Nest's Learning Thermostat is the go-to solution for many folks looking to add smarts to their heating and cooling systems. That said, it's not for everyone — particularly for those who've gone all-in on HomeKit. That's where the best smart thermostats like the excellent ecobee SmartThermostat come into play. This thermostat may not be as flashy, but it includes almost all smarts, works with HomeKit, and comes with a handy remote sensor. Here's a look at some of the best Nest thermostat alternatives that you can buy today.
Best overall: ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control
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Not only is it our pick for the best smart thermostat, but the ecobee SmartThermostat also happens to be one of our favorite smart home accessories. This is due in large part to the ever-so-clever remote sensors that independently measure temperature and sense motion. You can use these sensors to give your thermostat a better idea of the temperature in your home (averaged out across the various sensors) as well as whether or not anyone is home.
The ecobee SmartThermostat comes with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant built-in, thanks to embedded microphones that feature far-field voice recognition. That means, on top of working with Apple's HomeKit, remote RoomSensors, and energy-saving benefits, you can use the ecobee SmartThermostat in the same way you'd use an Echo device. Ask Alexa to set a timer, adjust the lighting, remind you to take out the trash, or play some music — you can do it all right from your smart thermostat.
ecobee's latest features easy installation and app and voice controls. Plus, its room sensor provides a more comfortable home.
Best value: iDevices IDEV0005AND5 FBA_2843481 Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
Despite its low price and lack of a touchscreen, the iDevices Smart Thermostat still packs in a compelling list of features. A clean, minimal thermostat design makes on-device controls simple through capacitive buttons, and a small LCD puts the temperature front-and-center.
This Wi-Fi thermostat connects to your home network to offer up convenient controls through Alexa, HomeKit, and the Google Assistant, as well as the iDevices app. Custom schedules and scenes can help reduce energy usage and make management a breeze by never forgetting to turn it off when leaving again.
The affordable iDevices Thermostat doesn't skimp on features by working with most voice assistants and with smart app control.
Best design: Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat with Touchscreen Color Display
The Emerson Sensi Touch is a fantastic-looking smart thermostat with a gigantic, color touchscreen display, but it offers more than just good looks. This thermostat has installation-friendly touches such as a backlight, built-in level, and spring-loaded wiring terminals that help to get you up and running in minutes.
Smart features include scheduling, as well as geofencing capabilities that can turn down your heating and cooling when you're away and resume your settings when you're home, saving you money in the long run. It also works with HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings, and many more, making it one of the most flexible options.
The Sensi Touch sports an inviting four-inch touchscreen display along with geofencing, scheduling, voice control, and more.
Best compatibility: Honeywell Home RCHT8612WF T5 Plus Wi-Fi Touchscreen Smart Thermostat
The Lyric T5+ is an Energy Star certified thermostat that features scheduling controls and location-based temperature settings. That means you'll be able to set a seven-day schedule for your heating and cooling system, and it also lets you control your system with geofences. To add to its smarts, the Lyric T5 also includes a feature called adaptive recovery that keeps track of the time it takes to reach your desired temperature; the more you use it, the better it gets.
The Lyric T5+ is compatible with HomeKit, Alexa, and the Google Assistant, giving you the option to set the temperature using your voice or with a tap. The best part, though, is that it includes a c-wire power adapter even with its low price, which allows for installation in homes that do not have the elusive wire behind their thermostat.
The T5+ works in most homes without extra expenses. A handy recovery feature learns from your system to optimize heating and air.
Best customization: Kono KN-S-AMZ-004 Wifi Enabled Smart Thermostat
The Lux KONO is a unique smart thermostat that has a swappable faceplate design. This design allows you to mix things up in a snap with one of nine available colors. Lux even offers a faceplate that you can paint to suit your personality or decor better.
Smart features include staples like scheduling, geofencing, app, and voice controls. The thermostat works with all of the major smart home platforms, and it connects to your home via Wi-Fi. For quick on-device controls, you can adjust the temperature up and down by turning its handy dial, just like a radio, instantly making it familiar to just about everyone.
The LUX Kono features swappable color faceplates, one of which you can paint. Smart features include schedules and geofencing.
Best expandability: ecobee Lite SmartThermostat
If you don't care about having Alexa built-in or have a smaller home where RoomSensors may not be a good fit, you can save some money and still enjoy an incredible experience with the ecobee 3 Lite. This basic package does not include a RoomSensor, but you can add one later if you decide to expand.
Everything else comes with the ecobee 3 Lite, including smart home controls, scheduling, and potential energy savings. The ecobee 3 Lite also still comes with a power adapter to make it accessible to all homes, not just those blessed with a c-wire.
ecobee's base model doesn't include a room sensor or Alexa, but it still packs in most of the same smarts at a much lower price.
Go smart with the best Nest thermostat alternatives
Nest may be the most familiar name for smart heating and air, but it isn't always the best fit. If you are living that sweet HomeKit life, or if you don't want to shell out for the premium design, the best Nest thermostat alternatives are just as good, if not better.
The ecobee SmartThermostat is our go-to pick thanks to its excellent use of wireless RoomSensors, HomeKit compatibility, and easy installation. It may not have all of the smart learning capabilities, but it does come with Alexa baked right-in, and those RoomSensors can offer levels of comforts that Nest cannot match.
If you want to save a little upfront or if you don't like the idea of having an always-on microphone in your thermostat, then the ecobee Lite SmartThermostat is the one for you. With the ecobee Lite, you get access to all of the smarts at an affordable price — and with the ability to add RoomSensors later, you can test drive it before making a full-blown commitment.
