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Smart thermostats are one of the most helpful parts of a connected home. In today’s saturated market, though, you may have trouble narrowing down your options. You want the best smart thermostat you can get, and deciding what that is isn’t always straightforward.
Heating typically accounts for 42% of your utility bill, so the right thermostat can have significant economic impacts. On top of energy savings, you’ll also want to consider price, accessibility and interconnectivity. With that in mind, here are the five best smart thermostats for 2021.
1. Ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control
The Ecobee SmartThermostat with voice control is the best all-around smart thermostat you can get today. At $250, it’s far from cheap, but you get your money’s worth. It has a remote sensor to improve its temperature readings, a user-friendly interface and dual-band Wi-Fi support.
Best of all, the Ecobee SmartThermostat has Alexa built-in. That means you can use it to control the more than 20,000 devices that work with Alexa. Thanks to Alexa’s interoperability, this thermostat is the most versatile and convenient on the market.
2. Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen)
If you’re more of a Google fan, the third-generation Nest Learning Thermostat is a worthy competitor for the Ecobee. It can integrate with Nest’s impressive range of smart home products and plenty of third-party gadgets. It also supports not just Google Assistant but also Alexa and IFTTT.
The newest edition of the Learning Thermostat comes with a larger, attractive display and geofencing functionality. It shares the Ecobee SmartThermostat’s $250 price tag, so it’s not necessarily affordable. Still, like the SmartThermostat, you get a lot of features for your money.
3. Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat
A slightly more affordable option is the Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat from Resideo. It may not have the functionality of the first two on this list, but it’s still convenient and accessible. The Home T9 supports Alexa, Google Assistant and Cortana voice commands.
Like the Ecobee SmartThermostat, the Home T9 comes with a remote sensor. This sensor detects things like humidity, not just temperature, giving you reliable, comfortable environmental controls. If you want to provide even comfort across multiple rooms, this may be the way to go.
4. Nest Thermostat E
If you don’t want to spend $250 on the Nest Learning Thermostat, the Nest Thermostat E is a worthy budget alternative. The Thermostat E offers a lot of the same functionality, but at $80 less. The only thing you lose is support for more complex HVAC systems and a less attractive display.
The Thermostat E may not work in every home, but if it works in yours, it’s an excellent option. You’ll get all the same controls and third-party support as the Learning Thermostat. With two of the best smart thermostats on the market, it’s easy to see why Nest has sold more than 11 million devices since 2011.
5. Honeywell Lyric T6
At less than $150, the Honeywell Lyric T6 is the most affordable smart thermostat on this list. On top of its comparatively low price, it also features geofencing, scheduling and support for Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri and IFTTT. That’s a lot for what you pay.
As you might expect, the Lyric T6 isn’t quite as feature-rich as its more expensive counterparts. It lacks the humidity and motion detection that others feature. Still, it’s an excellent option, especially for those on a tighter budget.
Get the Best Smart Thermostat for Your Home
What constitutes the best smart thermostat depends on what your needs and resources are. Look at what your HVAC needs, other smart home devices and budget before making a decision. Whatever your situation is, though, there’s a smart thermostat out there for you.
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