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Top Rated Smart Thermostats

Ramsey Timmerman • February 4, 2023
When it comes to managing your home's comfort, smart thermostats can save you both time and money. They adapt to your daily routine to ensure that your heating or cooling only operates when you need it. 

The Ecobee SmartThermostat and the Nest Learning Thermostat are two of the best on the market. Overall they have similar pricing and features, but a few distinct differences. In this article, we will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of both and our recommendation.

Nest Learning Thermostat

The Nest Learning Thermostat is the top rated thermostat by Consumer Reports–rated 83 out of 100. It has a clear display and is made out of quality materials. At HVAC Home Pros, we also like that the thermostat does not require a common wire (c-wire) which makes installation cost effective when upgrading units from an old system. The nest can divert energy directly from the HVAC power supply while running in heating and cooling to charge its batteries and maintain temperature in your home.

 Specifications
  • Full-color 3.3-inch display
  • Stainless steel, white, black, polished steel, copper, brass, and mirror black are all available
  • Google Assistant voice support, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT are all available
  • Multi-location assistance
  • Compatibility with 95% of 24V HVAC systems
Learning
The learning technology is what makes this smart thermostat so unique. It observes what you do and follows your schedule to learn how to better manage the comfort level in your home. 

The objective is to strike a balance between efficiency and convenience. Day by day it learns more about your movements and schedule. Each time the Nest greets you by lighting up it is learning your patterns. 

Sensors
Nest Learning Thermostats are smart in part because they have sensors that allow them to manage your home's environment more efficiently. The Nest Learning Thermostat has more sensors than other devices. However, the Nest can only monitor the area where it is placed.

The thermostat’s six sensors include:
  • Temperature: temperature in your room
  • Humidity: level of humidity in a room
  • Proximity: detection of nearby objects
  • Occupancy: determines whether or not someone is present in the room
  • Ambient light: amount of light in a room
  • Magnetic: position of the thermostat's ring
Design
Nest's thermostat design is arguably the best on the market. The round dial is made from metal and is available in several colors. The hard glass illuminates when someone enters the room and gives the thermostat a modern appearance. You can also change the display's appearance from digital to analogue.

Controls
There are several ways to control the thermostat. Allow the device to learn your routine, use Google Assistant commands, or only operate the thermostat by physically turning the dial and pressing the display.

The thermostat also works with the Nest and Google Voice apps, allowing you to control multiple sensors from your smartphone. This is very helpful when you leave the house and need to turn the temperature up during a hot day.

Installation
Google claims that installing a Nest Learning Thermostat takes no more than 30 minutes. For a visual installation walkthrough, watch the Google Nest Learning installation video. 

The c-wire is an important detail. The thermostat can be installed without a c-wire, whereas the Ecobee SmartThermostat cannot.

Pros and Cons
Pros
  • Automatically learns your schedule
  • Elegant, user-friendly design
  • Six sensors have been integrated
  • Control up to three homes, each with up to 20 thermostats
  • Monitors your HVAC system to detect potential problems early
  • Compatible with remote sensors
Cons
  • There is no built-in speaker (i.e., no music)
  • No multi room sensors. HVAC Home Pros prefers to only have one sensor because averaging out your temperature in multiple rooms is not always accurate and causes complications

Ecobee SmartThermostat

The Ecobee SmartThermostat is ranked 73 out of 100 in consumer reports, but it is more than just a thermostat. Extra features include Alexa speaker and music functionality.

 Specifications

  • Full-color LCD touchscreen measuring 3.5 inches
  • Alexa voice control and a speaker are built-in
  • Compatible with HVAC systems that have up to four heating stages and two cooling stages (4H/2C)
  • One temperature remote is included SmartSensor


Learning

The Ecobee SmartThermostat learns and adapts to your schedule to reduce energy consumption in your home. The scheduling feature is calendar-based, which may be easier to set up than Nest's adaptive style.


Ecobee also has a one-of-a-kind feature called Follow Me. If you have remote sensors in other rooms, the sensors work together to detect which rooms people are in and adjust the temperature accordingly. If your temperature in your bedroom is 72 degrees and your house is set to 70 degrees, the AC will come on more to decrease your bedroom temperature when you head to bed. The downside is the rest of your house will also decrease in temperature.


Sensors

Ecobee includes a remote temperature sensor that can be placed in a different room. 


Aside from the included sensor, the thermostat has four built-in sensors for:

  • Humidity: level of humidity in a room
  • Occupancy: determines whether or not someone is present in the room
  • Proximity: detection of nearby objects
  • Temperature: temperature in your room


Sound

The sound functionality distinguishes the Ecobee thermostat from the Nest thermostat. Ecobee has an Alexa speaker and microphone built in, claiming to be the world's first thermostat that works with Alexa – and now Siri. 


Furthermore, Spotify is now included, allowing you to listen to your favorite music directly from the thermostat.


Design

Ecobee's thermostat has a sleek design but it does not the same appeal as the Nest. It comes in black plastic with a glass screen, which is larger than that of the Nest. The large display makes it easy to program the thermostat, change the settings, and view reports.


Controls

Ecobee has its own mobile app that allows you to program and change the settings of your home from a smart device. You can also program your thermostat directly from the wall device. 


As previously stated, Siri and Alexa are built-in, so you can instruct your thermostat to make changes. You can also pair an Apple HomePod or HomePod mini with the thermostat to integrate it with your smart home automation.


Pros And Cons

Pros

  • One remote sensor is included
  • Alexa speaker built in
  • Google Assistant and Siri are both supported
  • Music can be played from the thermostat. Spotify and bluetooth speakers are supported


Cons

  • Installation necessitates the use of a c-wire, which can increase the cost of installation if you have an old setup
  • Multiple sensors for different rooms can make the thermostat overly complex


Which one is best for you?

Both thermostats have their own advantages and disadvantages. The Nest has a sleek design, while the Ecobee has more features, like an Alexa speaker and remote sensors.

Chart provided by Business Insider

You should consider whether or not you would use a built-in music speaker and the additional cost for installation. If you want music from your thermostat and your price sensitivity is low, the Ecobee smart thermostat is the thermostat for you.


If you are not looking for music or to connect your device with Alexa, then HVAC Home Pros recommends the Google Nest Thermostat. The Nest has a great design and is easy to use. 


Both thermostats will help you save energy and money in the long run.Ultimately, it's up to you to decide which one suits your home best. Consider the features of each thermostat and decide how much you value design versus functionality.


Good luck with your decision. Happy shopping!

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