Which Ecobee thermostat ought to you get?

The precise thermostat I examined become Ecobee’s flagship Smart Thermostat, retailing for $249. This version comes with pretty some functions that will, unfortunately, move completely unused in my domestic.

For example, the thermostat is geared up with a speaker and microphone, permitting it to double as a clever speaker, with assist for Alexa and Spotify Connect — however now no longer Google Assistant. While the Ecobee Smart Thermostat gives notably excessive best audio for a chunk of HVAC equipment, I haven’t lived in a domestic wherein the thermostat become in a area wherein I’d want to have music. ecobee3 multiple thermostats

Similarly, the Smart Thermostat is likewise the house base for Ecobee’s Haven protection subscription, which makes use of the Smart Sensors you already use for temperature sensing to locate movement while you’re now no longer domestic. You also can upload cameras and door/window sensors for delivered protection. While a very good concept for a few homes, movement-primarily based totally structures don’t paintings properly for me, primarily due to the fact I very own a cat.

If all you’re seeking out is a thermostat that may be managed with the Google Assistant and Google Home app, the Ecobee3 Lite can be the suitable fit. At a retail rate of $169, the Ecobee3 Lite gives almost the total AC/heating smarts of the flagship thermostat however lacks assist for HVAC add-ons like purifiers and strips away the extra functions. If you need to improve later for broader temperature sensing.

Before you buy

As with all different clever thermostats, the primary issue you want to bear in mind is whether or not or now no longer your device is well suited with the thermostat you’re buying. Ecobee gives a easy compatibility checker — which I, of course, forgot to test beforehand — to look whether or not or now no longer switching thermostats is even viable and the way tough it'd be.

In a few cases, putting in the Ecobee Smart Thermostat is a easy activity that may be finished simply on the thermostat aspect however, unfortunately, now no longer in my non-public case. Like many others, the AC device in my domestic best makes use of 4 wires and, therefore, doesn’t offer consistent energy to the thermostat. ecobee3 manufacturer

In this case, Nest thermostats use a battery that recharges each time it can. (Update 5/2: As stated with inside the remarks however, this battery method has its drawbacks.) For Ecobee’s thermostats, a special “Power Extender Kit” will, as a substitute, want to be set up to your real air handler or furnace.

Best case scenario, putting in the Power Extender Kit may be pretty straightforward, concerning disconnecting 4 wires from a manipulate board, attaching them to the Power Extender Kit, then connecting the package returned to the manipulate board. Of course, this may nevertheless be a piece outdoor of the same old DIYer’s consolation zone.

Unfortunately, the device in my domestic didn’t have a right manipulate board and become as a substitute a multitude of wires, transformers, and fuses. Without having a informed electrician with inside the family, I very severely doubt I could had been capable of get the Ecobee Smart Thermostat set up with out hiring an HVAC specialist.