Smart Thermostats

Discover the Best Smart Thermostats for your Smart Home.

From a smart home perspective, very few devices match the instant benefits and long-term savings of smart thermostats. With the ability to intelligently manage your home's heating and cooling systems, these devices not only enhance comfort but significantly reduce your energy bill.

With a seamless Homey integration, a smart thermostat becomes part of your automation Flows, allowing for even greater efficiency and convenience in managing your household's temperature settings.

In this Best Buy Guide, we explore the top choices of smart thermostats for your Homey, including installation methods, compatible heating systems and advanced features. We cover everything you need to know to make an informed decision.

Choosing the right smart thermostat

When selecting a thermostat, it's essential to ensure it supports OpenTherm, a widely adopted communication protocol in European central heating systems. OpenTherm thermostats are recommended because they offer better integration and work with a variety of different brands of heating pumps and boilers.

Besides OpenTherm support, here are 5 key factors to consider when choosing a smart thermostat:

• Connectivity and Control: Look for thermostats with a reliable connection, allowing you to control and monitor your home's temperature remotely. While smart thermostats offer control via your smartphone, it's crucial that manual controls are also intuitive and easy to use.
• Installation Type: Choose a thermostat with an installation method that aligns with your existing HVAC system. While wired thermostats are preferred, they are not always easy to install and may require you to hire a professional.
• Compatibility: Closely related to the installation type, ensure that the smart thermostat is compatible with your existing heating and cooling system. Check if it supports your HVAC system type (e.g., central heating, heat pump, radiant heating) and the wiring in your home.
• Energy Savings: Choose a smart thermostat with energy-saving features such as occupancy sensors, adaptive learning algorithms, and energy usage reports. These features help optimize heating and cooling schedules, reduce energy consumption, and lower utility bills over time.
• Cost and Value: Evaluate the upfront cost of the smart thermostat along with its long-term value. Consider the energy savings potential outlined in our best buy guide, along with any additional features relative to the price to determine the overall value of the thermostat.

Brand	Model	Protocol	Type	Price
Tado	V3 Smart Thermostat	Wi-Fi	Wired	€169.00
Ecobee	Premium Thermostat	Wi-Fi	Wired	$239.99
Nest	Learning Thermostat	Wi-Fi	Wireless	€249.00
Nest	Thermostat E	Wi-Fi	Wireless	€219.00
HeatIt	Z-TRM3 Thermostat	Z-Wave	Wired	€120.00
Honeywell	T6 Smart Thermostat	Wi-Fi	Wired	€179.99
Netatmo	Smart Thermostat	Wi-Fi	Wireless	€179.00
Plugwise	Anna Smart Thermostat	Wi-Fi	Wired	€165.00

If you are a fan of clean, uncluttered and elegant designs, consider the Tado V3 Smart Thermostat. At only 18mm thick, this thermostat is very slim, making it look great when wall-mounted.

But what truly gives off its minimalistic vibe is the 10x19 LED matrix, created with only two capacitive touch buttons and one mechanical button. Even if you opt not to mount the Tado V3 on your wall, you can still showcase its beauty by using the included mounting stand and placing it on your desk.

The Tado V3 Smart Thermostat supports OpenTherm, guaranteeing compatibility with certified heating boilers or hydronic underfloor heating systems from any manufacturer, offering better efficiency and reduced environmental effects.

The Tado V3 Starter Kit includes the temperature unit, wireless receiver and internet bridge for truly wireless communication. The temperature unit communicates to the receiver over radio signals, allowing the two to be separated up to 100 meters. If you opt out for the wired version, you do not need to install the receiver unit.

Unfortunately, certain features are accessible only through a subscription model, such as energy metering and a convenient auto-assist feature. This feature automatically turns off the heating when everyone is out or detects an open window, rather than prompting you to do so manually.

The Ecobee Premium Thermostat, as the name suggests, is the most advanced and feature-rich smart thermostat from the company to date. Ecobee thermostats can be used in the US and Canada only, requiring a 24 VAC connection with a C wire, usually not found in European households.

The Ecobee Premium is a learning thermostat which intelligently preheats or precools your home when electricity is cheaper, adapted to your usage patterns. It also takes the indoor humidity levels into account to ensure your home always feels like the temperature you've set, no matter the humidity reading.

Besides measuring temperature and humidity, this premium model is equipped with a radar occupancy sensor for detecting human presence in the room and adjusting its heating mode automatically. If you have a compatible voice assistant like Siri and Alexa, you can use the Ecobee Premium Thermostat for hands-free calling, since it doubles down as an intercom device.

Furthermore, a built-in air quality monitor alerts you when air quality is poor and provides actionable tips for improvement. When connected to your Homey, you can adjust the thermostat mode, establish target temperatures, and create automated Flows based on the data, enhancing your smart home’s capability and promoting energy efficiency.

Even though the Ecobee Premium Thermostat has a great price-to-features ratio, some of its features require a subscription. If you opt out for the simpler Ecobee Enhanced Thermostat version, you can get away without paying a monthly fee.

Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat is a beautiful wall-mounted thermostat with a round design, glass touch panel and a rotating ring for changing the temperature on the fly. The vibrant LCD touch screen not only shows the current temperature but also offers the flexibility to display digital or analog clocks, weather updates, or other customizable widgets set through the app.

The Nest Learning Thermostat is actually a multi-sensor device, outfitted with a temperature, humidity, illuminance, occupancy and proximity sensor. Whenever you approach, the thermostat wakes up and lights up the screen. 

Through its advanced algorithms and sensors, the thermostat observes patterns in temperature adjustments and occupancy to create personalized heating and cooling schedules for the user. This unique ability to "learn" and adapt to the user's preferences and schedule over time is what gave this thermostat its name.

Paired to your Homey, you can change the thermostat mode, set target temperature and create Flows based on the readings to supercharge your smart home and save energy. 

The Nest Learning Thermostat wirelessly connects to its heat link unit, which makes it very easy to install and set up. Since this model supports OpenTherm, it’s suitable for controlling a variety of boilers, heating pumps, electric control valves and underfloor heating systems. 

While this Smart Thermostat carries a higher price tag compared to nearly all others on our list, it's justified by the extensive array of features and sensors it's equipped with.

The Google Nest Thermostat E is the Nest Learning Thermostat’s older brother. This one is also a wireless model with an LCD screen, but with a smaller resolution and pixel density. Its case is made out of plastic instead of metal, which does bring the price down a bit.

This does not inherently mean the Thermostat E is a lower quality device, it’s equipped with the same sensors for proximity, occupancy, illuminance, humidity and temperature. And even though it’s not labeled as a “learning” thermostat, it does possess the same learning algorithms like its brother. 

Also made with OpenTherm support, the Thermostat E can be attached to most pumps, combi boilers, hydronic underfloor heating systems and electronic control valves. Make sure you run through Google’s compatibility checker to confirm if this model is compatible with your installation. 

The main difference between the Thermostat E and Learning Thermostat is the build quality, which some find important and others insignificant. The lower quality frosted screen can be difficult to read at certain viewing angles.

The HeatIt Z-TRM3 is an affordable, minimalist smart thermostat specifically designed for electrical underfloor heating. Unlike most thermostats on our list, the HeatIt uses Z-Wave Plus instead of Wi-Fi to pair with your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro.

You can set the thermostat mode, change the target temperature, and create Flows based on the state of its sensors. The Z-TRM3 allows the user to wire two additional external sensors for getting a temperature reading in two other locations (e.g., floor sensor).

This model by HeatIt is also equipped with an energy meter, giving you insights into the energy consumption of the connected heating unit. Its power meter integrates well with Homey Energy, so you can view the data in real-time on your dashboard.

The screen is a backlit LCD display with three capacitive buttons for manually changing the set temperature. You can adjust the screen brightness or turn it off completely during the night. A built-in child lock mode prevents your children from tinkering with the device while you are away.

The only downside is that the HeatIt Z-TRM3 is mains powered, which means you will need to hire a competent electrician for installation if you are not comfortable wiring the device yourself.

The Honeywell Lyric T6 is a beautiful wall-mounted smart thermostat with OpenTherm support for controlling heat pumps, boilers (electric, gas, oil, wood) and underfloor heating systems. The T6 uses Wi-Fi to connect to your Homey, allowing you to manage the mode, set temperature, or create heating schedules.

Its high-contrast LCD touchscreen with a backlight allows you to glance the state of your heating system from every angle in the room. The Honeywell Lyric T6 is equipped with a geofencing feature, which can be used to automate your heating system based on your location. Whenever you approach your home, the T6 will turn on your heating pump!

The Honeywell Lyric T6 is designed as a retrofit thermostat, intended to replace your current unit and utilize the existing wiring. Communication between the thermostat and its receiver box occurs over this connection, which results in a more involved installation. If you prefer a wireless connection, the Honeywell Lyric T6R is available as the wireless equivalent of the T6.

One thing users dislike about the Honeywell Lyric T6 is that the target temperature can only be set in 0.5° increments, lacking the finer control found in other thermostats.

Netatmo's Smart Thermostat may appear simple, but it is a versatile and highly capable device supported by Homey and Homey Pro. Through Homey, you can effortlessly control modes, temperatures, and set heating programs.

Unlike other thermostats in our Best Buy Guide, this model features an e-paper display rather than an LCD. Its large, bolded numbers allow the Netatmo Smart Thermostat to be easily viewed from long distances and sharp angles without distortion.

You can use Netatmo’s thermostat to control combi or system boilers (electric, gas, oil, wood) and heat pumps. Its temperature control unit is powered by a set of AAA batteries with a lifespan of 2 years, wirelessly connecting to the relay unit over distances of up to 100m.

The Netatmo Smart Thermostat is also equipped with an energy meter, allowing the user to optimize power consumption of the connected heating unit. The temperature can be set only in 0.5°C steps, which some users may find to be too coarse for fine control.

The Plugwise Anna is a round-shaped smart heating thermostat with OpenTherm support. This model supports all certified boilers, hybrid heat pumps, and can even control main valves from your district heating.

Anna comes with a gateway (Smile-T) that connects to your boiler, enabling communication between the thermostat, the internet, and the boiler. To connect to your home router, the gateway uses Wi-Fi or LAN, if you prefer a completely wired connection.

Paired with your Homey Pro, Anna allows you to change the temperature, set heating schedules, and monitor the ambient temperature of your home. The thermostat is also equipped with humidity and illuminance sensors, the readings of which you can use to create Flows in Homey.

Plugwise's Anna Thermostat offers one of the finest temperature resolutions on our list, allowing you to adjust the temperature in precise increments of 0.1°C.

While the bi-color LED screen (blue and white) looks very clean and modern, some of the displayed elements may be difficult to see unless you are standing very close to the screen.

Final Thoughts

If your primary goal is to reduce energy consumption in your home by deploying smart devices, then a good smart thermostat is a must-have. By intelligently regulating your home's heating and cooling systems, these devices elevate comfort and decrease costs.

From the budget-friendly HeatIt Z-Wave thermostat to the sensor-rich Nest Learning Thermostat, hopefully we’ve made your decision transparent, clear, and easy to make. With Homey Energy and Home Insights, you will always have a clear perception into your home’s energy expenditure.