How to buy the best smart thermostat
There are several things to consider when buying a smart thermostat, and these are some of the main factors we think you should keep in mind:
Display and controls
All smart thermostats offer control and scheduling via a smartphone app, but if someone at home doesn’t use a modern mobile phone, or is less techsavvy, it is worth looking for a thermostat with a comprehensive and intuitive display.
Hive’s original Smart Thermostat, for instance, offers more onscreen control than the cheaper Hive Thermostat Mini, while Honeywell’s Evohome includes a complete touchscreen interface for easy control of each room’s temperature.
Selflearning
Some smart heating thermostats are selflearning, meaning they can assess how long it takes your home to get to the desired temperature and then adjust your schedule to make sure your home is at the temperature you want when you want it.
Smart home platforms
When you invest in a smart thermostat, think about your whole smart home. Do you also have a video doorbell, security camera or a preferred voice control system? Each brand tends to work with its own products, so sticking with what you know might be wise.
It’s worth knowing that there is a new protocol that now helps smart devices to communicate, called “Matter”. This is developed jointly by Amazon, Apple, Google, and many other manufacturers to eliminate incompatibilities.
Hot water and heat
If you live in a home with separate heating and hot water systems, some smart thermostats such as Tado give you app control over both. This could be very convenient if you need to turn on the hot water and have it ready for your return home. Not all systems do this, and it can cost extra.
Location tracking
If you’re always out and about and don’t adhere to a regular schedule, GPS location tracking can be very handy. Smart thermostats can track your location through your phone and learn your routine, adjusting your central heating schedule accordingly.
Heating zones
Creating heat zones enables you to have greater control over different parts of the house. This can be either through using multiple thermostats – one upstairs and one downstairs, for instance – or by investing in some smart thermostatic radiator valves which give you control over each room, for potentially greater savings.
Voice control
If you’re already using Amazon Alexa at home, it makes sense to buy a smart thermostat that’s also Alexa compatible, rather than suddenly switching to Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit and having to learn how to set up and navigate a whole new ecosystem.
How much does a smart thermostat cost?
There are now plenty of smart thermostats to choose from, and most cost between £100 and £200 without professional installation. Hive’s Thermostat Mini is one of the cheapest, at £119, including the hub that connects to your router, while the Google Nest Thermostat E costs around £200 and Tado’s starter kit costs £179.
If you are installing smart radiator valves, these cost from £30 each, but most brands offer multipack discounts.
It’s worth checking if there are any additional subscription costs with your chosen smart thermostat brand. Tado for instance offers some clever extra features for £2.99 per month and Hive has a similar subscription for £3.99 a month.
Is it worth getting a smart thermostat?
Aside from the fact that remote (and voicecontrolling) heating from anywhere in the world is convenient, it is worth getting a smart thermostat if you are keen to learn about your energy use.
You will need wifi and a smartphone. Once it’s all set up, the combination of geolocation tracking, advanced scheduling, and computer learning will help you to see where and when you’re wasting energy, while those systems with smart radiator valves will prevent you from unnecessarily heating individual rooms.
Can a smart thermostat help you monitor energy use?
To make the most of a smart thermostat system, you will need to work with the technology, not just rely on it doing some magic. Smart thermostats record all your heating data and let you see how your energy use changes over time.
This can be invaluable information, especially as simply turning down the thermostat is still the most effective way of reducing energy use.
A smart thermostat that has location tracking will be able to turn your heating off automatically when no one is home, while multizone designs enable you to heat only certain rooms of the house. We recommend taking time to schedule your heating instead of letting the tech take the strain.
Can you install a smart thermostat yourself?
Installing most smart thermostats is straightforward if you’re happy working with wires and electrics. For example, Google calls installing its Nest an “easy DIY project that takes about 20 to 30 minutes” but it also offers an installation service using its Nest Pro network of installers.
Hive offers a Pro Install service when you order the hardware through its website. Tado offers DIY installation and instructions for more than 16,000 compatible heating systems, plus technical support, while Honeywell’s Evohome and Drayton Wiser can be DIY installed, but they’re a little more complicated than most as they’re whole home systems with multiple smart thermostats.
Make sure to check the compatibility with your central heating system on the thermostat manufacturer’s website if you’re planning to do the installation yourself.
