The 4 Best Smart Thermostats for a More Efficient Home

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Smart thermostats were a real revelation for the energy penny pinchers. More than any other smart home devices, these also contribute to saving money. Robot vacuums, smart speakers, and smart alarm clocks are about convenience or improving your life in some way. Smart security cameras and water detectors are about security and insurance. But, smart thermostats are pretty much all about savings.

So, if you're here looking for a smart home gadget to save you some money, you've come to the right place. Here at Esquire, we've got some of the internets premier tech editors and home editors. Much like a shitty unprofitable Silicon Valley startup valued at $100 million, we are working at the intersection of tech and lifestyle. Jokes aside, we do consider ourself one of the best resources when it comes to this stuff. That's mostly because we're not trying to bore you by getting in the weeds on any of it. We personally have tested pretty much every smart thermostat on the market, but there's no reason to talk about all of them. We've got four smart thermostats that we love, and those are the ones we'll recommend.

So, let's dive in. If you're looking to upgrade your home to save some money or more closely monitor your HVAC system, these are the four best smart thermostats on the market.

Nest Learning Thermostat

In terms of interface, Google's Nest is our favorite, and that goes a long way when you use it everyday. The user experience is the perfect blend of new and old tech. You can look at all the data, set your thermostat remotely, and set intricate schedules to save money—of course.

But what we really love is just the day-to-day of using it in our homes. Place it in a hallway and set the display to only turn on when you're there, and it fades away. We love the old-school touch of a turn dial body for cycling through settings and changing the temperature. And, the Google Nest app is a pleasure to use. Beyond the interface, it's easy to install, and Google's AI really takes the reins in terms of temperature setting and knowing your preferences.

The only downside we have to note is the hardcore data tracking. Nest remote sensors are notoriously just okay, and that's the experience we had. If you're really doing this to pinch energy pennies, there are better models.

Smart Thermostat Premium

If you want the top-of-the-line model that's the best at everything a smart thermostat does, it's the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium. First, let's talk about what it has on the Google Nest.

The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium does a lot more than that Nest Learning thermostat. It works as a smart speaker, and it has a built in microphone. So, it's ready for voice control from minute one. It's also at corresponding with it's little remote sensors. If you've got hot and cold pockets on your home, it's great for regulating those. On top of that, it can double as a home security hub.

So why did we pick Google as the Best Overall instead? Once again, the interface. Ecobee's is great, but Google's just felt more intuitive. And perhaps since we're not working with large homes to heat, we're less impressed by all the remote sensor and home security features. The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium almost ends up being too much.

Touch 2

If you haven't already figured out, on-device display is huge for us. Other reviewers really care about all the functionalities and data a smart thermostat gives, but for us it's about the day-to-day use of it. They all do the same thing, and they all do it well. So a samrt thermostat distinguishes itself by being enjoyable and easy to use.

Sensi's Touch 2 did that with its display. We love the wide LCD display and all the information it can offer you. You immediately see your mode, set temperature, current temperature, and indoor humidity. All the other thermostats can show you this info, but it's just nice to have it all there.

Beyond that... it's as good as any other smart thermostat. It works with remote sensors, though not as well as the Ecobee. It monitors your HVAC system, and everything can be controlled via the app.

Smart Thermostat

Amazon has a great smart home trick. It sells devices for super cheap, but they work best within the Amazon ecosystem. The second you swap Alexa out for Google Home or Siri, the whole thing starts to fall apart. So, essentially, based off price and convenience you end up with a full Amazon smart home ecosystem.

That would annoy us if Amazon's stuff sucked, but it's actually quite good. For this smart thermostat, the Amazon product team partnered with Honeywell, so it is essentially just a cheaper Honeywell thermostat with Amazon branding. It connects well with Ring home security, Alexa's voice control, and it can all be managed within the Amazon smart home app. Beyond that... it's another solid smart thermostat. It gives you all the data and alerts you need, and it's good at helping you keep your electricity bill down.

What we don't love about the Amazon thermostat is the display. The white light on white background display wasn't as difficult to see as we expected, but it wasn't good, either. It helps the thermostat not stand out, but it's just generally a bit barebones.

What to Look for When Buying Smart Thermostats

Here's a little look at our testing criteria and what you should consider before purchasing.

User Interface - This factor combines the thermostat display, controls, and app interface. For us, this is what really distinguishes thermostats from each other. It should look good and be easy to use day-to-day.

Smart Home Compatibility - The more broad the options, the better. But as with any tech product, makers tend to play favorites. Most (besides Amazon) offer a few different smart home options. Consider which you have already or what you want to get.

Remote Sensors - Remote sensors are great for controlling temps when you have specific hot and cold spots in an apartment or a lot of rooms in a home. You place them around the house, and they regulate based on specific rooms. Some options work better than others.

Why Trust Esquire?

We've been poking, prodding, and stress-testing products for years, allowing us to recommend the best tech worth your hard-earned money. With years of experience, we know what smart-home gadgets are actually worth the money and which ones are bullshit you don't need.

We promise to give it to you straight—no-frills, no-nonsense. We compile our guides by performing heavy research and testing, and the gadgets we choose are what we'd spend our money on.

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