, with a black touch screen thats easy to navigate and adjust, along with sensors for different rooms just like the T9. The ecobee sensors are slightly less powerful as the T9s, since they dont detect humidity, but theyre still quite useful. Like other thermostats, you can control it from your phone, set schedules, and automate energy savings when you leave the house. You can check compatibility with your homes HVAC system here. If one thing sets the ecobee apart, its the built-in Alexa microphones, allowing you to talk directly to your thermostat instead of a separate Echo. That said, you can use all the Alexa-enabled devices in your house to control the thermostat as well, not to mention Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, and HomeKitgiving the ecobee some of the widest smart home compatibility in this list.If you dont need the built-in Alexa microphones, the ecobee3 Lite is basically the same thermostat without Alexa built-in (though you can still control it with Alexa through an Echo). The T9 still has the more powerful sensors, but if you prefer the look and feel of ecobees software, the ecobee3 Lite is a solid device.
7. Mysa Smart Thermostat
The Best for High-Voltage Baseboard Heaters
Display: Temperature display Sensors: Temperature, humidity Connectivity: 802.11n (2.4GHz) Wi-Fi Certification: UL 873, CSA C22.2 No. 24-15 Battery: Wired
The above thermostats are all meant to work with 24VAC HVAC systems. If you have electric baseboard heaters in your home, though, your thermostat most likely controls a 120V or 240V heater instead, which is incompatible with typical smart thermostats. You can find ways around this, or you could just get a thermostat designed to work with that type of system.Enter the Mysa Smart Thermostat. For $140, you get a wall thermostat that can control heaters up to 3,800 watts from your phone, through Alexa and Google Assistant, IFTTT, HomeKit, or SmartThings. Like other smart thermostats, you can create schedules or automate the system based on your presence at home.
You may need to get multiple thermostats if you have multiple zones (as is more common with these types of heaters), so it can get pricey, but its better than turning a bunch of primitive knobs on the wall. You can check compatibility with your system on this page.
8. Sensibo Sky
The Best for Standalone Air Conditioners
Sensors: Temperature, humidity Connectivity: 802.11n (2.4GHz) Wi-Fi Certification: Temperature, humidity Battery: Wired
If you dont have central air in your homebut instead rely on a mini-split, ductless, portable, heat pump, or window air conditionersthe $120 Sensibo Sky can turn those dumb units into smart air conditioners by acting as an infrared remote. You just stick the unit on your wall, hook it up to your phone, and you can control it just like any other smart thermostat, adjusting temperature from the app, with your voice through Alexa and Google Home, or using your phones location to save energy when youre gone.You can also create schedules within the app or create automations with SmartThings and IFTTT, which makes up for the fact that the unit doesnt actually have on-wall controls. It only works with A/C units that come with infrared remotes (since it works by sending infrared commands), but you can check compatibility on Sensibos website.
If you want something a bit smarter, you might also check out the $130 Ambi Climate 2it doesnt mount on the wall like the Sky, and its compatible with fewer air conditioners, but comes with Nest-like learning features to adjust to your habits.
What to look for in a Smart Thermostat
Buying a smart thermostat isnt as easy as comparing a list of features. Since the thermostat is your main control point for your homes entire heating and cooling system, theres a lot to consider, like:Compatibility: You can easily rule out any smart thermostats that are incompatible with your house. For example, some thermostatslike Googles budget-oriented Nest Ewont work with systems that have a whole-house humidifier or dehumidifier, or dual transformer systems. Usually, a thermostats compatibility page will run you through a wizard that can tell you more about your situationbut when in doubt, contact a professional and ask them whatll work for you.
The same goes for installation: while installing smart thermostats is relatively easy, I recommend contacting a professional if youre at all unsure about your HVACs capabilities or your own knowledge. The ecobee SmartThermostat connected through a C-wire
C-wire usage: Most modern homes use whats called a common wire, or C-wire, to provide AC power to the thermostatbut some older homes dont, since they were designed for simpler, battery-powered thermostats instead. Many smart thermostats require a C-wire due to the amount of power they draw.
Some, like the Nest, claim to work without a C-wire by stealing power from the other wires while the system is runningbut this is generally not recommended as it can damage certain HVAC systems. If you dont have a C-wire, you can have a professional run one through your walls, orif your thermostat offers an adapter kitinstall the adapter near your HVAC to provide power to the thermostat safely. Again, when in doubt, call an HVAC technician. One of the ecobee SmartThermostat sensors
Sensors, Learning, and Other Features: Once youve narrowed down a list of thermostats that are compatible with your home, youll want to start comparing features. Most smart thermostats have a similar set of base offerings: theyll allow you to control the temperature from your phone, easily set schedules, and use the GPS on your smartphone to save energy when youre out and about.
Some features are more device-specific, thoughlike the Nests ability to learn your habits and adapt its schedule accordingly. Others, like the ecobee SmartThermostat and Honeywell T9, have sensors you can place around your house to adjust the temperature based on which rooms are occupied. Some will even send you energy-saving reports. So, check the thermostats list of unique features and decide which are most useful to your home.
Smart Home Integration: Smart devices rarely stand alone. Much of the utility in smart thermostats is in their integration with other smart products. For example, maybe you want all your lights to turn off when your thermostat detects youve left the house, or you want your thermostat to start cooling things down when you leave your office.
The more platforms your thermostat integrates withwhether standalone products like Philips Hue or entire ecosystems like SmartThings and IFTTTthe more powerful it becomes. So, youll want to make sure its compatible with the products you use (or plan to use in the future). Voice control generally falls into this category, too, so make sure your preferred thermostat works with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri if you want to change the A/C from across the room.
Your gas or electric company may offer sizeable rebates for buying a smart thermostat
Rebates: Smart thermostats arent exactly cheap, but the price on the box isnt necessarily the price you have to pay. Your gas or electric company may offer sizeable rebates for buying a smart thermostat since they can cut down on your energy usage.For example, my gas company offers a $75 rebate on many of the thermostats mentioned in this article, which brings down the price substantially. The selection of rebates can differ from area to area, so as you shop around, be sure to check your utility companies to see what rebates they offerit could affect your ability to buy a fancier model.
Whitson Gordon is a writer, gamer, and tech nerd who has been building PCs for 10 years. He eats potato chips with chopsticks so he doesn’t get grease on his mechanical keyboard.
You have a wide selection of devices to choose from when setting up a smart home, from voice assistants that can go in every room all the way to smart faucets for sinks. Not all smart gadgets are going to be as useful or exciting to add as one another, but all will give you another level of control over your space, and that can translate to better finessing of your utility bill. Few smart home gadgets are as good for that as a smart thermostat.Smart thermostats are a solid starter for a smart home, as they can intelligently manage one of the most demanding home utilities. With a smart thermostat regulating the temperature of your house on a set schedule or only when people are around, you can make sure you’re not paying for a bunch of air conditioning no one will feel or heating up empty rooms. Just how much you can benefit from a smart thermostat will depend on the setup of your home, but there is enough variety on the market that you can still find a smart thermostat to work for you whether you have central air or rely on baseboard heaters and AC window units. With the wide variety of smart thermostats available, it may be hard to settle on the right one for you, but we’ve picked out some top contenders that fit a variety of use cases, so you can find the one that’ll work best with your living space.
