As the cold weather starts drifting in, your energy bill begins to increase. And this a problem that no one wants in their life.
Luckily there is an answer to the problem, and it comes in the form of a smart thermostat.
What Is A Smart Thermostat?
A smart thermostat is an intelligent upgrade to your traditional thermostats. They connect to your Wi-Fi connection and can be managed using a smartphone app.
But what causes them to stand out is their money-saving capabilities. Some thermostats claim to be able to save you over 20% on your energy bills.
And no other smart device can offer their users this kind of saving.
They do this by intelligently heating or cooling your house, depending on what you need. This way, you never consume more energy than required.
Smart thermostats can be scheduled multiple times a day with different temperatures. And it can do all this using your mobile phone.
Some thermostats can also work with geofencing. This set’s a virtual border around your home; when the thermostat notices you’ve crossed the line, it will put into place your predetermined action.
Smart thermostats basically make it easier to control your home’s climate while saving your money in the process.
Smart Thermostat Brands Compared
The smart thermostat industry can feel pretty daunting due to the number of brands and models out there.
You never know if the thermostat is going to be a hit or a miss until you get it. And this can put people off from making the switch. But don’t worry, there are two brands you know you can trust.
This segment is going to dive into the differences between the ecobee and Nest brands. They are by far the most popular brands, but how do they differentiate?
Let’s find out as we put ecobee and Nest head to head:
The Price Could Be The Decider
This is always a great place to start because, for many people, it could be their deciding factor.
When it comes to the price between the two brands, there doesn’t seem to be much in it, and can really depend if there’s a sale on at the time.
The only time the price differs is with the ecobee with built-in Alexa; it tends to add an extra $30.
How Easy Are They To Install?
The great thing about smart thermostats is, they take very little effort to install. And both these smart thermostats stick to that ethos.
If you had to choose which one is easier to install, it would probably be the Nest thermostat. This is because you don’t have to install the thermostat with a C-wire, which can be a hassle to fit if you haven’t got one.
Even though Nest doesn’t need the c-wire to work, it’s still recommended to use it if you can. It helps to protect your system.
How Does Their Scheduling Work?
Both thermostats schedule your temperature controls in different ways, so let’s explain both. The Nest thermostat uses intelligent technology to learn how you like your temperature and at what times.
This means the thermostat needs very little human interaction to work its magic.
Ecobee works very differently; it uses the predetermined schedules you set. It then uses the most energy-efficient method to reach the desired temperature.
You can set multiple schedules throughout the day, which the thermostat has no problems keeping up with.
How Does Their Design Compare?
The most noticeable difference with the design is the shape of the two thermostats. The Nest thermostat has a futuristic circular shape that looks very nicely finished.
The ecobee thermostat also has a very modern rectangular design with a beautiful glossy black finish.
Which one is better comes down to personal preference, so it’s hard to say who wins this point!
Can You Use Geofencing Technology?
The ecobee thermostat comes with the geofencing feature, which is very easy to use via the app. You can also set it up with multiple users, so no one is ever left at home with no heating.
Nest also has geofencing abilities; the problem is it’s hidden in the options menu.
You can find guides online to help you if you ever get stuck.
How Much Energy Savings Can You Expect?
One of the main features people are looking for from the smart thermostat is it being able to save you money. So, how much energy do these thermostats claim to save?
The Nest thermostat claims to save their clients 12% on the heating and 15% on the cooling. Ecobee, on the other hand, claims to save an overall 23% on energy bills.
How much you’ll save depends on how much you use it and what temperature you like it.
Do They Offer Third-Party Integrations?
The smart thermostats both offer a fair amount of third-party integrations, which is exactly what you want from a smart device.
The Nest thermostat is slightly more limited to the number of integrations they offer. They can only work with Alexa, Google, and a couple of smart hubs.
The ecobee thermostats have a bit more to offer. They can use the same voice assistants with the addition of Siri and can work with a few smart home gadgets.
This leaves you with a few more options with the ecobee device.
Rounding Up
Smart thermostats are fantastic if you’re looking to save some money and reduce your energy usage.
There are plenty of thermostats brands out there, but as you can see in this guide-
https://automatedoutlet.com/ecobee-vs-nest/,
…ecobee and Nest seem to be the most preferred brands.
Take a look at the article to get a more in-depth view of the two thermostats.