With a smart thermostat — especially one equipped with HomeKit — you'll be able to easily control the temperature within your home, from pretty much anywhere, even with your voice. You can set up things like scenes and automation, making your life even more accessible and giving you comfort without a second thought. We think that the best smart thermostat you can get is the ecobee SmartThermostat, because it works with HomeKit, Siri, and Alexa — plus it's the easiest to set up and use.
Best overall: ecobee SmartThermostat
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The ecobee SmartThermostat is the best smart thermostat for anyone who wants to control their home environment using a voice assistant. With the ecobee Smart Thermostat, you get all the magic of the HomeKit plus built-in Alexa and Siri voice control. Thanks to the built-in speaker and microphone setup, Alexa and Siri are just as helpful on the ecobee SmartThermostat as Amazon's Echo products or Apple's HomePods.
Ask Alexa or Siri to set a timer, adjust the lighting, or play some jazz; you can do it right from your smart thermostat. You can also, of course, use Alexa or Siri to adjust the temperature in your home, but that's just one tiny detail. With HomeKit compatibility, you get full support for Home app control, including the ability to change temperature with a tap and trigger more complex actions with scenes and automation. This device also supports IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings, Alexa, Google Assistant, and many more integrations.
In our hands-on review, we loved how the ecobee SmartThermostat can fine-tune heating and cooling with the included remote RoomSensor. ecobee's compact wireless sensors allow the thermostat to average the temperatures in your home or only go by the temperature in your most important rooms — instead of just where the thermostat is on the wall.
The ecobee SmartThermostat includes a remote sensor that reports temperatures all around your home and not just one location.
Best for small locations: ecobee 3 Lite SmartThermostat
The ecobee 3 Lite is more or less an ecobee smart thermostat without room sensors. It has all the same great features, including HomeKit compatibility and Siri control, albeit limited to the area where you install the thermostat. However, you can buy remote sensors separately to see the temperature in other rooms if you choose to expand later.
The main differences between it and the more expensive ecobee SmartThermostat are the lack of an integrated Amazon Alexa and Siri speaker, room sensor, and occupancy detection. The ecobee 3 Lite is also slightly smaller than the newer model, and it isn't as compatible with as many heating/cooling systems.
If you have a small home or don't need extra sensors in other rooms, go with the ecobee 3 Lite.
Best learning: Google Nest Learning Thermostat
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat remains a popular choice even though it's not one of the newest smart thermostats on the block. The Nest Thermostat is simple to use with a futuristic dial and works great with the Nest app for iOS and Android. The thermostat also supports integration with dozens of other Nest and smart home products, including home security systems, cameras, locks, voice assistants, etc.
By definition, the Nest Learning Thermostat takes the temperatures you prefer, then builds a schedule that it believes will suit you. With automatic scheduling, you'll be more comfortable in your home while also saving on heating and cooling bills. As part of its learning, the thermostat also adapts to the changing seasons in your area.
The Nest Learning Thermostat is an excellent alternative if you don't need HomeKit and have other Nest products in your house.
Best value: Amazon Smart Thermostat
You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a high-quality smart thermostat, and the Amazon Smart Thermostat proves it. In our recent review, we declared that the Amazon Smart Thermostat is "easily one of the most affordable ways to start the process of upgrading your home into a smart home."
As the name suggests, the Amazon Smart Thermostat supports Amazon's Alexa for smart home and voice control. Through Alexa on your phone or compatible Echo device, you can lower the temperature on-demand or integrate it with your other smart devices through routines. If you prefer a hands-off experience, Alexa Hunches can make adjustments automatically when you are out and about or during the night while everyone is sleeping.
The affordable Amazon Smart Thermostat offers smart app convenience and Alexa voice controls despite its basic design.
Best design: Google Nest Thermostat
Like its more expensive sibling, the Google Nest Thermostat features a premium circular design and plenty of smarts. Despite a more affordable price and a plastic frame, during testing, we described the Nest Thermostat's hardware overall as lovely, with a glazed mirror finish and four available attractive color options.
However, there are some real downsides to be aware of when it comes to the Google Nest Thermostat vs. the Nest Learning Thermostat. Most importantly, it doesn't work with quite as many HVAC systems as the Learning Thermostat, sporting 85% compatibility. Others are that the cheaper Nest Thermostat also doesn't feature learning capabilities, relies on AA batteries for backup, and doesn't come with a trim plate.
Google's more affordable Nest Thermostat comes in four gorgeous finishes and a stunning mirror-like display.
Best display: Emerson Sensi Touch
Emerson's Sensi Touch thermostat features a sizeable widescreen touch display, making it easy to make adjustments on the device itself. Speaking of changes, the Sensi Touch has quick access shortcuts to standard features such as turning on just the house fan directly from the home screen.
This thermostat also includes a backlight option that lights the area around it at night, preventing it from lighting up your room with a huge display. This backlight is also handy for the installation process, as it lights up the wiring terminals, giving you a better look at where your wires are going.
Emerson's Sensi Touch has a giant, beautiful touchscreen, smart features, and a handy backlight for locating it at night.
Convenience and control with the best smart thermostats
Having the best smart thermostat in your home offers convenience and control while saving you a little money. For some, the thermostat is not always in the most accessible location — this is where voice control and smart home integration with HomeKit, Alexa, or Google comes in. Changing the temperature in your home from the comforts of your couch or bed is more than worth the cost of admission, and scheduling features are the icing on the cake.
For most people, the ecobee SmartThermostat is the best smart thermostat around. The ecobee SmartThermostat is fully featured and caters to folks who are all-in with Apple HomeKit accessories or even those who prefer Alexa control. You can expand your ecobee SmartThermostat's footprint by adding additional room sensors over time. Ultimately, your decision should come down to how much you want to control the temperature in your home and where, but you really can't go wrong with any of our picks for the best smart thermostats.
