Best Smart Thermostats for June 2023 – CNET

$250 at Ecobee
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium against a purple background

Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium

Best voice integrations

$80 at Amazon
Mounted Wyze thermostat set to 72 degrees Fahrenheit

Wyze Thermostat

Best if you have other Wyze products

In this article:

What is the best smart thermostat?

A smart thermostat can do a lot more than managing your home’s heating and cooling system. If you’re looking for the best smart thermostat of the bunch, that’s going to be a highly affordable model from Amazon’s smart home ecosystem.

Smart home devices have gotten super popular over the years, with programmable thermostats, doorbells, coffee maker options and other smart devices taking over the landscape — and they’ll get even better with the Matter standard. There are tons of other smart home devices that can help make your day-to-day life more convenient. The best smart thermostat models do a lot to cut heating and cooling costs, simplify life and provide a few extra creature comforts with various smart features along the way. Unlike traditional thermostats, these app-enabled devices allow you to control your home’s temperature from anywhere. And most smart thermostats require very little setup to get going. Plus, most smart thermostats work with voice control when using a compatible smart display or speaker with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri

To help you find the best model for your home’s heating and cooling needs and your budget, we’ve rounded up the best smart thermostat options on the market right now below.

Some smart thermostats also use occupancy sensors to determine if you’re home or away to automatically change the temperature for you. Other thermostats automatically switch between home and away modes based on your phone’s location. Some even employ remote temperature and proximity sensors to extend the detection range of your thermostat to other parts of your home. 

To accompany these modern features, many connected thermostats offer innovative designs. From a rounded shape to a responsive touchscreen, smart thermostats look a lot different than traditional models. They can also send you smart alerts, sync with other connected devices in your home and provide details on your HVAC system’s energy usage over time.

Best smart thermostats of 2023

Amazon thermostat set to 73 degrees Fahrenheit
Chris Monroe/CNET

As I mentioned above, the Amazon Smart Thermostat is my favorite overall smart thermostat. First, it’s the least expensive model I’ve tested. It works via the Alexa app and with Alexa voice commands. You need a compatible Alexa-enabled smart speaker or display to use voice commands, but you don’t have to enable an Alexa skill since this is an Amazon-branded product.

This thermostat is Energy Star-certified, saving an average of $50 on a yearly energy bill. It has a simple, modern design and an optional wall plate if you need to cover any old paint or holes. The touchscreen interface is minimal, but makes it easy to adjust the thermostat and switch between heat, air conditioning and other basic settings. 

The Amazon Smart Thermostat isn’t compatible with Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit and there’s no remote temperature sensor accessory. You also either need a C-wire or you have to buy and install the C-wire adapter.

This is a solid product overall, but ultimately its amazing value is what sets it apart and makes it our current favorite.

Read our Amazon Smart Thermostat review.

The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium against a purple background
Ecobee

With a list price of $250, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is expensive, arguably too expensive given the current trend of more affordable models out there. Still, this model has a lot to recommend it, especially if you want to talk to Alexa without having to buy an Alexa speaker or display. This model also works with Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit, as well as Spotify. If you want a connected thermostat, Ecobee’s Smart Thermostat Premium is the smartest around.

Read our Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium review.

residio-honeywelll-home-thermostat-1
Chris Monroe/CNET

The Honeywell Home T9 lists for $210, and is a Wi-Fi thermostat with a touchscreen and one smart room sensor. The T9 works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit and offers reliable performance and a solid app. The device also comes with remote humidity, proximity and temperature sensors, making it the smartest sensor accessory around. Nest’s sensor only provides ambient temperature readings, while Ecobee’s sensor only has temperature and proximity detection capabilities.

Read our Resideo Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat review.

nest-thermostat-redo-1
Tyler Lizenby/CNET

I hold that the $249 Nest Learning Thermostat, which is currently on sale for around $180, is still the best-looking smart thermostat out there. Its rounded design harkens back to old-school thermostats, but the device has a modern look that fits in with nearly any home decor. The $169 Nest Thermostat E looks nice too, but it has more plastic components that aren’t as appealing as the Learning Thermostat’s stainless steel.

Read our Nest Learning Thermostat Third Generation review.

Mounted Wyze thermostat set to 72 degrees Fahrenheit
Chris Monroe/CNET

Like the Amazon Smart Thermostat, the Wyze Thermostat is another sub-$100 smart thermostat that we liked during testing. Available for as little as $61, this model is more affordable than the Amazon model above, and includes a C-wire adapter with your purchase. The Wyze Thermostat also has an easy set up via the Wyze app — and it works with Alexa and Google Assistant (though there’s no Apple HomeKit support).

Unfortunately, the hardware itself isn’t as well-designed as Amazon’s, and I found it difficult to adjust the temperature at the thermostat. If you already have a bunch of Wyze products and plan to mostly use the Wyze app to make adjustments, however, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

Read our Wyze Thermostat review.

Factors to consider

  • Ease of installation

    Check if you’ll be able to install the thermostat yourself, or if you’ll need to hire a professional to do it for you.

  • Quality of the app

    Research whether the app’s abilities meet your needs and if its interface is intuitive enough for you.

  • Smart home integration

    Confirm that a smart thermostat is compatible with your current smart home ecosystem or one you’re interested in building on.

  • Voice assistant integration

    If you use a voice assistant, make sure the thermostat is compatible with it and consider whether its voice commands fit your needs.

  • Data provided

    Consider whether seeing just the temperature meets your needs, or if you want other information like humidity.

How we test smart thermostats

Let’s talk about testing. Smart thermostats start with the installation. Installations can vary widely from thermostat to thermostat and between HVAC systems, but there are some basic steps required for installing these devices. As always, consult a professional installer if you have any questions about the setup process. Here are the general steps:

  • Turn off power to your thermostat at the circuit breaker
  • Remove the old thermostat
  • Install the thermostat’s base plate with the included screws
  • Attach the wires to the wire terminals 
  • Snap on the faceplate
  • Turn on power at the circuit breaker

Was the thermostat setup especially difficult to install? If so, why? Certain models require a C-wire, for example, which can complicate the installation if you don’t have one. Not sure what a C-wire is? Start here

From there, I move on to the app. Every smart thermostat has one. I download the app and create an account if I don’t already have one. Then I configure the thermostat following the steps in the app. This usually means connecting to the local Wi-Fi network, giving your thermostat a name like “Hallway” or “Bedroom” and then you can start using your thermostat.

16 smart thermostats to regulate your home’s heat and AC

See all photos

How well does the app work? Is it easy to navigate to the thermostat settings you need? Is it simple to create a schedule or enable geofencing? This factors into the thermostat’s usability score, along with how simple the thermostat hardware itself is to control manually. 

I also test smart home integration, especially voice-enabled systems you can access through voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri. Most connected thermostats have compatibility with at least one voice assistant and some work with all three. Do the voice commands flow naturally, like they would in an actual conversation? Did the thermostat actually adjust the temperature — heating and cooling — according to your commands? 

All of these things determine a smart thermostat’s overall score and how likely I am to recommend it. Here’s a running list of the models we’ve tested lately:

Smart thermostat FAQs

How do I install a smart thermostat?

How to install a smart thermostat can vary widely depending on your HVAC system. You can hire a professional electrician to handle the installation or to answer any questions before you attempt the installation yourself.

That said, all of the smart thermostats I’ve tested follow a pretty consistent step-by-step process. If you’re comfortable with basic electrical work and know whether your system is compatible with the specific model you want to buy, it’s a simple DIY process.

Check out my article about how to install the Nest Thermostat for a basic overview of the steps, but remember it could vary based on the system you have at home. 

Are smart thermostats really worth it?

Whether a smart thermostat is worth it or not depends on how you use it — and what exactly you mean by “worth it.”

Smart thermostats make it easier to use less energy and save money because of their advanced features, but you have to take advantage of those features in order to see a benefit. 

Options like automatic home/away modes based on your phone’s location — or sensors in the thermostat and in remote accessories that detect proximity — can go a long way toward reducing your monthly bill. In addition, if you take the time to review the energy usage reports smart thermostat companies provide, you’ll be able to identify patterns and potentially save even more money.

But smart thermostats are also more expensive than standard non-smart models. So, you have to think long-term when it comes to savings. It could take a year or more to start saving more than you spent on a smart thermostat, especially a $250 model like the Nest Learning Thermostat or the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium.

What is the most reliable smart thermostat?

Since thermostat performance can vary based on different HVAC systems, electrical wiring and other factors, I can’t definitively say one particular model is more reliable than any other. 

I can say that the four smart thermostats I recommend above — the Amazon Smart Thermostat, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium, the Resideo Honeywell Home T9 and the Nest Learning Thermostat — all performed reliably during my testing.

By that I mean, each of those smart thermostats consistently adjusted the temperature, setting and mode as expected over the days I tested them. Always check with a professional electrician if you have any questions about your HVAC system’s compatibility with a particular thermostat before you install it.

What do you need to know before you buy a smart thermostat?

Smart thermostats can handle a lot of the heavy lifting for you, but you also have to put in some effort. Make sure to answer all of the questions when you configure your thermostat. Most likely you’ll be asked to set minimum and maximum temperatures, comfortable temperature ranges when you’re home and away and more.

The more details you can provide, the better chance you have of actually saving money with a smart thermostat. 

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Best Smart Thermostats for June 2023 – CNET
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