Smart Thermostats

This guide will tell you everything you need to know to determine if a Nest vs ecobee thermostat is right for your home, and which model will best suit your budget, comfort needs, HVAC system, and preferences.

Thinking about buying a Nest or ecobee device? This comprehensive review will cover ecobee and Nest smart thermostats, including the models available, prices, warranty details, HVAC system compatibility, cool features and technologies, and more.

Smart thermostats are becoming increasingly popular as more and more homeowners embrace energy-saving technologies.

Beyond that, smart thermostats can also make your life more convenient by allowing you to see and adjust your furnace and air conditioner settings on the fly from anywhere in the world you have an internet connection.

Two of the most popular smart thermostat brands on the market are ecobee and Nest, and today’s review will help you decide which one is best for you.

ecobee vs. Nest Smart Thermostat Options and Prices

The products from ecobee and Nest are among the most popular smart thermostats in Canada, and each brand has a couple of models to choose from. Let’s review both ecobee and Nest smart thermostats for their key features and the price points of the models.

You can also check out our full Nest thermostat review and ecobee thermostat review for more details about each brand.

But first, let’s compare them side by side to help you decide which one is right for you.

The ecobee3 lite: $219.99

This is the least expensive smart thermostat from ecobee. It’s an intelligent thermostat that learns and adapts to your behaviour, and it’s also ENERGY STAR® certified, compatible with room sensors, and can be integrated with technologies like Apple HomeKit.

The ecobee Smart Thermostat with whole home sensors: $289.99

This is a bundle deal: you get a smart thermostat that’s similar to the ecobee3 lite in terms of capabilities and technologies, but you also get one SmartSensor and one SmartSensor for doors and windows. As such, this model comes with a higher price tag.

The ecobee SmartThermostat with voice control: $329.99

This is ecobee’s most expensive and sophisticated model, and you do get a SmartSensor included with the thermostat. This model comes with some additional perks, including Amazon Alexa and Spotify built in, voice control options, Bluetooth, and more.

The Nest Thermostat: $179.99

This is one of the most popular smart thermostats around, and part of that has to do with the affordable price. At the same time, this is a favourite among people who love programmable thermostats and still want to be able to control the heating and cooling settings in their home. That’s because this model doesn’t learn your habits and adjust settings accordingly.

The Nest Learning Thermostat: $329

This device does learn about your heating and cooling preferences and does make automatic adjustments to improve your comfort and save you money. This model has a lot of features and tech, including room sensor compatibility, so it costs quite a bit more than Nest’s other option.

Potential Energy Savings with Nest and ecobee Products

It’s difficult to say for sure how much a smart thermostat can save you on heating and cooling costs, but it’s generally understood that these devices can make your home more efficient and lower your energy bills.

The main reason behind this is scheduling: when either you or the thermostat creates a schedule that reduces energy use whenever possible (like during the day when you’re not home and at night when you’re asleep), cost-savings are sure to follow.

Both Nest and ecobee have done studies on their own devices and come up with some numbers about how much you can save using their smart thermostats:

ecobee says you can save up to 23 percent on your annual energy costs	with any of their smart thermostat models.
Nest says you can save between 10 and 12 percent on your heating bills and 15 percent on cooling bills	with either of their smart thermostat models.

Sensor Compatibility

Sensors are one of the newer and more exciting technologies to accompany smart thermostats, and these can include temperature sensors, occupancy sensors, light sensors, and door and window sensors.

ecobee

Every ecobee smart thermostat is compatible with the company’s SmartSensor, a sensor that can be placed in any room and moved easily to detect both temperature and occupancy, thereby ensuring ultimate comfort and energy savings.

Nest

Only the Nest Learning Thermostat is compatible with the Nest temperature sensor, a sensor that can be moved from room to room as you go about your daily routine. However, Nest smart sensors can’t detect occupancy like the ecobee ones, so there’s the potential that they aren’t as effective at ensuring energy savings and ideal comfort.

The Nest Thermostat isn’t compatible with the company’s room sensors, but it does come equipped with light, motion, humidity, and temperature sensors that are built right into the device.

Quick review of Nest and ecobee room sensor compatibility:

Learning Capabilities

One of the coolest things about some smart thermostats is they’re capable of learning your habits and making adjustments or setting schedules based on that data.

For example, let’s say you program your smart thermostat to make the house warmer in the summer between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. But let’s say the smart thermostat notices that you typically come home around 5:30 and have to adjust the settings to make the house cooler earlier. Over time, the smart thermostat will learn about that habit and automatically turn on the A/C at 5:30 instead of 6.

ecobee

All three ecobee smart thermostats come with eco+, a proprietary technology that enables the devices to learn about your heating and cooling habits and adjust temperature settings accordingly. Beyond that, the technology also factors in fluctuating energy costs at different times of day to maximize savings.

Here’s how it works: when you first install an ecobee device, you use it like a regular programmable thermostat by setting temperature schedules for different times of day and different days of the week.

Over time, the device will learn these habits and incorporate that information into an optimized schedule that’s customized to your comfort settings, and that also saves you money on energy costs and reduces humidity.

Nest

The Nest Thermostat is a more basic device, so it relies on you to program schedules. In this way, it works more like a programmable thermostat with Wi-Fi, so it’s great for hands-on homeowners who want complete control over their temperature settings.

On the other hand, the Nest Learning Thermostat has similar learning capabilities to the ecobee devices. When you install the thermostat, it will collect data about your habits during the first week and then customize money-saving schedules that change based on temperature, humidity levels, and the seasons.   

Quick review of Nest and ecobee learning capabilities:

Technological Features and Perks with ecobee and Nest Smart Thermostats

Any review of Nest and ecobee smart thermostats would be incomplete without a discussion about the technologies and features that make the different devices special.

Features and technologies can include things like geofencing, voice control, apps, energy reporting, and more, so let’s look at what the two brands have to offer:

HVAC System Compatibility

Buying a smart thermostat isn’t always as easy as picking the one you want and hanging it on your wall—you also have to make sure the device is compatible with your current heating and cooling systems.

ecobee smart thermostats are all designed to work with single- and two-stage furnaces, boilers, and some heat pumps/air conditioners. Plus, the thermostats are also compatible with one additional accessory, such as a dehumidifier or HRV.

You can check the company’s website to see if your specific system is compatible with their products.

The Nest Thermostat is compatible with 85 percent of 24-volt heating and cooling systems. The Nest Learning Thermostat is compatible with 95 percent of 24-volt heating and cooling systems.

You can also reference the Nest website to determine if your current system is compatible with their products.

Warranty Review for ecobee vs. Nest Devices

Nest warranty details

• The Nest Thermostat comes with a one-year warranty
• The Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a two-year warranty
• Nest temperature sensors are covered by a one-year warranty
• All Nest thermostats get an additional year of warranty coverage when installed by a Nest Pro

ecobee warranty details

• The ecobee3 lite, the Smart Thermostat with whole home sensors, and the SmartThermostat with voice control are all backed by a three-year warranty

Review of ecobee and Nest Designs and Displays

FAQ

Which ecobee smart thermostat is the best?

The three smart thermostats from ecobee are all very similar in terms of design, functionality, and warranty. The main difference is the additional technologies and devices that come standard with the different models, and of course the price.

The ecobee3 lite is the basic thermostat; the Smart Thermostat with whole home sensors comes with two sensors; and the SmartThermostat with voice control comes with one sensor and built-in Amazon Alexa.

Which Nest smart thermostat is the best?

Both Nest smart thermostats have a lot to offer, but which one is best comes down to your own personal preferences. Whereas the Nest Thermostat is designed to be more like a programmable thermostat that gives you control over your heating and cooling settings, the Nest Learning Thermostat will learn your habits and create schedules for you.

The ideal home temperature is around 18-24 degrees Celsius for most healthy adults across Canada. To ensure this temperature this summer, having a good HVAC system and accurate thermostat is essential for all individuals and families. This means understanding and troubleshooting any thermostat problems that may arise.

But what are the most common issues that people face with their thermostat function? Read on to answer this question and to get some tips on troubleshooting these common issues.

The Thermostat Is Too Old

Thermostats don’t last forever. In fact, their average lifespan is only about 10 years. In some cases they may decline slowly or become buggy or less reliable over time before becoming totally unusable. But this decline can be difficult to see if the thermostat seems to be working fine.

If you’ve had your thermostat for a decade, that’s a sign to change it in and of itself. You’ll want to talk with a reputable HVAC company about installing a replacement or you can also buy one online and install it yourself if you have the basic skill and patience.

This has the added benefit of getting you the latest AC-related technologies so you aren’t running on something outdated.

The Thermostat Placement Is Off

Thermostats’ primary purpose is to give you an accurate temperature reading in your home. Smart thermostats also regulate the temperature of your home consistently, running on a pre-set schedule.

However, your thermostat can’t do this if you don’t position it correctly. If the sun is shining on it, the thermostat is naturally going to give you too high a temperature; drafts will bring the reading down too far.

This also causes a practical issue because the thermostat will turn your HVAC off and on at the incorrect times. Your home will never be the right temperature. If you notice that the reading is inaccurate, check its placement.

Some newer smart thermostats claim to be able to adjust for this, although it’s usually best to install it in a proper location to begin with. Moving your thermostat may require the help of a professional however.

You want to mount the thermostat about 150 centimeters above floor level so that it’s away from sources of heat or coldness. This ensures accurate readings… and you don’t need to pay a cent!

Furthermore, you want the thermostat to be near your main living area so it is taking accurate temperature readings.

Many smart thermostats can also be configured with additional sensors placed in other rooms to provide better temperature sensing.

You Aren’t Getting an Accurate Temperature Reading

Sometimes, your thermostat won’t give you an accurate reading of the temperature inside your home or commercial space. This is sometimes true regardless of its placement.

For example, you may know that it’s 25 degrees C inside your house but still see a higher or lower reading. This is a surefire sign that you need a thermostat replacement ASAP, as the sensor may be defective.

You also need to make sure that your thermostat can be cranked up to the appropriate temperature for comfort. If you can’t get it there, you may have it on the wrong setting. Make sure that you turn it to the cool setting rather than fan or off.

A Broken Display

If your thermostat is displaying incorrect temperatures, you at least know that it’s functional. You may need to change it for accuracy, but it still is at least in part doing its job. However, sometimes the screen might just shut off and display nothing or it may be less responsive.

If you aren’t seeing any numbers on your thermostat screen, check to make sure that the batteries in your thermostat aren’t dead. You might just need to change them out so that your thermostat functions again.

If that doesn’t work, you may have a wiring problem that requires an expert hand. It’s possible that you haven’t appropriately connected it to the HVAC or to your home’s electrical source. You also may need to replace it in some cases.

The Air Conditioner Never Stops Running

A thermostat is intended to send a signal to your HVAC system when the room reaches the desired temperature. This means that your air conditioner should eventually switch off (and come back on again in a little while).

A constantly-running air conditioner can cause overheating and other dangerous problems. More likely, though, you’ll just ruin the AC unit by overworking it. Overworked air conditioners also have the added downside of higher electric bills.

Thermostat malfunction is a common reason that the AC continues running all day. It simply may not send signals for it to stop running. You’ll need a thermostat replacement in these scenarios, so you would need to enlist a professional for assistance.

Note that the issue may also be with your air conditioner itself, something like a faulty control board may be to blame.

Try our A/C breakdown & repair cost calculator to help diagnose issues.

Your Home Has Uneven Temperatures

When you buy a new thermostat, the factory has calibrated it to make sure that it gives accurate temperature readings throughout your home. As time goes by, this calibration naturally alters and the thermostat becomes less and less efficient.

The result of this is uneven temperatures throughout your home or constantly fluctuating temperatures. If you notice these temperature inconsistencies, you should have your entire system checked by a professional to diagnose the cause.

If you don’t catch this problem, you may wind up with short-cycling issues. This is both uncomfortable and costly, so ask an expert to check on your thermostat’s calibration.

Strange, Inconsistent Readings

If your air conditioner is making strange clunking sounds while it runs, it likely requires some cleaning or may have a malfunctioning component.

Keeping your thermostat clean and dust-free, especially around sensors, can help reduce temperature reading inconsistencies.

This is luckily an easy fix. All you need to do is open your thermostat case and brush debris off its interior with a soft cloth. You should pay careful attention to clearing the contacts before turning on your AC this summer.

Resolve Common Thermostat Problems Today

While thermostat problems can be a thorn in your side, they usually are simple enough to resolve. Now that you know how to solve some of the most common problems with HVAC systems, it’s time to do something about your thermostat malfunction.

Our experts are committed to helping you stay comfortable this summer. That’s why we have verified licenses and insurance policies to back up our high-level knowledge of air conditioning units. Request a quote for a fair and transparent estimate on the price of your maintenance.

If you are thinking about buying a smart thermostat, then it’s important to know how they work. Here is everything you need to know about smart thermostats.

Understanding Smart Thermostats

To get started, let’s look at the basic functions that make a thermostat smart. 

These devices connect to your home wifi and interact with a companion app that allows you to make adjustments from your phone or computer. They can also connect to various devices in your homes like Alexa or Google Home. 

Further, one staple of a smart thermostat is the fact that it can create heating and cooling schedules. You can set these schedules manually, but the device can also detect when individuals are home or not home, leading to a schedule that doesn’t use unnecessary energy. 

For example, when you’re not home, the device won’t run the air conditioning. It can start up to heat or cool the home in time for you to be comfortable when you regularly come home as well. 

The smart device also compiles reports and analytics on how your home is doing in terms of energy consumption, heating and cooling schedules, and more. 

As you’ll see, the benefits of the smart thermostat can have a larger impact than you might expect. Not only will your home be more comfortable, but you’ll save a great deal of money over years with an optimized heating and cooling system. 

Compatibility With Your Current HVAC System

You’re probably wondering if a smart thermostat has the ability to connect to the air conditioning system of an old home. In most cases, you’ll be able to find a smart device that can pair with your home’s system. 

That said, it’s not always easy to identify the required device and install it. Different homes have a different HVAC system setup, so it’s important that you understand what you’re working with before you invest in a device. 

For that reason, it’s smart to go through the process with an HVAC professional. These individuals can look at your system, identify the right smart device to go along with it, and carry out the installation safely. 

The last thing you want is to purchase a smart device, try to set it up, and find that you’ve actually damaged the existing system. Insight from a professional can tie all of those loose ends up quickly and leave you with a beautiful home system. 

Occupancy Sensors

One of the most interesting pieces of a smart thermostat is the occupancy sensor. This is a feature of the device that uses an infrared sensor to determine the personal occupancy in the area that it’s placed. 

So, if you have a smart thermostat in your basement, it will take note when there are individuals in the room. What’s more, is that it will develop a schedule of the normal times that there are people in certain areas of the home. It can then postpone heating and cooling to adjust to those schedules and save you money. 

That said, a person has to walk past the device for it to register occupancy. This can make it tricky if you position the unit in a part of the room that doesn’t get a lot of attention. There’s also the fact that you might be in different areas of the home without the device knowing. 

So, the sensor is an excellent feature if the thermostat is placed somewhere you pass through on your way in and out of the home. You can also override that feature and manage the settings on your own terms. 

If you have a unique schedule or there are a number of people in your home at any given time, it’s usually best to create your own heating and cooling schedules. 

Connection To an Application

You might wonder why in the world a thermostat needs to have a connection to the internet. The main point is that you’re able to make adjustments to the device wherever you are in the world. 

The companion application on your phone allows you to adjust almost any factor of your heating and cooling system remotely. This is great for instances when you forget to turn off the heat when you leave for work, for example. It’s also useful if someone is stopping by while you’re out and you want them to feel comfortable. 

Whatever the purpose you use it for, it’s nice to have complete control of the temperature of your home at all times. 

Smart thermostats may also send information to their company for analytics. Data on the heating and cooling patterns of individuals is useful for a number of scientific purposes, mostly related to energy consumption and climate change. 

That said, many people don’t enjoy data about their personal lives being leaked to corporations. Further, they don’t like being monitored by devices on their walls. It’s understandable!

That’s why you can choose whether or not you’d like that information to be used on most devices. 

Zoning Features

Another aspect of smart thermostats is the fact that they can be used to zone different areas of your home. In other words, you can adjust the temperatures of specific rooms and areas of your home without heating or cooling the entire house.

This technology has existed for a while, but many homes are still stuck with the option to heat or cool the entire home at once. At best, most of us can choose to air-condition a particular floor. Many of us just use portable heaters or window air conditioning units to optimize specific rooms. 

These devices are energy-intensive and can be very costly when they’re run around the clock. 

So, zoning is an excellent way to personalize the heating and cooling of your home. Different people have unique preferences for the temperature of their room, and it’s important to find ways to accommodate that without running up your energy bill. 

Zoning might be one of the most effective ways to reduce your energy bill when it comes to heating and cooling. So much excess power is used to heat entire homes that are scarcely used. 

Think of all of the time that particular rooms of your home aren’t in use. If you live alone, the only room that needs to be the perfect temperature is the room you’re in. If you have a dated system, that means that most of your home is heated or cooled 24 hours a day without anyone occupying those spaces.

Integration with Current Smart System

Another beautiful thing about smart thermostats is that they’re able to integrate with the other smart devices in your home. You have to make sure that the device you choose is compatible with the other smart devices you own, but there are sure to be a number of options that work. 

This integration helps with managing energy consumption and gives you options to control various devices from the same application or platform. 

Long-Term Savings

All of the factors above help to ensure that you’re not spending more than you have to on energy bills. The price of installing a smart thermostat is marginal in comparison to the amount of money that you’ll save over the time that you use it. 

It’s hard to say precisely how much you’ll save with a smart device, but a well-optimized system will cut costs significantly. If you’re heating your entire home day after day, you will be surprised by the difference that zoning makes. 

Some estimates suggest that saving on heating and cooling can be upwards of 20 percent, depending on the region that you live in. The specific value will depend on your current heating habits, your preferred temperature, and the insulation of your home. 

That said, those savings compile over time. After a few years, you might find that you save thousands of dollars with the aid of a smart thermostat.

Environmental Impact

Home savings and comfort aren’t the only impacts that smart devices have. Climate change is a very real threat that faces individuals as much anywhere else on the globe. 

While systemic factors are some of the largest contributors to climate change, our personal choices make a big difference as well. Adjusting our lifestyles to use less energy can help to shift the scales and benefit nature. 

It may seem as though incorporating a smart thermostat is a very small contribution, but it does make a difference in the fight against climate change. The beautiful thing is that many choices that benefit the environment benefit human beings on a personal level. 

Investing in a little comfort and climate control in your home, for example, turns out to be an investment in mother nature as well.

Need To Improve Your Home HVAC System?

Many of us fail to give our HVAC system the love that it needs. It’s important to keep up on maintenance and repairs, though. 

Note that your heating and cooling system has a direct impact on the air quality of your home. Comfort isn’t the only thing that these systems offer. They’re keys to the health and wellness of you and your family. 

Many old homes are equipped with systems containing old parts, potential pollutants, and aspects that lose you a lot of money. Installing a new system or adapting the one that you currently have might be a smart move for the future of your home. 

Additionally, some adjustments might need to be made to your current system in order to install a smart thermostat. It never hurts to have an HVAC professional inspect your system to see if everything is safe and up to code. 

Things to Look for in HVAC Companies

If you’re looking to make a few changes, you might be wondering how to find the right HVAC company for your needs. 

Not all companies have the same track record, and it’s important that you find the best-quality team to do work in your home. The first thing to check for is the presence of licensing and certification. HVAC work isn’t something that you should trust with someone who hasn’t been properly trained.

Great professionals also tend to have additional training from specific manufacturers. For example, a professional might have specific knowledge of your home’s existing system and know precisely how to repair it. They may also have insight into the best smart thermostats to fit your home. 

The company you work with should also offer some degree of insurance for the work they do. This insurance should cover active repairs as well as potential hazards after the work is thought to be done. 

Dangerous issues after a project is completed are rare, but they do occur. It’s nice to have peace of mind knowing that you’re covered if anything does go wrong. 

You should also look into the reviews of the company. Ensure that their customers have had good experiences and recommend their services. 

A good HVAC provider will also give you a clear idea of what you’re expected to pay and stick to that quote. It can be tricky to trust online quotes, though, because there are a lot of ways that companies create fake reviews to draw customers. 

We’re here to help you find the right company to work with, though. 

Looking for a Great HVAC Provider?

Smart thermostats are an excellent choice for any new HVAC system. Finding the people to work with is the hard part, though. We take pride in helping people find the right provider for their home, offering excellent comparisons and reviews of various companies. 

Explore our site to find a great HVAC provider and get a quote today. 

Our honest and in-depth Honeywell smart thermostat review comparing all their top thermostat models, exclusive tech and features, prices and warranty coverage.

Smart thermostats are a great and convenient way to control the heating and cooling inside your home, but their intelligent technology also means they’re able to save you money on energy bills.

Honeywell is one of the most popular smart thermostat brands in Canada, and this guide will tell you everything you need to know about the brand, their thermostat models, cool technologies, and warranty terms.

Check out our Best Smart Thermostats Guide to see how Honeywell compares to ecobee and Nest.

Honeywell at a Glance

Strong Points

As you’ll see in this Honeywell thermostat review, they have one of the largest selections of smart thermostats on the market, so if you’re set on this brand, then you’ll definitely find something that works with your budget. Moreover, you can check the Honeywell website to see if any given model is compatible with your current system.

Honeywell smart thermostats are designed to learn your habits, so they can help you save on heating and cooling costs while always making sure your home is at the perfect temperature. They also give you easy control over the temperature, humidity, fan settings, and ventilation settings in your home using the LCD display or responsive touchscreen on the thermostat, or through the Total Connect Comfort App on a mobile device.

Of the 11 smart thermostats Honeywell currently has available, 10 of them are ENERGY STAR® certified, so there’s a good chance they could be eligible for rebates. Each of them also has seven-day scheduling, but you can also let the thermostat learn your habits if you don’t want to create a schedule.

Room for Improvement

One downside we found in our review of Honeywell thermostats is that you won’t know the price of certain models without consulting an HVAC professional, and these models also require professional installation.

The wide range of models means there is a variety of options to choose from but this can also  make it a bit overwhelming for homeowners trying to compare and differentiate each model.

Nest by comparison has a more streamlined selection of smart thermostats with more transparent pricing.

Another thing is that some consumers find Honeywell smart thermostats difficult to install, so depending on the compatibility of the model and your existing system, you may need to hire an HVAC technician to install your new thermostat regardless.

Honeywell has made their thermostats compatible with many virtual home assistant devices, but not every model is compatible with all devices. For example, a few of their thermostats don’t work with Apple HomeKit. Similarly, Honeywell thermostats can’t be integrated with other Honeywell smart home products, such as their cameras and leak detectors, though you can see data for all devices using their app.

Another limitation with Honeywell products has to do with the sensors and scheduling. For one thing, the actual thermostats don’t have motion sensors to detect room occupancy, so if you want this feature, then you have to put a separate sensor in the same room as the thermostat.

Finally, Honeywell thermostats aren’t as adaptable as some of the competitors in terms of geofencing being able to override scheduled settings. 

With some other smart thermostat brands, you leaving the house will override the daily program and put the system into an energy-saving mode, but Honeywell products don’t have this capability.

Bottom Line

While Honeywell thermostats may lack the simple elegance and brand recognition of competitors like Nest, they have a wide range of options for different needs and budgets.

Their broad selection of smart thermostats run from affordable to pricey, depending on what you’re looking for and how much you want to spend. But the bevy of options can make choosing which one to buy a bit more challenging.

Almost all of their smart thermostats are ENERGY STAR certified, but only a couple models can be paired with room sensors. Furthermore, Honeywell thermostats are more limited than some of their competitor products in terms of using all available technology to maximize both energy savings and comfort.

In the end, Honeywell thermostats are reliable, easy to use, and popular, even if they don’t have all the features that some other smart thermostats on the market can offer.

Price Range for Honeywell Smart Thermostats

Honeywell thermostats range in price from about $80 to $400. We mentioned already that the brand has a large selection of models, so Honeywell has something to fit every budget.

They have a couple models under $100 that are great for economical homeowners who still want to take advantage of the latest thermostat technology. They also have several mid-range models, as well as higher-end ‘luxury’ models that come with sensors, and that cost several hundred dollars.

Smart Thermostat Options from Honeywell

In order to help you choose which of the many available models to buy, we review and compare Honeywell’s top 11 thermostats.

1. The Round Smart Thermostat

Honeywell’s Round smart thermostat is an ENERGY STAR certified device that allows you to program a comfort schedule for up to seven days. It’s also one of the brand’s more expensive thermostats.

The device measures both humidity and temperature, and will automatically adjust the temperature to compensate for changes in the humidity levels inside and outside your home.

This thermostat also has geofencing capabilities, and can be used with all the major voice assistants, including Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Microsoft Cortana, and Samsung SmartThings.

2. VisionPRO® 8000 WiFi Programmable Thermostat

This is one of the smart thermostats from Honeywell that has to be installed by an HVAC professional, and typically only they can give you quotes about cost.

It’s equipped with a large touchscreen display that allows you to monitor and control humidity, temperature, and ventilation from the device itself or the app, but it’s also compatible with IFTTT, Alexa, and Cortana.

The seven-day scheduling can be used to customize your comfort levels throughout the week, or you can allow the device to learn your habits and program itself.

3. WiFi 9000 Color Touchscreen Thermostat

The WiFi 9000 also requires professional installation, but once the device is up and running, you can control it using the touchscreen display, your computer, or a mobile device.

The high-definition display shows temperature and humidity levels, and you can customize the display to match your home décor. The device is both programmable or self-learning, and can be paired with IFTTT, Alexa, and Cortana.

4. Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Thermostat

The Wi-Fi 7-Day programmable thermostat is a basic and affordable smart thermostat that boasts automatic software updates and a large display that’s easy to read. It’s one of Honeywell’s cheapest Wi-Fi thermostats, but it still has ENERGY STAR certification, and can be integrated with Google Assistant and Alexa.  

5. T6 Pro Smart Thermostat

Pricing information and installation are only available through a professional installer for the T6, which is one of Honeywell’s more sophisticated smart thermostats.

The device has both seven-day scheduling and smart responsive adaptive capabilities, and you can use the geofencing feature to save energy when you’re out and maximize indoor comfort when you’re home.

The T6 is designed to work with two-stage/two-speed furnaces and air conditioners. And if you have other smart devices around the house, like Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, Amazon Echo, or HomeKit, then you can pair those devices with your smart thermostat to take advantage of voice commands.

6. T9 Smart Thermostat

The T9 is one of Honeywell’s most advanced and most expensive thermostats, and it’s also one of only two that are compatible with the brand’s room sensors. In fact, the T9 comes with one sensor included.

One cool thing about this thermostat is you can use the sensors to take readings from multiple rooms, and the device will average the readings to find the perfect temperature for the entire house.  

This device is designed for easy installation that you can do yourself, so at least you can save a bit on labour costs with this model.

7. T5+ Smart Thermostat

The T5+ is a mid-range offering from Honeywell in terms of tech and price. It has geofencing capabilities, provides numerous maintenance alerts, and can be controlled with voice commands when you pair it with a virtual home assistant device, as it’s compatible with all the major brands.

8. T10 Pro Smart Thermostat with RedLINK® Room Sensor

This is probably Honeywell’s most sophisticated smart thermostat, but you have to contact a pro for pricing and installation details. The thermostat comes with one RedLINK® Room Sensor included, and you can purchase more if you want to fine-tune the temperature and humidity settings at home.

Like the T9, you can use readings from multiple sensors, and the device will find a perfect average for the entire house. Plus, the T10 has all the other features you’d expect from a smart thermostat, like geofencing, maintenance alerts, learning your habits, and scheduling.

9. T5 7-Day Programmable Thermostat

This is another relatively basic and affordable smart thermostat that boasts easy installation, seven-day scheduling, maintenance alerts, an easy-to-read display, and the device can learn your habits to lower energy costs and perfect your climate control.

10. WiFi Smart Color Thermostat

There’s a lot to love about Honeywell’s WiFi Smart Color thermostat, including the not-over-the-top price, the ENERGY STAR certification, the full-colour display that can be customized to match your décor, the maintenance reminders, compatibility with Google Assistant and Alexa, and the smart response technology that learns your habits.

11. Wi-Fi 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat

This programmable smart thermostat is very similar to the other Wi-Fi seven-day model from Honeywell, with the main difference being this model has a touchscreen display, and has an additional energy-saving mode.

Exclusive Features with Honeywell Smart Thermostats

Total Connect Comfort App

You can adjust a Honeywell smart thermostat from the console on the device, but you can also control the system on the go using the Total Connect Comfort app on your smartphone or tablet.

Along with letting you see the current temperature of your home, the app also lets you program settings, adjust humidity, temperature, and fan settings, monitor the system, and even get alerts about maintenance and other reminders.

Another great thing about the app is you can use it to access information from all your Honeywell devices, including leak detectors, security devices, and other smart home technologies.

Sensors

In an effort to compete with brands like Nest and ecobee, Honeywell has come out with two thermostats that can be integrated with room sensors that are placed around the house in rooms you use most often.

This helps to ensure the most accurate temperature readings where you actually spend time, so your home will always be perfectly comfortable.

At the moment, Honeywell only has two smart thermostats that can be paired with sensors: the T9 and the T10. And one drawback of these sensors is they must be mounted on a wall, so they’re not easily portable.

There are several unique things about Honeywell sensors that you might like. For one thing, they measure humidity as well as temperature, and they also have built-in motion/presence detectors to determine if rooms are occupied.

Moreover, you can schedule your thermostat to read from certain sensors at different times of the day based on your habits. So if you like to have your morning coffee in the dining room, and spend your evenings lounging in the living room watching Netflix, your thermostat will know to adjust the temperature accordingly.

Finally, you can connect the sensors to virtual assistant devices like Alexa and use voice control to instruct the thermostat to read from a specific sensor.

Geofencing

Geofencing combines the intelligence of your thermostat with the technology of your smartphone so that your phone coming and going from home can trigger your Honeywell thermostat to switch between energy-saving and comfort modes.

Once you download the Total Connect Comfort app on your phone, you can set up geofencing so that leaving home puts your system into away mode, and coming home puts the system into home mode.

Alerts

Most Honeywell smart thermostats monitor your heating, cooling, and ventilation systems to an extent and provide simple alerts through email or the app that can remind you to perform certain maintenance tasks. Here are a few of the reminders or alerts:

• When it’s time to change furnace or air conditioner filters
• When you need to clean the humidifier tank
• When you need to replace the humidifier filter
• When a UV filter light needs to be replaced
• When there’s an extreme temperature reading inside

Design customization

Thermostats aren’t always the prettiest things to look at, especially if you’ve got a very unique or specific décor in the room.

Honeywell has addressed this problem by making smart thermostats that can be customized in terms of look and colour so they complement the ambiance of your home, rather than sticking out like sore thumbs.

Honeywell Smart Thermostat Warranty

Every Honeywell smart thermostat is backed by a warranty. Several of the economy models only have one-year warranties, but a few of the models are covered for two-years, and a handful of the higher-end models have industry-leading five-year warranties. The exact terms depend on several things, including:

• The model
• How the thermostat is installed and by whom
• Who you buy the thermostat from

You can opt to install the thermostat yourself to save some money on labour costs, but just be warned that you might have to pay for professional installation if you want to avoid invalidating the warranty.

About Honeywell

The history of Honeywell goes back to 1885, when the Butz Thermo-Electric Regulator Company created the first automated thermostat for residential use. This company underwent numerous changes over the years, and in 1927 they finally merged with Honeywell Heating Specialty Company, forming Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Company.

Since that merger, Honeywell has grown into an international giant that’s involved with aerospace, home and building controls, and building technologies, among others. Along with making smart thermostats under the brand Resideo, Honeywell Home also makes other smart home devices, including cameras, wireless doorbells, air cleaners, and humidifiers.

Learn more about their home products here: honeywellhome.com

Our definitive Nest smart thermostat review, model comparison, price breakdown, which one you should buy, warranty coverage details, plus 7 unique Nest features!

Smart thermostats are the way of the future for the smart homes of tomorrow. They increase convenience, give you peace of mind, and can reduce energy use and bills while also making your home more comfortable.

One of the top smart thermostat brands in Canada is Nest, and this guide will cover everything you need to know to make the right choice for your new thermostat. We’ll talk about the Nest brand, what’s good and what’s not so good, what models they offer, what exclusive features and technologies they have, and what warranty terms cover their products.  

Nest is one of the most well-known companies responsible for popularizing the concept of easy-to-use, learning thermostats.

Check out our Best Smart Thermostats Guide to see how Nest compares to ecobee and Honeywell.

Nest at a Glance

Strong Points

Nest is one of the two most popular smart thermostat brands in Canada, and there’s good reason for their popularity. After reviewing Nest’s thermostats, we’ve found a lot to like about them.

Although Nest only has three thermostat models, they have something for everyone. One of their thermostats is designed to be very hands-off: while you can program it yourself, the device will start learning your habits as soon as it’s installed. The other models don’t learn your habits in the same way, so you get to program the schedule and customize it to your needs.

The largest benefit of Nest and other smart thermostats is the energy and cost savings. Nest estimates energy savings of up to 12 percent on heating and up to 15 percent on cooling with their thermostats.

That’s because each device uses smart technology to maximize energy savings while also ensuring your home is comfortable. For example, a Nest thermostat will turn itself down when you leave the house.

Another reason to love Nest is the way they incorporate technology. Nest thermostats support geofencing from multiple phones, they can be paired with room sensors to further optimize indoor comfort, they can be controlled from anywhere, and they can be paired with Google Home and Amazon Alexa for voice control functions.

Finally, Nest thermostats are famous for their beautiful design and simple & intuitive interface. The circular dial is reminiscent of the original iPod in its functionality and ease-of-use… not surprisingly, the company was founded by ex-Apple engineers!

Room for Improvement

One thing our review found is that the two main Nest thermostat models are very different from each other, so you have to be careful which model you buy. Whether you want a thermostat that you don’t really have to touch or one that you can program and tinker with will determine which model is right for you.

That brings us to another point: Nest doesn’t have a lot of selection. Nest only sells two models directly, and they have a third model that’s only available through HVAC professionals and third-party dealers. 

Some may actually see this as a good thing, as companies that introduce too many models can have the opposite problem of confusing consumers and making it hard to know which model to buy. Honeywell by comparison has a wide range of models, which might mean there is a solution for many different individual needs but also makes picking the right model for your needs a bit more challenging.

Another potential drawback with Nest is it’s not compatible with Apple HomeKit, and probably never will be since Google acquired Nest in 2014, and Apple is arguably a direct competitor in the home device and smart assistant market. However, you can pair a Nest thermostat with other home assistants, including Google and Amazon products.

Nest has also added room sensors to their line, but the sensors are only capable of sensing temperature, not humidity (like Honeywell sensors) or occupancy (like ecobee sensors).

Finally, Nest thermostats do provide reports on energy use, but the information they have available isn’t nearly as detailed as it is with competitors like ecobee.

Bottom Line

Nest thermostats are cost-saving smart thermostats that will lower your energy use while also improving the heating and cooling settings inside your home.

Nest doesn’t have a great deal of selection when it comes to models, but their devices do have some great features that will make it easier for you to track and manage your comfort settings and energy use, and get important reminders about maintenance needed to keep your furnace and air conditioner in tip-top shape.

With great design, ease of use, and ability to automatically learn your preferences and adapt to your daily routine (depending on the model), Nest is a worthy choice for Canadians looking for a smart thermostat for their home.

Price Range for Nest Smart Thermostats

There are two Nest thermostats that are available directly from the company: the Nest Thermostat costs $180, and the Nest Learning Thermostat costs $330.

There’s also a third option, the Nest Thermostat E, which is available through third parties and HVAC professionals, and it runs about $230.

Smart Thermostat Options from Nest

Nest Learning Thermostat (Third Generation)

The Learning Thermostat was the first product ever launched by Nest, and it is popular enough that they’re now on the third generation of this model. This is the company’s flagship product.

Unlike the other two smart thermostat models from Nest (covered below), the Learning Thermostat is specifically designed to learn your habits, and it creates heating and cooling schedules accordingly to save energy whenever possible while also making sure your home is perfectly comfortable.

This is the most expensive model from Nest, but it also the most sophisticated and with the most features, including:

• The Leaf that tells you when you’re in an energy-saving mode
• Auto-schedule
• Farsight
• ENERGY STAR® certification
• A full range of system alerts
• Energy history and home reports
• A quick view function to help you easily navigate settings and functions
• Integration with other Nest devices
• Geofencing
• Furnace monitoring
• Energy-saving auto-away mode
• Humidity, ambient light, and activity sensors
• 10 temperature sensors  

Like other adaptive smart thermostats, the Nest Learning Thermostat allows you to adjust the automatic schedule to better suit your needs, and you can access the device from anywhere using the Google Home app. Plus, you can pair the device with Alexa, IFTTT, and Google Home for more advanced functions, such as voice control.

Nest Thermostat

The Nest Thermostat is the cheapest of Nest’s smart thermostats, and there’s good reason for this: it’s a much simpler and more basic device than most of the other options on the market. For one thing, it doesn’t learn your habits and comfort preferences to make automatic adjustments the way Nest’s top model does.

This model relies on you programming a heating/cooling schedule and making adjustments when necessary to reflect your own changing preferences. However, it does keep an eye on your HVAC system and provide numerous reminders about maintenance alerts.

This is still a smart thermostat because it’s connected to Wi-Fi, so you can control and adjust settings remotely using the Google Home app, and you can connect it to Alexa or a Google Assistant for voice control. It will also use geofencing and presence-detection to adjust the temperature when you leave the house or return home.

Although the Nest Thermostat isn’t compatible with Nest’s new temperature sensors, it does have a built-in sensor for temperature, light, motion, and humidity.

The Nest Thermostat is designed to be installed quickly and easily, and it’s compatible with most heating and cooling systems. 

When you first install the device, you’ll be prompted to create a schedule for different times of day and days of the week. And while the thermostat won’t adapt to your behaviours, it will suggest energy-saving adjustments that you can make to your schedule.

If you’re on a budget but still want the top-notch Nest design and functionality but without the fancy advanced features, this is a great option.

Nest Thermostat E

This is the Nest thermostat that’s not actually available through Google anymore, but you can still buy it from other stores or HVAC companies.

The Nest Thermostat E is very similar to the Nest Thermostat in terms of features and functionality, but one major difference is that the E model is compatible with Nest temperature sensors.

These can be placed around your home, in different rooms or living spaces to give your Nest a more accurate picture of your home temperature. With this additional information, Nest is able to maintain a more consistent and comfortable indoor climate.

Like the Nest Thermostat, the Nest Thermostat E doesn’t adapt to your behaviours but rather relies on you to program time blocks and adjust settings to suit your needs. The device can also help you save money on heating and cooling bills with the Leaf icon, which indicates that your thermostat is set to an energy-saving temperature.

The E model can be controlled remotely using the Nest app, as well as from a computer or the device itself. The device will also give you reports about your energy use and reminders about furnace and air conditioner maintenance.

One great thing about the E model is that you can set up family accounts for geofencing, so the device will take readings from multiple phones before changing between home/away settings.

7 Exclusive Features with Nest Smart Thermostats

1. Google Home App and Nest App

There are two apps you can use to control Nest thermostats, and the one you use depends on the model. The Nest app is compatible with the Nest Thermostat E and the Nest Learning Thermostat, and the Google Home app is for the Nest Thermostat.

Both apps can be used to check and change settings, set schedules, get HVAC alerts and reminders, and set up geofencing to take advantage of automatic home and away modes.  

This is also useful for monitoring and even adjusting your home’s temperature while away, like on vacation. 

2. Farsight

Farsight is a feature that’s available with the Nest Learning Thermostat. It uses the built-in motion detector to automatically display things like temperature, settings, and time, and the bright, large display means you can see the details even across the room.

3. Nest Temperature Sensor

Both the Nest Learning Thermostat and the Thermostat E are compatible with Nest Temperature Sensors, which you can place around the house in the rooms you use most often to provide the thermostat with more detailed data, ensuring the temperature is always perfect where you are.

From there, you can also set schedules to take readings from different sensors at different times of day, so the rooms you use will automatically be prioritized at the times of day you’re using them.

One great thing about these sensors is they don’t have to be mounted on the wall, which makes them easier to install (you can just set the sensor on a shelf) and move around.

4. Auto-Schedule

Auto-schedule is the feature built into the Nest Learning Thermostat that enables the device to learn your schedule. After installation, the device learns about your habits and temperature settings during the first week and creates a schedule based on those readings.

And if you don’t like the heating and cooling program it creates, you can make minor adjustments or come up with your own schedule.

5. Geofencing that Works with Multiple Devices

A problem with some Nest competitors is the geofencing feature only works with one phone. In other words, if the geofencing is connected to your phone, the system will go into away mode when you leave the house, even if other people are still home.

The Nest Thermostat gets around this by using motion detectors as well as geofencing, but the Nest Thermostat E allows you to set up family accounts so the device takes cues from more than one phone.

This way, the device always knows when somebody is home—even if somebody just left—so it will never be in away mode when the house is occupied.  

6. Sunblock

Have you ever lived in a house where the thermostat is in a location that makes it vulnerable to external influences like a cold draft or direct sunlight? If so, then you know that this can negatively impact the temperature in the entire house by tricking the thermostat into thinking the indoor temperature is higher than it really is.

Nest thermostats are equipped with light sensors that can detect when the device is being exposed to direct sunlight so that your furnace and air conditioner don’t overreact by shutting off or ramping up when they shouldn’t.

7. HVAC System Monitoring

Lots of smart thermostats provide simple alerts—such as when it’s time to change the filter—but Nest’s HVAC system monitoring blows the competition out of the water.

Nest thermostats actively monitor your HVAC system and send you alerts through the app to notify you about things like:

• When it’s time to replace the furnace or air conditioner filter
• Cycling abnormalities
• If your furnace fails to heat your home, or your air conditioner fails to cool your home
• The furnace or air conditioner isn’t working
• When the mercury drops low enough that your pipes could freeze
• If your heating or cooling system isn’t running long enough or running too long

Moreover, if the thermostat detects an issue that requires immediate attention, you’ll get an urgent alert notifying you of the problem right away. And where available, the app can even help you find a qualified HVAC technician in your area.

Nest Smart Thermostat Warranty

Every Nest smart thermostat is backed by a warranty, and the specific terms depend on the model and the installation.

The Nest Thermostat and Nest Thermostat E both come with a one-year warranty.

If you opt to install Nest Temperature Sensors around the house, each of those is also covered by a one-year warranty.

The more expensive Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a two-year warranty.

It is possible to extend the warranty of any Nest smart thermostat by an entire year if the device is installed by a Nest Pro, which is an HVAC installer who has had special training from Nest.

So which Nest should you buy?

If you’re on a budget: The Nest Thermostat is a simple and effective smart thermostat that can help keep your home comfortable and energy-efficient.

If you also want to be able to place sensors in different rooms: The Nest Thermostat E is a step up price-wise but provides more precise temperature monitoring.

If you want your thermostat to learn and adapt to your preferences automatically: The Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Generation) comes with all the bells and whistles and is designed to effortlessly keep your home as comfortable and energy-efficient as possible.

About Nest

Nest was founded as Nest Labs in 2010 by two former Apple engineers, and they came out with their first product, the first-generation Nest Learning Thermostat, in 2011.

In 2014, the company was purchased by Google, and Nest is now Google’s smart home division. Along with making smart thermostats, Nest also has smart smoke detectors, doorbells, cameras, locks, speakers, and more, most of which can be monitored with the Google Home or Nest app.

For more details about their product, see the product page on Google’s website.