6 Best Smart Thermostats
Take control of your home's heating and cooling system with one of these top-rated thermostats from Ecobee, Wyze, Nest and more.
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Smart thermostats are becoming more and more popular, with the share of Internet-connected U.S. households with a smart thermostat rising to 16% in 2022, a recent survey by market research firm Parks Associates found. And for good reason: They allow you to conveniently control the temperature of your home from your smartphone. A number of devices go beyond that, with some using algorithms to learn your family’s temperature preferences and daily routines to create a customized schedule based on your habits.
A smart thermostat can also cut your home’s energy costs. Homes with an Energy Star-certified smart thermostat save an average of 8% off their heating and cooling bills.
But which smart thermostat is worthy of a place in your home? The experts at Good Housekeeping Institute regularly evaluate smart home devices from smart locks to doorbell cameras. For this story, we tested over 20 smart thermostats to find the best models on the market that are easy to set up and use and are compatible with other smart home systems.
Pros
- Sleek, versatile design
- Voice control
- Radar-based occupancy sensor
Cons
- Relatively pricey
In our tests, this advanced smart thermostat from Ecobee was a cinch to install using the mobile app’s illustrated guide. It has a sleek design and it's loaded with features, including geofencing technology that detects when you’re home and adjusts the temperature accordingly. There's also a built-in air quality monitor, voice control and music streaming through its built-in speaker via Bluetooth or Spotify. It comes with one wireless temperature sensor that independently measures the climate of any room you place it in.
We found the device’s touchscreen display and the Ecobee app easy to use. The system did a fine job of learning our tester’s habits and creating a customized temperature schedule for his family’s needs. It’s on the pricier side, but you get a lot for your buck.
| Smart compatability | Apple Homekit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT and Samsung SmartThings |
Pros
- Low cost
- Can share access with multiple users
- Detects when you're home or away
Cons
- Plain aesthetic
Wyze’s reputation for value-driven smart devices continues with its smart thermostat. In our hands-on review, the device didn’t win any beauty awards, but if you’re looking for a no-nonsense thermostat that’s relatively easy to install with intuitive controls, Wyze is the way to go.
Even at its bargain price, the thermostat has several features our engineers like, including voice control, geofencing and sharing access if you want to give temperature control to long-term visitors.
| Smart compatability | Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant |
Pros
- Set-and-forget functionality
- Intuitive design
- HVAC safety alerts
Cons
- Higher price tag
Nest is the leading name among smart thermostats, and it’s now part of the Google smart home ecosystem. The third-generation version was one of the favorites from our tests due to its capability to learn your habits over time.
Another standout feature is its ability to alert you if your HVAC is acting up or if there is a danger of your pipes bursting due to freezing temperatures. Similar to the Ecobee, the Nest can track energy usage and provide energy-saving tips. It's not cheap, however one tester found that the Nest learned when they came home and was able to adjust the temperature accordingly, which ended up saving them money on their heating bill.
The display screen offers helpful information like the time, temperature and weather. We also love that it comes in a variety of designs and finishes. One tester did have issues with integrating the wiring of the device into their current heating and cooling system and had to call in professional help. Be sure to ensure the installation compatibility matches your current setup (more on that below).
| Smart compatability | Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa |
Pros
- Intuitive screen
- Humidity sensors
Cons
- C-wire required
The Bosch smart thermostat has many of the features we appreciate, including Alexa integration. It's also popular with HVAC professionals because it’s such a robust device, controlling not just the temperature, but other air conditioning equipment that may be installed in the home, such as ventilation systems or whole-house dehumidifiers.
Its large touchscreen is great for viewing info like the time, temperature and local weather. While this thermostat is compatible with most HVAC systems including heat pumps and conventional systems, it does require a Wi-Fi connection and a C-wire, which provides continuous power to the digital display. If your home is not already equipped with a C-wire, one would need to be professionally installed.
| Smart comptability | Amazon Alexa |
Pros
- Works with baseboard heating
- Smart home integration
Cons
- Doesn’t control cooling equipment
Smart thermostats used to be hard to come by for homes with baseboard electric heating, which is why our experts like the Mysa Smart Thermostat for electric baseboard heaters. (There’s also a version specifically designed for electric in-floor heating.) We found the app experience to be similar to what you’ll find with other smart devices, and one of our testers loved that she could plan ahead for her day and come home to a comfortable temperature.
We liked its ability to remotely control the system, chart energy consumption and set up geofencing options. While the Mysa doesn't control cooling equipment, it plays nicely with smart home assistants including Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
| Smart compatability | Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant |
Pros
- Sleek design
- Exceptional value
Cons
- Needs a C-wire
The Nest E smart thermostat has most of the same features as its more expensive counterpart, just in a more affordable yet sleek design. For example, its frosted display only tells you the temperature, whereas the mirrored glass display on the premium Nest also shows you the time and weather.
But the Nest E is still loaded with helpful attributes like geofencing, alerts and energy tracking. Consumer feedback on the frosted display was split — some found it aesthetically appealing, and others found it difficult to read. Also important to note: If you live in an older home that doesn’t have a C-wire, you might have to bring in a professional to install one.
| Smart compatibility | Amazon Alexa |
How we test smart thermostats
Every year the engineers and market analysts at the Good Housekeeping Institute evaluate brand leaders in the smart thermostat category — like Nest and Ecobee — and keep close tabs on up-and-coming brands as well.
We narrowed our selection to 21 of the latest smart thermostats and put them through rigorous hands-on testing, some for at least three months. We assessed the ease of installation, the intuitiveness of operation on both the device and app and the functionality of advanced features like voice control, Amazon Alexa integration and humidity-control capabilities. Our Lab experts also gave ratings based on power consumption and compatibility with other smart home systems.
We used all that data to zero in on the six best smart thermostats on the market today.
What to look for when shopping for the best smart thermostat
Ready to go shopping for a smart thermostat? Focusing on these five things can help you find the right device for your home.
✔️ Ease of installation: Many of the newer smart thermometers come with detailed instructions so if you’re an experienced DIYer with a firm understanding of your home’s electrical system, you should be able to complete your own smart thermostat installation and connect it to other smart devices in your home or to an app on your phone. That said, if you do find yourself struggling, a professional electrician can do the job for around $150 to $200.
✔️ Installation compatibility: Most smart thermostats match up with common heating and cooling equipment, but if you’re in an older house you might be missing a C-wire at your current thermostat hook-up. A C-wire provides continuous power to a digital thermostat. Many manufacturers have compatibility tools on their website so you can check to see if there might be any problems with installation compatibility; though many smart thermostats come with C-wire adapters, some don’t. And at that point, it would probably be better to hire an electrician to replace the wire as well as install the thermostat.
✔️ Smart speaker compatibility: The majority of smart thermostats can pair with both Android and Apple devices, but check to see what other devices it may be compatible with that you may already own, like an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device.
✔️ Features: The definition of “smart device” changes from brand to brand and can mean a number of different features. Those with machine learning create temperature schedules on their own. Some have extra sensors built-in to help recognize when people are in a room or not. Others include geofencing capabilities that are able to determine your location so it can start warming or cooling your house as your vehicle approaches. Another smart feature is energy history, which lets you track energy consumption to identify additional ways to save.
✔️ Aesthetics: While most thermostats have similar features, the design of smart thermostats can vary. If you have a very traditionally styled home, an ultra-sleek thermostat might not match the vibe of your home.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
The Good Housekeeping Institute provides expert reviews and advice on all things home-related, including climate control and smart thermostats.
In his role as Director of the Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab, Dan DiClerico brings more than 20 years of experience to the Institute, having reviewed thousands of products for Good Housekeeping, as well as brands like This Old House and Consumer Reports. His coverage of the earliest programmable thermostats from the 2000s helped reveal that some models were so confusing to set up that they ended up costing homeowners in lost energy.
For this report, DiClerico worked closely with Daniel Bortz, a freelance writer based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, who has written about technology and home improvement for more than a decade, including testing-based product reviews across every major category, from smart home devices to outdoor power equipment. Bortz installed and tested the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium at his home, and he found the device to be a great addition to his house’s collection of smart home gadgets, which includes a smart lock from Eufy, a smart alarm system from SimpliSafe, and a smart bird feeder from Bird Buddy.
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