Those aiming to balance smarts and price need look no further than the Google Nest Thermostat. The attractively designed thermostat offers Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support, easy scheduling options and tips on how you could tweak your usage to save some cash. While it doesn’t adapt to your habits automatically like the Nest Learning Thermostat does, it’s half the price and boasts most of the features the average homeowner needs.
Read our Nest Thermostat (2020) review.
The Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit and offers reliable performance with a solid app. The device also pairs with Honeywell’s remote humidity, proximity and temperature sensors, which are some of the smartest sensor accessories around. This smart thermostat and sensor bundle detects when people are in a room and keeps the temperature comfortable. You can also get just the thermostat for $171 right now.
Read our Honeywell Home T9 review.
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Can a smart thermostat actually lower my bills?
Replacing your dumb thermostat with a smarter alternative, without modifying your usage habits, won’t automatically reduce your energy bills. That being said, smart thermostats offer a variety of features that will help you figure out changes you can make to your energy usage patterns to help you shave a few bucks off your bills.
These include simple scheduling features that are probably easier to use than the ones offered by your old-school thermostat, as well as smart home and away modes that automatically adjust energy usage based on your proximity.
Outside of smart features, the extra information and more accessible controls provided by a smart thermostat allow you to be more readily able to make the most of opportunities to save some energy and thereby some cash.
How easy is it to install a smart thermostat?
A smart thermostat’s ease of installation can vary greatly and depends on your existing HVAC system and the thermostat you choose to go with. If you’re not comfortable with minor electrical work, it’s always best to call in a professional electrician.
Most smart thermostats do, however, offer step-by-step guidance for a DIY installation and can be completed by anyone comfortable with some basic wiring. Our guide to installing the Nest Smart Thermostat can give you an idea of the process, though it may vary for different systems and thermostat options.
Before you buy any smart thermostat, it’s best to check that it’s compatible with your HVAC system.
