Best smart thermostat 2024

ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
(Image credit: Chris Wedel/Android Central)

Heating and cooling are the single biggest factors of your monthly energy bill, so it makes sense for most people to consider picking up one of the best smart thermostats to better manage the temperature of your home. The Nest Thermostat E is the best overall option, with a sleek circular design and automated schedule creation based on your habits.

ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium

(Image credit: Chris Wedel/Android Central)
Best overall

Reasons to buy

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Room sensor included
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Amazon Alexa built directly in
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Large touch screen display
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Built-in air quality monitor
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Excellent automation capabilities
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Included kit to work with homes without a C-wire

Reasons to avoid

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Can't act as a Google Assistant speaker
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Not cheap

Ecobee is a hugely popular alternative to Nest that offers touch screens on its smart thermostats, with a flatter, more squared-off design. The new ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium refines the look of its predecessor with a zinc frame and a larger touchscreen. 

The interface has also been refreshed to make better use of the screen real estate. It's even got Alexa built directly into the unit (though it works with Google Assistant, too, just not as a smart speaker), so you can call out temperature change commands to it without needing a dedicated smart speaker.

It can detect when you leave the house and turn off heating/cooling automatically. The included room temperature sensor comes in handy for homes with multiple floors — an excellent add-on considering the ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium doesn't come cheap. The included room sensor also helps better balance your home out of the box, so you won't need to worry about buying additional accessories, which is why it's the best smart thermostat for multiple zones.

Eco+ is a feature that was added to Ecobee thermostats in 2019 and is designed to help automate your thermostat for a more power-efficient schedule. While this feature works wonders in certain climates, some users in more humid climates have complained that it does the opposite, so your mileage may vary. During our review, we found it very helpful. It gets even better when you incorporate an ecobee SmartSensor for windows and doors. These sensors can do a lot but will let the thermostat know when a window or door is open so as not to waste energy.

Nest Thermostat E

(Image credit: Android Central)

Google Nest Thermostat E - Smart Thermostat

Best budget option

Reasons to buy

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Includes all the smarts from the Nest Learning Thermostat
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Cheaper than the Nest Learning Thermostat
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Eligible for rebates from power companies
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Compatible with Nest Temperature Sensors
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Works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and IFTTT

Reasons to avoid

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Supports fewer HVAC systems than Nest Learning Thermostat
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Not widely available
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Plastic build can seem cheap
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No HomeKit compatibility

As our glowing Nest Thermostat E review explains, this smart thermostat is easily one of the best smart home choices you can make when you are on a budget. It's got all the same features as its big brother, the Nest Learning Thermostat (Gen 3), but without the extra price tag. Many power companies even offer the Nest Thermostat E for a lower price through special local programs, so be sure to call and ask!

Nest's famous brand of automatic scheduling based on local weather conditions, season, type of HVAC unit, and even local ordinances and programs make it one of the most effortless smart home devices on the market. It also works natively with many local utilities companies' rebate programs for energy efficiency.

The design is nearly identical to the more expensive Nest Learning Thermostat, albeit with a white plastic body instead of a black metal one. It's still got that fancy rotating dial for quick temperature and settings selections, as well as a handy click button right upfront. Most notably, Nest thermostats only work with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa and will not work with Apple HomeKit or Siri (officially, at least).

Since you'll be saving money by choosing the Nest Thermostat E versus the Nest Learning Thermostat, you can pick up a few Nest temperature sensors to ensure that your house is being heated and cooled as evenly as possible.

There are a couple of downsides to one of our best smart thermostat picks worth addressing. For starters, the Nest E display is a lower resolution compared to the Learning model, and it's compatible with fewer HVAC systems. 

Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat

(Image credit: Chris Wedel/Android Central)
Easy install

Reasons to buy

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Clean, traditional design
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Easy-to-use touchscreen
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Simple installation process
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Integrated backlight
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Works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and IFTTT

Reasons to avoid

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The design may not be for everyone
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Out of the box, it requires a C-Wire

Like most smart thermostats, the Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat can be controlled by your phone or through a voice assistant like Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. You can set the temperature remotely, or use the easy-to-use touchscreen, to set your home to be as comfortable as you want. We really enjoyed the addition of geofencing during our review so it can detect when you've left the house to automatically shut down heating and cooling and resume things when you return.

Like the other smart thermostats, the Sensi Touch Smart Thermostat can learn how you like your home's temperature and will automatically adjust based on your habits. You can get a monthly email to let you know how much energy your home has used and tips on improving usage.

Unfortunately, the Touch Smart Thermostat doesn't support remote sensors for room temperature, contact, or presence. While you can set geofence to adjust the HVAC status when you leave home, if you are just outside, the thermostat doesn't know you aren't in the house.

While this is a downer, the low cost and ease of installation make this a solid choice for those who want a more traditional-looking thermostat. 

Nest Thermostat

(Image credit: Android Central)

Google Nest Thermostat

Best for Google Home users

Reasons to buy

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Soli motion tracking and geofencing
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Savings Finder mode and HVAC monitoring
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Intuitive swipe temperature controls
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Mirrored IPS lens with multiple color options
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One of the cheapest smart thermostats

Reasons to avoid

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May require a C wire for enough power
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No room sensors or learning functionality

Google has largely shelved our favorite smart thermostat in favor of its new Nest Thermostat, priced low to attract shoppers who see Nest devices as niche or luxury items. You can check our Nest Thermostat versus Nest Thermostat E comparison to see how the two models stack up in greater detail, but in essence, the newer thermostat looks great but ditches the temperature turn-dial for a touch strip on the side, and also abandons the automatic temperature learning features and remote sensor support of its predecessors.

Nevertheless, this thermostat does bring some useful smarts to your home. It uses a Presence Sensing mode that uses Nest Thermostat sensors, phone tracking, and other Google Home compatible devices to determine if anyone is home, then sets your home to an Eco temperature if everyone is away. It also monitors your HVAC performance and sends you a warning if it senses something wrong with it, such as taking too long to heat up your house or shutting off before it reaches the right temperature. Our guide on how to use HVAC monitoring on a Nest thermostat explains how it works.

Otherwise, so long as you're comfortable setting your own temperature schedule in the Google Home app, this affordable smart thermostat will save you money, both when you buy it and every month thereafter.

Mysa Smart Thermostat

(Image credit: Mysa)

Mysa Smart Thermostat

Best for baseboard heaters

Reasons to buy

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Sleek and minimal design
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No additional hardware is required
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Integrates with Alexa, Google Home, Apple Homekit, and more
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Sends regular energy usage reports

Reasons to avoid

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All extra features are available only in the mobile app
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No touch screen interface
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Not compatible with furnaces or boilers

Mysa isn't a name that you would think of when looking for a smart thermostat, but this company is leading the way for homeowners who have baseboard heaters. This thermostat can tie into your existing system while providing a sleek and minimal design that won't stick out on the wall.

Other than adjusting the temperature, the mobile app will provide the remaining controls, including integrating with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and others. The mobile app itself will provide energy usage reports and make it possible to set up scheduled heating sessions and set up a vacation mode.

Having a sleek and minimalist design is great, but some will miss having direct controls on the thermostat itself. But with the Mysa, you will be "limited" to just using the mobile app on your Android device. Additionally, you won't be able to integrate the Mysa Thermostat with any boilers or furnaces in the home.

Honeywell T9 Smart Thermostat

(Image credit: Chris Wedel/Android Central)

Honeywell Home T9 WiFi Thermostat

Best for multiple rooms

Reasons to buy

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Smart Room Sensor provides a range of up to 200 feet
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Easy, DIY installation
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Intelligently learns heating and cooling patterns
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Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
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Sensors detect when people are in the room

Reasons to avoid

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Need multiple sensors for multiple rooms
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Must add sensors to the system through the thermostat

Unlike other smart thermostat options, Honeywell is a name that many have come to know and trust over the years. So, as expected, the company moved into the smart thermostat market with the Home T9 as its latest product.

This smart thermostat works best if you pick up a few Smart Room Sensors to give you better control over temperatures across the home. These sensors are quite impressive, with a range of up to 200 feet from the thermostat "hub." The thermostat itself is easy to install, so you don't need to hire anyone else to do it for you. Plus, there are additional features such as smart home integration, Auto Home and Away, and Monthly Energy Reports.

The biggest downside here is that you will have to purchase multiple sensors if you really want to control the entire home. Plus, these sensors can only be added directly through the T9 instead of through the mobile app.

Saving money while feeling comfortable is where it's at

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It's hard to argue with the Nest Thermostat E, especially for the price. You'll save money and still get Nest's amazing automatic schedule creation based on your usage habits and the great interface that Nest products are known for. The screen turns on as you walk by the thermostat, and you can easily adjust the temperature manually by rotating the dial around the display. With remote control via your phone or favorite virtual assistant, you'll never have to come home to an icebox in the winter — or a sauna in the summer — again.

As we previously mentioned, the highlight feature is still its learning abilities, which allows it to track your habits and create a schedule for you. This not only makes your life easier but can save you money by helping you to conserve energy.

Chris Wedel
Smart Home Writer
Chris Wedel is a fan of all things tech and gadgets. Living in rural Kansas with his wife and two young boys makes finding ways to get and stay online tricky. By utilizing his years of experience with the tech and mobile communications industries — success is assured. When not conquering connectivity challenges and testing new gadgets, he enjoys cruising a gravel road in his UTV with some good tunes.
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