“Alexa, compare these two thermostats.” When ecobee announced the ecobee4, a completely new update to its flagship thermostat, we were intrigued. We already think the ecobee3 is awesome, so what’s the deal with the 4? Let’s take a look! Summary The ecobee4 is just like the ecobee3, except now Amazon’s Alexa is built into the device. […]
November 22, 2017 update: ecobee is now looking for “product pilots” to test the new ecobee switch+! Apply here. You’ve probably heard of Alexa by now: Amazon’s voice-activated assistant does everything from adjusting your lights to adding stuff to your shopping list. When Ecobee announced Alexa integration in its May 15 update to its flagship thermostat, we […]
The ecobee3 has been our top pick for nearly 2 years, and the family just got bigger: the ecobee3 lite Smarter Thermostat rolled out this October! Toronto-based ecobee slimmed down the feature set of its flagship thermostat and aimed at the “budget” end of the smart thermostat market with this new addition. It’s cheaper than the ecobee3 “classic” […]
Once you’ve adjusted the temperature just by talking to your Amazon Echo, it’s hard to go back to the barbaric old ways of using an app or a dial. Look for the words “Works With Alexa” to find smart thermostats that you can control through a separate Alexa-enabled device, such as an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, on the same […]
Our Honeywell RTH6580WF WiFi 7-Day Programmable thermostat rating: Honeywell RTH6580WF at a glance The Honeywell RTH6580WF is a good, simple, affordable WiFi thermostat. It’s for those not ready or not willing to pay $200+ for a fully featured smart thermostat, but still want the convenience of controlling their home’s temperature through their phone. The screen is basic, but […]
The C-Wire, or “common wire” enables the continuous flow of 24 VAC power to the thermostat. It’s a wire that (if you have one) runs all the way from your furnace to your thermostat. Questions about the C-wire are by far the biggest drivers of traffic to this site, so I’ve written this article to help you […]
If you have an Amazon Echo and an ecobee3 connected thermostat, you’re gonna love this news: now you can adjust the temperature of your home by giving orders to your Echo smart speaker! The Ecobee3 is the first thermostat to join the exclusive Echo club (sure, you could control Nest through IFTTT recipes, but this integration cuts out the middleman) […]
Google’s third generation Nest hardware hit stores just in time for the 2015 holiday shopping season. Now that the dust has settled, let’s take a look at what’s new. What’s new with the 3rd generation Nest? Not a whole lot. The most noticeable updates over the second generation Nest model are: The display is noticeably […]
Last updated 8/31/2015 There’s a newer version of the Belkin WeMo Click here to see the latest WeMo on Amazon.com Our Belkin WeMo Insight Switch rating: Belkin WeMo At a Glance The Belkin WeMo Insight Switch is a smart plug that gives you remote control over your plugged-in electronics, easy energy usage monitoring and scheduling via the app, […]
The big smart thermostat manufacturers claim you can recoup the cost of a smart thermostat in as little as under 2 years. Coupled with rebates from your local utility company, that “break even” wait could be even shorter. Show me some numbers! Nest Labs actually did a study and released a white paper on their findings. It’s an […]